First post here, some newbie questions

[Robert P. Murphy]

I bought about 200 ft of rough sawn teak last week. My plan is to cover the dash and cockpit sole of my boat project with it. This is my first time working with wood other than framing up the walls in my basement. To date I purchased a Dewalt 735 thickness planer, a Wixey readout for it, and a Sears 113.298720 10” contractor saw. The saw came with a Biesemeyer fence. I did some searching here and ordered a PALS and a set of machined pulleys for it. Is there anything else I should look at with the saw? My first project will be a 6’ sled to rip a straight edge on all the rough cut lumber. I ordered a set of toggle clamps. The sleds I’ve seen used hardboard as a base, is there a problem if I use a 1x8 oak board as the base? Or is the hard board better because it’s less susceptible to warpage over time? 707F7501-6FA6-412F-8736-B00E60B418E8.jpeg

[Bryan Lisowski]

I will take a stab at your sled question, using 1x8 is going to reduce the height you will be able to cut. Without a jointer you won't have an true edge, so I would get a 1/2 sheet of plywood for the base of your sled.

[Bill Orbine]

What type of teak did you get? The cheaper plantation teak? Or the real deal?

I know you didn't ask this but be forewarned that the teak is a killer on on blades and knives. More so on HSS than on carbide. You are best to use carbide.

Also, if glue up required, wipe the mating surfaces with acetone to remove the oily residue.

I've never worked with plantation teak except for a few finishing projects. With that being said, I think the plantation teak will be more forgiven than real teak (Burmese Teak) but still tough on tooling.

Good luck!

[Robert P. Murphy]

I will take a stab at your sled question, using 1x8 is going to reduce the height you will be able to cut. Without a jointer you won't have an true edge, so I would get a 1/2 sheet of plywood for the base of your sled.

Thanks, the thickest boards I need to square up and rip are 3/4, most of it is 1/2” 4-6’ long and 2 1/2 to just Over 6” wide. I figured I would true up the widest ones first and then cut down the sled when I get to the narrower cuts. I plan on making all the planks around 1 3/4 wide depending on what will give me the least amount of waste once I get the first edge trued up.

[Robert P. Murphy]

What type of teak did you get? The cheaper plantation teak? Or the real deal?

I know you didn't ask this but be forewarned that the teak is a killer on on blades and knives. More so on HSS than on carbide. You are best to use carbide.

Also, if glue up required, wipe the mating surfaces with acetone to remove the oily residue.

I've never worked with plantation teak except for a few finishing projects. With that being said, I think the plantation teak will be more forgiven than real teak (Burmese Teak) but still tough on tooling.

Good luck!

I believe it is Burmese Teak, and I have told about it being rough on blades. I have a spare set of blades for the 735 so that is 4 cutting edges if they don’t hold up I bought the 735 specifically because I can get the carbide “corn cob” if needed.

[Robert Hayward]

Without a jointer how do you plan on getting the first face straight and flat ? Mind me asking how much Burmese Teak goes for in your neck of the woods ?

[Robert P. Murphy]

Without a jointer how do you plan on getting the first face straight and flat ? Mind me asking how much Burmese Teak goes for in your neck of the woods ?

I am going to use a sled to cut the first edge straight and work off of that edge. If I need to plane them perfect when I’m done, I’ll through bolt 8-10 of them together on edge and run them through my thickness planer and cut off the ends where they were bolted. The longest finished boards I need for thendash will be about 26” long when all is said and done. The floor will be 3/4” thick planks and I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

[Lee Schierer]

I have the same saw with the same fence. I would recommend adding a Kreg crosscut guide. For your sled you can use 1/2" plywood and it will stay flatter than solid wood over the long run and be much lighter to handle. Build an out feed table so your long pieces won't fall off the table as you finish cuts.


Replace your Vee belt with a link belt, it will cut down the vibration.

[Robert P. Murphy]

I have the same saw with the same fence. I would recommend adding a Kreg crosscut guide. For your sled you can use 1/2" plywood and it will stay flatter than solid wood over the long run and be much lighter to handle. Build an out feed table so your long pieces won't fall off the table as you finish cuts.


Replace your Vee belt with a link belt, it will cut down the vibration.

I ordered a set of machined pulleys and a link belt from inline industries. I will rig up something for the outfeed, thanks.

[Robert Engel]

Robert,

I understand you want to tune up the saw, but after I read your post, the first thing that came to mind is safety because with your level of experience, I think it needs to be addressed. With the process you plan on using, you could be putting yourself in a dangerous kickback situation. I'm going to speak from experience and I think most everyone will agree with me.

Rarely if ever will rough lumber (or any lumber really) be straight enough, not cupped, or not have any twisting, all of which are going to make the process you plan on using difficult AND dangerous (regardless of what you see on YouTube!!). Just getting one edge straight with your jig is not enough!!

To rip lumber safely on a table saw you need a flat face and a straight edge. You can only achieve this by face and edge jointing the board first. If you don't have a jointer, this will be a very difficult process that has to be done with hand planes or a router surface planing sled.

As for the saw, you need to start out checking all the alignments. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND use of a splitter. A splitter is the best safety device on a table saw. Whatever you do, don't ever force a board through the saw & do not pull it back if it is binding. Keep it in place, turn the motor off, remove board and reassess what needs to be corrected about the board.

You also need to use push sticks or push blocks. I won't get into a debate about sawblade guards, but if your saw has one, use it.

