Anyway, I don’t currently have a decent work bench, but it is the next big project on my list, and I will definitely be using your method to flatten the bench top. As I was sanding it down today, I noticed that the board was a bit warped (convex/concave). I think that could be quite accurate if you’ve got a good eye. 3. Move the sled and router to various parts of the bench (with the power off) to see if the bit catches or slides freely. Also, buy a 1 3/4″ routher bit as suggested. Attach them on the outside of the pine, just extending up enough to provide the riding rail while still keeping the pine as the sacrificial edge for the router to bite into I’ve been trying to decide if I should just flatten my existing bench or tear off the top and lay down 2-3 sheet of 3/4″ ply and a sheet of Masonite over the top. I’m sure someone out there might be able to devise some sort of clever jig to make it work, but I haven’t seen anything like that before. All of them are! I really don't know anything about routers so any input would be really appreciated. Major thanks for posting this and providing such a clear explanation of how to fully execute this technique. MY question is if I use your process, how do I know “level” as opposed to “flat”? But you have to be careful not to skew the top plane out of alignment with the bottom of the bench. They usually have what I need at the best price and their one dollar shipping is a nice bonus. Thanks for the clarification. home | projects | blog. Buy two 8 foot lengths of extruded aluminum and screw these to the 8 foot lengths of pine to p provide a perfectly flat, smooth surface for the sled to ride on. See more ideas about woodworking jigs, woodworking tips, woodworking. Flattening Large Wood Slabs | Wood Workers Guild of America. Although it’s much easier when doing a small cutting board since you can just put the two rails down onto a flat surface, immobilize the board in between the rails, and you’re good to go. great work all the same. Can I flatten my cutting board using the router table? Seems like you could avoid having to hand plane if you could route right off the edge of the piece. Thanks! Using the sled is however a great idea and like a CNC milling machine can ensure a perfect result providing the two rails are indeed parallel/flat. Is this not a concern to anyone? Several months ago I took my ply off and discovered a mess of shrinkage underneath. I have a fixed speed 1/2″ makita router and was wondering if it would be safe to use this method on end grain cutting boards. I THINK it was a set from Lee Valley. Result was noticeably more router “swirl” marks. Mine is right behind the workbench. When I am ready to build myself a real bench I am definitely going to use this method. One way to do this is to plunge the bit until it just touches the bench. My jig is to help me flatten large slabs of wood to use in making benches and tables. What router would you recommend for a flattening slabs ? My question for you is with respect to flattening and planing a large slab. I never really thought about how visually-impaired folks might use my videos but this makes me realize how important it is that I really drive the concepts home in words. Hiya what a great little idea for a simple slider for your router , Am not convinced that your way of leveling up the rails is right .. A worthy read for ANY woodworker! But most wire coatings are pretty dense and won’t have much impact on this method. As I work with irregular slabs, too large for my machines, I expect it to be a reasonable and effective method for flattening large… My second “attempt” using the other side of the board was perfect/improved along and across the board because I used new/straight rails this time! Do you think the Festool 1400 (or equivalent 2.25 HP router) is powerful enough for this job and these bits? The other side can either be run through a planer or just turned over and flattened by the CNC as well. The jig is actually able to reach the edge of the bench and does. It’s one of our best sellers in the Guild. The top, however, would still be flat. It essentially acts like a huge jointer, so slab is too twisted/warped/cupped to be flattened by a CNC. As long as it’s CLOSE to level, that’s good enough. I would love to have one in mine but worry about the dust getting to it. Again, wrist … sore. Thanks for the kind words! So now the HD version is a true HD video with a resolution of 1280 x 720. This would certainly make my laminate 2×4 top more even and the ply would cover the gaps in the 2x4s. I did however get a “perfect” result across the board which proved the sled was satisfactory. You could always put a fan filter in front of the fan to prevent some of the dust from getting in. But I’d like a little more room when assembling things. Machinery is Not the Answer Perhaps one of the quickest ways to surface a board is to… Oh boy….. Add a cleat at each end of the sled so that it doesnât shift and is easy to mooch along the rails The SD videos are actually whatever our host down-res’s them to but it is something that would generally be best viewed on a mobile device. Thanks Marc, great demo. Your bench top is now probably more accurately flat than it needs to be for most woodworking, but extreme accuracy certainly can’t hurt. