Squaring up Boards

[Don L Johnson]

I'm working up 6/4 walnut for a table top; most of the boards are 7 - 9 inches in width. After cutting them to rough length and doing a little planing on both sides to get an idea of grain, about 75% of them have minor issues...cupping or a minor twist. I only have a 6" jointer...is my only option to rip all of the affected boards down to less than 6" to flatten one surface on the jointer before running everything through the planer? Thanks

[Randy Klein]

You can use a planer sled or a hand plane as well.

[Gary Keedwell]

Don,
I think it would be a shame to rip those boards up. I would think of using a sled to send the boards thru the planer. By strategically placing shims in the right places so it won't rock would be prudent. I don't know about you, but I'm not crazy about the looks of all those skinny boards as the tabletop. I'm sure that they'll be some to chime in how it doesn't matter and there's nothing wrong with that....personal taste...that's all.;)

Gary K.

[James Phillips]

I would rip them into widths that will fit on your jointer. I would also determine a size that minimizes waste, but lets you rip all the strips the same width. Finally when you reglue them alternate the grain direction. This will give you your best looking top with the least chance of boeing down the road.

[Jim Becker]

I'm of the "no rip" school...there are plenty of techniques to use that don't require you to sacrifice the look of wider material despite the need to get it flat and true. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but the end result can be much more pleasing. Same goes for "alternating" growth rings. I choose adjacent boards based purely on looks and have never had any problem with wood movement...that's something you can deal with in joinery and construction techniques.

Now boards that are ill behaved and would require a lot of attention shouldn't be considered for a table top or any other large surface. Choosing material carefully for a project is the first step of the finishing process as well as being important for joinery.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Don, make friends with your local high school wood working teacher or cabinet shop in your area, and have them joint one face for you.

I also have a 6 inch jointer and that's what I do when I need something larger jointed.

Regards, Rod.

[glenn bradley]

I'm also from the no-rip school of thought (unless the figure is nothing special and you don't mind losing that look).

Planer Sled: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=58735

Easier to make than you think. Shown in use here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=49915

[Matt Benton]

Hope I'm not hijacking here...

I currently have a lunchbox planer and no jointer. It seems to be that a good sled such as the one Glenn built along with a solid planer would be, for the most part, as good as a jointer, and save considerable space (doing edge jointing on the router table, or even TS).

Am I missing something the jointer provides that the above would not?

[Randy Klein]

Hope I'm not hijacking here...

I currently have a lunchbox planer and no jointer. It seems to be that a good sled such as the one Glenn built along with a solid planer would be, for the most part, as good as a jointer, and save considerable space (doing edge jointing on the router table, or even TS).

Am I missing something the jointer provides that the above would not?

The sled, while it works, is a hassle. The jointer is not.

[Rod Sheridan]

I personally have never been able to build a sled that is straight enough or rigid enough to yield surfaces that were as good as those produced by the jointer.

Perhaps others are more skilled than me, however I find that after my cyclone, my jointer is tool # 2.

Regards, Rod.

[glenn bradley]

Hope I'm not hijacking here...

I currently have a lunchbox planer and no jointer. It seems to be that a good sled such as the one Glenn built along with a solid planer would be, for the most part, as good as a jointer, and save considerable space (doing edge jointing on the router table, or even TS).

Am I missing something the jointer provides that the above would not?

Ease of use. The sled is pretty easy to work with and has been a real help while I save up for a larger jointer. Relative to walking up to a properly set up, large jointer, and simply face jointing a board, the sled is more involved and I plan on getting an 8" (or larger) jointer even though I already have the sled.

That being said, if I had space or budget limitations (who doesn't?); the sled is a valid substitute. You could also do without a miter saw for many operations by using a tablesaw sled, which I have four of. However, walking up to the CMS and simply cross cutting a board, quickly and accurately, is preferrable.

[Fred Voorhees]

Don, I am also in agreement with those that say don't rip if you don't have to. I would go with a planer sled. I fabbed one up a few months ago because I was in the same predicament. A planer sled is very simple to build and can save you lots of trouble and time. My reccomendation!

[lowell holmes]

I've had luck running the board through the jointer and using a hand plane to bring the rest of the board into the flat plane. I've also gone to a cabinet shop hand having a top for a blanket chest sent through a wide belt sander. IIRC, it cost me $25.

[Don Bullock]

...Now boards that are ill behaved and would require a lot of attention shouldn't be considered for a table top or any other large surface. Choosing material carefully for a project is the first step of the finishing process as well as being important for joinery.

I'm with Jim on this one. Even If you an get all the boards surfaced on all four sides be careful which ones you use. I've seen far too many posts where people surfaced their lumber only to have it cup or warp on them.

[Mark Singer]

When you join the boards it is possible to remove some of the non flat issues upon glue up. Start with the center clamp and tighten with the boards flush. Then do the same at one end and then the other. Add additional clamps and strong back across with boards and clamps as required. If two boards are bowing in oposing directions they will balance each other out when paired. Just work with 2 boards per glue up. This technique works well even if the boards are reasonably flat....you have a lot less work with scrapers , planes and sanding when its all one top.

[Greg Crawford]

I router can also be used. The book Router Magic shows how to make all the stuff. Width and length then don't matter.

[Jules Dominguez]

I have a sled, which works but is a little bit of hassle due to having to carry the workpiece and the sled from one end to the other of the planer for each pass in a crowded shop.
I sometimes use hand planes on the first face before going to the planer. You don't have to plane the whole face, just take off enough wood so that the board lays flat without side-to-side or end-to-end wobble, and take light cuts. In orher words, the first face doesn't have to be flat, it just has to lay flat, which is the same principle as using a sled and wedges.
If you're starting with unplaned wood, it helps to have a scrub plane to take off a lot of wood quickly.

[John Thompson]

I will join the Jim Becker crowd to say that if you are going to use tension wood.. the worst place you could use it would be on a top! I would avoid it for tops altogether.

That said.. If I felt it wouldn't reduce the over-all thickness to less than desired.. I would double pass it on a 6" jointer using an over-head safety bridge and then hand-plane any ridge line or other discrepancy between the first pass and the second pass.

But.... but... but.. I won't condone that method unless you are very experienced with a jointer. I will show someone how to do it properly in my shop under supervision, but would never attempt to explain in on-line as there is too much room for error or mis-understanding. So..

The planer sled.. sub it to someone with larger 8" jointer or rent time on a drum sander at a cabinet shop are alternatives as stated.

Good luck...

Sarge..

[Keith Cope]

I built the same planer sled that Glenn referenced, and have used it with good success. It is a bit cumbersome, and certainly goes slower than it would on a big jointer, but it certainly works! I think it cost me around $10 (I already had the plywood, though).