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Shop-Made Planer Rollers

One of the features I've always liked on planers was the rollers on top. They're so convenient when planing long boards and make a convenient staging area for workpieces. But my planer didn't come with these handy rollers.

Unhappy with add-on rollers (and their prices), and unsure about the rigidity of shop-made versions using PVC pipe, I designed my own. My design is inexpensive, strong, and you can make them any length.

The actual roller is made from IV4" EMT electrical conduit. It's nice and strong but still lightweight. I found some flanged bearings at my hardware store that were just the right fit for the 1%" inside diameter of the conduit (drawing below).

You'll need a couple of mounting brackets for the roller. They're made from short sections of 2" x 2" aluminum angle. I took the time to round over the corners on both legs of the angle. This was easily done by tracing the outline of a washer for a %" bolt on the corner, then filing the corners to the line.

A little sanding will smooth up the rough edges.

When it comes time for drilling the hole for mounting the roller to the bracket, locate it so the top of the roller sits above the highest point on the aluminum angle. This allows you to slide boards freely without having to worry about marring them on the bracket if they roll toward the end.

The last thing to do is mount the brackets to your planer. (How you do this will vary according to your planer model.) Just be sure the rollers won't interfere with the height adjustment crank. These shop-made rollers are a great upgrade for your planer.

Scott Kent Melbourne, Florida

V2" -13 hex nut

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ShopNotes No. 94