9.5ft Bowed Face Board - How to Proceed

[Adrian Anguiano]

I have a 9.5 foot long board. about 7 inches wide. 8/4 rough oak.

It has a good 1/4" bow on its face.

I need to get that bow out before I plane it, and its just too long for even my 8" jointer.

What is the recommended method? Scrub plane the ends of the board, or the middle of the other side. then run it through the planer? Use an electric hand plane? Use a router sled? Making extensions to my jointer doesnt sound fun, plus my shop is 20ft long, so the 9.5 ft board is making out my shop when u consider infeed plus outfeed room.

What do yall suggest... tempting if i need to buy a scrub, electric, jack plane, or build a sled, or just go at it with my belt sander?

[Bradley Gray]

Stand on the outfeed end of your jointer and, starting in the middle, pull the work across the cutters. Reverse and repeat.

[John Lanciani]

The first question is do you need a 9.5' finished board? If not, the rest is easy; cut to rough length first and then proceed.

[Steve Jenkins]

If you are up to a little road trip bring it by and we can joint it here. I have a 16" Oliver jointer.

[glenn bradley]

The first question is do you need a 9.5' finished board? If not, the rest is easy; cut to rough length first and then proceed.

Hopefully this. Break down your material to oversize blanks, then mill. You are not a saw mill, you do not have to mill full boards. Many flaws are reduced with size, your 1/4" over 9 feet becomes negligible over 32"

[Prashun Patel]

Assuming you need the entire length, the bow shouldn't be hard to remove.

Working with the convex side down, joint the middle. Then take successively longer passes. When the length of the flat exceeds the bed length, use infeed and outfeed support.

[Adrian Anguiano]

I wish I could cut it down. It's a 9 ft table. I need the whole length.

Thanks for invite to McKinney. Quite a drive. If I get too frustrated I might give you a call.

[andy bessette]

I have a 9.5 foot long board. about 7 inches wide. 8/4 rough oak.

It has a good 1/4" bow on its face...

A 1/4" bow, in 9-1/2 ' is nothing. Perhaps you mean 1/4" cup, in 7"?

[Adrian Anguiano]

A 1/4" bow, in 9-1/2 ' is nothing. Perhaps you mean 1/4" cup, in 7"?

Its probably more... I didnt measure, Customer doesn't want to put something on the table and it start rolling. They want flat.

But the question is not what is or isnt alot, question is what is the best way to take it out. Ill get better measurements tonight. Thanks!

[Mel Fulks]

Take wood off the convex side, obviously mainly at "top of mountain" .Check the other side often ,since many times the board will start to straighten on BOTH sides.

[andy bessette]

A 1'4" bow can easily be taken out with the table support structure.

[Robert Engel]

For your situation I recommend a planer sled in conjunction with your planer. You will need to support everything with accessory infeed/outfeed stands. Use plywood but use 2 layers to achieve the length needed.

You might also consider using a router sled. An example of this can be found at WoodWhisperer on building a workbench or just search YouTube.

You may also build temporary outfeed/infeed extensions (I would probably try this first) although I will warn you face jointing lumber this long can still be VERY challenging.

If the bow is only 1/4" you shouldn't have too much difficulty.

Be sure to remove no more than 1/8" and allow the board to rest f

[Matt Day]

Planer sled, as much I hate to say it (never liked mine). Or buy a bigger jointer!

I made an 8' long table with a 6" jointer and lunchbox planer. Used a planer sled and edge jointer with a straight edge and a router.

I look forward to making another table like that with my 1/2 ton 12" jointer, unless I find a bigger one first!

[Adrian Anguiano]

I'm scared to do a 10ft planer sled. with 8/4 oak. man that will be heavy and a beast to move. Yall ever made one that big?

[lowell holmes]

While remodeling a bank boardroom with walnut, I ran into this with a 8' piece of walnut that I needed to build a door.

I ripped the board exactly at the center of the door and joined the pieces back together, using dowel pins in the splice.
The boards were joined with the bow in the two pieces opposite and they cancelled each other's bow.
It worked to perfection. This was over 40 years ago. Today, I would use biscuits.

My bow was just a bit, but never less a bow.

[Warren Lake]

listen to Mel he understands the material. you need support on both sides of your jointer it is not too small. Ive done 12 foot 8" wide 2" thick rock maple on an 8" jointer when I started, the machine was like a toy with the heavy material but with support it did the job. its just one board not a full time thing, if it was then id chuck the jointer for something with some size and weight.

[Adrian Anguiano]

Not a bad technique. If it wasnt 8/4 I would try it. That wood doesnt bend even when i stand on it.



While remodeling a bank boardroom with walnut, I ran into this with a 8' piece of walnut that I needed to build a door.

I ripped the board exactly at the center of the door and joined the pieces back together, using dowel pins in the splice.
The boards were joined with the bow in the two pieces opposite and they cancelled each other's bow.
It worked to perfection. This was over 40 years ago. Today, I would use biscuits.

My bow was just a bit, but never less a bow.

[Russell Smallwood]

If it were me I would hand plane until it sits flat then run through the planer, flat side down. Re-assess and repeat.

[lowell holmes]

I think Russell gave you good advice.

Russell, I went to High School with an Emmitt Smallwood in 1954. Do you know him?. Just curious.

[Russell Smallwood]

I think Russell gave you good advice.

Russell, I went to High School with an Emmitt Smallwood in 1954. Do you know him?. Just curious.

No Lowell, afraid not. No one in the family tree with that name.

Edit: At least that I'm aware of :)

[lowell holmes]

Thanks for responding, I was curious.

Emmitt was a jock and everyone knew him.