Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Re: Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Ian Neuhaus

are you sure your 13" wide boards are flat and straight?

how long will the finished table be? -- do you need to joint the full 7'6"?

can you work out how the boards match? then cut them to approximate length (table length plus 8")

Festool track saw will sometimes produce a glue ready joint.

Festool track and router with the appropriate sheer cutting bit will always cut a glue ready joint. Actually, the technique can be used without a track.

Re: Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Don Stephan

Ian hit the head on the nail. Getting an ideal jointed edge by any method depends first on having at least one side perfectly flat and straight, or at least flat and straight under the track, router base, . . .

It is slow, but a perfect frame and router sled can make the boards perfectly flat and straight on both sides. Another option is hand planes, if you like to work with your hands.

Re: Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Clint Searl

I have made a perfect glue line by clamping a pair of boards about 3/8 apart, fencing one board such that a 1/2 router bit will nip a little from each board.

Re: Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Jointing this size is a simple task with an experience helper. Lacking that hire someone to do it.

Thanks all....

Barry Irby

I want the table to end up 84" long, so the 7' 6" boards are about the correct length to start with.

The tabletop will be oval and about 49" wide and I have tree of these 13" wide boards. Hopefully I will get 37 or 38 inches out of them.

And, I have several boards that are about 6 inches wide, but are bowed. I am thinking I will straighten the concave edge on each and glue them onto the sides. So, the grain of the edge boards will tend to follow the curve of the oval.

So, I thought of persuading a friend to help me and I may do that. Tomorrow I will call a friend and see if his jointer is bigger than mine and if he will help by doing this on his machine or come here and help do it on mine.

Since they will not fit through my planer I will run them through one of the two sanders I have that will do the job.

This table is supposed to be massive. I want the top to be as thick as possible. I will sand the top side almost smooth and the bottom side lightly. The DIL wants it rustic and aged.

Re: Jointing wide boards for glue-up

Jesse Cloud

If you can't find an experienced helper, call around the lumber yards, especially one you have dealt with in the past and ask if you can pay them to mill the boards for you.

Hand plane

Jack Guzman from Maine

You have received good advice and I can't improve on it but I had to add this: This is one of the best arguments for jointer planes. If you had one this would not be an issue.

surface first

Ian Neuhaus

don't overlook getting the boards flat before edge jointing them

Re: Hand plane

AZ in Colorado Springs

And now you're maybe back to what kind of work bench do you need? Something rock solid that can hold these boards securely at a suitable working height.

I had a work "table" for almost three decades. It was a lattice of 1x6s, 3' x 5', with a 5/8 plywood top. Legs were 4x4s. (There was a lower shelf to keep the legs in place.). It was collapsible because I was on active duty in the AF for more than two of those decades and it moved around with me.

In 2013 I came across a good deal on Douglas fir and built a roubo style bench. It's absolutely awesome. And I've been able to develop hand tool skills with a more suitable bench. And it's great for power tool work, too.

Re: Hand plane

Barry Irby

I knew someone would suggest hand planes. And I had thought of it. Might be a good time to go buy one. And I have been thinking about the bench and how it would play into this.

It's kind of like the story about the guy who was late. Asked if he got lost..."No, but at one point I did have to get out and build a bridge."

So I need to buy a plane and build a workbench.

Yesterday I spent most of the morning battling the big dual drum sander. Have never used it much, maybe an hour of two. Apparently the drive belt was not tight enough.

Off to the shop with a new plan.

There is no shame in hiring work done

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

In 1720 it was common to shop out operations that the home shop was not equipped to do. If I need carving I hire it done. I would hire turning if there was a shop to do it. One the E.TN. finest Period Furniture makers hires out French Polish finishing. Perhaps the finest Period Furniture maker in the NE shops out roughing out some material to a shop with a CNC.

If the objective is to occupy time in the wood shop with little need to put product out the door one can afford to spend the shop time learning the skills necessary to make fine furniture. And if you are 25 there is lots of time to acquire these skills. If one needs a place to store socks and the storage of one's dreams involves complex inlay it would be well to find someone to hire to do the inlay if that skill was not already mastered.

Anyway that is my philosophy on the matter. I take the time to become proficient at some things and have no shame hiring what I can't do well.

Re: There is no shame in hiring work done

Barry Irby

I agree, and if I knew a shop locally that could glue up these boards I would hire them. I called an acquaintance I just met to see if he had the skill or equipment, but he did not.

I have to admit I am stubborn about doing it myself but I try not to let it get in my way.