flattening a table top

[footprintsinconc]

Hi,

i am in the process of finishing my work bench. i am using a hard mapel butcher block counter top as my workbench top. when you pass your hand over the top of the coutner, you can feel the high and how spots all over. I had seen on this site a jig that you can make and using the router, flatten the top. does anyone know where it is, or knows of a link they can post where i can get that info? thanks in advance for helping.

if there is any other way to flatten the top, i am open to other ideas aswell.

regards,

[drumpriest]

This is called "router rails", you can probably find a lot of info online. Essentially you place 2 jointed and ripped boards on either side of your table top, and mount your router onto a board that will span the top and rest on these two rails. Stiff hardwoods or metal are best.

Then you can set a depth on your straight bit, and nibble away until the entire top is flat.

I personally use my drum sander. ;-)

[Brian G]

Omar,

I used How to Flatten an Uneven Workbench from Wood magazine's online articles when I flattened my bench top a few months ago.

I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures and posting a step-by-step.

My bench (face laminated 1.5" x 2.5" fir) was out of flat by as much as 11/64" in some spots. The process worked great. I spent quite a bit of time and effort making sure the bench was level, and the rails for the router carrier were level and parallel to each other.

I also "beefed up" the router carrier. My bench spans 36", and my first attempt at a router carrier had a very small amount of flex. Flex is bad! I stiffened the base by using some metal shelf standards that were straight and true. Make sure that the router carrier base is dead-flat. You don't want a dip or a hump, which will defeat your best effort.

I used a 1-1/2" diameter bit, and took small (about 1/16") bites. I ended up making three passes over the whole bench. I didn't have to do much sanding.

I can set a 6' level from corner-to-corner, side-to-side, or front-to-back and 0.008" is the thickest blade from a feeler gauge I can slide between the level and the bench top.

I have not determined whether the bench top or my level is responsible for the gap. I'm not inclined to worry too much about 0.008".

[thestinker]

Go to http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/ he has several pod cast videos and one of them has a set up for the router that drumpriest talked about.

RS

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Find a cabinet shop with a wide belt sander. Probably looking at about $50.

[drumpriest]

Wow, 50$?? I guess I get a deal, my cabinet shop w/ wide belt would charge me maybe 10$.

[Bob Bassett]

Go to http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/ he has several pod cast videos and one of them has a set up for the router that drumpriest talked about.

RS

Looked for the video, but couldn't find it. There are some really good videos on the site.

[niki]

Hi Omar

When I made my coffee table top, I had the same problem, what I did is:

I took a melamine (MDF or plywood are also ok) 3"~4" wide and I screwed to it a perpendicular board of 3"~4" wide (to keep the lateral board straight), what I got was an upside-down "T".

I attached sanding paper #40 and sanded till the top was flat, I changed to #60 and than to #100 and you can continue with power sander and #150 and on depends how smooth you want it.

The boards should be at list the half of the length on the top and you can work cross, diagonal or lengthwise.

I got very flat top with this method.

niki

[footprintsinconc]

Thank you all!

thanks for the details. i will look into the links and see what i can get. since i wanted to do it at home, i was looking for a way with the router, so going to a cabinet shop is not an option (for now at least ).

however, all this is now going to have to wait, as i have gotten myself in a mess at home in trying to setup my new (used) air compressor. i have about a half dozon of holes all over my walls in trying to get the wiring done and have run into a "major builder wiring/drywall malpractice"!

cheers,

[footprintsinconc]

Done!

here is what i ended up doing.

i flattened and edged some 5 ft long 2x4s and attached them so that i was about 1/4 higer than the lowest spot. then i made a sled using again some 2x4s that i flattened and edged as vertical members with a 1"x4" bottom horizontally attached to the bottom of the two vertical 2x4s. Then at the ends, i attached 8" long 2x4s that that held the two members of the sled. they were placed such that when the sled was placed on the side rails, it was snug but still slid without any resistance.

when i used the router, i let the bit bite into the side rails by about 1/4" to ensure the the edge would be cut cleanly. i had to do three passes. i only had 3/4" wide bit. it took some time but was fast, i cut going one way and then moved the sled down by 1/2" and cut coming back then moved it 1/2" again and kept on going. when i was done, it has some ridges (little lines) left behind. i used a 100 grit paper and then a 220 grid on my 5" orbital sander.

since this was the first time, i must say, it seemed difficult, but was easy. the top turned out to be really nice. the only problem was that i should have raised the rails much higher than 1/4" from the lowest point. the shavings used to get under the sled and raise it, which is why had to go back and do the process three times. didnt take much time at all the 2nd and 3rd time, but it was time none the less.

[footprintsinconc]

ah, here are the pics

[StylinLP]

I'm confused about something. In the wood working books for beginners they state that to plane out and flatten a table top is to use Hand Planers at 45 degree angles. Is that old school? The modern quick easy way to use a router?

[drumpriest]

You certainly can use a hand plane to do this job, but it requires skill, time, and more skill. Router rails is the above method, and is fairly "new school", but more predictable in the result by my reconning. There are certainly other methods that work though. A giant wide belt sander such as a time saver can do it, or the world's biggest jointer. ;-)

Or hand planes, all depending upon how you choose to solve the problem. As I can rent time cheap on a time saver, I use it, but router rails would be my second choice. I'm just not that adept with a hand plane.

[footprintsinconc]

couldnt agree more with you drumpriest.

imho, the hand plane requires A LOT more skill than the method i used. your eyes have to be really sharp. you have to be able to feel the difference with your hands and see the difference with your eyes from one side of the top to the other. if you are not able to quantify easily, you wont know who much you actually took off on one side as oppose to the other side of the top.

i think the old school people have a lot of talent & skill. the modern day machines/tools have made working with wood a lot easier for us lacking that type of talent and skill.

regards,

[drumpriest]

I am more of the mind that it's not about being "better" or "more talented", they required that work before power tools were invented. I suppose I pick my battles. Power tools are available, and I feel that I can make furniture of better quality because of them.

I'm certainly no master woodworker, but I feel that after 20 more years of building with power tools, I might be, and that my work will benefit from proper use of properly tuned tools.

I'm a graphics programmer, and assembly programming is all but gone from the stuff that I need to do. Sure, it's a valuable skill, but not strictly required anymore for real time simulation. Doesn't mean that the programmers today are less talented than those from 20 years ago. (and yeah, I was making games 20 years ago, sigh)