Author Topic: Levelling big bits of wood. (Read 4000 times)

Ianab · « **on:** April 05, 2005, 02:43:45 am »

I've got some big slabs of wood dried now and need to basically level and true them up before making some furniture.

This is what I've come up with so far

It will hold the 2400w Makita router under the mill and move from side to side with the normal carriage adjustment. I've got a 2" dia flat router bit to mill the slab flat, by making 2" runs down the wood. A bit more bracing to keep the thing solid and some clamps to hold it in place and I'll be ready for a test run

Ian

UrbanLogger · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2005, 09:33:30 am »

Ian, is your straight bit totally flat or are the "corners" rounded off a little?

I've found that I get a better surface with mine if they're rounded over.

It's not as big as your, but here's the cheapies that I use http://www.woodline.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=275

Dan_Shade · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2005, 11:21:49 am »

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/wvt095.asp

I'm planning on making one of these things.

Ernie · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2005, 03:30:25 pm »

Ian

Please keep us posted with your usual quality pics.

Thanks

Ernie

Ianab · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2005, 06:26:30 pm »

I have seen that planer sled idea too... looks like a good idea,

but

This is the biggest of the slabs, and most are 20-30" wide.

Scott, thanks for the tip on the router bit, the one I've got is a straight bit, and I imagine it will leave small marks on the surface. But I just want to get it trued up enough so I can tidy it up with a belt sander.

I'll let you know how it works out

Ian

Dan_Shade · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2005, 06:29:16 pm »

hah, now that's a slab!

what's the plan to secure the slab before you run your contraption over it? Not sure how hard it would be, but would it be possible to rig up one of the power hand held planers to a jig like you have?

I'm pretty lazy, and I see running a router bit over a board like that a very long, time consumig process

Ianab · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2005, 06:58:55 pm »

To secure the slab I'm planning to use gravity

It's about 3" thick, and even dry it's pretty heavy.
For the smaller ones I will probably knock up a frame with some cleats nailed around the slab to stop it moving.
It's going to take a while to smooth it off, but it wont be hard work just running the mill frame up and down the slab.
Could probably do a similar job by bolting a handplaner on, but you may end up doing multiple passes if there is any serious cup or bow on the slab. At least with the router I can slow down and take 1/4" off some spots if need be and the 2" bit will do a fairly wide pass. I'll find out how well it works at the weekend

Cheers

Ian

beenthere · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2005, 07:31:45 pm »

I'm curious what is going to keep that router with a 2" bit from wanting to jump out of the cut. The sled looks a bit lightweight to me, if I am looking at it right.
I am thinking there will be a lot of resistive forces at work here (as evidence you are thinking the slab will be heavy enough to not move against those forces).

But I may be thinking wrong, and I do trust you have a better idea how easy that router bit will 'cut' through and level the wood slabs.

Anxious to hear how it goes.

Ianab · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2005, 08:17:06 pm »

Hi Beenthere

The sled has a few more bracing pieces to go on it yet, I believe it will be be pretty solid as it's all screwed / glued timber and ply. I didn't want it too flimsy as it could vibrate and chatter while cutting. I'll jump up and down down on it a bit as a test first

I still have to do the clamps that will hold it to the mill carriage. The slab should be OK sitting on some bearers, that can be shimmed to level the slab to the mill frame. While I'm not keen to hang onto the router freehand with that 2" bit

I think the forces invloved will be much less than running the 21" circle blade into a log.

Bottom line is.. It's a prototype.. so I'll see what happens

Ian

UrbanLogger · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2005, 08:47:55 pm »

It'll work for sure Ian--who cares if the router jump up as l;ong as it can't dig in

I surface big slabs on my 4'x8' welding table. I just lay the slab on it and tack weld angle that's a little taller on each side and put my 3 1/4 horse PC on a piece of 3/4" or 31/32" plywood a little more than twice as long as the slab is wide.

It don't take long and leaves a tearout fee finish that only needs a swipe or 2 with the scraper to really shine

ohsoloco · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2005, 10:24:15 pm »

The latest issue of Wood magazine has a jig in it that is used for flattening big slabs...although not QUITE as big as Ianab's

It sounds like Urbanlogger's setup is similar to the one in the magazine, but with wood guides on the sides...but again, not QUITE as big

Ianab · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2005, 02:39:50 am »

Got a bit more done tonight. Router is bolted in place and the rig is ready to mount on the mill.
Now if I can get home in daylight hours I'll set the mill up and give it a test.

