Easier method for planing timbers and long boards

[Cherryville Chuck]

I’m trying to clean up some fir, pine, and elm slabs that were cut with a chainsaw mill a couple years ago. Planing them smooth has been tough going until now. I got the idea to take an 8’ osb cutoff that was just a hair too wide and Use it like an outfeed roll case. I screwed a cleat to the bottom on the indeed side to keep it from getting drug through with the piece I’m planing.

For some reason this considerably reduced the pushing force needed to feed the timbers through and I can stay on the infeed side and not have to run to the other side to catch it coming out. It only took around 10 minutes to set up the two roller stands and find blocking to put on the Workmate to level it to the planer bed. Works great for a fixed bed style planer. On a fixed head style you’d have to re-level after a few cuts. That might still be worth the effort.

[Herb Stoops]

That planer looks like the 15" Delta I used to have, It had spring loaded rollers on the bottom though, Does yours? If so how does the "sled" work on top of those rollers?
HErb

[Cherryville Chuck]

Essentially the same machine Herb but branded King Canada. There are several more just like them, including the Delta 13". This one is 16" wide. The motors, columns, gear boxes, etc. are all the same. Some have infeed and outfeed auxiliary rollers and some maybe have the rollers on top for feeding the board back to the infeed.

The bed rollers are on eccentric bushings so that they can be adjusted level across and side to side or lowered below the bed. They do make planing a little easier but the also increase snipe since the board is on only one roller at the start and at the finish. Plus they are small rollers so rough spots can hang up against them so I keep them below the bed.

BTW, I don't seem to be getting any snipe with this planing aid or so little I'm not noticing it.

[Herb Stoops]

That was always my complaint with that machine was the snipe. I loved the power and the capacity, but those spring loaded rollers above the bed on the bottom were the big problem. I also didn't particularly like the infeed and outfeed rollers either. When I bought the machine new ,I thought they would be great, but after I used it for awhile they became a pain. I prefer the metal lower bed with the rollers beyond,if I have rollers. The sled with the hook on the infeed end is a great setup.
Herb

[Cherryville Chuck]

I agree. If I could design it I'd have 2 rollers on either side of the cutter head with the inner pair just barely outside the radius of the head. The other pair could be pretty much right under the infeed and outfeed rollers plus 2 or 3 more going onto the bed and off the bed.