Cupped boards...

[Clarence Martin]

For wide boards that are cupped, would it be easier just to rip the wide board on the table saw , run each board through the planer or Jointer so that they match thickness, then biscuit join the three boards back together ?

[Adam Diethrich]

For wide boards that are cupped, would it be easier just to rip the wide board on the table saw , run each board through the planer or Jointer so that they match thickness, then biscuit join the three boards back together ?

That's one way to do it Clarence, but "easier" than what?

A.W.D.

[Mike Cutler]

For wide boards that are cupped, would it be easier just to rip the wide board on the table saw , run each board through the planer or Jointer so that they match thickness, then biscuit join the three boards back together ?

Yep, that works. One thing to consider is to joint the boards flat on one face, joint the edge, rip the opposite edge on the TS and then glue them all together. Put all three boards, rejoined, through the planer if you have the capacity.

One warning. Boards that are cupped release energy when they are cut. You could end up with some significant binding when putting them through the TS. Not that it can't be done,a bandsaw is the better option, you just have to be aware that is going to happen. Of course you could parlay this need into an edge guided circular saw on a rail, or a track saw as they are commonly referred too..

[Andrew Hughes]

Good advise about,one more point I would like to add is leave them long,Sometime you may have to shift them a lot match the grain for that seamless look.;)

[Keith Hankins]

For wide boards that are cupped, would it be easier just to rip the wide board on the table saw , run each board through the planer or Jointer so that they match thickness, then biscuit join the three boards back together ?

Well, you can do that, but running it through a planer will not do anything for cup. It only makes two faces parallel. I'd rip it, joint it, glue it back together. I'd skip the biscuits. you don't need them.

[Sam Murdoch]

Well, you can do that, but running it through a planer will not do anything for cup. It only makes two faces parallel. I'd rip it, joint it, glue it back together. I'd skip the biscuits. you don't need them.

Agree except that I encourage the use of biscuits or Dominos as they really help keep the faces aligned. Admittedly you gain little extra joint strength so from that perspective biscuit don't add much but using them for alignment makes for a flat glue up with minimal clean up and/or minimal loss of thickness.

[Keith Hankins]

Agree except that I encourage the use of biscuits or Dominos as they really help keep the faces aligned. Admittedly you gain little extra joint strength so from that perspective biscuit don't add much but using them for alignment makes for a flat glue up with minimal clean up and/or minimal loss of thickness.

you make a valid point. I've used biscuits, and domino's and have found that if we are talking this application, that long grain to long grain, they are ok, and don't hurt, but just don't do all that much to help. With modern day adhesives, and working with a flat board to begin with its not an issue aligning them up in my clamps (at least in my experience).

Anything I can do to reduce effort, feeds my manufacturing background to eliminate waste. Again, my opinion is based on this application only. I love the domino as a sliding M&T. It was not cheap though but was easy to use and worked great. I only got rid of it, to fund my PM 719T M&T machine. Biscuits, I used from back in my early norm days. Not structurally advantageous other than aligning boards, and after I worked to get the boards in good shape just found it not necessary. Sold the PC jointer to buy the Domino. IT's all good though anyway that works for the individual is what is best. I'm just lazy about that stuff.

[Mark Bolton]

you make a valid point. I've used biscuits, and domino's and have found that if we are talking this application, that long grain to long grain, they are ok, and don't hurt, but just don't do all that much to help. With modern day adhesives, and working with a flat board to begin with its not an issue aligning them up in my clamps (at least in my experience).

Anything I can do to reduce effort, feeds my manufacturing background to eliminate waste. Again, my opinion is based on this application only. I love the domino as a sliding M&T. It was not cheap though but was easy to use and worked great. I only got rid of it, to fund my PM 719T M&T machine. Biscuits, I used from back in my early norm days. Not structurally advantageous other than aligning boards, and after I worked to get the boards in good shape just found it not necessary. Sold the PC jointer to buy the Domino. IT's all good though anyway that works for the individual is what is best. I'm just lazy about that stuff.

Well if your talking about efficiency and being lazy, the biscuits on a even a short long-grain glue up are a major major labor and material saver forget about if the boards are long. If you think about it, even with pretty good flat material for a long grain glue up you can easily have each board shift/skid perhaps a 32nd or more during the glue up. You then waste time going down the joint with a mallet trying to peck the faces flush only to find that when you pecked down here, they shifted down there. 3-4 biscuits down the length of course adds nothing to the integrity but a ton to the ease of glue up. Beyond that, a 32nd on 2-3 joints will add up to a loss of nearly an eight when you un-clamp and flatten. That can really become an issue if your tight on material (to get thickness).

So if its about material efficiency and productivity its a solid winner. Domino's would be so to I guess but we dont use them.

We routinely stick a few in on very large glue ups because its generally being done by one guy and it takes a lot of the fuss out of the process. Any time you can register a part quickly via fast machining its a win win. Just look at most any machine assembly. It takes the guess work out of it.