Planing Jig - How to Use Your Planer to Joint Wood | Woodworking Jig

In this woodworking video I show you joint wood using a homemade planer jig you can easily build.
Jointing wide lumber boards on a planer can easily be accomplished using this planing jig and few wooden wedges.
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** Read Full Article on How to Use Your Planer to Joint Wood: goo.gl/OTRT9w
Anti-slip material: amzn.to/2ilkNO1
It's not too often you can adapt any of your woodworking tools to do other things, but when you can it's like having a brand new woodworking tool in your shop. Such is the case when you can turn you planer into a wide board jointer.
Normally a thickness planer is used to plane wood to an even thickness after one face side has already been jointed and is flat and even. If you are in a situation where you have a board that is wider than your jointer, it is possible to joint on face of a board using your planer. The simple trick to this is to make a planing jig from a flat board like a high density fiber board. The idea is to insert wooden wedges in the gaps between your jig and your board to be planed. What this does is prevent your board that is being jointed from rocking in the planer and coming out as warped as it was when it went in. By forcing it to be be stable, the planer has a chance to shave the top edge of the board, thus giving you one flat side. To make your board an even thickness, simply turn it over so the flat side is down and plane your board to thickness and in no time you will have exactly what you are looking for, a wide, flat, evenly planed board ... all with the help of a simple planing jig.
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[@danparks8894]

The anti slip mats are amazing. So glad to see you use them as some of the 'complex jigs' I've seen are ridiculously over-engineered and don't produce any better results. Thanks for the really helpful video.

[@aaron4376]

Omg THANK YOU SO MUCH. I knew there had to be a way to use a plainer as a Jointer, i made a table for it..... lol i didnt SHIM IT. I was halfway there. Using the old tools of my grandfather and father and 80% self taught from AMAZING KZbinrs like you and a touch of cleverness. Thx

[@richlindecker461]

Here's an alternative method. I had a piece of walnut that was twisted, and I had no flat base to put it on. So, I cut two strips of pine. Lay the walnut on a countertop that's flat, and attach the strips of pine to each side, so that they touch the countertop from front to back. I used panel nails to do this. Then run it through the planer. The strips form the flat bottom, and you can easily plane a flat surface. Then, remove the strips and plane the opposite side. Works like a charm.

[@ChiDuly]

This is 100% the way. because if you make those strips a couple inches longer than your board, you’ve simultaneously solved another huge problem….planer snipe.

[@realtrax1586]

How would you adapt that to process an abundance of material? I’ve got 200 8-14 inch long scrap Pieces of wood from pallet I’m trying to reclaim and looking for the most expedient way of doing it

[@davidwisniewski1505]

Thanks a million Colin. So helpful! I just finished my 9ft planer sled. I have a jointer but it’s clumsy to do long boards so I’m using my planer now. Let the machine does the work!

[@EricRShelton]

Much simpler solution than some others I've seen! Thanks so much!

[@jeremylowe7029]

Thank you for this! As a new woodworker trying to decide what to buy this makes life so much easier. Not just that, but the space savings is pretty great as well.

[@JoeSnuffie]

I bought a planer first because I primarily make drink coasters from reclaimed wood and they're already flat enough for that small size. I've recently been asked to make some bread and cheese boards and this is a perfect way for me to get the boards flat enough to not wobble. Thank you for this video.

[@craftedworkshop]

That's awesome Colin. Really dig this idea. My jointer can be inconsistent sometimes.

[@knecht105]

+Crafted Magazine Glad this was helpful for you

[@bernarddouthit4647]

Colin - This video is so well done and consequently very useful. I've watched a few other videos about making jointer sleds, but your explanation of how the shims fit and how to use a gripping pad makes all of this much easier to understand. Thank you for making this.

[@paulchamberlaine6757]

Thank you yet again, You explain your methods beautifully clearly. You make my late adopted hobby so much more enjoyable. Sincere thanks.

[@mae2759]

Fantastic. Just bought a bench top planer and this is exactly what I need!

[@mitch58100]

Thank you, I just bought some 7' X 8/4 lumber the other day and I also bought a 4x8 sheet of fiber board and will use that to make a planer sled with a stop. I also purchased some sheets of 120 grit sandpaper and will put that on my sled and with the shims I purchased flatted the lumber. Very good video, great idea!

[@andrewmills7902]

I just want to thank you for your planer jig. I made one and have used it a few times and it works great!!! Thank you so much.

[@kscamara123]

Great! Thank you! BTW, if the planed vs. unplaned part of the wood surface will not be that visible, I "scribble" the surface of the wood with chalk and that helps.

