Flatten workbench top

[Brian Keith]

Ive been trying to get mine flat but cant seem to get it. I followed and article I have in a magazine which theyb used a no.4 smoother and a no. 5 jack to flatten. I went on the diagonal from both ends with the no.5 then the same with the 4. Finished going end to end to clean it up with the jack but cant seem to get the top flat in some areas. One end came out flat but the opposite end is cupped. The cupped end is about 1/16 lower in the middle. What am i doing wrong? Thanks

[Robert Rozaieski]

First, for flattening something as wide as a workbench, a #5 is not ideal. It can be done with a lot of effort and constant checking, but it is not ideal. You really want to use a longer plane, like a #7, #8 or longer wooden jointer. If you do not have one, I'd see if you can find someone close to you that you can borrow one from.

The long, flat sole is what aids you in getting the top flat. You start by planing directly across the grain, which removes the cup. Having a bench top that is flat across its width is much more important than flat along it's length so make sure you get it flat across the top first. The long sole of a jointer makes this possible because it will ride the high spots and force the plane to only cut the high spots down. At first you will only shave the edges of the top but eventually you will bring the edges lower and lower until they are level with the center. Scribble pencil or marker or whatever all over the top and plane with a the long plane across grain until it's all gone.

Once the pencil is all gone, the cup is removed and you can switch to diagonal & long grain planing to remove any twist and flatten the length some. This is when you start checking with a pair of winding sticks and removing twist. Finish up by planing along the grain with the jointer.

Don't smooth plane the top super smooth unless you like chasing your stock all over the bench top. A rougher finish on the bench top gives it a little more grip. A smooth top translates to a slippery top.

If you absolutely don't have access to beg, borrow, steal or buy a long plane, it can be done with your #5 but it will take some additional effort on your part and you will need to go slow and check the top very often with a long straight edge. Again, start by going across the grain but don't just use the pencil marks as a gauge this time. Instead use the straight edge to check across the top for high spots and only plane those spots. Use a pencil to mark the high areas that you identify with the straight edge and plane the pencil away. Then recheck with the straight edge, mark the new high spots and plane those marks away. Keep doing this until the straight edge shows the top to be flat across its width which again is the most important direction for the bench to be flat. Then plane along the grain to clean the top up. I wouldn't bother to try to flatten along the length with a #5, it's just too short to do the job unless you have a straight edge as long as your bench.

[Richard Dooling]

What Bob said.

I used a #6 and a #8 - a lot of work but it did work.

.

[Sam Takeuchi]

If you want a long plane for cheap, look around for a transitional planes on eBay or old tool dealer. With a bit of luck, you can probably find one for cheap (less than 30 bucks). If I had to choose between flattening that top with #4 and #5, or shelling out 30 bucks to get a jointer to make it easier, I'd opt for 30 bucks jointer.

I say this because I made my first bench, a 5' long and 2' wide only with a #4 (that was all I had). I got it to +/- 1/64 all over the top with pure perstence and zeal. It took more time and effort than I cared for, and I spent more time checking flatness than planing. Eventually I got a #7, and when I needed a dead flat surface, I just run it over the part of the top to flatten it but left the rest unflattened. I still use that bench and I have no plan to build a nicer one. And it is still only half dead flat.

[Larry Browning]

Is the goal to get the top flat with hand planes, or just to get the top flat?

If it is to just get the top flat have you considered using a router to get it flat? Here is a link to a SMC thread that has a link to step by step instructions as to how to do it. I did this on my new WB top and am very pleased with the results.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=73798

[Tom Adger]

Like Larry, I used a router with rails and sled to flatten the WB I finished a few months ago. 3/4" bottom cleaning bit. I have attached some photos of my rig. Several of the photos show my Clearvue mini cyclone in the background, and a vacuum nozzle juryrigged to the sled. Sure cuts down on the mess.

I love hand tools. I use my chisels and planes a lot. However, there are some instances where a power tool is the way to go.

[David Keller NC]

Brian - I can't add anything to what Bob described - it's the correct procedure with hand planes (with some variations from neander to neander).

