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View Full Version : Flattening a benchtop by router sled?



Doug Shepard
03-16-2008, 9:25 PM
Anybody have a link to a how-to on flatenning a bench top with attached rails and a router mounted on a large platen? I think I could wing this but wouldn't mind seeing somebody else's method in case I'm not considering something. I've been going at this with hand planes. It's working but it's excruciatingly slow. This is on an edge-up plywood benchtop. Only realized after I already had the rear vise jaw attached that I've got a crown from front to back on about the left 2/3rd's of the bench. So it's too late to haul this back to my hardwood source for another ride through their wide belt sander. Handplaning plywood just aint no fun. Thankfully I picked up a Worksharp a few weeks ago as frequent resharpenings are needed for this. I've got about 20" or so straightened out so far but at the rate it's going, rigging up rails and a router sled are starting to sound real appealing.

Jim McFarland
03-16-2008, 10:26 PM
Doug, might try this one...
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jsp?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/408.xml

Alex Shanku
03-16-2008, 10:39 PM
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=58

This is the method/article I learned to do it from. The author learned it from Tage Frid, apparently.

Doug Shepard
03-17-2008, 8:44 AM
Muchos gracias. I'm leaning towards the Frid method but both have good info on them. Think I'm going to get a sled rigged up this week and see if I can get it shaved by next weekend.