# straightening table top help urgent!



## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

So im in the midst of ALMOST getting my top all the way glued,and have noticed that if i measure from one end to the other (width) there is a difference of almost 1/4-1/2". On each of my panels. (I'm going two smaller panels with 5 boards each and then will join them together)

What would be the best way to get them perfectly square? 

I tried hand planing two boards face to face but somehow the ends are higher than the middle. 

Could i adhere each panel to a known square sheet of ply or MDF and run it through the saw or is there an easier way?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*square or flat?*

Square is easier than flat. 
You must clarify what the issue is before we go off in the wrong direction with advice. :yes:


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

woodnthings said:


> Square is easier than flat.
> You must clarify what the issue is before we go off in the wrong direction with advice. :yes:


OK for instance, think of my "long" side of my top, its 48" by roughly 50", so the long side is wider in the middle as oppose to the ends. 

so if i laid a known flat board edged against it, there would be a gap in the middle. And note, i dont have a jointer,.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

Im not even sure how this could happen as they were all ripped on a table saw, and i sent them to a guy at work to joint them. Not sure how they could be "curving" if you will.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*only straight, flat boards can be joined properly*

All the edges must be straight and square to the faces. 
If not, you are asking for trouble and gaps and glue joint failures.
How you get that is a whole 'nother issue. Jointers are the most common way, hand planes are another choice. If either your panels edges are curved or the boards edges are curved, it just won't work. :no:


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

woodnthings said:


> All the edges must be straight and square to the faces.
> If not, you are asking for trouble and gaps and glue joint failures.
> How you get that is a whole 'nother issue. Jointers are the most common way, hand planes are another choice. If either your panels edges are curved or the boards edges are curved, it just won't work. :no:


Its glued up great so far, I've no clue what happened, i even dry fit every time before any glue went on and it was looking good. My guess is, somehow when i ripped them it was just off the length by a smidge and that multiplied....

The other part is, I'm not sure how much my friend jointed off each edge/face, maybe he didn't joint enough.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> Its glued up great so far, I've no clue what happened, i even dry fit every time before any glue went on and it was looking good. My guess is, somehow when i ripped them it was just off the length by a smidge and that multiplied....
> 
> The other part is, I'm not sure how much my friend jointed off each edge/face, maybe he didn't joint enough.


I have a pretty good guess what happened.

He jointed two sides - correctly. When you ripped them you possibly didn't place the jointed edge against the table saw fence - so error was repeated. Or you didn't rip them all.

As for a fix, it sounds as though this is already glued up, so rip one side straight and go from there.:thumbsup: Circ saw is fine for this.


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## lateralus819 (Jul 22, 2012)

firemedic said:


> I have a pretty good guess what happened.
> 
> He jointed two sides - correctly. When you ripped them you possibly didn't place the jointed edge against the table saw fence - so error was repeated. Or you didn't rip them all.
> 
> As for a fix, it sounds as though this is already glued up, so rip one side straight and go from there.:thumbsup: Circ saw is fine for this.


I ripped them BEFORE he jointed them.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Plan "B"*

Do a dry fit and see if there any gaps, if so, hand plane them until they are gone. You don't have a jointer and that's OK, so get used to the hand plane ... about 14" or longer. Use a skewed attack angle, but keep as much sole on the edge as possible. You will need a means to hold the pieces vertical to plane them...clamps or a large wood vice.
You may want to use a squaring block or plate clamped to the sole to keep the edge square with the surface. I'm surprised that they haven't made more of this "old" concept and come out with a new commercial version like the old Stanleys of days past. Maybe they have and I haven't seen one yet...I donno? Anyway, that's your only solution to the curves on the edges other than a circular saw and straight edge.

Squaring hand plane like this: http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/789

Also: http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/the-square-edge-trick/


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

lateralus819 said:


> I ripped them BEFORE he jointed them.


When jointing you only joint one face and one side... So you are telling me the the boards likely did not have coplaner sides - again thats what went wrong.

Joint first, then rip and plane or plane an rip.

If you go the hand tools route, face joint then edge joint one side. Use a panel gauge to strike a straight line on the other edge to rip to or plane to and a marking gauge to work the other face to.

Bill there are several companies making new planes like Stanley once did - Veritas, Lei Nielson, Annant, Wood River, Etc etc...


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

As I see it, you have three choices. If you set up a straightedge to trim one or both outer edges with a circular saw, those two planks may be smaller in width than others in the field.

Or, set up a straight edge and use a circular saw and slice through the joint somewhere in the field instead of the edges. Personally, I would rather have two straight outside edges.

Or, as I would do it, set up a straight edge on one edge, and pass it through the table saw, to straightedge the opposite side. And then do the reverse. Of course, to do that, you would need a long right table and long rails to the fence. An outfeed table/support would help too.









 







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