3 Questions About Using A Planer Sled
 

1 - Both of the following videos show the same type of planer sled used to
flatten a twisted board. In both cases, the maker adds a support strip to
keep the board being planed from sliding off of the sled. However, they
both do it for different reasons and at different ends of sled. Which one
is correct?

This guy feeds the support strip end into the planer first. At 1:40 he
calls it a "toe kick" and says that it prevents the board from "sliding
right off" as he is pushing the sled through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bexzF1pyYGM

This guy feeds the end without the support strip in first. At 5:50 he
explains that the blades spin towards the infeed side of the planer
and the support strip prevents the board from being pushed back out
towards the user.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK5CxqYmUSo

2 - Probably a silly question, but I'll bet it starts a discussion...

If the sled works for flattening a twisted board, wouldn't it also work
for flattening a bowed board? Assume a board that is flat for most
of its length, but with a bow upwards towards one end. If you shim that
entire "raised" end, not just a corner like is done with a twisted board,
That face will eventually be flattened and when board is turned over
the hump will be gone, just like the rocking of a twisted board is
eliminated, correct?

3 - This question isn't really planer sled specific, but it could relate
to the shims, so I'll toss it out anyway.

Is there a certain brand or type of hot melt glue that pops off wood
easily? I don't use hot glue on wood very often, but it's mentioned
in both, and used in one, of those planer sleds videos.

Whenever I've use hot glue on wood, the 2 pieces separate pretty easily
but the glue has to be mechanically (serious scraping) or chemically
(alcohol) removed. I know that 2 sided tape is an option, but in cases
like the first video above, where the shims are slid into the gap, the
hot glue method seems the easiest to install but might be hardest to
un-install.

As always, thanks for any advice and tips.

3 Questions About Using A Planer Sled
 

On 1/21/2019 9:35 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
....

As always, thanks for any advice and tips.

I didn't watch either video, but the two are fighting different pieces
of the problem..the first apparently has had difficulty with the feed
rollers pulling the workpiece ahead because there's too much bed
friction while the other has had the work pushed back by the cutterhead.

Either is possible depending on the work and the planer.

I typically will fix the workpiece both ways as had a one general sled
with clamps in place.

--dpb