How To Plane A Table Top
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All-time mode to flatten a large tabular array superlative
I only finished making a large cherry pinnacle for a dining room table (44" 10 86"). In the by, being fairly new and not having a vast array of tools at my disposal, I accept used my chugalug sander to clean up table tops. I "bladder" the sander diagonally back and forth until the acme looks clean and so utilize an orbital sander and finally hand sanding the entire top to cease. This approach has worked only it does tend to go out highs and lows in places (not enough to run across just you can feel them). And so now I have a little money to spend and looking for some new tools and/or methods. Should I be looking at a "fore plane?" a "jointer airplane?" or maybe just a #4 or #five smoother? Or what other method(s) or tools would y'all employ to flatten a tabular array top this big?
Right now I have two planes: A Stanley low angle jack, and a Stanley #four smooth.
I would really like an alibi to buy a new plane
Thanks
Last edited past Maurice Arney; 09-sixteen-2013 at 9:43 AM.
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That'southward a big top to flatten by hand, but if yous wanted to do it, y'all need the longest plane you can get (#8 or wooden jointer). If information technology's really out of flat, the initial work might be quicker with a #5 or #6 with a cambered blade. The truth is that for flattening something that big, the best (affordable) solution may be a router sled with a tailed router. Using a manus plane to reach across a 44" wide plank will exist a challenge.
Past the way, what are you using as a straightedge to test the flatness along the length? As well, did y'all make winding sticks that wider than 44" to check the wind in the board?
Sounds like a cool project.
Steve
- Thank you Steve, Maybe I'm using the wrong words to describe what I'm doing. It doesn't really need to be flattened in the sense that it'due south twisted or warped in any way. Peradventure I should have said is "cleaned upwards" and "smoothed." Although the winding stick thing is a not bad proposition (I had not heard of them until now ;P). I will make some winding sticks to meet how "flat" it is. Mostly what I have is gum that has squeezed out during clamping likewise as slight imperfections in the stock surface. Perhaps I should focus more on cleaning up the mucilage joints while they are still wet. I've seen the router sled method and have been wanting to endeavour information technology. Just I think I'll save that for a rough projection like a work bench rather than practice on my cherry table. Like I said, at that place are some very small highs and lows but you can't come across them. Maybe I'm just existence likewise fussy.
Originally Posted by Steve Friedman 
That'south a big top to flatten past paw, but if you lot wanted to exercise it, you need the longest plane you lot can become (#8 or wooden jointer). If it's really out of flat, the initial work might be quicker with a #5 or #6 with a cambered blade. The truth is that for flattening something that big, the all-time (affordable) solution may be a router sled with a tailed router. Using a hand airplane to reach across a 44" wide plank volition be a challenge.
By the style, what are you using as a straightedge to test the flatness along the length? Also, did yous make winding sticks that wider than 44" to check the wind in the board?
Sounds like a cool project.
Steve
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I'm hoping that y'all got the boards smoother before your glue up, and just demand to piece of work on the gum lines. I've put myself in the position that the boards in the glue up on a table top was not aligned very well, and it took forever to get information technology smoothed out. In clamping a table top, the thing to call back is that near of the work is in the clamps and cawls that concur the table flat. The together part is easy, and so information technology's the secondary cistron. So you lot have two sets of clamps- ane fix, with cawls, for flat, and another set for together. I recall that everyone learns this the hard way.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...great-mucilage-upsOne affair about cherry is that if it has grain patterns that opposite, the wood will want to tear out. A high angle plane works improve for this. I have a primus hand plane that works meliorate for this than my LN no four. And a Stanley plan is nigh as practiced as the LN. A carte du jour scraper is fifty-fifty better than both.
If you have some existent misalignment, you may be better off trying to find a friendly shop with a big wide belt sander. Or if you take the width to work with, or extra lumber, if the misalignment is pretty bad, I would not hesitate to rip the whole thing downwards with a good dedicated rip blade, and very carefully regluing using the techniques in the article. Also, it is OK to do the glue up in sections. You practice non need to gum the whole height in one shot.
Edit- read the 2nd post that was entered while typing. For gum, you need a card scraper. Much better than a plane for this. Go along information technology sharp though. As for winding sticks and overall flatness, remember that the table aprons job is to keep the elevation apartment. Whatsoever height would similar to turn into a potato scrap, the apron keeps it from doing this.
Last edited by Stephen Cherry; 09-16-2013 at 11:nineteen AM.
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In my store, the style nosotros would flatten a large surface is to use a long steel or aluminum straightedge. Run it over the surface in a number of dissimilar directions. Using a pencil and make "squiggly" marks on the high spots. Using a chugalug sander, sand down the loftier spots. Sand in the diagonal direction. Once again, using the straightedge, bank check and marking for any loftier spots. Carefully flatten the high spots and check once more.
Once you lot have it flat change to 100 grit newspaper on your belt sander and carefully sand. Keep checking for flatness and move up to 120 grit. Next utilize a i/2 sheet orbital sander with 150 grit and then 180 dust. Finish by sanding buy mitt with 180 grit paper on a flat, felt covered sanding cake.
