# Large planer table



## hedorah99 (Feb 7, 2011)

Hey. I have to make a 4'x4' planer table to flatten some monster cutting boards I made. I tried making a torsion box but could not keep it true. Any suggestions?


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

I would take them to a local cabinet shop, and pay them to run through their wide belt sander.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

hwebb99 said:


> I would take them to a local cabinet shop, and pay them to run through their wide belt sander.



Ditto....just how big are these cutting boards?


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## hedorah99 (Feb 7, 2011)

2'x3'. Closet cabinet shops an hour away. Not viable. Laminating two 46"x46"x3/4" Baltic birch sheets together and trying that.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*probably won't work either*



hedorah99 said:


> 2'x3'. Closet cabinet shops an hour away. Not viable. Laminating two 46"x46"x3/4" Baltic birch sheets together and trying that.


The plywood will wet one side from the glue and it MAY not stay flat...if flat to start with?

I would go back to the torsion box idea, it's what I did for a 30" X 10 ft long outfeed table. You will need a good straight edge, like a 6 ft aluminum level and use that to check the 1 X's as you glue them on. Start with the outsides, and work your way inside, making the boxed in sections about 10" square or so.

Start with the 2 pieces laying flat together and work on the top on first, leaving the other one to put on last. This will give a fairly flat surface to start on... check it with the level and straight edge, shim if necessary on your bench or what ever your support table is. I think you will get a better result. Search "torsion box build" on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbWNkgCZY7M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Hbsou6cWo


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

It would cost less to drive to the cabinet shop than build that box. You might find someone that has a drum sander close by.


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## hedorah99 (Feb 7, 2011)

Yea. I am coming to that conclusion.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*that's only a short term solution*



hwebb99 said:


> It would cost less to drive to the cabinet shop than build that box. You might find someone that has a drum sander close by.





hedorah99 said:


> Yea. I am coming to that conclusion.


 A large, flat work surface is such a joy to work on that you won't regret the time and money it takes to make one...just my opinion. The other advantage to a torsion box is that it can be separate from it's base and stored vertically, making more room in the shop, if that's an issue. :yes:


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

woodnthings said:


> A large, flat work surface is such a joy to work on that you won't regret the time and money it takes to make one...just my opinion. The other advantage to a torsion box is that it can be separate from it's base and stored vertically, making more room in the shop, if that's an issue. :yes:


I second this. An added benefit is the torsion box is a one time cost to build, and once you have it you can use it for a router flattening jig, assembly table, etc, whereas paying a cabinet shop to run the boards through a sander youd have to pay every time, for each board. 

Last thing id like to add is a little tip i found. Provided that youre table top is small enough, assemble the honeycomb on your table saw. The table i built was 3x3, and it barely fit on my saw surface, but the top is as flat as i care enough to measure


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