Thickness Planer Safety

Summary of Safe Operating Procedures for the Thickness Planer (printable version)
 Do not plane lumber that is coated with a finish.
 Do not plane lumber that is less than 12 inches long
 Planing of used or recycled lumber is prohibited without special permission
 Surface only new dry lumber that is free of loose knots and serious defects.
 Do not plane lumber unless it has at least one flat surface. If it doesn’t, a jointer should be used to true the surface.
 Always feed lumber into the planer so that the cutting will be done with the grain of the wood if possible.
 Never plane more than 1/16″ for each cut.
 The depth of cut must always be adjusted relative to the thickest part of an uneven board.
 Do not look into the planer while the power is on.
 Always stand to one side of the lumber while it is being fed through the planer.
 Handle and hold stock only in an area beyond the ends of the table.
 Do not allow the stock to feed through your hands as it self feeds to avoid slivers
 Planing long boards may require a helper
 If a board gets stuck in the planer, stop the machine immediately. Once the planer has come to complete stop, lower the bed and use another piece of lumber to push the stuck piece through.
 Do not walk away from the planer unless it has been turned off and come to a complete stop.