: I discussed my milling issues with a retired craftsman and cabinet
: maker at Home Depot and he told me
: if I wanted perfect B&C strips I would have to;
: 1. Add another finger board directly over the router bit to make
: sure the strip is flat from start to finish.
: 2. Run all my strips through a thickness planer so that when I mill
: the B&C, the B&C will be dead centered
: on the strip

: Then he proceeded to show me what HD had for thickness planers.
: They carry Dewalt 12.5" and Ridged 13".
: $399 less 10% military discount = $359 for either one. What is the
: forums take on these brands?
: Am I being hustled?

: When I milled my strips I cut 2 strips at a time, had a shim
: fabricated by a machine
: shop and placed it in between a pair of Mitsubishi 1/16" kerf
: blades pulled through with a powered feeder.
: I did a bunch at the time in one session. (me and a helper). The
: strips came out slick and smooth. I sold
: a bunch to other strippers and they came over and mic'ed the strips
: and had no complaints. They may
: have run those through a thickness planer when they got them home-
: don't know for sure. Never heard back from them.
: I mic'ed the strips and they looked good to me but I don't know for
: sure what tolerance is acceptable.
: I built Rob Macks "Panache" with those strips and had no
: issues except for "newbie" problems.
: I might add that looking back with what I know now, the
: "Panache" was an easy build even though it
: took me 12 years of part time anxiety.

Douglas, if you don't use the B&C technique and go with the bevel technique of Rob Macks you will not need to spend $400.00 for the planer. I am using the bevel tech. and find that it works fine and saves time in milling. That said , I do own an older model (13yrs old) Dewalt planner also an 8 in Grizzly jointer among other woodworking power tools. I find them indispensable in my furniture and cabinetry building but have not found them necessary in building my Yak.

Mark