Any body have any experience with the drill press safety planers? I'm thinking of getting one for squaring up a neck blank, and cutting the headstock recess (fender style).
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Stew Mac safety planner?
- Thread starter Will_White
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Manton Customs
UK Luthier
I use the original Wagner Safe T Planer occasionally. Can't speak for the SM copy, but I imagine it's similar.
They are useful for certain jobs but don't in any way replace either hand plane or planer as the marketing at the time suggested. I like it for making head plates and reducing headstock thickness. I used to use it for the depth taper also, but use a router jig these days.
They are useful for certain jobs but don't in any way replace either hand plane or planer as the marketing at the time suggested. I like it for making head plates and reducing headstock thickness. I used to use it for the depth taper also, but use a router jig these days.
Not from StewMac, but I have one. They work pretty well. Just use very shallow passes! You will want to also make sure you have a long enough auxiliary table that is square to the "bit". Keep a firm (and safely-positioned grip on the workpiece.
I can't really think of a job you can do with this that couldn't be accomplished more cleanly with a router, but it's probably useful in a pinch. I love how Stewmac reproduced the design verbatim but changed just enough so the parts are not interchangeable with the older Saf-T-Planer. "Creative" engineering at its finest.
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
I have one and I have used it on my drill press a few times and it cuts a pretty rough sometimes uneven mess and as you do a lot of wood it binds up and gets sticky depending on the wood as it heats up.
routing is waaaayyy better with a jig of course. Or a planer
routing is waaaayyy better with a jig of course. Or a planer
^-- exactly my experience too
Since i made my router sled, my safe-t planer hasnt seen the light of day
Hopkins
Commercial User
Calling this thing a safe-t planer makes no sense to me. Spinning blades with no guard on a side loaded drill press does not seem safe at all to me. I don't think I would even try this tool out if it were given to me
There was a really talented luthier on here a while ago (Wilser) that loved his safe-t planer and made a good video or two of him using it. He loved the thing. But yeah, I think if I used it, little chunks of my hands would end up all over the walls of my garage. Router + homemade sled = better for me.
My $0.02,
1) Don't buy it from StewMac. Get it from Amazon. Same thing, but it will be cheaper.
2) As other people alluded, it's nice, but doesn't do as awell as a planner, or router with a jig
1) Don't buy it from StewMac. Get it from Amazon. Same thing, but it will be cheaper.
2) As other people alluded, it's nice, but doesn't do as awell as a planner, or router with a jig
Well, the cutters don't extend past that lip on the edge. At most you might get a nasty burn
Thanks for the "talented" bit. I do miss the shop dust in my boogers.
OK, someone needs to offer the real story.
I've been using the "real" Safe-T-Planer for close to 30 years and I personally think it's one of the top inventions of all time. I won't go into all the specific details of its usefulness, but it is shown several times in my recent build topic. I use it for all my general woodworking and many luthiery-specific uses, too. It does everything from planing rough lumber to reducing head plates by a few thousandths of an inch. I've never found a way to more easily make perfect glue joints. I couldn't work without it, or at least I wouldn't want to.
As far as needing to take very light cuts, just check out the photo link. The manufacturer's instructions even tell you to refrain from shallow cuts as it concentrates the work on the tip of the cutting edge. A solid 1/8" pass is a good hogging cut for the tool, but lighter passes are fine, too. I often use mine with final cuts of only a few thousandths. Almost all the bad comments about rotary planers are the result of improper use.
Check out the first page of that topic and scroll down to photos #4, #6, and #15 as examples of its usefulness.
30” Scale Compact Semi-acoustic Fretless Bass Build
The Wagner is no longer made, but there's a import knock-off that's supposed to be fairly comparable.
The original Safe-T-Planer (as well as the import copy) has rotary inserts that can easily be sharpened dozens of times before they need to be replaced. DO note that the Stu-Mac version does NOT have the same sharpenable insert design; each cutter can be used TWICE before requiring replacement. That's a HUGE disadvantage, making this a very profitable item for Stu-Mac and a very costly to maintain tool for the user. You pick what you want to use.