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. We’ve has couple different cameras over the years. My question is what can I do during planning to provide as close to finished look as possible? One of the most common questions I am asked is how I flatten the large pieces of wood I often use in my work. The only advice I can offer to people is to probably use a 1/2 router bit as it put too much strain on my 1/4 router bits and snapped 2 bits as a result. And if you plan on using it a lot, you can get as elaborate as you want with the design of the jig. However, the plane formed might not be level with floor and the table might end up flat but tilted. Would this bit work similar to your straight bit: The key to making sure that the two rails are parallel to the bench top is to measure at each corner. My step dad is legally blind so this is something I should probably think about more. I’m thrilled with the results – a very fun and productive afternoon. Awesome methods! Lasers anyone?! Ask Question. I’ve never used my router on osb, simply because it seems like a really bad idea. Parallel is an appropriate term when viewing the rails from a perpendicular perspective. I’m sure it can but you’ll have to go slow. Or if you mount it slightly higher then it could act as a “zero clearance” backing to prevent any tear out off the table top. Please fill out the form below and I will reply with a free estimate to help you finish your latest project! Which is low? The router mount glides effortlessly along a set of X- and Y-axis tracks, allowing you to flatten, or effectively surface plane, virtually any wood slab. I just used this method last night to flatten a rustic farm style table I’m building using construction grade 2x lumber. How about using one of those bowl router bits? There isn’t much to try to clamp rails to and if the top is twisted Asti surely will be I’m not sure it will work. Please forgive my newbish question. The router sled is very easy to make from scrap 3/4″ plywood. This is hard to overcome, especially for those with no experience with this step. Any of our videos are are “widescreen” are 16×9. I imagine the shear weight of the bench will cause some minor twisting to the top if the floor isn’t perfectly flat. Why wouldn’t you make the opening in the jig wider than the workpiece? These are awesome. If the base is square and the top is secured to the base, a structure like that is more than likely just going to rest on three legs with the 4th leg raised. Sure do. ok. You still need to use winding sticks at least in one direction to ensure flatness. Marc, I watched your hand planing vs sanding video, as well. A 4` x 6` table took me about 2 hours with 3/4″ straight bit (I was too impatient to wait for shipping on the larger bit) a quick sanding and it’s nice flat and smooth. If the bottom of your wood slabs do not lay flat in your sled base, you can use shims and wedges so that they don't rock. What should be done after planning to finish work? Unlike your bench, the top of my bench is only about 15″ wide. thanks. I took my power hand planer and took off about 3/4″ of an inch but it was still not very even. So you can be sure in the next current video, the clock will be firmly planted on some random time. I used this to flatten my top and it worked pretty well, but there were more than a couple of gotchas: 1. But using the string/wire measurement will show that it’s still “apparently” flat when you know that it can’t be. We are one of the largest producers of live-edge slabs. Get more on Slabs from FineWoodworking.com: Success with Slabs; Surface large slabs with handtools; Flattening Tabletops Anyhow, the presented method cannot work per-se in general. My bench top is overdue for a flattening. I based my jig off of Nick Offerman’s design presented in Fine Woodworking’s Dec 2011 Issue No 222. Maybe it is something I am doing wrong. Is it pretty flat to begin with? The details in the magazine article were a little sparse since they are depe… Mark. I learned it from a forum and I believe the original idea goes back to Tage Frid. but I’m thinking a couple of passes with my jointer plane on each edge and should have it dead flat. I don’t know how good the results will be if you start working the hump down. I got the job done, but it was a learning experience. Dec 25, 2019 - Explore Joseph Leeston's board "jig for flattening wood slab" on Pinterest. Scratching and marks in end grain are just a pain to remove. I think that your video and method is great. How do I establish the “level” register first??? https://thewoodwhispererguild......workbench/. If you go too smooth, you’re work will be a little slippy. Is that a concern? Of course, this doesn’t apply if you have a laptop. If you setup the string/wire on top of the four blocks, you can verify that the “new” surface is completely flat across the top of the blocks of plywood – since everything is moved up by 3/4″ and the string/wire and sighting boards also confirm it to still be flat. Concerning the Mathematics of this method; if the rails are perfectly straight, the strings are perfectly taut and are dimensionless, then if the strings touch then the rails will be parallel and hence coplanar. The reason I was left with material to plane away was because i was cautious when cutting into the rails. I’ll send a picture wen done. If the corners now represented a “new” surface, you know that this new surface most definitely isn’t flat. Please note that the router will leave shallow lines from each pass, which will need to be sanded out before finish. I am happy to say that flattening a slab of wood … Is there a twist? The HMC-150? Being a blind wood worker, I am often left scratching my head when listening to various videos. Marc, I really want to commend you on being very descriptive in your videos. This extra step of sanding the slab can be done for an additional cost. Just be sure to fully clear the space so there’s nothing to catch on later. Do you have plans