milling stock

[Jaze Derr]

How do I get parallel edges without a table saw?
I have:
Router
Band saw
Circular saw
Jointer/planer combo
Miter saw

Table saw is not an option

[Dan Hulbert]

Given your list of tools, I'd try using a straightedge and a pattern bit in the router. Just make sure the straightedge is parallel to your straight side. If your bad edge is WAY out of whack, consider a pass through the band saw to get close be3fore the run with the pattern bit.

Not an expert, never tried this, just a hobbyist who has done much with little over the years.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Given your list of tools, I'd try using a straightedge and a pattern bit in the router. Just make sure the straightedge is parallel to your straight side. If your bad edge is WAY out of whack, consider a pass through the band saw to get close be3fore the run with the pattern bit.

Not an expert, never tried this, just a hobbyist who has done much with little over the years.

What he said:

This is a cutoff, but same idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHIKLHUVhYw

[Rod Sheridan]

Jaze, if the stock is small enough to fit in your jointer/planer, you edge joint one edge, then stand it on edge and run it through your planer.

My J/P has about a 9" vertical capacity on the planer, which is generally large enough for any furniture component.

Regards, Rod.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

If you're un-sure of passing stock vertically through the surface planer
there are other solutions.

I thought this was cool:

[Dan Hulbert]

I'm planning on running about 600' of Poplar through my planner on edge this weekend. I like the jig for holding it vertical. My earlier suggestion would work on wide stock, but for narrow, the planner the way I'm going.

Many ways to skin this cat.

Another just occurred to me. If you have a table for your router, you might try running the stock between the cutter and the fence. You'll need to take a light cut and work backwards to avoid a climb cut, but I did it many years ago and it worked fine. If I recall, I was able to use a spiral cutting bit intended for use in a powered plane.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Another just occurred to me. If you have a table for your router, you might try running the stock between the cutter and the fence. You'll need to take a light cut and work backwards to avoid a climb cut, but I did it many years ago and it worked fine. If I recall, I was able to use a spiral cutting bit intended for use in a powered plane.

I like that.:cool:

I kept thinking there should be a way, but couldn't get my
head around it.

[Jaze Derr]

All excellent, workable suggestions. Thank you very much

[John Coloccia]

Having the piece between the router bit and the fence seems like a recipe for disaster to me. The router bit is going to naturally want to pull the piece off the fence into itself, unless you're climb cutting in which case it will want to pinch the piece against the fence and the missile you get out the other side will wake you up for sure. I think that either way you will be assembling the perfect condition for some serious flying wood.

Just scribe two points with a combination square, lay a straight edge to connect the points, and hit it with a pattern bit in your table or free hand. You'll get a safe, parallel cut. Get as close as you can with the bandsaw first. If you're careful, you'll get a good enough edge that a small touchup with a hand plane will finish it off, or a quick pass with the straight edge and router.

Or even better, use a straight edge with your circular saw.

The whole key here is marking accurately, and that's easily done with a combination square and a scribe....use a dull X-Acto blade, poke a hole with a needle, or whatever.

Just my opinion.

[Russell Smallwood]

Why the band saw of course.

Used to do it all the time when I was without a table saw.

Once you get it set up properly and get your fence set for drift, it's as accurate as a table saw and much safer.

You are, however, a little limited in the the width of the board you can rip.

You will get more machine marks than your would via a table saw, but a couple of quick passes with a well tuned #7 makes quick work of that.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Having the piece between the router bit and the fence seems like a recipe for disaster to me. The router bit is going to naturally want to pull the piece off the fence into itself, unless you're climb cutting in which case it will want to pinch the piece against the fence and the missile you get out the other side will wake you up for sure. I think that either way you will be assembling the perfect condition for some serious flying wood.


So feeding from the other side, against the turn of the blade and between
the blade and fence would be bad? I guess I better quite using my table saw,
because that's how it works.

[Russell Smallwood]

So feeding from the other side, against the turn of the blade and between
the blade and fence would be bad? I guess I better quite using my table saw,
because that's how it works.

