ryandetzel Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 So I'm making my bar top out of three pieces of maple. I don't have a planer or jointer yet so I used stock wood from HD and one of the pieces was a little bowed. I tried my best to clamp it down but there is about 1/16 ridge down the center of my top now. I tried using an old hand planer on the underside to test that out but I ended up gauging it so I quickly stopped that. Next I tried sanding with 50 grit but that seems to take forever. Is this the best approach, should I just continue down this path until it's nice and smooth? Any tricks, maybe a block sander or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 If you just want to blend the joint a little you might be able to do that with a card scraper, but if you want it flat you're probably going to have to invest in a decent hand plane. Another option could be taking your top to a hardwood dealer and paying them a few bucks to run it through a drum sander...or planer, if they have a giant one. Or a high school wood shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 You can use a router table in a sled or guide to level the top. See this post for a link to a video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryandetzel Posted November 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 You can use a router table in a sled or guide to level the top. See this post for a link to a video. That's interesting. I'm thinking of picking up an orbital sander so would that work too? Just start with 50 and work my way up until it's smooth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 you would have to do alot of sanding with the orbital maybe a belt sander with the different belts. i find the orbital is more for finish sanding so its real smooth less about taking away the bulk or the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Ryan - that is a LOT of work for an orbital sander. A good bench plane might be your best bet, but that's also an exercise in plane tuning, and then learning how to do it right. if you plan on going the sanding route, you might consider a power belt sander to take most of the material off, and then an orbital sander to finish it. belt sanders are meant to take off a lot of material. wear a dust mask or a good respirator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykx250 Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Ryan- I would look for a decent name brand belt sander on craigs list- that would be the quickest way and it would be flat. You could do it with an orbital for sure in fact orbitals can really dig in problem is keeping things flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 A router is designed to make very precise cuts controlled by a guide. Sanders are not. Flattening the top with a sander will require more skill and finesse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryandetzel Posted November 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 So I should probably just get a nice plane. Looking at my local Rockler and WoodCraft I don't need a #7 but this looks nice. http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2021170/29727/WoodRiver-6-Bench-Hand-Plane-V3.aspx Any local place I could pick up a nice #7/#8 plan this weekend? I'm in the Boston area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNehlsEnd Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 I suspect that the reason your plane is gouging your work is because of the sharp corners on your blade. You might want to try rounding over the corners of the blade a bit to ease the sharp corners to help prevent gouging. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric71m Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Having just gone through just about the same thing with my desk top... I can tell you that hand planing is the way to go... BUT... be prepared for the learning curve...have patience. I just watched an episode of the Wood Wrights Shop with guest Chris Schwartz on hand planing... He recommends a #4 plane with a 8" radius on the iron... trust me this takes a lot of material off fast, be careful... then move up to the #5 or #6 to get the surface dead flat, then back down to a #3 smoothing plane... there is some work learning how to sharpen your planes, but it is so worth it... I wont kid you, planing is a lot of work.. but the end result is very flat smooth surface... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 So I should probably just get a nice plane. Looking at my local Rockler and WoodCraft I don't need a #7 but this looks nice. http://www.woodcraft...d-Plane-V3.aspx Any local place I could pick up a nice #7/#8 plan this weekend? I'm in the Boston area. At that price I'd just spring for the Veritas jointer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Those Woodriver planes are pretty nice. I have a V2 #6 and a V3 #3. The six is a nice plane. I havent used the three yet. I got it for dirt cheap. But I assume that it will be as nice at the other one. THey are decent right out of the box, but they do need a little tuning and sharpening to really get great results. Good luck with that project.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Ryan - I know there's a Rockler up on Mass Ave, and there's a Woodcraft in Woburn (just off Route 93). A little further travel, there's a Woodcraft in Providence. Admittedly I don't know if any of those places carry planes 'in stock' - the selection I've seen at times at one of the WC's was a little light. I'm curious - where are you buying your lumber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryandetzel Posted November 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Ryan - I know there's a Rockler up on Mass Ave, and there's a Woodcraft in Woburn (just off Route 93). A little further travel, there's a Woodcraft in Providence. Admittedly I don't know if any of those places carry planes 'in stock' - the selection I've seen at times at one of the WC's was a little light. I'm curious - where are you buying your lumber? Just went to Rockler, they had