# Flatening uneven table top or carcase



## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

I have used biscuit joinery and have a jointer...made dining room table and buffet...now doing kitchen pedestal table 4 foot round...Ash wood, problem is...when I get the pieces glued together there are uneven ridges where each board abuts...and requires excessive sanding with belt sander to approimate evenness...is there a better way...could I use a hand planer of some sort...thanks in advance..


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## Greg in Maryland (Jan 6, 2011)

Hi,

A stanley number 7 plane with a Hock iron, and a block of wax. Wax the bottom of the plane and go to town. You'll get a good workout and a flat top.

Greg


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

Gila Jorge said:


> I have used biscuit joinery and have a jointer...made dining room table and buffet...now doing kitchen pedestal table 4 foot round...Ash wood, problem is...when I get the pieces glued together there are uneven ridges where each board abuts...and requires excessive sanding with belt sander to approimate evenness...is there a better way...could I use a hand planer of some sort...thanks in advance..


Or, you can set up a planner sled for your router. Get a flat surface, sans workout:smile:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

How bad is it? Lest see pics.


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

*I dunno...*

I would agree with the hand plane suggestion, but glue can be hard on an iron. If it's just one side and the other is already flat, go for it but I'd take the rough stuff off with a cheaper cutter sharpened with a good curve - almost like a scrub, then finish up with a good smoother. The router on rails method is very easy if the sides are straight, but if you've already cut it into a circle then it's not so easy. And if both sides need work then you could be ending up with a tabletop that is too thin. 

If you know anyone with an openend sander like a performax 16/32 that would make it go faster but you still risk an undersized top.

And is the raised area where the glue swelled the grain, or is the entire thing from board to board wavy because it wasn't clamped up evenly? Sometimes it's easier if you've got enough wiggle room to take it over to the TS, rip apart all those joints, clean up the edges, and try again.


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Joe: think its glue squish...the boards are flat but where the glue lines are there are little ridges in addition to the glue...I used a scraper on the glue...but have belt sandered the panels flat in the past ..... just wondering if better way....I also picked up some equal pressure clamps...had tried clamps and angle iron in additon to the pipe clamps trying to minimize...it helped but its still there...watched Normie use his Lamello...so I got one but the DeWalt seems as good...never saw Normie deal with squish...maybe that was all off camera...just wonderiung..going to slot cleat the bottom so it does not wander but live in dry SouthWest and have refrig air...so it should remain dry...have new camera so when figure it out...will post some pictures...


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Greg: was thinking about a Makita or Bosch plane...but the ol Stanley No 7 is a really long rascal isn;t it...I just want to go over the glue line ridges and then sand without totally destroying the thickness of the boards....maybe not a good idea...unless maybe tape layer one side of the shoe so I bevel cut....but the risk of really messing it up is too risky....That router jig idea looks interesting but maybe take off too much...and its just the inter board transtions....edges.....that swuish with the glue...


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

if it's just glue lines then, instead of trying to sand them all down, why not use a good thick scraper with a nice sharp hook on it. The glue will dull it yes, but you can sharpen in less than a minute and be back at it. Belt sander really is overkill and you'll be trying to balance a long rotating belt on a little glue-ridge. Unless you're like the zen-master of belt sanding, you'll dip one way or the other and then you've got big waves and thin wood.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Cabinet scraper is my choice. Sanding will only make the uneven top smooth. Also maybe you are using way too much glue and clamping too tight. Glue today is way too strong to worry about coming apart. I have cut back on glue and clamping pressure because I take more time preparing for glue up. 

Work the joint with a scraper and check it with a steel rule. 

Al

Can't make any money in wood


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Gila,

When you say round table do you mean it's composed of pie shaped pieces or straight boards trimmed round?

You mentioned a power hand planer... Unless you have a LOT of experience with them I'd say no way. It's easy to send a project south really quick with one. 

Scraper then hand plane would be my first choice. Hand plane can be a bit tricky too though if it's pie shaped pieces as you'll be dealing with multiple grain run-out directions. In that case diligent card scraping then sanding.

Just my 2 cents :smile:

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

I have used a scraper...and that knocks the glue down but the slight edge between boards running lengthwise and parallel I plan on hitting with across the grain belt sander pretty aggressively....wheich I did on the buffet and dining room table already done...I was just wondering if a better way...thanks for your caution...that was my concern as well...get in trouble quickly...will procesd as with the others....what is a caul...?


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Cauls: I used 3/16 angle iron lenthwise across the edges of the lateral boards and then put vice grips on the joints of each of the boards that were biscuited and glued up. Also use putty kkife blades and clamped them at the board joints....now the joints are fine but out in the middle of the table the boards have slight edges...these will be attacked with the belt sander. Ash is tough wood so lots of sanding and aggressive grit used across grain initally then with the grain to finally finish with successively smoother grits.
I never knew the concept called Cauls....but used it in principle I guess. Blessings and thanks much.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Gila Jorge said:


> I have used a scraper...and that knocks the glue down but the slight edge between boards running lengthwise and parallel I plan on hitting with across the grain belt sander pretty aggressively....wheich I did on the buffet and dining room table already done...I was just wondering if a better way...thanks for your caution...that was my concern as well...get in trouble quickly...will procesd as with the others....what is a caul...?


I just had a thought, are you familiar with the scrapers we are referring to? Not a putty knife or paint scraper but a wood working scraper... It's like a hand plane in it's simplest form. Piece of spring steel with a burr (hook) on the edge.

Cauls are used to apply downward aligning pressure across the boards during glue-up. Generally two boards running adjacent to the glue lines and clamped at each end.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Rockler or Woodworkers Supply must have scrapers....excellent idea...thanks again....GW


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

Looking at crapers...Woodworkers Supply looks good...what about a Veritas Scraping Plane...$ 169 but looks like the katzmeow....? Any experience with such...?


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Gila Jorge said:


> Looking at crapers...Woodworkers Supply looks good...what about a Veritas Scraping Plane...$ 169 but looks like the katzmeow....? Any experience with such...?


:laughing: not sure a toilet will help your situation, lol, it's to early to just go flushing the work!

I have no experience with the scraper planes (I'm too poor for that fancy stuff) but I hear the Veritas is well liked. Do you have an old paint scraper laying around? Google "making a card scraper" you'll be surprised how easy they are to make!

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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## GilaJorge (Sep 14, 2007)

I have a tungsten scraper (craper) sorry can't spell or type when excited about something. and that scraper is pretty good....got a bow bend holder and scrapers coming from Woodworkers Supply...will use them....but also looking at the Veritas as think I would have better control...sorta like my old Jack Planes...which I don;t use that often but have...to do this all by sanding is arduous to say the least on Ash....will let you know...also will send pictures at some point..when figure out how to use the camera...just not enough time...thanks again...GW


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

good deal, I'm going to hold you to those pictures.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


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