Squaring raw cut lumber

i square the edges on the router table and rip to size on the tablesaw.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

I too don’t have a jointer. For jointing (not planing) I use one of three methods (or a combination of) depending on thickness and length of board.

Method-1
- I use my tapering jig. As this is really just a squared-cut piece of 3/4 ply with adjustable clamps, I clamp the board to the jig so that the edge I am jointing has just the slightest overhang, run it through the TS.

Method-2
- If board is too large for tapering jig, I use my TS pattern following jig (my what?). This is a piece of 3/4 ply about 6” wide attached on top of a squared cut piece of lumber with another piece attached to the top so that it looks like a sideways “T”. I clamp the top of the “T” to my TS fence. I then set my saw blade to that the outside edge of the blade is flush with the bottom edge of the “T” (blade is then under the “T”). I then attach (double sided tape, brads) a straight edge to the board I am jointing along the edge I am jointing. This straight edge then runs along the bottom of the “T” cutting a straight jointed edge.

Method-3
-I use my router. There are lots of “how toos” on this one. Some routher fences come equipped with (or you can rig your own) a piece of 1/16” thick plastice/laminant that you attach to the outfeed side of your router fence. You align this fence flush with the side of a straight bit. You then feed you board through just like you would a jointer only on its side. Works very well.

Oh yeah – and then theirs the hand held jointer plane.

-- Shameless - Winner of two Stumpy Nubs Awards

Here is an article I found years ago in an American Woodworker magazine. This is something that worked really good for me several years ago before I built my shop and had a jointer available. I made a desk top out of Cumaru (which is an extrremely hard wood) and was able to square up the long boards using only my router. Hope it helps

-- Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. http://www.FineArtBoxes.com

Thank you for the tips and idea’s. I do believe I need to go ahead and get a Jig made for the TS. I’ve been ripping with the Radial arm. But I do prefer the TS over it for ripping. And I love the router for squaring it all up. I’ll have to look in my AW Mag’s and see if I can find that article. Once I get that forst corner squareed with a rid and cross cut the rest gets easier. But that first rip can be a little tricky for me still. The pieces I have been planing down to 1/2” but since the planer can only go as high as 6in. I have been using the router a lot. I read a nice article on using the planer liek a joinier. But that does limit the board width. What is nice is the bessemir (sp?) extension and fence on my TS. I got the extension and built a router table into the extension to use the fence. I knew yesterday that I needed to get started on some more jigs. Now to make a place to store them. Thank you for your ideas and tips.

-- Jerry

And as I went back to my email free plans for a jig such as we are discussing come up. lol

straight-edge-cutting-jig

-- Jerry

I have a pair of these I use sometimes:

http://www.generaltools.com/846--EZ-PRO-JOINTER-CLAMP-KIT_p_631.html

You can also snap a chalk line and saw to it using a band saw
or reciprocating saw. Then if you’ve made the cut straight enough
rip a parallel edge with a fence.

Never thought about a chalk line. nice idea!

-- Jerry

The easiest way that I do it is to take a straight edge (6 ft level or good straight board depending on length of raw piece) clamp to my raw board with it off set to use my “skill” saw on. let the base of the saw ride against the straight edge and you get a straight sawn edge.

Once this side is cut then get rid of the square guide piece and let this smooth edge ride along the fence to cut the oposite edge. Almost all boards have a concave and a convex side. You have to look harder to find it on some but even if its only slightly concaved then it will still turn out square. This is how I square my boards. Don’t yall love my wonderful art work.

Here’s another version. I have a jointer, but for very rough edges (when neither side is even) I use this jig on the table saw.

For wide pieces I use the other side of the jig

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

I see it about the same way Grumpy.

This was some ruff sawn oak from my uncles’s saw mill

Loren. I was looking for a pair of those. I thought that rockler or woodcraft sold them once upon a time. Thanks for the post.

-- Darrell, making more sawdust than I know what to do with