[@orbepa]

I love your videos Colin - but this one is particularly brilliant and massively relevant to me. I really struggle planing longer boards and this is excellent. Can't wait to try it this weekend.

[@HIMEESE]

Finally a simplistic sled without all the bs. Just what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@arielalejandrito]

You’re a genius I’ve looking for a video like this for almost 3 months now thank you for sharing you got a new subs here keep up the awesome videos

[@davidclink1425]

Just a note of thanks. I made the jig for my planer to make it also a jointer. Worked great. Now oddly I have a 6" jointer. However, I hade wider wood so I was planning to cut all the rough lumber to 6". Saw this amd made a sled out of MDF and ran wood through the planer. save me a whole jointer step and now I have wider boards which I wanted anyhow. Yea. Still have to plane the other side but now I have a flat side to work to. Didn't think it would work but it did.

[@adrianharrison5208]

love this KZbin Channel, just bought a planer today and I will be trying this out tomorrow

[@MarkOhanesian]

THANK YOU for the tip! I did not want to buy both a large planer and jointer for my garage since I have so little room, and thought that there must be a good solution to use one machine. Now I will simply buy a wide planer and make a jig like yours

[@Specialized61]

Great video. I'm in the process of deciding whether to get a joiner or planer first. I think I've decided after watching this! Thanks!

[@MortyGG]

Genious Colin! Exactly what i needed. Didn't even think of that. Thanks alot

[@marcjohnson7919]

This worked great! I saved a twisted Claro Walnut live edge slab using this method.

[@alanfreedman5877]

Oh boy, so glad I don't need a jointer (yet). I watched some other videos purporting to joint with a planer, but they were pretty intimidating. This makes it pretty simple.

[@scottvillalobos8453]

Perfect, just what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@WoodenWonders99]

Amazing tip! I see one of my problems solved. Thank you.

[@jacquespapillon1154]

Thanks a lot, I'had that problem for a long time ago and you gave me the right way to correct the problem, full thanks

[@asabot4you683]

WOW...Really nice video Colin!! I just got my planer and am watching some videos on this exact topic. YOURS is one of the best! So simple, but you explain everything perfectly. Thank you so much for clarifying this all for me and saving me some money! I don't think I need a jointer just yet and will use your technique.

[@georgegwynn1090]

I appreciate your help and the time you take to educate Johnny home owners who need a little help

[@chrisryan8894]

Thank you for this 🙏🙏. I’ve been searching for weeks for a video that could explain this technique, lots of people do it in their videos of builds but don’t explain the technique!

[@Justicejamesb]

Mr. Knecht, awesome video sir! Thank you so much for sharing the art of woodworking with the younger generation. Absolutely love your channel!!

[@jerrydempsey5428]

I was aware of this technique but was a little reluctant to try it. Your video explains the process perfectly, so I'm going to give it a try. Thanks.

[@daveknecht5252]

Before I got a jointer I used this idea too, and it works well. The anti skid pad is a great idea! One thing I had to deal with, is the sled and the board you are working with can be pretty heavy together and if the board is long, it can be a little unwieldy. I had to fashion an outfeed extension to help support the weight of wood as it came out of the planer.

[@knecht105]

+Dave Knecht Yup ... that's where the anti skid really helps ... even the very thin stuff works great

[@mrperezz]

I appreciated your video vey much. Thank you for sharing!

[@jerrydempsey5428]

As usual, a simple and easy to follow explanation. Thanks.

[@TCoffman]

I really appreciate your teaching. Thank you.

[@ericaugustus9435]

My dad gave me a bunch of walnut slabs, and some were quite warped, i ripped them down & built this jig. Thanks for the idea! I also added cleats on both sides to keep it in the same place.

[@kentshrader6616]

Thanks Colin. This will save me a lot of money.

[@rfcilia]

what a great video, learn something new every time I watch your videos, thanks Colin!

[@knecht105]

+rfcilia Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate that ...

[@MichaelDavis-cv6rr]

WoodWorkWeb

[@johnroth8275]

Thanks. Incredibly helpful.

[@michael.schuler]

I use similar sleds but run them through the planer with the cleat at the front instead of the back. As the power feed rollers move the work piece through the planer, the work piece naturally brings the sled forward with it. Also, for thinner work pieces (say less than 4/4) and/or shorter planer tables, the sled can take the form of a carefully constructed torsion box to assure flatness.