or video available? Hey Dan. I removed almost the full 3/32″ during the first pass. Concerning whether to get the rails level with the floor etc is an interesting point. I glued and screwed them together (perhaps a little overkill). This service is performed using a router jig and can flatten up to an 7’ x 40” slab of wood. Article by ManMadeDIY. Wood slabs can make great tables. Without a lot of Maths it can be difficult to know what works/doesn’t work. Controlling the router back and forth (and back and forth and back and forth and â¦) was not only tedious but tiring and a bit of a challenge. Router Flattening Sled: If you don't have the money or space for a large planer, a router flattening sled is a great option for you to be able to plane large slabs without having to spend too much money to … Getting large wood slabs to be flat can be a challenge. I always enjoy your videos for the knowledge i gain but also for their entertainment value. Flattening: A good job for a jig. Enjoyed your video Marc. The slab can be as large as your support rails will allow. I understand the concept of the lines touching but as for the been level and parallel it cannot be certain . Would \n’t a four foot level across the rails gain the sam result. Marc- Thanks for the video. This Bridge Planer will get smooth, even results on pieces too wide to fit through your normal planer. BTW, My first “attempt” failed because there was a slight bow in my reference rails (too shallow and made of MDF). Fine wood working also has a Video tour of Nick Offerman’s Work Shop. So it can’t be all that bad! Being blind, I often use modified techniques, in the case of the criss-cross strings, I use Copper wire and a continuity tester to tell me exactly when the wires touch in the middle. I did the final glue up a few days ago. Have a wood slab that is too large to fit through your planer? I never claimed this method produces a level surface. Copyright © 2006-2020 The Wood Whisperer Inc. I then topped it off with a removeable piece of 1/4″ melamine. My question for you is with respect to flattening and planing a large slab. My math friends made the following comment… Establish a point that is directly above the exact center of the piece. 1-1/4″ in this case. It is the levelness of the rails, that is important. I read about this method for flattening large slabs in a publication (Woodwork I think) a year or two ago. That method of showing the rails are parallel is fantastic. I had been looking for this on the internet and wasn’t able to find it till now. Awesome video Marc. I was going to ask if you learned that in a class (i.e. The 4th corner must be adjusted to be on the same plane created by the first 3 corners, independent of the workbench top (though you want to be close). As for the 4 foot level, no, I don’t think that would produce the same result. Marc, Great Video. Required fields are marked *. This site uses affiliate links. I actually make cutting boards for friends and making some sort of jig to install on my bench may save me a lot of time on the wide belt sander. Download the PDF below for the full article, including all of Offerman’s tips and tricks for flattening wood slabs with a router jig. I’ve been doing pretty much the same thing with my CNC router as my primary method of flattening boards and it works great. Thank you for making this possible. Just used this to flatten my bench. It makes perfect sense to me as a student of Mathematics. If you add/clamp a piece of wood between the fence guide and the table top (mounted below the table surface) you’d be able to go through the edge completely (and not cut into the sacrificial fence). If you hit one corner, you might knock the other corner out. BTW, my final step was a few passes with my cabinet scraper, would you recommend sanding (220 grit) as a final step or leave it as is for gripping purposes? I’ve ordered a good number of bits from them and have never had any issues, and the shipping is free. The sanders finish the job.From Fine Woodworking … I always give honest opinions, findings, and experiences on products. I have some 24 ” Douglas fir slabs to turn into my new desk and some huge 100 year old timbers to turn into projects. With the continuity tester, I can adjust the corners without having to ever touch the wires. Dec 18, 2020 - I have some 8/4, 6/4 and 5/4 rough sawn Oak, Mahogany, Walnut and Maple that's been sitting for awhile, Most of it is pretty straight but still needs flattening. Off topic, where do you keep the computer in your shop? Over 15″, you don’t have as much risk of sag, so there’s a good chance it won’t cause a major issue. the final step is adjust the router bits dept so that i barely touches the highest point of the slab. I love the idea of flattening out larger panels with the router but am hesitant to use on my end grain cutting boards again. Can “the propeller effect” be eliminated just by ensuring both reference rails are “level” using a good spirit level? The Slab Flattening Mill PRO is able to mill slabs … If it slides freely at any given point, you have just found a location that is lower than the original spot. Your email address will not be published. I don’t want a table top that if viewed from the side might look like a wedge of sorts. Other than the bloggie, are you still filming with the same camera since the beginning? Follow our guide to make your slab of wood perfectly flat. Great video Mark, thanks. Purchase the slab from a store if you want to minimize your work. My current workbench is a large restaurant meat table from a local steak house that closed many years ago. By the way, Mark, were you