What’s the best way to clean up rip cuts made with a table saw? I’m building a table and the rip cuts are a little wavy. I don’t have a jointer (yet).
I’m new to woodworking. Will a hand plane do the trick? Which one? There seem to be dozens of hand planes to choose from.
Replies
If your tablesaw is properly aligned and you are using the correct sharp blade, you should be able to go directly from the saw to glue-up.
The plane you use is an 18" or 22" jointer plane. And you joint mating edges at the same time.
Can you use a jointer plane across the grain?
Not quite sure why you would do that but I guess so. I've used my jointer plane to flatten my workbench but I use a router now.Howie.........
If you have a router table, insert a 1/16" ( I use a 1/16" piece of mica cut to shape of fence) shim between the adjustable outer and inner components of the out-feed fence. Rip the stock 1/16" over on the TS, and take a pass at 1/16" on soft-wood or two passes at 1/32" with hard-wood with a straight bit. I used my router table for years as a jointer.
Regards...
SARGE..
Using a router table as a jointer is a great idea. Problem is, I don't have one.
The top of the table is roughly 26" x 20". Because of the size of the wood my cuts are a little bit wavy on all 4 sides. That's why I asked if a jointer plane will work against the grain.
Under the existing circumstances Krebsy, you could use an improvised guide rail fence with an over-head bearing straight edge bit inserted in a hand held router to square the side off. If... you have a router and an over-head bearing router bit?
You could shoot the sides with a hand-plane with the grain, but I would use a low-angle block block plane on the end grain with backers clamped to the end. If ... you have a hand-plane and low-angle block?
Or you could take it back to the TS and set the rip fence 1/16" under your existing measurements. You're going to have to have one side square if you use this method. Put on a sharp 60T or 80T blade and trim it up square using the rip fence as you would in normal ripping assuming you have a 60T or 80T blade. Sand the edges for final prep.
Or.. you could just leave it out of square and call it modern casual. :>)
Regards...
SARGE..
Thanks, Sarge.
I don't have a router yet.
Someone advised me to rough cut the boards and then cut them to size once the glue dried after edge joining them. It was bad advice!
If they are over-size for the reason you stated, I would set up a guide and square one side with a circular saw and guide fence. Then you can take it back to the TS and treat the other sides just as ripping. If you are getting a bad edge with your blade (??), just leave about 1/32" extra on each side and take it down with a hand sanding block considering you don't have an arsenal of tools accumulated yet.
I don't think the advice you were give was bad advice, it was just "bad advice in your circumstance" of not having the "right stuff" to finish off where that advice left off. ha.. ha.. ha..ha..ha..
Good luck with it... we've all been there at one time
SARGE..
There could be more then one answer , depending on what the application is , edge banding , moldings or will they be edge glued ?
give a bit more info
dusty
The top is already edge glued with 4 poplar boards. I didn't cut it to size when I edge glued the boards so I was left with a big #### piece of wood to rip and cut.
So it sounds like you need to clean up the edges and ends of the solid top , is that close ?
If so a belt sander or hand sander or even a finish type sander may be all you need after trimming to exact size , will any molding or detail be routed into the edge at all ?
dusty
You got it.
It's a Mission type TV stand.
Something along the lines of this: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/image/102762.jpg
A picture is worth a thousand words , er sumthun like that .
Square it up the best you can , then you can simply sand all edges flat . with that style of square top with a little overhang all around it is very forgiving .
good luck dusty
I guess I don't understand why the edges are wavy. If you keep the panel against the fence properly, the edge that gets cut has to be straight.What kind of saw are you using? Are you using a hand saw?Howie.........
I didn't have my splitter on right. The splitter forced the wood to veer towards the left after it cleared the blade. All of my rips cuts were off.
I have the Ridgid TS3650. Great machine for the money.
Since the splitter was a bit off, can you spare the material to set it up correctly and recut the edges or would it cause a big problem? I know you said you don't have a router table but if you have or can borrow a router, you can straighten the edges with that, a straight bit and a straightedge.
If the top is the right size as is, maybe you could cut it straight and edge band it or make a bevel cut and band is, then round it over slightly, using mitered corners.
That's the cool thing about woodworking, there are so many good ways to fix a project when something goes bad. Call it a 'design detail'.
All great suggestions. I think I'm going to call this version my prototype!
I just thought of another way to conceal this and I think it may keep the A&C look. Cut the waviness off and add a strip that adds a shadow line, at the bottom edge, maybe 1/8" short of the top. If you remove 1/4" total, make the strip 1/4" so the top is actually 1/4" wider than it would have been, but the step will add interest. Soften the corners and the stain should keep the glue line hidden. One thing the masters have perfected is ways to fix (let's call it covering) their mistakes.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Edited 9/1/2006 6:11 pm by highfigh
Hi Krebsy,
let's slow down for a moment, first where do you live some one posting here might help you with there joiner. If you have a circular saw make your self a shooting board.Its a cheap and easy jig that's worth having.
You need a piece of ply wood. I like to use 1/2" thick plywood 10" to 12" wide and one piece 1" to 1 1/2" wide, glue and nail or screw the narrow board on top of the wider one, use the smaller top board as a fence and rip it down with your circular saw now rip back the other side, you should have one side about 5 1/8" and the other side 1 1/2". which should equal to the distance form your blade to the outer edge of the base plate of your circular saw.
Make your marks on your top, line up the edge of the shooting board against you marks and rip it with your circular saw. Now a new blade on the saw will give you a nice cut. Also adjust your blade so it is only slightly below your top.
Cut two side and rip the other two on your table saw. Be sure to remove or repair your splitter.
If this doesn't make sense e-mail me and I'll send you a drawing. [email protected] It's a very simple jig that I use often when cutting down dinning room table tops and sheets of plywood. I made one 48" and one 96" they work great.
don
Spend the time to get the saw working right (with test pieces, not project pieces). Then clean up your existing pices and redesign as necessary to account for the slightly smaller size. This will be way faster than any other option.
Pete
If you get the board's face flat and an adjacent edge square, you should be able to rip a glueline edge even with only a moderately good blade, but if the boards is uneven, those irregularities will telegraph throughout the cut.
A jointer is the best method of face planing I know of, but a planer and a sled will also work, as will a decent hand plane.
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