Using the to a higher place one should be able to get a flat surface with xv to 30 minutes work.
Howie.........
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Maurice, I congenital 5 maple countertops last year. They ranged from 50" to 80" long and were all 30" wide. They were fabricated of ane.5" wide pieces of maple glued together. I did exactly what Howard describes above. Took a straightedge, marked the high points with pencil.
Instead of a sander, I took my #6 plane (18" long) and attacked the surface with it. Once I knocked down the high spots, I took the straight edge and a feeler approximate to check my progress. Afterwards they were flat to a few 1/1000th'due south of an inch or and so, I took my #4 aeroplane to make clean upwardly the surface. A lot of elbow grease and sweat merely I was very happy with my results in the end.
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A bigger plane with a irksome blade will produce a lesser surface than a smoother with a abrupt blade.
If y'all purchase another of the current Stanley offerings, it will have a stock blade of the same quality.
Have a good look at how precipitous your current tools are, today.Your current smoother - with a properly fix up blade, cap iron and lever cap volition probably do only fine.
- Yes Stephen I ran them through my jointer and they fit together nicely with no gaps. I always apply cauls to flatten but no matter how conscientious I am, I always accept spots where the glued edges don't quite line up. I sometimes utilize biscuits on trouble areas but those don't clinch perfect alignment either. So I always end up having to flatten... Not flatten the piece but flatten the surface of the piece. Per your proposition, I just ordered some bill of fare scrapers also every bit a cabinet scraper for the glue clean up. Originally Posted by Stephen Cherry
I'm hoping that you lot got the boards smoother before your mucilage upward, and merely need to piece of work on the glue lines. I've put myself in the position that the boards in the glue up on a table top was not aligned very well, and information technology took forever to get it smoothed out. In clamping a table top, the thing to remember is that most of the piece of work is in the clamps and cawls that hold the tabular array flat. The together office is easy, so it'southward the secondary gene. So you take two sets of clamps- ane set, with cawls, for apartment, and another fix for together. I call back that everyone learns this the hard way.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...not bad-glue-upsOne matter almost ruddy is that if information technology has grain patterns that reverse, the wood will want to tear out. A high angle plane works meliorate for this. I have a primus hand plane that works amend for this than my LN no 4. And a Stanley programme is nearly as good as the LN. A bill of fare scraper is fifty-fifty better than both.
If you lot have some real misalignment, you may exist improve off trying to discover a friendly store with a big wide chugalug sander. Or if you have the width to work with, or extra lumber, if the misalignment is pretty bad, I would not hesitate to rip the whole thing down with a proficient dedicated rip blade, and very carefully regluing using the techniques in the article. As well, it is OK to exercise the glue upward in sections. You do not need to glue the whole top in one shot.
Edit- read the second post that was entered while typing. For glue, y'all need a card scraper. Much better than a plane for this. Keep information technology abrupt though. Equally for winding sticks and overall flatness, remember that the table aprons job is to go along the top flat. Any top would similar to plow into a murphy chip, the frock keeps it from doing this.
- Maurice- everyone has been through this. The bigger the table, the more time I volition spend getting everything super aligned, fifty-fifty using a mallet on the back to knock everything into plane after the clamps are on, but non super tight. It'southward a lot easier to tap things into aeroplane while it can all the same be done. And so one time yous are satisfied and accept allow things dry for a while, scrape the glue off earlier it turns rock hard. Originally Posted by Maurice Arney
Yeah Stephen I ran them through my jointer and they fit together nicely with no gaps. I e'er apply cauls to flatten but no matter how careful I am, I always accept spots where the glued edges don't quite line up. I sometimes use biscuits on problem areas but those don't clinch perfect alignment either. So I e'er end up having to flatten... Not flatten the piece merely flatten the surface of the slice. Per your proffer, I just ordered some card scrapers also as a cabinet scraper for the glue make clean up.
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Maurice, I just went through this with a table top about the same as yours - 9' x 42".
Like you I was careful with the glue up, but in that location are always irregularities. The size of plane you need depends on how bad information technology is to start with and how flat you want to make it. If it is only minor cleanup, and then a #4 smoother would be fine. Or, small piece of work with the LA Jack and so smoother. If information technology needs more than piece of work or yous're going for really apartment, and then you lot demand to leap up to a #seven or #8 jointer plane. I took this road...a lot of work on a piece this size, just I've waited a long time to build this table.
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I would use a jack plane or smoothing plane. These will get the tabular array apartment enough to "look" planar, which to me is adept enough.
If you use a jointing plane, you will get information technology a lot closer to "planar" but you lot volition have to do a LOT more piece of work (and remove a LOT more wood) to do and so, with no measurable benefits to the eye. In other words, it won't Wait any flatter, but you tin can bask in the knowledge that it IS marginally flatter, and simply took an additional 300 hours of work to get that way!
- Information technology does work, but you need a big area for the sled. I simply built ane for my tabular array saw to flatten a redwood burl. lx or 80 grit in my ROS took care of the lines easily. Originally Posted by Maurice Arney
I've seen the router sled method and have been wanting to try information technology. Only I think I'll save that for a rough project like a piece of work demote rather than practice on my cherry tabular array.
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