How to mill 3/4 x 3/4 bed spindles

[Bill Bryant]

Starting with 4/4 oak and using a table saw, a jointer, and a planer, what is the step-by-step process you'd use to produce 3/4 x 3/4 spindles for a mission-style headboard?

[glenn bradley]

Depending on the TS I would be tempted to joint, plane to parallel, joint the adjacent side and plane to parallel. If the TS is top notch, you could joint, joint adjacent and rip to width as opposed to plane.

[Bill Bryant]

Depending on the TS I would be tempted to joint, plane to parallel, joint the adjacent side and plane to parallel. If the TS is top notch, you could joint, joint adjacent and rip to width as opposed to plane.

I have a Delta contractor's saw with a Ridge Carbide TS2000 blade, twist link belt, zero clearance insert, Biesemeyer fence--everything tweeked out to within .002" of parallel.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd cross-cut the lumber to pieces an inch or two longer than the spindles. Then I'd face-plane the pieces. (Cross-cutting before face-planing means there's less bow to take out.) If the stock is wider than your jointer, you'll have to rip the stock to pieces less than 6" wide. After face-planing, thickness-plane to uniform thickness. Then straight-line one edge of each blank (the jointer can do this). Rip to somewhat larger than 3/4". Edgejoint each spindle, to take out any bends and to remove the saw marks. Run each spindle through the thicknesser twice to ensure they're square cross-section.