How flat is your top?

[pelligrini]

or How flat is 'flat'?

I probably went a little overboard, but I was having too much fun.

I spent a lot of time this weekend tuning up my planes & playing with them in flattening up my new bench top. There are still a couple small low spots, but they're under .011". The majority of it is within .005 and quite a bit under .002. This was with no sanding, just planes and a cabinet scraper. I think I can live with those 2 low spots, as I don't want to take the entire bench down to them.

I was using a couple sets of feeler guages, my 4' level and a Ryobi long rip fence extrusion. I even made a couple holders for my dial indicator to slide on the level. Feelers are easier, especially the angled ones.

Once I got my craigslist Stanley-Bailey #3 refurbed it was a pleasure to use. A little fine tuning on my Woodriver #6 fore plane got it moving even better than before. I almost pitched my Groz #4 across the yard. The Groz low angle block plane got used some, especially around the single little knot. The scraper in a Veritas holder didn't get used a whole lot. I sliced the end of my ring finger pretty good while putting a polish on the #3 iron. Pulling the scraper made it hurt.

[BigguyZ]

When I made my top out of cheap contruction 2x4s, I used the rounter sled method of flattening the top. even then, it wasn't perfect. I don't think I ever want to bother doing that again- especially with hand tools.

I tip my hat to you, sir.

[poolhound]

or How flat is 'flat'?

I probably went a little overboard, but I was having too much fun.

I spent a lot of time this weekend tuning up my planes & playing with them in flattening up my new bench top. There are still a couple small low spots, but they're under .011". The majority of it is within .005 and quite a bit under .002. This was with no sanding, just planes and a cabinet scraper. I think I can live with those 2 low spots, as I don't want to take the entire bench down to them.

I was using a couple sets of feeler guages, my 4' level and a Ryobi long rip fence extrusion. I even made a couple holders for my dial indicator to slide on the level. Feelers are easier, especially the angled ones.

Once I got my craigslist Stanley-Bailey #3 refurbed it was a pleasure to use. A little fine tuning on my Woodriver #6 fore plane got it moving even better than before. I almost pitched my Groz #4 across the yard. The Groz low angle block plane got used some, especially around the single little knot. The scraper in a Veritas holder didn't get used a whole lot. I sliced the end of my ring finger pretty good while putting a polish on the #3 iron. Pulling the scraper made it hurt.

Nice job but do you know how flat your level is?

[pelligrini]

Yea, I been thinking about that too. Then when I look at the prices of good straightedges I think 'dude, it's wood'

It's not certified, but it appears to be pretty flat. I ran a laser level across it recently, but that wasn't an exact measurement. If I flipped it over or spun it end for end I was getting the same tolerances and the same tolerances with the long rip fence extrusion.

[shoottx]

What is flat?

If you are building a machinist bench for setting up production runs of precision parts .005 and quite a bit under .002 are probably not good enough.

A wooden bench, will move and adjust over time. I was searching for a post by Cman (I think) on his annual wooden bench flattening process. If his bench (wood) moves and adjusts over time, I am pretty sure yours will also. So I think under .011 in a couple of spots is fine and every year or so it will need to be re-leveled. If that is the case, sit back, relax, and have a cold one. Put the 1st of June on the calendar as a follow up for flattening the bench.

On the other hand, if this was really a gloat about getting the bench completed, well congratulations on a job well done. You have every right to be proud!

[pelligrini]

I bet it was Sarge's post you were thinking about.

I could probably sneeze a couple times on the low spots and they'll change. Yea, I was kind of jazzed on how it's turning out.

[Knottscott]

LOL...I did the same thing with my bench last summer.

[Wood_workur]

If you want a flat top then get a piece of granite or steel for your bench top.

[SARGE..g-47]

Yeah.. it was my post when I flattened my SYP benchtop last year I believe Pelligrini. Now.. most of your top is .002 to .005 with some spots up to .011. I want you to go look at the .011 blade on your feeler gauge. Study it carefully and you will discover you would have to attach explosives on a gnat's hinny to blast it through a .011 gap.

With that said.. go do some WW'ing on that table top. Time's a wastin'.

[Texas splinter]

I realize that commercial aviation isn't wood working (at least it isn't any more :~) but standard engineering tolerances for building something like a 747, or any other jet, is .030".
So, you can look at it this way, with only an .011" deviation, you can build aircraft parts on your bench while you are between wood working projects!

[chopnhack]

the bench turned out really nice, great job! are you applying any finish to it? i have read 50/50 turpentine and some oil(cant recall at the moment)

[pelligrini]

I realize that commercial aviation isn't wood working (at least it isn't any more :~) but standard engineering tolerances for building something like a 747, or any other jet, is .030".
So, you can look at it this way, with only an .011" deviation, you can build aircraft parts on your bench while you are between wood working projects!

Being that it's in a 10x12 shed It would have to ba a scale model. If the tolerances get scaled too. I'm outta spec.

The guy I got my Stanley Bailey #3 off of said he got a 55gal drum of planes from Lockheed (formerly General Dynamics). Judging from the curvature in the sole it might have been used on shaping wings.

I haven't decided on a finish yet. I'm leaning towards some watco danish oil I have onhand.

[gsmittle]

the bench turned out really nice, great job! are you applying any finish to it? i have read 50/50 turpentine and some oil(cant recall at the moment)

Probably BLO.

My bench has two coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish and two coats of wipe-on oil poly. It's a little slick, but glue doesn't stick to it. For now it doubles as my assembly table.

g.