I am making a desk top from some 8/4 maple, and am gluing several boards together. I purchased one board that was ~12″ wide and one that was ~9″ wide. I ripped them both down the middle using my track saw just so they wouldn’t be so heavy while I joint the rough edges. However, even after doing this they are still too heavy and bulky to get any success trying to run them through the jointer. I tried running the pieces through my table saw as well, but not without blowing the fuse at least once part way through each cut and significantly burning the edges (the blade is sharp and new). I need some way to accurately joint the edges. I just ordered an extension track for my track saw so that I can cut the entire length without introducing any error by moving the track half way through the cut, and my current plan is to use that to joint the edges of the boards, as that gave me the cleanest result of anything I’ve tried. Does anyone see any problems with this? Sorry if this is kind of incoherent. Thanks
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Replies
You didn't say how long your work pieces are, how long your jointer is, or how long your desk will be. If you haven't done so, you should cut your work pieces to slightly (3-4") longer than finished length prior to jointing and or planing. Also, if you will need to plane them to thickness, do so before edge jointing. This will be easier to do with heavy work pieces and will reduce their weight somewhat make jointing easier.
sorry about that. The final length of the desk is 6' and I rough cut the boards to 6'6". I'm using a Grizzly 12" jointer/plainer combo, with the jointer table being 42" long. I plained them to thickness before attempting to joint the edges. Thanks
As mentioned above and a question about your table saw. What are you using. Thanks
I'm using a saw stop contractor saw. Thanks
In my opinion hand planing the edge is far superior to any track saw extension. Especially when you consider the time required to dial in the track extension so there’s no notable transition mark. Even power tool woodworking requires some hand tool skill. Routing the edge would be better than using a track saw.
I’d look into planing long edges with a hand plane by placing both boards together in a vise. Even if you plane the edges of both boards together & you’re 1 degree off, the boards are shot using complimentary angles so they will fit perfectly without even sanding.
I like this idea a lot. However, I don't have a jointing plane. Do you have any recommendations that won't break the bank?
A WoodRiver plane is a great value if you don’t have one at all. I’d watch a few Utube videos first to wet the appetite and see if it’s something you want to invest in. See if it can fill other needs for you. Even these planes will set you back $200-$300 and then there’s a sharpening system.
Maybe all you need is some help, either a helper to support the back end for the first foot and the switches to the outfeed table to keep it in full contact. Rouler stands can help too.
Hand jointing 6' long boards is tough. Getting a glue joint when they are 8/4 maple is really hard. And, it's your first time.
I think the fence on your table saw is out of alignment. If you get clean cuts from a track saw, your contractor saw is certainly capable of it.
Good point. Hadn’t considered the 4 inch thickness when put together in the vise.
You certainly have adequate machinery to do the job and you have done enough to prep the wood for final machining. I second the thought that all you need is a helping hand to deal with some unwieldy work pieces.
I agree with Gulfstar and Bilyo. I built a 7' long, 3.5" thick Roubo workbench out of ash using a 6" jointer and a Dewalt 735 planer. I used infeed and outfeed roller stands and then recruited a strong young friend to assist when the laminated slabs got too heavy to pass over the jointer and through the planer by myself.
One trick I use is to take scraps of 1/2 or 3/4 plywood and double side tape place 3 or. 4 of these pieces across the boards to be joined than in proper sequence run them through on our table saw centered on the joint between the boards. The result should be the same as sjeff70 is suggesting using a plane.
I’m also working on a new table, mine has a 1.25” thick top of curly cherry. Going to try this out.
Infeed & outfeed support will get you there. A human would work, so will a stand. Triple-check your fence for square and make sure the board is riding against it top to bottom. An 8/4 board can stand up on its own.
I made a 9 ft. long cherry bookcase/desk with a 1 3/4 top and jointed the planks with a straight edge and router with a router bit with bearings on top and bottom with great results.
Have you considered using an L-Fence with your table saw? I find this a very good way of getting a straight edge on boards I don't want to, or can't, run through my jointer.
Here is an article from Bob Van Dyke about the L-Fence.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/shop-machines/the-incredible-l-fence
I went through a similar issue when making a workbench with 8/4 hard maple. You might consider doweling/biscuit/Domino measured down from the top and placed every foot or so. I had to join 4 boards together for my bench top. I used the jointer and then the planer to make sure I got one true surface and one true edge. I joined two boards and then put them through the planer to final thickness. Then I had to join two sets of double boards. I wasn't entirely successful at getting them to glue flat, but I was able to plane away the high spots for the most part. I probably should have clamped them both across the boards and vertically on the seam more and would have had less planing. Anyway, it came out fine.
I agree with those suggesting supports on both ends of the jointer. Also, I use mag fingerboards to keep them on the vertical fence when edge jointing. And having a buddy help is a fine idea.
Why can’t you use roller stands for support? Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, Harbor Freight all sell them
Another woodworker was visiting me in my shop in the early 1970s and the conversation became about jointers. The conclusion of the conversation was that with advancements in blade technology a jointer was no longer necessary. Later I heard Sam Maloof make the same statement. If that was true 50 years ago it must be true now with even more advancements in blade technology.
I have a set up ,well two set ups ,one for +- 1" stock and one for thicker material. One is made out of a very straight board that I keep clamped to a wall so it stays that way and a clamping arrangement purchased for the purpose on straightlining boards- the other is made of a piece of angle iron and a clamping arrangement that I came across that I didn't know what they were made for for many years but now know they we part of a Zyliss vise setup. My straight edges are 8 feet long allowing me to effectively straight edge about a 10 foot board.
It takes 3 passes to get a good joinable surface. With your saw you will need an outfeed support. Your the infeed and as someone suggested two humans can work. The first pass straight lines the board, discard the rig and with the now new straight edge against the fence make a parallel cut. Flip the board end to end and recut the first cut. You should ,if you were careful to make sure your saw was set up square, have a usable joinable surface and without the inevitable snipe that your likely to get with a jointer.