# Flattening board w belt sander



## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

I was given a stack of cupped/twisted English burr. Very dense, tree was 500+ years old. I only have access to a belt sander and random orbital sander. I hit the piece in the 1st and 3rd photo with ROS, for about an hour. The piece that was less cupped came out slightly uneven but better. The first piece is actually better but still completed cupped/twisted. I was thinking of using a 60 grit w the belt sander, never done this before. How would any veterans recommend approaching this w the bet sander? Would a sanding frame help? Any info. Would b much appreciated. Thx!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*you will be forever sanding that out*

The best way is on a jointer. The next best way is with a router in a sled. The least best way is with a hand plane.
And by best I mean fastest...
If all you have is a sander, I would seek out a shop with a jointer.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

While it can be done you are looking at a lot of grinding. I would sand cross grain with the 60 grit paper first until you get it 90 percent flat and then go with the grain. Then when you get the cross grain marks ground out dampen the wood with water and raise the grain and then change to a finer belt and continue sanding with the grain. 

What you really need is a jointer wide enough to handle the wood and then surface the wood with a planer. Doing that with a sander the thickness of the wood would vary a great deal from place to place.


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

My local mill charges a flat $20 labor fee to run a piece of material through the jointer and or planer to get it squared, and or to a desired size.

If you dont have the tools I'd suggest you find a local lumber yard.

I dont think you'd ever get it right with just a belt sander.


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## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

My local mill charged $60/hr. They said it was to thin/ small to run through, after trying. They said best bet was sanding.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*what size is it?*

what's the size?


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## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

17x10"....1" thickness.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*What's your plan for it?*

What's the plan... It's too thick for most small projects. You gonna resaw it into thinner pieces?


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## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

Not sure yet, but was thinking shelves, if I could flatten them.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

It takes a great amount of skill to sand a board with a belt sander and keep it flat. Making a board flat with a belt sander would be almost impossible. Most people don't have a jointer large enough to flatten that piece. I would use a drum sander sled or a router sled.


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## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

Thank you, I appreciate that info.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

You might want to look for either a local woodworking club or local woodworker with either a wide enough jointer and planer or a planer with a sled. Trying to flatten both sides of that with a belt sander would probably end up wasting a very nice piece. May want to post your location, odds are weve got a member willing to help you out. If youre anywhere close to springfield missouri id be happy to help out however i can


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Please don't...*



burlsandcurls said:


> Not sure yet, but was thinking shelves, if I could flatten them.


That's a special piece of wood and deserves a better life than a shelf board. :yes:
You should use it where it can be seen and appreciated, like in a chest or small box. For that you should resaw it into thinner pieces. For that you'll need to find a shop with a bandsaw, and they wilkl also have a large wide belt sander and planer. A school industraiol arts woodshop, A Woodcraft store, a friend or relative with some woodworking tools.....

Where are you located? Someone here could help you possibly?


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## burlsandcurls (Feb 28, 2014)

Hi, I am located in Los Angeles. Thank you again for the responses, really appreciate it.


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## Joe Lyddon (Mar 13, 2007)

Another approach is using a cheap router...

*Also known as using Skis*


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## jenewman2 (Dec 2, 2012)

*Straightening/Flattening Burls*

I'd give it a first pass with a scrub plane then move on to the power tools. It's amazing how fast a sharp roughing plane can remove material, but it only gets the boards flat in the hands of a pro (which I am not). 
http://www.yinfinite.com/watch?v=m231_HKCOWs
If you don't have one, you could buy a good (old) scrub plane for $20 on eBay.


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## thewalnutguy (Oct 31, 2010)

*rip first, flatten the pieces, then rejoin*

For a piece wider than my jointer can handle, I'll first joint one edge straight, rip the piece at the highest point of the "crown", flatten the concave sides of the pieces on a jointer, then using the flattened side against the jointer's fence joint the sawn edges, and glue the pieced back together. 
If the crown of your board is anywhere near the center of the board, ripping it at the highpoint of the crown will give you a couple of pieces under six inches, within the capacity of most common jointers. The piece now may be run through a planer or wide belt sander to flatten the convex side. 
This technique will often yield usable thickness of a board which if flattened as a single piece would be too thin to be useful.
As mentioned in other replies, various sources are available for helping with power equipment, schools being one, various woodworking stores (Rockler's, Woodcraft, etc.) either can help directly or get you in touch with someone willing to help,or try posting a listing on craigslist in the "tools" section asking for help. Lots of woodworking hobbyists would probably be glad to do the job for free or a very nominal cost (pack of beer?), and you'll perhaps make a new friend who can help with other projects in the future.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Do you know anyone with a planer?

Glue a couple of boards to the side of your workpiece. Then run it through the planer taking small cuts each time. When one side is flat, turn it over and flatten the other side. It should yield a 3/4 inch piece.

It worked for me on two pieces of walnut that was cupped and bowed. I salvaged them for use on my project.


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## deanz (Oct 17, 2012)

one of the previous replies gave me an idea, if you are so inclined you could make a belt sander sled, think "router sled" fine depth adjustment might take some thinking, but some smart person online here might come up with an idea.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

your best option, since the heavy burl may tear out some even with a spiral head jointer/planer, is to find someone with a wide belt sander, than can be sanded flat with no problem on a wide belt sander. 

if you cannot find one local, the board(s) is small enough to ship out to have done.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I guess he found an answer to his problem. He hasn't been back since 6/07/15.


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