A power planer is great for smoothing and finishing rough wood, as long as the wood is large enough. But the planer is a picky machine that won't always accept small pieces of wood. If wood is too small, the planer might damage it or kick it back. That's when outriggers come in handy. Outriggers provide a stabilizing weight, reducing the chance that the machine will cut divots into the board. Here's an easy way to make outriggers for sending short boards through a power planer just as you would a long board. Materials:
Two pieces of 3/4" by 3/4" wood, each 4" longer than the board to be planed
Board to be planed
Screwdriver and screws
Planer
Jointer or hand-held planer
- Screw the two scrap outriggers to the sides of the board to be planed (figure A). Make sure to countersink the holes so the screws won't get caught inside the planer.
- Send the board and its outriggers through the machine as you would a large piece of wood (figure B). Remember that the planer automatically sends the wood to its outfeed table, so there's no need to push the wood through.
- Use a screwdriver to remove the outriggers.
- Use a jointer or hand-held planer to smooth the rough edges where the outriggers were attached.
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