very surprised by the deviation in that one corner, or did you expect it? It really isn’t designed for that purpose. I built my Roubo workbench and attempted to flatten it with my hand planes but I ran out of talent and made the top resemble a boat rather than any kind of flat reference. I set the rails and checked my cables – I was suprised at the delicacy of tapping, checking rail height and pushing the cable to get the “kiss” just right. The Wood Whisperer, The Wood Whisperer Guild, TWW, and TWW Guild are trademarks of The Wood Whisperer Inc. All rights reserved. We cut over 100 species of hardwoods including Indian Rosewood, Walnut, Camphor, Tigerwood, Brazilian Cherry, Persimmon, and many other hard-to-find lumber types. No need for the guard. (if that’s the correct term). My workshop floor is angled quite dramatically like an old Batman episode, so I certainly don’t want that as my datum! I have flattened it roughly by hand using a plane and winding sticks and it’s close, but I’d like to get it really spot on. This table top, for example, is approximately 45 inches wide and 96 inches long. I’ve also used it for end-grain cutting boards with great success. Have a wood slab that is too large to fit through your planer? Need to make something flat and smooth? Well, in this case, the bench top was almost flat and there is almost zero probability of any twist. That way, the climbing part is more or less eliminated, but it means that shifting the sled is a little more awkward. Online stores are a great place to purchase unique slabs made from rare varieties of wood as well. Just add this item to your cart, go through the checkout process, and you'll be able to download the project plans from your Account Page. William Ng, David Marks). I noticed a bit of a hump in the middle of the table. That’s “Parks and Recreation”, not “Community”. Not sure how that happened (sled not stiff enough?) Well the base is shimmed so that essentially nullifies the effect of the uneven floor. What brand is that multi fluted bit? What to look for•Logs felled during spring and summer give up their bark easier once dry, and have more unusual coloring due to higher moisture content.•Search out logs with multiple knots, burls, limbs, and other unique characteristics.•To create even more character in your wood, allow the logs to lie on the ground or in a stack for a year or two uncovered. Bummer. I am glad to hear the descriptions are thorough enough for you to get the idea. I buy nearly all my bits and blades there but occasionally Amazon will have something cheaper so always double check. Great video. I do have one question regarding a bench I built this summer. Thanks for fixing your clock. A lot of this hinges upon knowing that current state of your workbench top. Accept that it is a very slow process and that the router needs to come all the way towards the operator BEFORE shifting laterally for the next pass. Large variety of sizes and species of urban salvage live edge wood slabs including: Black Walnut, Oak, Maple, and Redwood slabs for sale. Should I ever be compensated to write, I will make full disclosure. Slab Flattening Jig Sketchup Plans Or download the screenshots below: I made the plans *after* I made the jig, which is sort of backwards but I just wanted to have them on the site for other people to check out. I would focus on the intake fans at the front of the case. But, I’m still not quite sold on the X indicating that the two rails are parallel. A buddy of mine said the bosch 2.25 hp plunge router that they sell at the local home depot is a great buy for the money. I think the single most important thing to get right is to ensure that the rails are straight, everything else should then follow from your method. In the setup, you mention that the two guide rails need to be parallel. :). But there is no need for winding sticks here. In this case, it was just a jig so again, no real need for it. Flattening Large Wood Slabs | Wood Workers Guild of America Please note that the router will leave shallow lines from each pass, which will need to be sanded out before finish. Everything else is just gravy. You keep saying parallel in the video, when in fact I think you mean level. I am building a 40″ x 96″ walnut table top and needing to flatten it. It’s interesting to see how far you’ve come since the early days. I turned the speed down to 2. All content on The Wood Whisperer is copyrighted, and may not be reprinted in full form without my written consent. Most of the slabs I … Maybe a rabbet cut into the rail would handle that. Can you tell us what is the brand of bit you are using to countersink the screws when you build your sled at 7:00 in the video. I’m thinking it should not affect the process, but want to make sure I’m not overlooking anything. How did you determine which end to remove material? Just one little correction. It did help, but it is still not to my liking. We’ve also included additional links on working with and flattening large slabs. The Wood Whisperer abides by word of mouth marketing standards and holds integrity in the highest regard. Thanks for your great videos, they are very informative. You’ll also have a good deal of tearout so you will want to sand the bottom of the sled after you’re done. Only took a few seconds to remove the excess material. I wonder how much the flatness of your shop floor plays in to the flatness of the top. 1. But ultimately the rails were sacrificial so I didn’t worry much about it. In particular I am looking at dewalt’s DWP611PK. And using that system in a door frame is very smart! But again, shims took care of it pretty easily. there may be a slope (a different problem, easily corrected for) but it’s still produces “a flat surface” providing the sprit level is not rotated between relative measurements? Sometimes the simplest method is better than a high-tech/high dollar solution. I don’t remember. 