Yes but in a table saw, the place where wood first meets the metal the forces of the tool are acting downward, not toward you (yes I know the blade is spinning toward you but it is putting downward pressure on the workpiece when the tooth enters the wood). This means that there is no way for the FRONT of the saw blade to cause a kickback. It is only when the material gets jammed between the fence and the back of the blade that kickbacks are a potential safety risk.

With the router solution, you are actually pushing the wood into a spinning blade that is putting forces on the material in such a way that it wants to fly into your ... er... pocket area.

Then again, the forces at work on the router table are generally much easier to overcome than a stout table saw.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Am I missing the big picture? Won't your jointer planer do it? Plane both sides, they are parallel. Joint both edges, and you have parallel sides again.

[John Coloccia]

Normally when you use a router, the fence or the bearing is on the cutting side of the bit. The bit is trying to pull the router and the workpiece together, which is actually keeping the piece tight against the fence or the bearing, automatically limiting how deep a cut or grab that can happen.

With work between the bit and the fence, there is nothing stopping the router from yanking the work completely off the fence except for operator diligence and a little luck.

The same situation exists on your table saw if you lack a riving knife, or at least a splitter. In that sense you're right...I'd stop using the table saw if it didn't have a riving knife or splitter.

Look, I'm not trying to be the safety police. I do things sometimes that could probably be done more safely too, but they should at least be aware that putting the piece between the bit and the fence is a completely different situation than the usual way you would hand feed a router on a table or with a bearing.

[Jaze Derr]

well tuned #7

...and that's the problem. I tried hand tools. I can get my planes into passably useable shape, but that's about it.

The bandsaw was my first thought, of course, and I've done very well with getting it set up nicely. But my blade leaves pretty rough marks.

Could I rip just shy of the line on the band saw, and then run the edge over the jointer? seems to me that would work, yes?

The crux of the issue is getting a "finished" surface on the edge opposite of the jointed edge.

Keep the ideas flowing, boys :)

[Russell Smallwood]

Well, to be candid, I cannot fathom trying to make anything in the shop without at least a couple of well-tuned planes. Machines leave well... er... machine marks and while a newly sharpened WWII on a nice table saw can get you (almost) there, there aren't many other tools in the shop that can (IMO).

Not sure exactly of your specific needs, but if it were me, I would put the project on hold until I got my #7 singin', but that's just me.

P.S. - Yes, if you get the bandsaw to cut a board so that the edge is reasonably parallel to the jointed edge, then you could use something very straight, clamped on to your workpiece that is parallel to the jointed edge and a router bit with a guide bearing.

[Aaron Hancock]

Am I missing the big picture? Won't your jointer planer do it? Plane both sides, they are parallel. Joint both edges, and you have parallel sides again.

Kyle, The planer will give you parallel faces, but a jointer will not. The opposing edge of the piece you are running on the jointer has no bearing on the cut, so therefore they don't remain parallel. (I'm sure someone can explain this better then me)

How about running one side through the jointer, and using a router with an edge guide (either store bought or shop made) and straight bit to cut the other side? This would keep the edges parallel, you could maintain a consistent width and eliminate the possibility of marking error..

[Eiji Fuller]

How do I get parallel edges without a table saw?
I have:
Router
Band saw
Circular saw
Jointer/planer combo
Miter saw

Table saw is not an option

I do most if not all my ripping of hardwoods on the bandsaw. My ts is relegated to sheet goods and joinery I can't accomplish on my bs. I run a 1" 2tpi woodmaster ct and the cut quality is excellent.

To answer your question- my stock prep follows: joint the face, joint the edge. Bandsaw to width + 1/32", next bs thickness + 1/32". Plane the bandsawn surfaces. That way I only have to run the boards thru the planer once per edge. My bandsaw is a bit bigger than yours but you should be fine with smaller pieces once your bs is running well.

BTW there is no way in hell I would try to dimension stock on the router table. YIKES!