# Planing a Cedar Bartop Slab?



## csamson (Mar 26, 2013)

Anyone have advice on how to plane a large cedar slab? It's 8' long and about 45" at the widest point. I've looked at other posts and seen router jigs, hand planes and belt sanders as solutions but not sure which route to go. There's a pretty good ridge down the middle on a few sections of the slab as the pieces weren't cut perfectly.

Here's a picture:


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Handplanes will work but there appears to be some tricky grain in that slab that may frustrate you. Id go with the router sled or take it somewhere that has the capability to run it through a drum sander for you. All depends on your tooling, available time and money.

Nice chunk o lumber there regardless. Welcome to the gang.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Taking it to a shop with a wide belt is the quick way to get
it done. Probably cost you about $100.

If you want to do it yourself, you can fuss wit building a
router jig.

I can do it with a hand held door planer. I dub the corners
off the blades and use the tool just like a jack plane.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

We had two 36 inch wide belt sanders (not big enough) at the plant but if you brought that to our plant we would never run that piece of wood through either one of them. Not for any $100 anyways. I'm the one that kept our equipment up and I've had to align the conveyors, rollers, and all the other things involved when they get off. We used them to finish sand all the s4s and paneling that came off the 5 molders. They were good industrial sanders and I'll admit that we babied them but we still ran thousands of feet through them and I would never risk the down time to do that job. If you're going to be doing stuff like that every so often I would go with the routers.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## csamson (Mar 26, 2013)

Where I would even call for a wide belt sander that is big enough to fit that slab in?

The bar is for personal use. I don't make these for anyone but it has been fun and something I may get into if this goes well. I would hate to buy/make a router sled for a one time use though. I guess I already have 30 hours+ into the project so what's another few hours building a sled.

Just didn't know if there was an easier/better way of doing this?


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## Sandblastguy (Aug 14, 2012)

I have a 4'x8' stroke sander that would do a very nice job of this piece. If you can find a stroke sander near you it will do this no problem. Some furniture builders still have them. If you offer to supply the sanding belts I know my belts are 280" long and cost around $20.00 each. They should be able to sand this to the final grade and ready to finish.


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## csamson (Mar 26, 2013)

I might have to make a few calls about a stroke sander then. Any thoughts on where to start?

Another thought; I could plane/sand each half before joining them?


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## Sandblastguy (Aug 14, 2012)

If you go to a business that sells large equipment like this they may tell you who has one or talk to the guy that sells the belts. Some times cabinet guys have them.


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## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

The stroke sander idea is the best one. Cedar will also clog the belts. I would go to a shop with a stroke sander and offer to buy the belts along with their labor and machine costs. It would be well worth it.


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## csamson (Mar 26, 2013)

After making a few calls I don't know if I'm going to be able to sand it down after joining it. There is a place in town called The Bench that is basically a woodworker's warehouse where you can come use their equipment for $25 per day. They have a 24" drum sander that should be able to handle each slab before I join them. If I run them through on the the same setting I should have 2 identical widths for the slabs and then join them up.

Am I correct in thinking this will work?


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## csamson (Mar 26, 2013)

The 24" drum sander didn't work out too well. The slab is 23.5" wide at the widest point and it needed more clearance. I did find a guy who had a 36". It cost me $60 and spent about hour and half sanding 1/2" off one of them and 1/4" off the other.

It looks great and just glued it together this afternoon. Thanks for your help guys!


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Just remember to post your finished project


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