Running laminations through thicknesser?

[Corley]

Hi, Im just in the process of putting together a stem lamination for my latest construction the veneers I've sourced are 35mm and the stem width needs to be 31.75mm I'm thinking of passing the whole lamination through my thicknesser would there be any issues if I did this with a light cut? Just curious If anyone else has done this?

[Hunter25]

The dimension you are indicating you want to remove is not enough to worry about. If you can build to 1/4 mm tolerance, then you are better then most. The paint you put on the part will be more then that.

[alan white]

I'd use a table saw. The planer can scallop the piece too easily. I've also used a jointer to do the same thing.

[Hunter25]

I might have misjudged the dimension accuracy because of unfamiliarity with metric but 1/4 of a millimeter is around 100th of an inch by my guess making it a darn fine kiss with any wood working tool.

[troy2000]

35-31.75 = 3.25 mm; that's roughly an eighth of an inch.

Whether it should go through a thickness planer or not depends on what the veneers are, in my opinion. If he's laminating up solid wood with the grain all running the length of the stem, it shouldn't be any problem at all. If he's laminating up plywood with cross grain it it, he can probably still get away with it if the outside grain is running lengthwise.

I'd probably set the planer up for a 1/32" cut at a time, and make two passes on either side. I see no reason why a properly fed piece of wood through a properly sharpened planer should scallop...

Although I'll admit my experience is limited. I have an ugly old cast-iron warhorse, that weighs about half as much as my pickup. It'll take a smooth 1/8" off a 14" wide plank of oak in one pass, when the blades are newly sharpened. I don't have much experience with the lightweight portable ones.

[TollyWally]

" I don't have much experience with the lightweight portable ones."
LOL,
Why should you when you got the good stuff?

[Marco1]

It can be done providing the lamination is first class, that means all the surface is well and truly glued up so that no pieces will fly off.
The safest way to do that is of course with a thicknesser drum sander, if you have one.
If you had a picture of the piece it would be easier to give an aswer that is more than just a guess.

[Corley]

The lamination is in hardwood, merbau. I'm going to glue the lamination together today and have the form ready to go. I ask the question as I'd rather assemble the lamination and thin it down in the thicknesser than have to run all the strips through the table saw seperately thanks for the advice. Will put some photos up when the lamination is assembled.

[keith66]

I would sand the worst of the glue off before sticking it through the mincer, otherwise the planer blades will get blunt rather quick.