Planer Knives Sharpening Jig

[kmmcrafts]

I know many of you have planers and the knifes aren't all that cheap to replace.. Just thought about this as my knives was getting dull so I had to flip them over to the other side ( double sided ).. which got me thinking about how I've never seen anyone mention anything about sharpening them.. or replacing them.. so i thought I'd start a topic on my experience with this tool.

I got this larger set up 4-5 years ago as a gift.. probably wouldn't buy it as something similar could be easily made.. search youtube on the topic..

Anyway, way back when.. I was replacing knives about 2 times a year.. and hose things aren't all that cheap.. Since getting this tool I've only replaced a them once and have another new set that I've had for two years now.. I've been getting about 3-4 life times out of a set of knives.. I probably could get more but I don't want to push my luck and get these worn down so much that I damage the cutter head.. these don't stick out real far from the cutter head and every sharpening makes them stick out that much less so.. 

Anyway, I've been very pleased with this tool.. I will say that the angle that this sharpens is different than the angle of my planer knives.. but it still works very well for me.. Just thought I'd share my thoughts.. making your own you'd be able to do whatever angle you need.. might talk some trial and error... 

https://www.rockler.com/deulen-planer-jointer-sharpening-jigs-sharpening-jigs    

[tgiro]

That's the same type of jig that I use on my blades. I have to mention that I use single edged high-speed steel blades - not the double edged stainless steel. I have an old DW733 planer. The only caveat to that jig is to use a true flat surface to mount your sandpaper. I have a 2" thick marble plate that I use when I meed true flat. I use sandpaper grit down to 1000 when sharpening blades. They're razor sharp when I'm finished.

TBH; I haven't used the planer much since I got my SuperMax drum sander.

[Karl S]

I sharpen mine with my Makita wet sharpener, it does a fantastic job. Not a cheap tool but well worth it to have in the wood shop for things with an edge. I have been using it for about eight years now and I would find it hard to do without.

 

[flarud]

I was just thinking about this yesterday while using my planer.  One side of the blades has a small knick in it.  It's almost on the very end of the blade so I don't worry about it.  I started out planing some Curly Maple and after that a piece of pine.  You can really tell the difference in the hardness of the two boards.  

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, flarud said:

I was just thinking about this yesterday while using my planer.  One side of the blades has a small knick in it.  It's almost on the very end of the blade so I don't worry about it.  I started out planing some Curly Maple and after that a piece of pine.  You can really tell the difference in the hardness of the two boards.  

You might try "staggering" your blades so that the nicks aren't all lined up. Doesn't take much to move the nicks to different "planes".

[flarud]

10 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

You might try "staggering" your blades so that the nicks aren't all lined up. Doesn't take much to move the nicks to different "planes".

I have the Dewalt DW734 so I know that it has 3 blades and that they are reversible.  I haven't yet attempted it, but I have a feeling that it will be a pain in the behind to remove, sharpen and replace. 

[heppnerguy]

I have looked at these sharpener tools and wondered it they were worth it to buy. I think at the price of the sharpener and the price of replacing the blades that with my lack of skill, I will stay with reversing my blades and replacing them when needed. As long as I am careful about what goes through my planer, I do not seem to have any trouble with making my blades last quite some time. If I felt I  was more skilled with this type of thing, then maybe I would give it another consideration. That is just my take on it

Dick

heppnerguy

[dgman]

3 minutes ago, flarud said:

I have the Dewalt DW734 so I know that it has 3 blades and that they are reversible.  I haven't yet attempted it, but I have a feeling that it will be a pain in the behind to remove, sharpen and replace. 

Actually, changing blades on the DW734 is real easy. The planer comes with all the tools needed to change blades onboard. The blades are two sided so you just flip them over when they dull. What makes it easy to change is they are indexed, they fit into the head onto pins so you don’t have to adjust them. Unfortunately, because they are indexed, you can’t adjust them which means if you sharpen them you will lose blade height and will not cut properly. This means you have to replace them. I use mine regularly and have flipped them over one time. Fortunately, the price of replacement blades is about the same as having them sharpened professionally. It’s the price you have to pay for having a great planer. 

[kmmcrafts]

My planer has little tabs and the knives can only go in a certain way.. It has two knives.. so I wouldn't be able to move the blades for those nicks I got.. Mine are from dumb me.. the place I get my lumber staples tags on the ends to mark the lumber and price etc.. well.. I forgot to pull the staple out.. so I have two nicks in my knives.. but they are very small and I pre-sand my projects plus finish sand everything too.. so it's not an issue yet anyway.. This happen a couple years ago and when they get dull this time.. I'm putting my new ones on since I've sharpen this set about 4 times now.. 

