Sunday evening and it’s time to blog about the weekend in the shop.
First on the agenda was to move the big tools around to make room to make a 54” by 144” table top in a two-car garage.
Went to the blue box store and picked up a couple of 2×6 x 12’s and three sheets of 5/8 particleboard.
I extended my workbench to be 4 foot by 12 foot. Works great!
I took all of the 1×12’s out of the dinning room and straightened and made both edges parallel using the big straightedge and a circular saw.
The boards were fairly straight…
...but not quite. This photo is from the middle of the board before jointing.
I attached the two boards to 2 by’s with drywall screws and spaced them apart 3/8” apart using a brass set up bar.
I clamped the aluminum straightedge to the assembly.
With a 1/2” upcut spiral bit chucked into the router, I made sure that the bit would be cutting around 1/16” off both boards at the same time.
After attaching a clamp and block in the middle of the straightedge to prevent flexing, I am ready for the jointing cut.
I unscrewed the outside board and moved it close to the other board to test the fit. You be the judge. It is really tight all the way down the board. Here’s the same place as above after the cut.
A small amount of clamp pressure closed up the joints tight.
I cut biscuit slots every 12 inches down the board and glued them using Gorilla Glue and a light spray of water. I applied clamps every 18 inches and let it dry.
Now, that’s one big panel glue up!
Next, I will be putting on the breadboards. Since the lumber is 124 inches long and after some trimming, it will only be 118 inches long. I will have to make the breadboards 13 inches wide to make the table the final length of 144 inches.
-- Makin' Sawdust!!!
8 comments so far
trifern
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7894 posts in 662 days
posted 491 days ago
Wow, that is one big project. I’ll be looking for your updates. Thank you for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Randy Sharp
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198 posts in 567 days
posted 491 days ago
Brutiful job Marte’
-- Randy, Tupelo, MS ~ May I become more like the Master Carpenter every day.
Betsy
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posted 491 days ago
That’s an interesting way to joint the boards. I’ve done one board at a timr but never two like that. Food for thought. Looking forward to more progress updates.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
Sawdustonmyshoulder
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168 posts in 523 days
posted 491 days ago
Betsy,
This is the first time I jointed boards this also. It’s really neat! If the straightedge flexes or the router has a little movement, these movements are reflected in the opposite side of the cut and they match up perfectly.
I don’t think I will ever put a board longer that say 4 to 5 feet long on the jointer again when I am gluing up panels.
More blogs to come.
-- Makin' Sawdust!!!
rtb
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679 posts in 608 days
posted 491 days ago
WOW, and perfectly timed as I am having a similar problem with some smaller boards for a door and they are just a tad too long to handel with the jointer. Thanks. I’m adding you to my buddy list since you have so much to share.
-- RTB. "dumb animals are not stupid they simply can't talk "
Quixote
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167 posts in 533 days
posted 487 days ago
I’ve been watching for your progress on this project.
I like how you set these up, I’m sure the finished edges will be excellent.
I was suprised to notice a distinct lack of long curly shavings on the floor…I take it you ‘re saving those planes for another project?
Q
-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."
gizmodyne
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1675 posts in 985 days
posted 487 days ago
Awesome. I love huge projects. Great jointing technique. How do you ensure parallel pieces with that technique?
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
Sawdustonmyshoulder
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168 posts in 523 days
posted 486 days ago
rtb, thanks for the positive comments.
Quixote, well I have curls on the floor now. I am hand planing the top this week. I ended up not using my jointer planes to joint the edges. I tested the technique of using the straightedge for getting the edges relatively straight and the boards edges parallel. As you see above, I got close but no banana using just the straightedge and a router or circular saw. Tried both. So when I used the method of routing both edges at the same time, it worked beautifully.
gizmodyne, when I rough cut the boards edges, I did some careful measurements to get the edges parallel and when I set up the “jointing” cut, I used the brass set up bars to make the gap so the boards stayed parallel for the most part. Over the 10 feet, the panel is only 1/16” off parallel. What I am going to have to do is add about 4 more inches to the panel (Final size is going to be 54” and I am at 51 inches and change right now) so when that lumber is added, I will trim panel to final size and parallel. Thanks. More blogging to come.
-- Makin' Sawdust!!!