[@jrgal27]

But it would depend on what you are pushing through workpiece or sled

[@sj-kp1ks]

This confuses me, too. I've watched several KZbin videos and have also seen plans for a planer sled in woodworking magazines. Most have the cleat at the front but some have it at the back, as in this particular video. My understanding is that the rollers turn to move the piece (and sled) forward through the machine, and the cutter heads rotate in the opposite direction, against that movement. If the workpiece and sled were solidly affixed to one another a cleat would not be needed. If the workpiece could slide forward over the sled - moved by the rollers - you need the cleat at the front. If the workpiece could slide backwards over the sled - moved by the cutterhead - you need the cleat at the back. But this situation can't happen because the pressure and movement of the rollers resist the movement imparted to the workpiece by the cutterhead. So I think the cleat has to be on the front. Can anyone explain why I'm wrong?

[@basketballjones6782]

@@sj-kp1ks You're not. The cleat needs to be at the leading edge. We don't care what the cutting head is doing, since it is only applying forces to the board being planed; we only care what force is imparted on the sled by the board being planed. If the rollers which force the board through the machine were on the bottom instead of the top where the cutter is, then we'd want the cleat in the back, because the rollers would be able to slide the sled out from under the work piece. In this case, it's the opposite, so we want the cleat in the front. It's amazing how often I see people mistake this fact, as well as the one about it being required to even the amount of rock/warp from one side to the other. The only thing that does is require less passes through the planer at the expense of longer setup time.

[@MT62770]

Awesome tip. Thank you!

[@TheShavingWoodWorkshop]

That's a great technique and jig Collin !

[@knecht105]

+The ShavingWood Workshop Thanks Tommy ...

[@Sea1fly]

i took this on and it work great thanks !!!

[@RickityRaccoon]

What a simple idea...i have seen some complicated jigs for this before, but this is the way to go

[@MrDenisclermont]

Thanks Colin, very interesting tip, I will certainly use it. I really like your tips, keep-up the good work.

[@christianbuzio9468]

as usual a clean, useful, video! and will never stop to thank you for tour so-clear speech understandable for english dummies Luke me😁 hugs from Italy

[@knecht105]

+christian buzio Thanks buddy, I appreciate the kind words and your feedback ..

[@terryperry8523]

love your stuff Colin!!

[@benjaminreinhardt259]

Simple but effective! Thanks.

[@LuisLuna-lw2fl]

Great video Colin! I´ve recently purchased a portable thickness planer and I don´t have a jointer in my shop. You just saved me a great deal of time and money!!

[@condor5635]

Luis Luna well don't celebrate too much yet, you still need a joiner for the perpendicular faces...

[@haroldschultz5864]

I love it , simple ways to get the results you're looking for without a three day project jig . Keep It Simple Silly . Nice work and thank you for sharing . God bless .

[@sweetwaterrun]

Thank you so much for this tip!!

[@SB-oy2bi]

Excellent video - just saw it and totally using this technique! Thank you for doing this!

[@chicken9287]

I never thought of this! I have a planar but no joiner. Thanks Colin!

[@knecht105]

+Ben Hopp Glad this was helpful Ben

[@jimhester2004]

Great tutorial, Colin. I have been wondering about that exact thing. So now I'm more willing to buy a good planer. Thanks.

[@knecht105]

+Jim Hester Good point Jim ... thanks for posting this

[@GrahamOrm]

Excellent idea Colin...... Thanks for sharing.

[@seansysig]

Great tip! I will be trying this today

[@iamthekwan]

Wow this is crazy clever, I just came here from another planer/jointer jig video and this is far simpler - less fancy but hey whatever works right? Awesome stuff, thanks so much!

[@wagsman9999]

Trying to flatten some long cherry boards. This will help a lot. Thank you!

[@seejohnmake]

The anti-skid pad here is a great idea / will have to give it a shot!

[@healthballnut]

Excellent instruction. Thank you

[@djozera]

Whenever I've watched your videos, I come out with the solution. Thank you very much. Hugs from Brazil

[@LeoRivera5168060037]

I've seen several videos about how to use a planer as a jointer. The sled that the other video I saw had all sorts of knobs to fine tune the adjustment. I like your sled much better and the use of shims to stabilize the lumber is MUCH easier and more intuitive. Thank you for your videos, I've learned a lot from them!

[@knecht105]

+Leo Rivera I'm glad it helped you Leo, thanks for watching!

[@woodprojectswithalex2692]

I like your man !! amazing trick to use one machine as both. Thanks for teaching

[@juginstr1019]

A lovely project ,well done.Thanks a lot.

[@oldhamegg]

exactly what I needed. Thanks.

[@ralphconnell8163]

Thanks. Answered a lot of Q's for me.

[@workshopontheside6650]

Just bought a Ryobi planer thicknesser and will definitely use this method to remove minor bow and twist.

[@fredparsons5134]

Great idea Colin!

[@WoodByWright]

Fantastic Idea! Almost makes me want to get one now! thanks for the inspiration!

