Comments on: Planing Plastic?

By: Jonas Jensen

Jonas Jensen — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 11:24:55 +0000

Do you know if bone or ivory were ever used as drawer runners?
I suspect that normal bone from an ox would do. Elephants who will give away their teeth tend to be a ittle harder to find.

And a last thing; please Adam, can we have a drawing for your small toolchest?
Brgds
Jonas

By: zdillinger

zdillinger — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:27:38 +0000

You can also plane aluminum, although it is tough on the plane iron, body too if you use a wood plane (don’t use a wood plane, save them for the real stuff).

By: Bill Lattanzio

Bill Lattanzio — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:28:06 +0000

I used UHMW for the runners on my panel sled. I was skeptical about the plastic machining like wood, as the manufacturer states. But I had no problems putting a minor back bevel on the plastic using a block plane. It is a bit too flexible for my taste but it worked well. My one minor issue with it was that when I installed it with screws it bulged a bit, even after a pilot hole and counter sink. Even still, it worked as advertised.

By: Adam Cherubini

Adam Cherubini — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 13:42:49 +0000

Plowed! Kinda funny too. Using a 150 yr old tool to cut modern materials! That wasn’t as easy as surface planing it. I had to make a ….jig… to hold the plastic. In retrospect, I should have just cut the 1/8 or 3/16″ dado in the case side with a chisel. Hate to make jigs, let alone for 2 parts!

By: Edward in Vancouver

Edward in Vancouver — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 05:12:47 +0000

Yup, been doing that for about 10 years now, albeit with nylon cutting boards. I “used to” make some extra change resurfacing nylon cutting boards from my employers-by running them through my Dad’s thickness.

FWIW, Matfer, a fancy French kitchen equipment Co, that supplies professionals has a “cutting board resurfacer” looking remarkably like a LV Bu smooother-but with disposable blades, and oriental sushi chefs tend to iron their nylon cutting boards smooth with a regular clothes iron.

By: egolla

egolla — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 02:19:33 +0000

Did you plough the groove for the flap, too?
Or was it milled?

By: muthrie

muthrie — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 20:33:12 +0000

Ummm .. so exactly why are you planing plastic?