There's also a quick example of leveling banjo rim layers prior to glue up on my Youtube channel as well as a video to show how the cutters are sharpened.
I've been using the "real" Safe-T-Planer for close to 30 years and I personally think it's one of the top inventions of all time. I won't go into all the specific details of its usefulness, but it is shown several times in my recent build topic. I use it for all my general woodworking and many luthiery-specific uses, too. It does everything from planing rough lumber to reducing head plates by a few thousandths of an inch. I've never found a way to more easily make perfect glue joints. I couldn't work without it, or at least I wouldn't want to.
As far as needing to take very light cuts, just check out the photo link. The manufacturer's instructions even tell you to refrain from shallow cuts as it concentrates the work on the tip of the cutting edge. A solid 1/8" pass is a good hogging cut for the tool, but lighter passes are fine, too. I often use mine with final cuts of only a few thousandths. Almost all the bad comments about rotary planers are the result of improper use.
Check out the first page of that topic and scroll down to photos #4, #6, and #15 as examples of its usefulness.
30” Scale Compact Semi-acoustic Fretless Bass Build
The Wagner is no longer made, but there's a import knock-off that's supposed to be fairly comparable.
The original Safe-T-Planer (as well as the import copy) has rotary inserts that can easily be sharpened dozens of times before they need to be replaced. DO note that the Stu-Mac version does NOT have the same sharpenable insert design; each cutter can be used TWICE before requiring replacement. That's a HUGE disadvantage, making this a very profitable item for Stu-Mac and a very costly to maintain tool for the user. You pick what you want to use.
There's also a quick example of leveling banjo rim layers prior to glue up on my Youtube channel as well as a video to show how the cutters are sharpened.
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Yeah, I've touched mine in operation twice. Both times scared myself (which is good), but no damage whatsoever. If you held your finger against it along enough, you'd get a friction burn. The blades are recessed at least 1/4" from that soft rounded edge, and the deeper your cut with it, the more the wood itself acts as a guard to by leaving less exposed blade area, making it harder to fit a finger in the gap. Safety-wise, I have to remind myself to shut off the motor when cleaning the table of shavings, since its tempting when you have a thick workpiece to leave it running while you sweep your hand underneath.Well, the cutters don't extend past that lip on the edge. At most you might get a nasty burn
Thanks for the "talented" bit. I do miss the shop dust in my boogers.
Leave it to Stewmac to "improve" an already well designed tool in a way that allows them to sell expensive replacement cutter heads. They are the masters of overpricing and heavily padded "postage and handling". Many of their products are well made, but I got tired of getting ripped off when identical lower priced options are available if you dig a little. I have a lunchbox planer, but it can't be used on small parts easily, wish id bought one of these while Wagner still made them.
Hey all. I thought I would leave my impressions of the use of this tool here as well (as also documented in this build thread Winter 2017 Build Off - First scratch build: walnut, maple and purpleheart sandwich)
Here's the setup: 8" Wen, safe-T-planer, plywood table, 2x4 adjustable fence with cutout, dust collection and "guide clamps"
It took some time to get everything set up and find a routine to get consistent results. I did some test runs on soft pine 2x4s first, then progressed to the neck blanks. I got pretty comfortable with how things were going and it did not feel unsafe at any time (or no more than a drill would). I adjusted the "guide clamps'" height along with the table height adjustments at every pass for a while (to just above the blank height), but felt it unnecessary and I stopped in the end, will probably get rid of them. Happy with the end result and all appendages still attached!
Issues:
1) My 1/3 HP drill press does not have enough power to fully utilize this tool. I think that I would have been able to take deeper passes with more power, I was basically limited to 1/32" depth on hardwood.
2) I got some chipout on particular edges of the purpleheart (depending on the grain), I'll probably have to sand back 1/32-1/16" to clean that up.
3) I need to modify my table so it is easily height-adjustable; seen some videos on the tube but waiting for inspiration to strike (or more necessity).
Tips:
1) Set the table slightly off level, with the feed-side of the table just a little higher. This way only the leading edge of the planer is in contact with the wood.