My planer I've had about 8 years now I think.. maybe longer.. I bought it at a outlet mall when we was on vacation and the wife & mother in law wanted to go shopping.. I wasn't at all really interested in going but figured better than sitting at the hotel by myself.. but not much better, LOL turned out the outlet place had a tool store.. the planer is a 13" ryobi that was $100 mother in law gave every one $150 to spend at the mall.. so really the thing was free..LOL.. I've run a lot of board ft. through that thing for just being a cheapy.. Kept putting money aside for a better one but never have needed it so I spent the money I had put away on other things.. Now it'll quite for sure LOL.. but it sure owes me nothing..

 

[OCtoolguy]

2 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

My planer has little tabs and the knives can only go in a certain way.. It has two knives.. so I wouldn't be able to move the blades for those nicks I got.. Mine are from dumb me.. the place I get my lumber staples tags on the ends to mark the lumber and price etc.. well.. I forgot to pull the staple out.. so I have two nicks in my knives.. but they are very small and I pre-sand my projects plus finish sand everything too.. so it's not an issue yet anyway.. This happen a couple years ago and when they get dull this time.. I'm putting my new ones on since I've sharpen this set about 4 times now.. 

My planer I've had about 8 years now I think.. maybe longer.. I bought it at a outlet mall when we was on vacation and the wife & mother in law wanted to go shopping.. I wasn't at all really interested in going but figured better than sitting at the hotel by myself.. but not much better, LOL turned out the outlet place had a tool store.. the planer is a 13" ryobi that was $100 mother in law gave every one $150 to spend at the mall.. so really the thing was free..LOL.. I've run a lot of board ft. through that thing for just being a cheapy.. Kept putting money aside for a better one but never have needed it so I spent the money I had put away on other things.. Now it'll quite for sure LOL.. but it sure owes me nothing..

 

Kevin, I have a Delta planer and the blades have elongated holes that fit over the locating pins. I can slide the blades one direction or the other to offset them and avoid the nicks. I was thinking that as easy as it is to install or turn over the blades, why not use a half-used set of blades to rough plane wood that might have a piece of metal in it a couple of times through. If you have a bunch to plane that is. Then once you've "cleaned" the wood up, turn the blades over to the new/sharp side and do your finish planing. Just a thought.

 

[kmmcrafts]

51 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Kevin, I have a Delta planer and the blades have elongated holes that fit over the locating pins. I can slide the blades one direction or the other to offset them and avoid the nicks. I was thinking that as easy as it is to install or turn over the blades, why not use a half-used set of blades to rough plane wood that might have a piece of metal in it a couple of times through. If you have a bunch to plane that is. Then once you've "cleaned" the wood up, turn the blades over to the new/sharp side and do your finish planing. Just a thought.

 

Yes I do that with the rough cut lumber i get from my brothers mill.. mostly because there is sometimes dirt etc from them being sticker-ed to dry out.. out in his dusty lumber lot.. and I've found that though you really don't see much of any dirt or anything on the lumber it sure does dull the blades quick.. so I plane the rough cut stuff with the dull blades then use sharp blades for the finish work.. 

Thanks for suggesting it though as it may benefit someone reading this.. I learned it the hard way by running rough cut on a set of brand new blades.. they didn't last too long, LOL 

[flarud]

5 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yes I do that with the rough cut lumber i get from my brothers mill.. mostly because there is sometimes dirt etc from them being sticker-ed to dry out.. out in his dusty lumber lot.. and I've found that though you really don't see much of any dirt or anything on the lumber it sure does dull the blades quick.. so I plane the rough cut stuff with the dull blades then use sharp blades for the finish work.. 

Thanks for suggesting it though as it may benefit someone reading this.. I learned it the hard way by running rough cut on a set of brand new blades.. they didn't last too long, LOL 

Thanks for suggesting it though as it may benefit someone reading this.. I learned it the hard way by running rough cut on a set of brand new blades.. they didn't last too long

 

Another good idea if you already haven't got one,, is to get a metal detector and use on the wood prior to planing it.  Harbor Freight has two different ones.  I bought the smaller one and it works pretty good for me.  So I'm not sure when and how I got the nick in my blades.  

[Woodmaster1]

I have had my planer for six years and flipped the blades after 4. I am getting ready to replace the blades. I have 13" Delta with 3 blades. I am lucky because I use my woodworking club's 15" planer on rough lumber. I just use mine to touch up after resawing.

[John B]

I put mine in the vice and give them a good going over with a standard oil stone. Does the trick.
Put a decent nick in one the other day, A bloody hidden nail, so one side of that set is RS