No dis-respect to Tom or Larry, but having to construct a router sled just to flatten a workbench top would be a pain, IMO. Once you get the hand-plane thing down, you can flatten a bench in about 15 minutes with a #7 or #8 jointer. One only needs a fore plane or a jack plane if the benchtop is really out of flat and a lot of material needs to be removed.

That said, if you have in mind making colonial furniture that has integral , carved moldings and recessed tops, like pie-crust tea tables and the like, a router sled would be a very handy item to own. I've done a few of these with carving tools only, and there's quite a bit of mallet work to rough the recess in.

Finally, if your goal is only to get a flat workbench top, you might consider taking it off and paying a local cabinet shop with a wide-belt sander to flatten it for you. Many pro cabinet shops have these, as well as serious amateurs.

[Brian Keith]

Thanks all for the replies, reason I used the 4 and 5 in Pop woodworking #167 Chris Schwarz used them to reflatten his bench. I didnt want to go the router route cause the time it would take to make a jig. I do have a #27 transitional but I have seen for sale a couple of jointer planes in a local antique shop. Are there any online videos showing how to flatten?This is my first ww bench and really my first time using hand planes. So I guess my ? is do I use the #27 or go buy a used jointer plane? Thanks

[Larry Browning]

No dis-respect to Tom or Larry, but having to construct a router sled just to flatten a workbench top would be a pain, IMO. Once you get the hand-plane thing down, you can flatten a bench in about 15 minutes with a #7 or #8 jointer. One only needs a fore plane or a jack plane if the benchtop is really out of flat and a lot of material needs to be removed.

David, Maybe YOU could do it 15 minutes. But me, it would take me several days and a massive investment in hand planes, then I would have to sharpen each one, etc...etc... not to mention learning how to use it properly. I just did what I knew how to do. I thought I would just share my experience as an alternative method.

[Al Navas]

Brian,

You might want to read this thread (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=84730&highlight=flatten+workbench) I started some time ago. In my first post you will see the link to a short video. It took me 42 minutes from one end to the other on my 96-inch long workbench. I had never tackled anything this large with hand planes; but now I feel I can tackle it any time.

The main thing I found was to go across the grain, then diagonally, with a jointer plane. I used a Fulton #7, the corrugated version. And make sure you have a sharp iron.

After doing as I explain above, use either #4 or #4-1/2 smoother with the grain to get things evened out.




.

[Larry Browning]

Thanks all for the replies, reason I used the 4 and 5 in Pop woodworking #167 Chris Schwarz used them to reflatten his bench. I didnt want to go the router route cause the time it would take to make a jig. I do have a #27 transitional but I have seen for sale a couple of jointer planes in a local antique shop. Are there any online videos showing how to flatten?This is my first ww bench and really my first time using hand planes. So I guess my ? is do I use the #27 or go buy a used jointer plane? Thanks

Brian, here is a link to a thread from Al Navis where he posts a video of him flattening his WB with hand planes. After seeing him huff and puff through the whole thing I was convinced there must be a better way. That's when I knew the router method was the one for me.
http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=84780&highlight=flat+workbench

[Sam Takeuchi]

#27 is only an inch longer than a normal #5, so the difference isn't too big then (same length as # 5 1/2). It's still quite short. I would think you'll eventually want one anyway and if there is a time for using a jointer, flattening a top is certainly one of those moments. You can buy a wooden or transitional plane if you are tight on budget, or go for a metal one. Personally I recommend a transitional jointer. They are cheap as well as easy to tune up. Either way if you have to remove quite a bit of wood to flatten, don't be shy about taking reasonably thick shavings (thickest you can go without tear out). Taking fine cut passes with a jointer will only get you tired, reserve that for the last few passes to clean up the top.

Unless you are using bench top as reference surface, don't be concerned about slight 'unflatness'. Wood moves quite a bit and even if you get it flat enough to make machinist proud, it won't stay that way for long and it's not necessary for the majority of woodworking needs.

[David Myers]

If you haven't already, I'd suggest getting some paraffin wax to lubricate the soles of your planes. Most experienced Neanders are probably saying "Well, duh" right now but with all I'm trying to absorb about handtools I never got around to doing this. I tried it recently and my #4 moved across the workpiece so effortlessly it nearly nearly flew out of my hands. The energy you're expending against friction really adds up on something the size of a benchtop, so this should help.