Ianab · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2005, 01:42:02 am »

Finally got a fine day at home to try this rig out.

It works well

Surface isn't perfect, some small swirl marks and faint lines, but nothing that wont come out in a few minutes of belt sander work.

The business end of things

The finished result. Flat and thickness accurate to within 1 mm on each corner

Next is to sand out the machining marks and see how it looks with a bit of wood oil on it.

Then find a couple of mates to haul the BIG slab out and finish that up.

Ian

tnlogger · « **Reply #13 on:** May 14, 2005, 01:14:12 pm »

thats is a fine looking job there Ianab

Gilman · « **Reply #14 on:** May 14, 2005, 01:25:51 pm »

Ian,
Thanks for sharing, looks like it works great!

Ernie · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2005, 02:27:43 pm »

Looks great Ian. Lil must be real understanding to let you set up just outside the door like that.

What's the wood, Mac?

Ianab · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2005, 06:06:14 pm »

Yup it's Macrocarpa, and dont worry, thats outside my workshop, out on the back lawn, not the front door of the house.

I'll just run the lawnmower round with the catcher to sweep up the shavings the broom missed

LIL · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2005, 06:34:54 pm »

Quote

Lil must be real understanding to let you set up just outside the door like that.

Its not me he's got to worry bout Ernie -

We have NEIGHBOURS. Mind you Ivan next door is always interested in what Ians up to. So it hasn't been a problem.

Due to a self inflicted 24 hour bug I was unable to oversee the goings on - I could however hear it from the bedroom

Ernie · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2005, 07:52:44 pm »

Lil, I thought that a little "hair of the dog" first thing in the morning was a sure fire way to cut the self-inflicted bug back to 12 hours

LIL · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2005, 09:39:17 pm »

Ernie I did get around to that "hair of the dog" - just it was 12 hours too late.

I am feeling much better today thou

LeeB · « **Reply #20 on:** May 15, 2005, 12:54:09 am »

that looks a lot better than the pecan slab i just did with a hand plane for a coffe table. took me about 8 hours to do both sides of two slabs. al ot of the time was bringing them to the same thickness. one had to come down from 9/4 to 7/4. my arms are killing me. LeeB

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2005, 07:10:58 am »

LeeB, try gettin one a them Planes wit da little motor on it.

Timburr · « **Reply #22 on:** May 15, 2005, 08:46:08 am »

Ian, how does that makita muster up power-wise with a 2" routing bit? Does it stall out?

I am one step behind you... my slabs are milled and drying and I need to decide what options I have for surfacing them. I am toying with the idea of mounting some kit to bolt on to the saw arbour (Lucas). $:-\$

Tim

Ianab · « **Reply #23 on:** May 15, 2005, 05:04:26 pm »

Tim

The Makita loaded up a bit when I was hogging a serious amount off one tapered board. (Dont know what went wrong with that but the log must have moved and I had 30mm of taper in the slab

) I just slowed down the feed and took narrower passes, it chewed it off fine. With a nice straight slab when I was only planing of a couple of mm it was hardly working, just kept the speed down to make sure the cut was smooth. The Macrocarpa machines pretty easy of course, I've got a Bluegum Eucalyptus slab to do yet, that will be the real test

The jig that mounts on the saw arbour is probably better / faster, but more engineering / cost involved. I think Mulumbimby Woodwork in Aussie make such a gadget for the Peterson / Lucas mills.
The big router bit does a good job if you take your time, neither the router or the bit got overly warm so I dont think it's overworking anything as long as I take it easy.

Cheers

Ian

Larry · « **Reply #24 on:** May 15, 2005, 06:19:55 pm »

When I lived in Hawaii some 35 years ago we cut monkeypod and koa slabs with a chainsaw mill. After they dried we would surface them in a similar manner. We called it a bridge. Nothing but two angle irons with a piece of plywood in the middle for the router to ride on. Couple of boards on the side of the slabs for the bridge to ride on. Routers than were a lot less horsepower and we didn’t have carbide bits so we sharpened a lot. Slabs than went to a home made stroke sander. Best slabs had voids in them so the girls could make beach scenes with sand, shells and stuff. Encapsulated the whole mess in epoxy and back to the sanding. Memory might not be the best on the above but I do remember quite clearly that one sale of a slab table to a rich mainlander would pay all the bills for couple of months.

I have some crotch walnut that warped quite a bit...gonna surface them with the router bridge the same way in next few weeks or so.

