# Joint a 2x4 without a jointer



## saltcod (Mar 31, 2015)

Hey guys

I've been wanting to make a few table saw sleds for a while now, but I don't have a jointer for flattening the front/back fences. I recently picked up a planer, but quickly realized (as you all will know) that you can't directly flatten boards with a planer. Sad.

I've seen videos on complicated sleds for both the table saw and the planer - both of which I have. Anyone got any other ideas? I just want to make a quick crosscut sled for my table saw and I seem to be at a roadblock!

Thanks!


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## saltcod (Mar 31, 2015)

Ps: the table saw jointing sled won't work because by the time I put the 2×4 on the sled, it will be too thick to cut.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Glue 2 layers of plywood together for fences…


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## saltcod (Mar 31, 2015)

Oh man. I never thought of that, Hotbyte!! Awesome idea


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

If your boards are reasonably flat, you probably don't absolutely have to joint them… and I've never bothered for any of the sleds I've made - all out of scrap wood that was far from perfect condition. It sure can't hurt any though. If you really want to joint them, then a jointing hand plane would work… or making a cheap-n-quick sled for your planer would suffice… hitting them with a belt sander, if you have one, would probably work as well.

Here is a butt-ugly sled I made out of scrap, and even though it's ugly as my mother in law, it worked flawlessly:










Cheers,
Brad

PS: I have both a jointer and a planer and still don't bother using them when making sleds/jigs


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## saltcod (Mar 31, 2015)

Interesting - thank you!

The board I planed last night is *pretty* flat. It has a tiny wobble, but maybe I'll give it a try anyway.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I laminate 2-3 pcs of 3/4 ply. Works like a champ


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

Yes, go with the plywood. No matter how flat you get the 2×4 right now, it will most likely move over time with changes in moisture content. Get the best plywood you can find. ideally real Baltic birch. Use it for the base and fences and you will have a very stable sled.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

You can true an edge with a simple tablesaw jig like this. This is an image from a fellow LJ'er, mine is even simpler than this. I just used two t-tracks and a pair of Rockler hold down clamps.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

Straight line rip jig on the table saw, or a large hand plane (like a stanley #8 jointer plane or the like).


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Shavings…...









Just saying…


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## Ghidrah (Jan 20, 2015)

The front fence doesn't need to be flat or parallel.
As for the rear fence only the working side needs to be flat which you can do on a planer, and it truly only needs to be straight which you can do with a hand plane it just takes a bit longer. If you're 1/32 out of perfect straight over 24 plus inches your good to go.

If you want close to absolute buy an extruded billet of aluminum, maybe +/- .002.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

The back fence doesn't need to be jointed and I made do with two 
pieces of plywood glued together on the front fence (the one you push
on) for about a year.

I recently swapped it out for a piece of 5/4 poplar that I jointed
after making a planer sled. Just don't do as I did and use prefinished
scrap plywood. Eventually it started separating and for about 4 months
of that year I did not have a very straight face.


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## daddywoofdawg (Feb 1, 2014)

Square, I would think is the most important measurement.And where does the 2×4 come into the story,as a fence or base or what you want to cut?If it's for the sled,I would build the whole sled out of plywood.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

And the Thein sled works pretty well for jointing. It's
a hassle to set up if you have a lot of stuff to joint, but it
works if you don't have a jointer.

I made a torsion box out of 1/2" MDF, but you probably
don't need to do more than a slice of BB for the sled.
It's the hot glue and setup time that makes it a hassle.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

Sorry Phil, apparently I can't spell your name.

http://www.jpthien.com/ps.htm


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## saltcod (Mar 31, 2015)

Thanks all!

Plywood it is! I never thought of that, but now doing a little more research, that's exactly what I see lots of people use.

2×4 isn't a great choice at all - esp the stuff you get here with our ultra humid weather.

Thanks for the advice!


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