I have some natural edge walnut slabs that I've been asked to make into display tables for an apparel store. These are 6-8' long and vary from 20-26"s wide. I sawed them out on my mizer years ago and they vary in thickness from 5/4 to 12/4. Could you guys give me some ideas of how to go about finishing them. My planer is only 20" wide so it's out of the picture. Also I need to figure out a base for them. Something sturdy but not too complicated.
I suggested we buy a new wide belt sander but surprisingly enough that was quickly dismissed by the CFO. :D
What a killjoy. Did you try sweet talking her?
Set up a sled and rails and use your router with the biggest flat bottom bit you can safely run.
I did Lee but would believe that after all these years my skill at that has diminished considerably. :D
I use my mill as a planer sled for table tops.
Just have a plywood box that holds the router and and clamps to the mill frame.
Surface finsish isn't perfect, but it is flat and smooth to the stage where you can start sanding.
No reason you cant build a whole jig out of MDF. For several tables it's going to worth it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10460/ianab_slab_surfacer05.jpg)
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,11464.0.html (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,11464.0.html)
Ian
I called Grizzly and asked if any one had a wide belt sander in use that I could go look at. They gave me the name and number of a customer just 50 miles away. I called and for $40.00 he sanded a 5 x 22 x 11' plank for me. He was glad to get the paying job and some since. I really do need one of them little darlings.
Here's a rig I came up with...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12750/walnuttableopt4.jpg)
It's the same principle as Ianab's sawmill. There is still lots of sanding to do to remove the router tracks, but at least you removed all the drying and sawing irregularities.
Quote from: metalspinner on August 18, 2009, 07:45:03 PM
Here's a rig I came up with...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12750/walnuttableopt4.jpg)
It's the same principle as Ianab's sawmill. There is still lots of sanding to do to remove the router tracks, but at least you removed all the drying and sawing irregularities.
Pretty much what I was talking about.
Hand held power planer? I've never used one so I don't know how well they work...
Quote from: tyb525 on August 18, 2009, 08:39:45 PM
Hand held power planer? I've never used one so I don't know how well they work...
maybe a cross between metalspinner rig or rig it to your sawmill (using a planer instead of the router) it would also make a better job if the planer blades were tapered at the ends a bit so you would get a smoother transfer from the sides of the cut.
Hmmm.... got me thinking, I do have a extra bench top jointer planer.... hmmmm.
Well first you start with a scrub plane and work across the grain, follow that with a jack plane, then use a tying/jointer plane to get it dead level. A short 8 inch smooth plane will finish it out.
Haven't you read Chapter 7 of Roy Underhill's book Working Wood with Wedge and Edge? ;)
Norm, how many do you have to do?
I'm with Arky, find a cabinet shop or someone nearby that has a wide belt sander or planer.
We have two 36" sanders here and have done similar work for local guys... too bad you're not close.
-Norm.
Actually the ideal is probably to use a router for the heavy removal of wood. No big slab like that will be sawn and dried totally flat. Then a good handplane (and operator) would get the surface smooth with a few light passes.
I just use the sanders as I'm a power tool junkie. ;D
Ian
Thanks for all the great ideas guys. I wish we lived closer to big city and could find someone to run it through their wide belt. On the thicker ones I've thought about putting them back on the mill and doing a light pass to take out the irregularities and then sanding by hand.
I have 5 of them to do so it sounds like work no matter what. :D
After flattening all those slabs by hand with a router, you will come to know every detail of the process and that will make you an expert. It is something that I probably will have to do one day, so I am interested in your experience!
I have done some pine slabs with the belt sander an 40 grit paper. I figured they did not have to be perfect, it is rustic furniture. ;) In fact I have a pine slab coffee table sitting in my shop now waiting for someone to finish sanding. ;D
When I was building wooden decks on boats, I took a 9" side grinder and made a plywood disc to fit it. Glue on 36 grit paper, and git er dunn. Won't take long to tell where the high spots are and when you get to "NEAR level". Might even get a metal sanding disc for an upright disc sander, and use the glue made for them, so you can peel off the paper easier ???
Change out the paper to progressively higher grit and THEN finish with the belt sander, preferrably a 4" X 24" Sander.
Use a steel straight edge and pencil the high spots. Cross ways, longways and 45's. you quickly see the highs. I do use a a hand held planer with some success. It's a learned, touch thing. Then progressive discs, of course. I like the Porter Cable variable speed. 8)
I was recently learning how stock was made straight, flat and square before powered tools were available - with the scrub plane, jointer plane etc. It's really facinating, and works to get the stock as good as a machine will do. It is more work, but like anything, once you do the first slab and get some experience, it will take less work for the subsequent pieces. I guess it's the difference between someone who isn't afraid to pull out the axes and hew a log when a mill is not availalbe. I was doing some conventional framing today, and the 2X10's were not the same width or even, so I pulled out a hand plane and fixed them. I'm sure that's a rariety in my state.
Quote from: Brad_bb on August 19, 2009, 10:06:52 PM
I was doing some conventional framing today, and the 2X10's were not the same width or even, so I pulled out a hand plane and fixed them. I'm sure that's a rariety in my state.
It's nice to use "One of the original cordless tools" some times just for the quietness and to make some shavings instead of sawdust.
Norm if you haven't got those slabs done yet , I just thought you might want to attach them side byside to some 2xs and call the hardwood floor guy out to sand a few rough spots out of your new rustic floor.
I ended up putting them on the mizer and carefully shaving them down with it. I used a sharp blade and it did a darn good job.
I saw somewhere, maybe here, where someone took a 13"benchtop planer and took the bottom off it and hung it from his mill. My thought is it would be way quicker than a router.....
The cutterhead must've been the lowest point, in order to shift sideways to plane wider than 13"?