[@knecht105]

+Wood By Wright lol ... all things in good time I say, thanks for your comment

[@rickbraden4272]

Always great explanations for beginners. Thank you.

[@joelsalto2731]

Man thank you so much I have been struggling with planning my boards flat

[@ginaalwaysavip1177]

Thanks so much for sharing your videos! excellent video

[@Damodel247]

Thanks for the great review. I just tried out some 2x pressure treated lumber I had drying out for 2 weeks, resulting in major twist as expected, I wanted to get at least 1" perfect flat, let me tell you this jig worked out great. the board is so beautiful now. I shimmed both ends and was able to get it down to 1 1/4 thick, both sides are flat now and the sled is now stored.

[@izaragoza]

amazing idea! thank you!

[@craigdickerson9706]

Thank you for your videos, I learn alot.

[@WoodenCreationz]

Great Advice. I have seen this done with hot glue, but the non slip pad is way easier! ty

[@knecht105]

+WoodenCreationz I have done it with the hot glue, only problem sometimes it sticks so well you have to almost chip the glue off ... double sided tape works great too ... thanks buddy, good comment for others to learn from too

[@WoodenCreationz]

+WoodWorkWeb back at yA man! For sure a great channel and one I have learned a lot from! Ty for your time! Hope you get plenty of time to play and build in your spare time as well as teaching us! Brian

[@dsingh1183]

This is great! I’ve been in a pickle recently. I have slabs too wide for the jointer, and I don’t want to create a router jig, but I can easily create a planer jig as you did here!

[@royrosales81]

Great idea. Thanks!

[@Daveyhunter6]

excellent thank you , great vid. now I have no worries on how to

[@horaciocastillo3082]

GREAT!!! THANKS FOR SHARING

[@ecaff9515]

thank you. great video and instructions.

[@danielmiller2977]

loved it,thanks.

[@mikeseitz2792]

Thank You!!

[@OwlAndAntler]

super helpful thanks!

[@epeiusgarage]

Perfect! About to buy my first planer. I’ll need this for sure as I do not have room for a jointer

[@ronc5386]

Great tip on using the thickness planer to help eliminate a warp on a wide board. Thanks for sharing Colin, also nice looking wood that you will be working with.

[@knecht105]

+Ron C Thank Ron, yes thats some Garry oak, actually I used that on the top for the standing desk for a better look.

[@annegunn1428]

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[@nino3798]

Very good explanation Colin! Greetings from Italy.

[@donmotz5528]

You explained it very well.....Thanx.

[@Boomers_Bud]

A great video topic Colin. I hate waste of perfectly good wood and this method really helps to minimize that. I always buy wide planks of wood from the local mill and almost all of them are Eight to Twelve inches in width which is too wide for my Six inch jointer. The many items I like to make such as large Bandsaw Boxes, End Grain Butcher Blocks and large Jewelry Boxes are best enhanced through the use of wide boards and it maximizes the yield I can achieve out of every board. We all have cut-off bins in our shop and this method helps us to minimize the amount of wood that we may not have any immediate use for in our usual projects. Great job on the video as well Colin. Derek

[@knecht105]

+GiddyUp994 Thanks Derek ... as usual you have very good insights into uses and applications ... thanks for posting this as others will learn from this too

[@TheHandystanley]

Thanks for the great tip!!

[@knecht105]

+Stanley Pearse Thanks for commenting Stanley

[@j.taylor7361]

I've seen a bunch of your videos, and learned a lot from them, but I found this one to be especially helpful. Thanks for taking the time to make it!

[@knecht105]

You're welcome! thanks for watching!

[@normanterry]

Hi Coin, I have to say that you make some of the best instructional videos I've seen. Thank you!

[@hardnox6655]

Great demo Colin. I have the same setup and it works great. I put one coat of poly on the sled then waxed it on bottom. I use hot glue to hold the shims.

[@knecht105]

+Hardnox I have used hot glue but I find that it sometimes sticks too good and I have chisel it off after ... good quality double sided tape works good too,

[@vijaykumarmuthukrishnan6648]

EXCELLENT WORK PLUS EXPLAINED.

[@robemich1]

Excellent information. Thanks for putting in the work to produce this vid.

[@pabloroman9144]

Thank you for sharing it,

[@aririyadsalami7980]

Great advice

[@WigWagWorkshop]

Mind Blown again Colin! What a great tip! -Steven

[@knecht105]

+WigWagWorkshop lol ... thanks buddy, another quote for my "best KZbin quotes" ... thanks again buddy !

[@bnelson313braveheart8]

Now you’ve made it planer than ever before. Lol Thanks I always love your content!