2. Here is an example to show why it doesn’t work…. But that strings method is not sufficient to level the rails. If my calculations are correct, I believe I need to plunge the router an additional one and one-eighth of an inch (min) in order to clear the plywood base as well as give me about one half inch of depth below the rails. I was just going to ask where you learned that. You confirm this with a pair of sighting boards or using a perfect/corrected spirit level along/across and across both diagonals. Surely taking a measurement from the bottom of each leg to the top of your rail and making them all the same size then skimming the work bench , that way it would be flat and parallel and if the bench was put on a level floor it would be level with the spirit level and tools wouldn’t roll off . I am trying to get into wood working and build a shop in my garage with out kicking my wife’s car out of the garage. After all, that’s the method folks traditionally use when hand planing. The Slab Flattening Mill can mill slabs up to 3-7/16” and the minimum thickness depends on the travel of the router and length of the blade. I built the jig from the fine woodworking mag a few months ago to flatten large slabs as I had one standing around that I wanted to get started on – It was a little more involved, similar results, than this one and it worked great – that Amana bit is wicked….not to mention the 25 lbs of chips I accumulated. I’m hooked. I’m also with Ted on purchasing router bits from Routerbit world out of Utah. If you want me to take you seriously as a woodworker you re going to have to stop going to get manicures and have at least one cut or scrape on those fingers. I am new to woodworking and am trying to complete my first end grain cutting board. What I really meant is that the planes established by the rails are parallel to one another. With a sheet of 1/2″ ply over the top. But I don’t completely understand your premise on the rails. Jul 10, 2018 - Wood slab tables are great. A couple suggestions: If surface finish is important use a bottom clearing bit like the Grizzly C1261 and make narrow (less than half the bit width) climbing passes parallel to the grain. I’m leaning towards the oil since I’ll be doing glue ups on my nice new flat top. I have 2 nice elm trunk pieces that are about 20″ wide and this will be a good solution to them sitting in the corner staring at me. In the video below you’ll see a permanent setup for handling smaller stock, but I do have a larger (3.5 meter long x however wide I need) version that is somewhat portable. I think the best datum for both rails is the bottom of your benchtop. Marc, another great video! Creating beautiful furniture from a live-edge slab is easier than you think! Perhaps one of the best parts about this jig is that you can re-use it for other things. I’m not convinced the string/wire technique will ensure that the board is entirely flat or that it can be used to make a surface flat. The way it works is you mount your router—with a straight bit installed—to the mill. :). The older ones were not HD and were a different aspect ratio. Years ago I widened my benchtop by splitting it and gluing in more maple (only about 8 inches worth). Worked like a charm in my Festool OF 1400. I have used the criss-cross strings to frame out doorway openings to make sure there is no twist and that the walls are coplanar. The only tricky part of this process, if there is one, is making sure the two guide rails are not only parallel to one another but also roughly parallel with the top. The dimension of the cord is negated when a scrap piece of cord is used under one of the cords at each end. Hi Christian. Now cut four squares of identical 3/4″ plywood and put on in each corner to raise the surface by 3/4″. I know this video, which is great by the way, is old but I am applying it now, 11/2017. I must have one! I’m actually planning to build a CNC machine later this year, so will be interested in this and other methods for getting rails dead on. I blow the dust off periodically but that’s about all I do to maintain it. Obviously there’s no harm in taking extra steps wot be 100% sure it’s level, but for most folks that won’t be necessary. My thoughts are run the router as fast as I can and move slowly.. thank you. In any case I was thinking of using some 80-20 aluminum extrusions on my sled rather than plywood rails. My solution was to put in my Dewalt 13″ planer and if it is wider than 13″ to make two cutting boards and glue them together. It only guarantees that the middle point is in the same level, but lowering one corner can be “fixed” by getting diagonal corner up, ending up with propeller-like twist. I agree that those strings can only touch each other at the middle only if the rails are parallel. Yeah, over kill if you can just look at the contact point, but I’ve found it difficult to touch the strings and know when they are just kissing without my touch throwing things off. Yeah I think you should be fine creating the clearance hole with the router. Hi Marc, While some folks truly relish this labor of love, others prefer to delegate this grunt work to power tools. The key is to use winding sticks to figure out what the top is generally doing. Have an oddly-shaped natural edge slab that is just too large for your tools?
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