I’m looking to purchase a slab flattening mill/setup. I’ve been using a homemade jig that has served me well, but am looking at purchased options. Not interested in the Woodpeckers offering as I believe it’s way overpriced. I have looked at Bear Hollow Supply and Crafted Elements which are less than $500 and seem solid. Has anyone taken the plunge and made this purchase and if so what did you go with. Also, are there other offerings out there I’ve overlooked? Thanks all.
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Replies
Depending on the size of the slabs, there are some flattening setups much less expensive. Rockler has 2. The full-size jig 28"W x 78"L x 2 3/4"H is $600. The smaller one is only $200 but handles up to 18"x 28" x 1 3/4".
Woodpeckers also sells a smaller benchtop verson for $210 and it handles up to 24" W. I have the smaller one which handles 15" W to flatten twisted lumber.
The nice thing about the smaller benchtop versions is that they are easily stored but width and sometimes thickness capacity is sacrificed.
People certainly make their own also. There are companies which sell all the required parts; some as sets and some as individual parts from their cataologs.
Unless you think you are going to make a lot of natural edge tables, the overall investment doesn't seem to be worth it.
The value in my small Woodpeckers version is that I can take a board wider than my jointer and flatten one side, then use my 12 1/2" planer to flatten the other and thickness the board. This size isn't useful for larger slabs; both width and length, but it sure comes in handy for almost all my regular size boards. Flattening setups are great tools but storing them can be difficult. I think WP's is more easily stored.
Since you've already built one, and you like the look of the woodpeckers version, have a look at this:
https://faztek.net/catalog/
Check out their extrusions and linear motion parts.
I'd purchase my Crafted Elements one again.
I won't buy what I can build (better) for a fraction of the price.
Linear bearing are inexpensive and smoother operating that some of the retail offerings. IMO this is an easy build and a better (customized) end product.
Add some 8020 or similar sized extruded aluminum and you’re off to the races. These can be easily setup, broken down, and repurposed in myriad ways around the shop.
I agree on DIY. I've seen a few built with aluminum extrusions and linear bearings. Another advantage is you could build it to it's adjustable for various width slabs.
I saw one on a boat building channel that used a 6" hand power planer. Made really quick work of it.
Since OP already has a self-built flattening jig, I'm sure there is already an awareness of at least some of what I will say. If you are going to build your own, please be sure to buy all the parts from the same supplier rather than using the price of a part as the criteria for buying from a vendor. Parts sourced from more than one vendor come with the possibility of ending up with parts that aren't machined to the same tolerance and, therefore, don't fit well with each other. (I have a friend who had that problem.)
Second, while it's nice to build something for much less than you can buy it for, the ultimate goal is to put together a flattening jig which works eseentially perfectly. Sure, Woodpeckers tools are expensive, but I don't know anyone who has been disappointed by the tools they have bought from them. Their support can't be beat so you know if there is ever a problem you will have a resource to solve it. In the end, I wouldn't necessarily buy the Woodpeckers flattening jig because it's just not worth it for the amount of work it would do. Frankly, for me, buying something that cost even $500 would be overkill, much less spending a significant amount of time sourcing the parts, building it, and assembling it.
I'm just one of those woodworkers who feels using the tool is more satisfying than building it. Building things that I like and are well made is the goal for me. The tools are only the way I get there.
What's the distinction between building woodworking projects and building tools that, in turn, help you build projects?.
I frequently use tools I've either made or at least put a turned handle on.
From saw horses to mallets to jigs, handles and so on, woodworkers are always building/making tools. Having a tool that is custom/personalized to you and only you, is not something you can purchase.
If you can't make something as good as store bought, fine then purchase. If you can build as good, if not better, for less, why wouldn't you.
JMHO
Each woodworker gets satisfaction from different tasks and projects. I know a guy who just builds jigs and rarely uses them just because that's what gives him satisfaction. I get the most satisfaction from a finished piece of furniture or other type of piece. You get satisfaction from other things. Since I can't work day and night in my shop, I prioritize what gives me the most satisfaction. I have built jigs for single purpose uses for a particular project, but wouldn't spend the time making some complex tool that took me a lot of time when I could be spending my time building a piece of furniture, cabinet, or turning on my lathe. Just preference.
Personally, I will buy what I could build better.
It's usually just a matter of available time.
I could build my flattening jig, but the time required to research, design, and build, not to mention the delay it all causes, frustrations, and mistakes, is far more expensive to me than buying something.
Another is enjoyability and drive.
I know a LOT of woodworkers who love making jigs, etc., and that, of course, is great for them.
But I hate it. I like staying focused on my main project, not making jigs and side projects.
Ultimately, there are a lot of reasons to buy over build.
To each their own. Nobody is wrong for what they choose with this so long as their reasoning is sound.
My rig is kind of crude. 2" diameter pipes and muffler clamps supported by a wooden frame which gets built new usually each time and mostly because parts of it got repurposed for something else. While maybe not the smoothest running it cost close to nothing and is easily modified to accommodate unforeseen possibilities.It's not limited in length width or the thickness of the slab. A really long slab? ...go to the junk yard and get some really long pipe. All the ones I see advertised besides being costly would be useless if I came upon a slab that was 5 ' wide or 10' long or maybe 6" thick...and it's possible that I might. It all gets taken apart and stuck away until some other year when I might need it. If I was doing a lot of work with slabs or doing it often maybe I would want something better but I can get it done with what I have.
Good morning everyone and thanks so much for the input. In my initial post I noted that I had built my own flattening mill. What I had was a 3/4" MDF base with 3/4" x 6" sides for the router tray to ride on. The router tray was simply another piece of MDF with a slot cut in it for the bit to go thru and contact the slab. It worked fairly well at first, but moving the router and the tray were difficult.
I took a gander at Youtube and found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NVZfQnIJuY which has info on suppliers for aluminum rails and collars with bearings that make the movement smooth. So for less than $175 and a little bit of assembly, a person can have a really nice flattening mill. Parts are ordered and only thing left to consider is the "cradle" or base for the slab to rest in. Well on my way. Thanks so much for all the input and direction. Very much appreciated.