How do i finish this slab it consist of router sled lines caused by router , I am new to this line of work however I have tried checking the alignment of whole setup & router jig isnt tight fit in the slider as well ,there is some play about 4-6 mm in carriage & router ,or is my dept of cut to high (Max depth of cut 5/32 inch).Please advise.
Currently i am sanding with orbital sander still there is lines visible os there any other way to fix this.
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If you cannot take it to a drum sander then a hand held belt sander is your option but it requires good skills. I run it at 45 degrees from the grain direction then 45 degrees opposite way and then lengthwise with coarse sandpaper, if I used 60 grit, I then switch to the ROS with the same grit followed by 80, 100, 120 and so on.
Until you resolve the issues with the router and sled, you're down to sanding. But sanding won't yield a perfectly flat surface.
If a perfectly flat slab top is your goal, then your efforts should be directed at dialing in your router flattening jig. If the play can't be removed, then consider replacing it or building your own. I believe there are plenty of on-line resources that address slab finishing jigs.
Yes exactly, the sled should not leave that kind of surface. It should be ready for a drum sander or random orbit sander. Adjust, make it stiffer and fix your router sled then take a finishing cut to clean it up.
How big is the slab? You could always use a floor sander.
A very precise router sled and sharp bit will leave the best surface. But it will still need a lot of work.
I find that a plane with a tooting blade makes quick work of getting rid of major power tool marks, without adding tearout. But it will also need lots of sanding.
A really good sander, like a Rotex, takes off wood a LOT faster than any other RO sander.
But, as above, if you have a belt sander, use it before the RO. Any way you go about it, getting a big slab flat and polished is work.
some of those higher end wood planers are like butter, then simple sanding can finish it right off.
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