Can hardened epoxy damage portable planer blades?

This is the place for everything that doesn't fit elsewhere.
Post Reply
User avatar
mvettori
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 am
Location: Collegeville, PA
Contact:

Can hardened epoxy damage portable planer blades?

Post by mvettori »

I am in the process of making a bentwood trout net. I have steam bent and laminated the frame and epoxied the laminates to the handle. I'd like to pass the frame through my planer to clean up the edges and make it uniform on both sides. However, I'm not certain if the hardened epoxy will damage the blades of the planer.

Does anyone know if this will cause a problem?

Mike, Philadelphia
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

Hardened epoxy can be quite tough on any cutting edge depending partly on the thickeners used. Coloidal Silica or fumed silica or cabosil is pretty tough on cutting tools. However, if you remove any squeeze-out with a rasp or some other tool, the rest shouldn't cause any damage to the planer blade since it will just be thin glue lines. The planer blade might dull a bit more quickly when planing epoxy but no more than when planing maple or other hardwoods IMHO.
User avatar
mvettori
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 am
Location: Collegeville, PA
Contact:

Post by mvettori »

Thanks Glen. I didn't use any thickeners other than sawdust for color. I'll try your suggestion of rasping down the heavy stuff then passing it through the planer a few times. I'll try to minimize the amount of each cut to reduce the strain on the blades.

Mike
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

I found a pic of one of the trout nets I made many moons ago. The netting is actually for a frog net. For the small size of the brook trout that I normally catch, I find the holes are too large in standard trout nets. The fish slip through the holes when lifted out of the water. :embarassed Yeah, they are that small! :laughing
Dimensions of net frame = 19" long and 7.5" wide.

Image
User avatar
mvettori
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 am
Location: Collegeville, PA
Contact:

Post by mvettori »

That's beautiful Glen! Mine's a little bigger. The bow is about 10" x 16"...wishful thinking I guess! :twisted evil Actually, that was the size of the tennis racquet I used as the mold. :laughing

Here's a pic. It's still rough and needs some more shaping and sanding before I finish it.
Image

I tried your suggestion of rasping down the heavy stuff, then passing it through the planer...worked like a charm. Thanks for the advice.

Mike
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

Really nice wood tones. I'm sure that will attract the bigger fish. :wink
User avatar
mvettori
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 am
Location: Collegeville, PA
Contact:

Post by mvettori »

Glen,

Here's a picture just about finished:

http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh21 ... Net005.jpg

The net I'm currently using is too small (if you look close you can tell) , but I think I found one this morning should fit. I used a Tung Oil Varnish that really brought out the color nicely.

Mike
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

That is a real beauty! :applause
Post Reply