[pianotech] wagner safety planer drill speed

[Paul McCloud]

Don't know if you're addressing me or Chrisstor.  
What I used is a sheet of melamine coated MDF (shelf) clamped to my drill press table.  I use a drill press vise to clamp the key and freehand it under the planer (I'm lazy).  The trick is in clamping the keystick, since the sides of the key aren't often square to the bottom in many cases, and the act of clamping them  tends to lift one side or the other.  I used some blue painters tape as shim material under the vise and a block of wood under the key to reference the underside of the key to the table.  (The block of wood is cut so it is a few thousandths less than the distance from the bottom of the key to the table)  If there is some tilting of the key in the vise, I'll be able to see that by looking carefully at the top of the block vs the key bottom.  I also have to be extremely careful to remove any sawdust from under the vise, or my cut will be too deep on the keytop surface.  DAMHIK.
I'm keen on this thread because I'd like to find a better way to do this.  Way too much eyeballing and whatnot.  The problem usually comes when the key is twisted, and you plane it at an angle by mistake, etc.  Bill Spurlock has a method of making a special table to use with a stop to keep the cuts all the same length as the new keytop.  Done right, it's like the keytop is inlaid.
Paul mcCloud
San DIego 


----- Original Message -----
From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Thursday, December 6, 2012 7:07:39 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] wagner safety planer drill speed

I currently use a router system but I'm not thrilled with either the noise or the clamping system.  Considering alternatives.  I actually have (somewhere in the shop) and old Wagner planer.  What kind of sled system do you use to clamp and direct the keytop through the planer?

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul McCloud
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2012 4:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] wagner safety planer drill speed

Hi, David:
If you haven't seen one of these up close, when you do you'll be amazed how it's designed.  The cutters are mounted with screws to the body of the planer, and they are round.  Sharpening is done with a special wheel, which (should be) included.  The cutters are about a inch in diameter, and you would have to grind away the whole thing before you'd be able to wear it out.  I've used mine for many years, and it works well.  Though it's a "Safety Planer", you still have to respect it.  Even so, I've nicked myself with it, but didn't do too much damage.  It's a good design.  Doing keytops with it still requires some careful setup, but you knew that already.
Paul McCloud
San Diego

----- Original Message -----
From: chrisstor at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Thursday, December 6, 2012 3:46:17 PM
Subject: [pianotech]  wagner safety planer drill speed

David, 


With respect to your question on drill speed, my operator's manual says the following in one place: "Use in accordance with instructions. Maximum speed is 6000rpm." 


Then in another location is says: "Set the drill press belt for a high speed, but not over 5000 rpm." 


With respect to your question regarding life of the tool, the manual says: "Cutting action remains the same after sharpening hundreds of times." I've sharpened mine once so far, so I can't tell you how long hundreds of sharpenings is going to last you. 


There are photocopies of the manual at this website: http://s237.beta.photobucket.com/user/Chipncut/media/Wagner%20Safe-T-Planer%20Manual/44879e0d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1 


Chris S.