I’m straightening the edges of rough cut boards by running them through the tablesaw a couple or three times. Eventually the cup or bow comes out. I’m probably loosing about 1/2 inch (width) with this method.
I suspect a joiner does this task better. Am I right? And if so, how much better?
-Ken
Replies
A jointer is really designed to remove just a little wood per pass. It would take lots of passes to straighten a 1/2" bow. Here's two better ways to get a reasonably straight edge on any piece of lumber.
1) Use a bandsaw. This is now my favorite method. Strike a straight line on the board with a string line, and saw down the line. Back when I tried to do this sort of thing on a tablesaw, I'd often find that a bent plank means that it has reaction wood in it, so that the kerf tries to close shut on the blade at the back. This leads to kickback, which is Not Good. A bandsaw doesn't kick back.
2) If you don't have a bandsaw, use a circular saw and one of those jigs for making long straight cuts. You can slap the jig down on the board, selecting as you do it where the cut should go, and make a straight cut very quickly. I've never had this method kick back; if the kerf closes enough to pinch the blade, it just stalls the saw.
Jamie
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