2) Use two passes each time. Even though I ran it through at 1/32" once, there would be more to take off on a second run, without adjusting the table height. I had to flip the blanks to cover the full width, so my SOP became pass-flip-pass-flip-pass-flip-pass-adjust-repeat.
3) Dust collection. Enough said.
4) Hearing protection. What? Yes.
All in all, I'm glad I used it, it gave a good result IMO, it was kind of fun, I'd use it again
P.S. Please edit the spelling in the title, (it's killing me, and) correct spelling may bring more people to this thread in future
Here's the setup: 8" Wen, safe-T-planer, plywood table, 2x4 adjustable fence with cutout, dust collection and "guide clamps"
It took some time to get everything set up and find a routine to get consistent results. I did some test runs on soft pine 2x4s first, then progressed to the neck blanks. I got pretty comfortable with how things were going and it did not feel unsafe at any time (or no more than a drill would). I adjusted the "guide clamps'" height along with the table height adjustments at every pass for a while (to just above the blank height), but felt it unnecessary and I stopped in the end, will probably get rid of them. Happy with the end result and all appendages still attached!
Issues:
1) My 1/3 HP drill press does not have enough power to fully utilize this tool. I think that I would have been able to take deeper passes with more power, I was basically limited to 1/32" depth on hardwood.
2) I got some chipout on particular edges of the purpleheart (depending on the grain), I'll probably have to sand back 1/32-1/16" to clean that up.
3) I need to modify my table so it is easily height-adjustable; seen some videos on the tube but waiting for inspiration to strike (or more necessity).
Tips:
1) Set the table slightly off level, with the feed-side of the table just a little higher. This way only the leading edge of the planer is in contact with the wood.
2) Use two passes each time. Even though I ran it through at 1/32" once, there would be more to take off on a second run, without adjusting the table height. I had to flip the blanks to cover the full width, so my SOP became pass-flip-pass-flip-pass-flip-pass-adjust-repeat.
3) Dust collection. Enough said.
4) Hearing protection. What? Yes.
All in all, I'm glad I used it, it gave a good result IMO, it was kind of fun, I'd use it again
P.S. Please edit the spelling in the title, (it's killing me, and) correct spelling may bring more people to this thread in future
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I have the Stew Mac one.
First impression: What a waste of money.
Then I built a proper jig for it.....
Great, great tool when used PROPERLY. Don't expect to throw it in your drill press and go. Set it up properly....table, fence, hold down, et cetera. Really a handy tool to have around when used properly.
Edit: SHALLOW PASSES!
First impression: What a waste of money.
Then I built a proper jig for it.....
Great, great tool when used PROPERLY. Don't expect to throw it in your drill press and go. Set it up properly....table, fence, hold down, et cetera. Really a handy tool to have around when used properly.
Edit: SHALLOW PASSES!
Hey Brent, what speed are you running it at? I found that faster worked much better, and getting it as close to the max recommended rpm without exceeding it (actually I don't think I got that close even) worked best. I think I have 1/2 HP, and deep passes have not been a problem.
I never even considered dust collection with it-- very nice. Looks great for neck blanks. For full bodies I think you'd still be stuck with "clean up the mess later."
I never even considered dust collection with it-- very nice. Looks great for neck blanks. For full bodies I think you'd still be stuck with "clean up the mess later."
Not sure about Brent, but I was running at max speed, 3140 rpm
If my passes were too deep (>1/32") it would just grind to a halt...
If my passes were too deep (>1/32") it would just grind to a halt...
As a complete novice I used one at a friend's place to slim down a uke headstock. No guides, clamping, or dust collection, totally freehand, and it came out great even though it shouldn't have. I'll probably pick one up at some point to use with a more local friend's drill press.
I only use a guide if I'm using it to cut a specific rabbit or ledge with the rotary planer. Hold-downs are unnecessary if you know enough about woodworking to understand the relationships of cutting process and grain direction; but that's true for any cutting process. The one thing that I find a necessity is a large work surface with a low friction top. I use a 20" by 40" double thickness laminate covered table that also has a mechanical method to adjust it so the top is perfectly flat.