Planers only thickness, so don't understand what bolting them together is going to accomplish. Keep in mind if you run a bowed board though a planer, you get a bowed board out the other end.

If possible I recommend upgrading to motor on to 2HP. Use a full kerf good quality ripping blade.

Good luck, be safe!

[Robert P. Murphy]

Robert,

I understand you want to tune up the saw, but after I read your post, the first thing that came to mind is safety because with your level of experience, I think it needs to be addressed. With the process you plan on using, you could be putting yourself in a dangerous kickback situation. I'm going to speak from experience and I think most everyone will agree with me.

Rarely if ever will rough lumber (or any lumber really) be straight enough, not cupped, or not have any twisting, all of which are going to make the process you plan on using difficult AND dangerous (regardless of what you see on YouTube!!). Just getting one edge straight with your jig is not enough!!

To rip lumber safely on a table saw you need a flat face and a straight edge. You can only achieve this by face and edge jointing the board first. If you don't have a jointer, this will be a very difficult process that has to be done with hand planes or a router surface planing sled.

As for the saw, you need to start out checking all the alignments. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND use of a splitter. A splitter is the best safety device on a table saw. Whatever you do, don't ever force a board through the saw & do not pull it back if it is binding. Keep it in place, turn the motor off, remove board and reassess what needs to be corrected about the board.

You also need to use push sticks or push blocks. I won't get into a debate about sawblade guards, but if your saw has one, use it.

Planers only thickness, so don't understand what bolting them together is going to accomplish. Keep in mind if you run a bowed board though a planer, you get a bowed board out the other end.

If possible I recommend upgrading to motor on to 2HP. Use a full kerf good quality ripping blade.

Good luck, be safe!

I do have a push block, but there is no splitter or blade guard. That blade is square to the table and parallel to both the slots on the table and the fence.

[lowell holmes]

I have split boards by sawing and then jointing the sawn edge. I used a thickness planer to joint the edges.
This yields smooth boards that are uniform in thickness. I have a 6" jointer.

[Doug Hepler]

Robert Murphy,

Welcome to the Creek and to the slippery slope of woodworking. It is a slippery slope in the sense that even things that seem simple are often more complicated than they seem. Robert Engel is right on. You need to take account of twist -- especially -- when you try to sraight line rip a piece of rough sawn lumber. A kickback is a good possibility if twist or any knots, bumps or other imperfections in the surface of the board should cause it to rock while you are ripping it. If you have not actually experienced a kickback involving a heavy board you may not appreciate how fast they happen and how heavy that board is coming back at you. I certainly do not wish to scare you but I want you to take this issue seriously.Find out how to prepare rough cut lumber foursquare. There are a number of sites on the web, or let me know and I will send you my preferred sequence. To use your sled you will need to make one surface flat. You can greatly simplify this if you can cut long stock closer to the length you want.

Many people here will be glad to talk you though how to do this safely. Take advantage of that.

Doug

[Robert P. Murphy]

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Robert Murphy,

Welcome to the Creek and to the slippery slope of woodworking. It is a slippery slope in the sense that even things that seem simple are often more complicated than they seem. Robert Engel is right on. You need to take account of twist -- especially -- when you try to sraight line rip a piece of rough sawn lumber. A kickback is a good possibility if twist or any knots, bumps or other imperfections in the surface of the board should cause it to rock while you are ripping it. If you have not actually experienced a kickback involving a heavy board you may not appreciate how fast they happen and how heavy that board is coming back at you. I certainly do not wish to scare you but I want you to take this issue seriously.Find out how to prepare rough cut lumber foursquare. There are a number of sites on the web, or let me know and I will send you my preferred sequence. To use your sled you will need to make one surface flat. You can greatly simplify this if you can cut long stock closer to the length you want.

Many people here will be glad to talk you though how to do this safely. Take advantage of that.

Doug

I was plannin on a sled like the one pictured, I remember my Grandfather using one similar to it years ago to true rough cut lumber on his table saw as he never had a jointer.

[Doug Hepler]

Robert,

That sled is meant to get a straight line rip when neither edge is straight enough to run along the rip fence. It will work fine for that. It may reduce the risk of kickback, but think about the geometry. If a wound (twisted) board is clamped to the sled, it may be less likely to bind, but if it does bind, the the sled and board may kick back. If you can complete the rip cut, the straight line rip will incorporate the effect of the wind. I suppose that you will then square up the edge with the planer. It might work, but I don't think it is good technique to put a twisted board on edge through a planer. even if they are fastened together. Personally, I would never put boards bolted together into a planer.

IMO a better way would be to use a planer sled with shims to create one flat surface. I think that you already know that the planer will simply reproduce the twist, etc in the planed side if you don't shim it on a planer sled. There is some technique involved in shimming so that the shims stay in place. It is not rocket science but if you don't fix them in place they may vibrate out of position.

After planing you would have a flat surface to register against your rip sled. Also, you can flip it over so that your newly created flat surface is down and plane a second flat surface. Now you have three flat and square surfaces and can rip the fourth one. Then you will have a board that you can work with.

OK, so now I'm on a slippery slope, trying to explain how to make rough cut lumber four-square. I'm not sure of your level of craftsmanship, the condition of your tools, or the status of your lumber. I really think you should pause long enough to study this a bit before you go ahead.

All best wishes

Doug