# Flattening long boards



## ATL Jack (Dec 11, 2011)

I have never attempted to flatten anything longer than 3 or 4 feet on my 6" jointer but am now going to make a dining table and need to flatten 8' long boards. Can anyone offer some advice or tips on how to safely and correctly faltten long boards? Should I look into making a planer sled instead of using the jointer?


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

If you do it on the jointer, you need good out feed support. I've done it, it's not that hard.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

use a router


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The jointer is best*

I use roller stands adjusted to the exact height of the out feed table. You need a long straight edge to get them the right height. A straight board, sighted as best you can for straightness or a piece of aluminum extrusion like from a storm door. 

Jointers are just like powered hand planes and material can be removed in a similar manner. Sight the board, then remove the material where it's high and repeat the process until all the cup is gone, and it looks flat. Then run the entire length over the cutter head and look for evenness of color where all the material is removed in a single pass. 
Good technique requires considerable practice, but once you get it right, you'll always use it. :yes:


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## TylerJones (Dec 4, 2011)

You can do it on your joiner, get good putters support set up and take multiple light passes.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

For long stock, build extension tables for the jointer, stands don't really work, you need a continuous flat surface. Irregularities can be between a stand and the jointer bed and those will goof everything up. For stock wider than your jointer, remove the guard and do a rabbet cut, then make a flush cutting router plate.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Hammer, how is your extension table attached, supported at your jointer? Could you show us a pic? thanks.


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## ATL Jack (Dec 11, 2011)

Unfortunately I dont really have the space for extension tables on the jointer. But I like your flush cutting router plate, I havent seen that before. I've dealt with that problem in the past by running it through the planer with the jointed face down on top of a flat board with the excess hanging off the side of the board. It works great for small pieces but I was trying to figure out how to do it on long boards.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

All I can say is Wow. I have stuggled for years trying to get my jointer to work on longer boards, and I can honestly say I've never thought of extension tables or that router sled. And yet another reason to love this forum. I have used roller stands, but always with not much luck. I am for sure going to do this so thanks.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*roller stands minus the rollers...?*

I needed a level feed table for planing.... or was it jointing, I can't remember, but this was what I came up with:

Remove the rollers and replace them with a 2" x 12" plank on either side of the table.. . To remove the rollers from the stands just push in on the pin, it's spring loaded, and the roller will pop out. Bevel the edge of the plank to avoid the work hanging up on it. The height is easily adjustable on these stands.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

I like your extension tables. The router sled thing I've seen before, don't remember where. Looks great!!!


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## ol104 (Dec 7, 2012)

Paul W Gillespie said:


> Hammer, how is your extension table attached, supported at your jointer? Could you show us a pic? thanks.


 
Agreed - these extension tables are terrific and look to be a lot better than roller stands. Seeing more pictures of the extensions and particularly how they are attached to the jointer bed would be ideal.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

I can't find my picture but on the ends of my jointer, I bolted on a block which meant drilling a couple of holes in the ends of the jointer tables, GASP!!. The extension tables just attach by dropping over the block and a couple screws through the frame of the extension table into the blocks. This won't work on older jointers where the fence is attached on the infeed end of the table. You would have to use some metal side straps in that case or a solid stand like Woodenthings showed. The extension tables have to be flat, straight and slick. You can see I have a leg height adjustment in one of the pics. If I change the height of the tables or move the jointer to an uneven floor area, I can adjust the extensions so they are perfectly in line with their corresponding tables. Being perfectly in line with the jointer tables is important or they won't work. I use a long straight edge to confirm alignment. The extensions can be made in any size you want and easily removed if they are in the way. I have more than one set and have one for the outfeed table that aligns with the rabbet ledge, not shown. 

The flush cutting router plate has to be held flat to the jointed area of the board, so it doesn't tip. This jig can be used in many applications where you need to bring something flush with an adjoining piece. Even when I had a 16" jointer, there were always boards I needed to flatten that were wider than the jointer. When you flatten a board before planing, the entire surface doesn't need to be completely surfaced. You can see a rough spot to the right in a picture but it's small and in the center and would have no effect when running through the planer. It will be taken care of when I flip the board and plane that face. Handling 2"x10"x12' pieces of hard maple on a 6" jointer would be very difficult but the extension tables and the router jig make it simple and easy.


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