the stuff they had on their site but If I'm going to drop that kind of money on a plane I want to do more research. Wood...umm...dare I say it? Lowes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 (edited) Wood...umm...dare I say it? Lowes. Sure, you can say it. I have had ok-to-good experience getting wood from Lowes and HD, but that's because I take my time to pick through, and often stop by each of them on the way home from work (I have 2 HDs and 2 Lowes on my commute). Over the course of a week or two I can get a few good boards of Maple or Oak. if you're looking for anything beyond poplar/pine/oak/maple, though, you're out of luck there...and I noticed my local HD doesn't carry 1.5" or 2" thick oak any more. I don't know what's available in the immediate Boston area, but a little further south in Stoughton (not far off Rt 24) is Downs & Reader - pretty good in my limited experience. Good selection of species, and you can get stuff rough or S2S - which, since you don't have a planer or jointer, might be a good start. Whenever I go there, quite a few people are buying very modest amounts, so it's not like they're expecting you to buy truckloads. They do have some prices online, but those seem to be for mail-ordered stuff...I've had better luck calling to check on prices. If you're down that way, there's a place in Brockton Beaver Woodworking - it's not exactly right off the highway, but it's a nice locally owned store that has a good selection of supplies. I don't know that you'll find a good selection of planes and other handtools there, but for general shop supplies and machinery they seem OK. Edit - I forgot about Anderson Mcquaid, in Cambridge. It's known for moulding and trim, but they do stock a selection of many species in dimensional lumber Edited November 11, 2011 by John Fitz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Going in a completely different direction... Is there a local wood supplier, school, or cabinet shop, in your area that can run your glue-up through a planer or sander for a fee? Downes and Reader may even do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Downes and Reader may even do it. From their site: their planer is max 18-1/2” wide. If your glue-up is smaller, it might be worth making a call? otherwise a local cabinet shop might even have a sander you could run it through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephens_Shop Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Sanding will be very slow with an orbital, a ton of pads and the results likely to not be as flat as you hoped. Hand planing and fine finish with scraper if needed is next best but in the end finding a drum sander or thickness planer big enough is your best bet. You just have to find a place that has one and is willing to do it for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james04 Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 So I'm making my bar top out of three pieces of maple. I don't have a planer or jointer yet so I used stock wood from HD and one of the pieces was a little bowed. I tried my best to clamp it down but there is about 1/16 ridge down the center of my top now. I tried using an old hand planer on the underside to test that out but I ended up gauging it so I quickly stopped that. Next I tried sanding with 50 grit but that seems to take forever. Is this the best approach, should I just continue down this path until it's nice and smooth? Any tricks, maybe a block sander or something? So I'm making my bar top out of three pieces of maple. I don't have a planer or jointer yet so I used stock wood from HD and one of the pieces was a little bowed. I tried my best to clamp it down but there is about 1/16 ridge down the center of my top now. I tried using an old hand planer on the underside to test that out but I ended up gauging it so I quickly stopped that. Next I tried sanding with 50 grit but that seems to take forever. Is this the best approach, should I just continue down this path until it's nice and smooth? Any tricks, maybe a block sander or something? My advise would be to get the Wood River low angle block plane. Those are some killer prices at the moment. I own three of the Wood River planes and they are an incredible bargain even at there full price. If you are going to buy only one plane. It should be the low angle block plane. Simply because as a budding woodworker. It will be the most versatile and useful to you. You could go with a regular angle block plane. But the low angle is better at removing end grain. Especially for someone who does not have the fine sharpening and hand plane skills neede to remove end grain with a regular angle plane. Not impossible . But it does need some good skill. So you can take down the bulk of the protruding wood with the block plane. Then continue to smooth the top with an orbital or hand sanding. If you do buy a plane. Be sure to brush or blow of the bar top. As it may be impregnated with some of the sandpaper grit. That will shred the sharp edge of your plane blade. If money is a real issue. You can go the card scraper route. To remove the protrusions. But the card scraper requires some skill as well (sharpening and using it). But no time like the present to develope those skills. Check out you tube and the like for videos on sharpening and using a card scraper. I see that the block planes are not part of the 20% off sale. However it is still a great bargain for a quality tool. http://www.woodcraft...able-Mouth.aspx James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CessnaPilotBarry Posted November 14, 2011 Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Be aware that an out of the box low angle block plane will most likely tear out the maple big time. On face or edge grain maple, a standard to high angle plane will provide a much cleaner cut. Any bevel up plane, including low angle blocks, can be made low, high, or medium cutting angles simply by changing the angle of the sharpened edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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