Twisted

[Robert foster]

How do you flatten twisted boards that are wider than your jointer? I only have a 6 in. jointer and i have 12 in. boards.
Thanks

Bob

[Van Huskey]

How do you flatten twisted boards that are wider than your jointer? I only have a 6 in. jointer and i have 12 in. boards.
Thanks

Bob

A planer sled:


http://www.finewoodworking.com/skillsandtechniques/skillsandtechniquesarticle.aspx?id=5245#

That is assuming you have a 12" or larger planer.

[Bill Huber]

Van hit it, a planer with a sled.

The only problem is when I tried it, by the time I got the twist out the board it was to thin to use.

[Van Huskey]

The only problem is when I tried it, by the time I got the twist out the board it was to thin to use.


I know what you mean, unless it is a really special board sometimes you just have to "know when to fold 'em".

[Peter Quinn]

Rip them on the BS, flatten and reglue. Or possibly a hand plane.

[Harold Burrell]

Rip them on the BS, flatten and reglue.

+1 on that (except I use a TS).

[Chip Lindley]

A very twisted 12" wide board should be passed over for something flatter/straighter, if you plan to use wide wood in a project. Very wide boards should also be thick, or there will be problems with the wood remaining flat.

Wide, twisted stuff is ripped and crosscut to shorter lengths to get the most usable wood out of a bad board. Judicious ripping, jointing, and regluing can produce wide boards with a glue joint barely noticeable. Sometimes it's the only way!

[Will Overton]

Van hit it, a planer with a sled.

The only problem is when I tried it, by the time I got the twist out the board it was to thin to use.

Unless you are going to use the board at its full length, cut it into shorter pieces before running it through the planer. That way you are not fighting the cumulative twist.

[Paul Atkins]

"+1 on that (except I use a TS)." Not if it is twisted.

[Nathan Palenski]

I had a pressure treated 12" x 2" x 12' that twisted in my fathers back yard. I stickered it at the bottom of a 6' stack of wood and 6 months later the twist was gone. Not sure if thats an option here.

[Mark Salomon]

Hand planes and a couple of winding sticks make it pretty easy unless the boards are hard like purpleheart or have interlocking grain/figure. I flatten one side and run it through the planer with the newly flattened side down.

[Victor Ortega]

I came across that same problem and I ended up ripping in half then running pieces over jointer then re gluing leaving material a little thicker in glue up so I could sand down to final thickness. barely even seen glueline when I matched up grain pattern