If you've already done this, then you're ahead of me.

[David Keller NC]

David, Maybe YOU could do it 15 minutes. But me, it would take me several days and a massive investment in hand planes, then I would have to sharpen each one, etc...etc... not to mention learning how to use it properly. I just did what I knew how to do. I thought I would just share my experience as an alternative method.

Yeah, Larry - that's why other responders have asked the question about what Brian eventually wants to do. If the answer is to work with wide boards and handtools, flattening a workbench top is a great introduction to learning the skills required to wield a jointing plane, because the final result isn't as critical as, say, a 36" wide piece of mahogany.

But I'm with you on this - it makes little sense to spend $100 (or $450 if you're looking at a top of the line LN) on a jointing plane if you've no interest in working with wide stock.

However, I'll note that a jointing plane is probably the most efficient way to 4-square a board, in both time and materials, than any other method in a home shop. With, of course, the exception of Norm's shop (that has a 50" wide, $15,000 wide-belt sander)!:D

[Robert Rozaieski]

Yeah, Larry - that's why other responders have asked the question about what Brian eventually wants to do. If the answer is to work with wide boards and handtools, flattening a workbench top is a great introduction to learning the skills required to wield a jointing plane, because the final result isn't as critical as, say, a 36" wide piece of mahogany.

But I'm with you on this - it makes little sense to spend $100 (or $450 if you're looking at a top of the line LN) on a jointing plane if you've no interest in working with wide stock.

However, I'll note that a jointing plane is probably the most efficient way to 4-square a board, in both time and materials, than any other method in a home shop. With, of course, the exception of Norm's shop (that has a 50" wide, $15,000 wide-belt sander)!:D

I'll add to David's comment that I think a jointer is a far better plane for a blended shop to have than a jack plane anyway. A jointer is far more useful than a jack plane to someone wanting to do stock prep by machine and joinery by hand. A jack plane is designed to be a roughing plane. Unfortunately, it frequently gets extolled as a universal plane but it really is not as good for smoothing as a dedicated smoother and not as good at jointing as a dedicated jointer. For a power/hand tool hybrid shop, like I suspect most folks have, the jointer and smoother are a hard pair to beat. If you want to do stock prep by hand, that's when one needs a good jack plane.

[Doug Shepard]

David, Maybe YOU could do it 15 minutes. But me, it would take me several days ...

15 minutes does seem like a bit of a stretch. It took me somewhere between 1-2 hours for a 22"x40" board with scrub, jointer, and jack and that wasn't even hard stuff (pine)
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=57646

[Jim Eller]

I took this to a local cabinet shop and $15 later it was smooth on both sides using a 36" stationary belt sander.

Jim

[Tri Hoang]

15 minutes does seem like a bit of a stretch. It took me somewhere between 1-2 hours for a 22"x40" board with scrub, jointer, and jack and that wasn't even hard stuff (pine)
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=57646

It depends on the condition of the top and one's planing skill. Once the top is flatten, it does not take much to touch it up once in a while. I think that's what David implies.

[David Keller NC]

"It depends on the condition of the top and one's planing skill. Once the top is flatten, it does not take much to touch it up once in a while. I think that's what David implies.

No - it was 15 minutes for the first flattening on the latest bench, but you're quite right that it depends on the skill of the user, the expectations for the final finish, and the original condition of the top.

In my case, the top's made of hard maple, but when I glued it up, I used shop-made panel clamps to keep it as aligned as possible. That not only helps with flattening, but also keeps the benchtop as thick as possible.

It really was 15 minutes in my case, but there are some qualifications - I used a jointer (a L-N #8) only - no jack or fore plane and no final smoother. The bench that I was working on is also 24" wide by 5-1/2 feet long, so smaller than a lot of benches. The jack/fore wasn't necessary because of the use of panel clamps, and I didn't use a smoother because I wasn't concerned with tear-out. Maple can get really slick if it's very finely planed or finish-sanded above 220 grit.