Tom · « **Reply #25 on:** May 15, 2005, 06:31:04 pm »

Ever tried dragging timbers behind the truck? You can sit on them and make them heavier. Asphalt then concrete then sand roads.

Ernie · « **Reply #26 on:** May 15, 2005, 06:36:56 pm »

I'd better not let Jan read this one Tom or my excuse for More Tools will not be favourable recievec.

I may be pushing my luck since we only recently got the mill

Larry · « **Reply #27 on:** May 15, 2005, 07:06:37 pm »

I’ve been running a romping stomping PC7518 for quite a few years but if I was going to buy another one I sure would look at the Makita M12V...half the price and my buddy reports just as good.

Ernie, I just ordered a new planer early this week. It is supposed to be here bout the middle of June...didn’t consult with the finance manager before I placed the order. Trying to figure out iffen I should ask for forgiveness when it shows up or take another course?

Is it to late for me to ask for permission? $:-\$ And what if she says no?

Ianab · « **Reply #28 on:** May 15, 2005, 07:49:02 pm »

Thats the Hitachi M12 router?
I've not seen one, but the specs / price look good and I've read good things about them. Looking online it seems your Makita 3612 are different to ours, we get 230v 2300 watt models. The US ones ones seem to be 115 volt 1800 watts? That makes the M12 look like a better deal (same power, better price).

Yay for standard power sockets in NZ being 230v 10amp

Ian

P.S. It's usually easier to beg for forgiveness than get permission, and a least you can go and hide in the shed with your new toy untill things settle down

Ernie · « **Reply #29 on:** May 15, 2005, 09:17:39 pm »

Ian, See my post on the excavator, a bit hard to hide.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12202.0

LeeB · « **Reply #30 on:** May 15, 2005, 11:45:03 pm »

F.D., I thought about getting one but in all truth I really enjoy working the hand tools every now and then. Lord knows I can always use the execise

. LeeB

Ianab · « **Reply #31 on:** May 16, 2005, 12:58:49 am »

Quote

Ian, See my post on the excavator, a bit hard to hide.

Hmmm... true

My only problem if I bought one of those... I'd need to buy 2, Lil would want one too

jack · « **Reply #32 on:** May 18, 2005, 10:46:35 pm »

Ian,

This is just a thot...... Ya know the BIG self adheasive Sand paper disks,
Get a old blade off the peterson and stick the sandpaper on the bottom side of the blade. carefully lower it on to the slab and sand away.

A 30" wide belt sander refil should be able to fit on the sawblade. Take off the teeth.

Im gonna try it one of these days.
Jack

Ironwood · « **Reply #33 on:** May 18, 2005, 11:52:25 pm »

I am so disappointed noone had mentioned that it may be a good time to pick up a nice little 40"-52" planer. Rough it on one side with a power hand planer then run it thru.......................flat, just use your forkliftS as infeed outfeed tables. What a great excuse for more heavy iron!

REID

footer · « **Reply #34 on:** May 19, 2005, 06:08:52 pm »

Doesn't Petrson make a surfacing blade for the mill?

Ianab · « **Reply #35 on:** May 19, 2005, 07:38:29 pm »

Quote

Doesn't Petrson make a surfacing blade for the mill?

Yes.
There is one available thru Peterson, you can also get them to fit the Lucas saws, it's just I'm too cheap to buy one. If I was doing a lot of slabs professionally then it would be a good option.

Cheers

Ian

footer · « **Reply #36 on:** May 19, 2005, 08:17:20 pm »

I was always thinking that the surface milling capability would be a good reason to own one of those beasts

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #37 on:** December 05, 2005, 10:08:03 pm »

I simply made a 5' square out of 1 1/2" angle with a single bolt in each corner. I then made a rectangle out of the same material, with 3" roller berrings on each of the corners to ride on one side of the square. I then fabed a holding square for the router to ride on the edges of the rectangle. The square is permanent and the rectangle and square move over the slab.

brdmkr · « **Reply #38 on:** December 05, 2005, 10:54:24 pm »

Hey frank, Thanks for reviving this thread. Sounds like you may have a device that fits my needs. Would you happen to have a picture???

Thanks Much!

Frank_Pender · « **Reply #39 on:** December 08, 2005, 08:38:13 am »

I cn take a picture, but I am still having trouble learning how to post them.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #40 on:** December 08, 2005, 05:59:05 pm »

C'mon Frank

Posting is easy.

Use Dang's instructions in the ''Behind the Forum'' section. We all know you have LOTS of pictures we would all enjoy.

News:

Author Topic: Levelling big bits of wood. (Read 4000 times)