# Fixing Slightly Crooked 1x6 for Table



## Saucerito (Jan 3, 2016)

Hi,

I posted some questions the other day about the table I'm building in the Design forum. See here.

I've bought red oak 1×6 boards for the glue up of the table top. I probably should have taken a little more time choosing the best boards, but I pretty much took all of the available stock of red oak 1×6s. The problem that I have is that some of them are slightly crooked (I think I'm using the correct word here - warp along the length of the edge of the wood). I don't have a table saw or jointer so I can't straighten them up that way. Can I straighten them up using a hand plane? If so, what type of plane should I get? Should I just glue them up with enough clamp pressure to bring the boards together? I'm not planning on using pocket screws as clamps during glue up, but will if that will help out.









See the 1/8" gap between the boards in the lower left of the picture.

Thanks, Will


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

You need a jointer plane. http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Jointer-Plane-2-3-8In/dp/B0001IW4W8

Have you tried moderate clamping pressure to see if they come together?


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## Saucerito (Jan 3, 2016)

I just clamped each side with what I felt was low to moderate pressure and it closed those gaps pretty well. There are still some small gaps in the middle of the length of the boards but I think those would get closed up very easily with clamps in the middle. There is also some slight bowing that I should be able to get out with some cauls.









Can I make cauls with any cheap plane?


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

If you can close the gaps with low-to-moderate" clamping pressure, then the glue will *probably* hold it together.

Be aware, though, that you will be introducing "low-to-moderate" tension in the table top, which *could* show up later as cracks. (Odds are in your favor, though, IMHO)

Another thing: I like to use freshly-milled surfaces for glue-ups, not surfaces that were milled who-knows-when and have been sitting, oxidizing and getting dusty, etc. You are taking a risk by gluing lumber straight from the store without re-milling. but again, it *could* work.

Cauls can be made a lot of ways-- you can even use "already bent" lumber from the lumber yard-or, yes, a cheap (or expensive) plane.

I hope you are not planning to surround the glued-up oak boards with the trim shown in the first pic. Wood movement will cause issues. Do some research on "wood movement"

Good luck and have fun!


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## Saucerito (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks, check out the other thread I linked in the OP. I'll be gluing the long trim and using table top fasteners or screws with slots that allow for movement (along with one screw in the middle) on the short trim pieces.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Like every joint, proper preparation means reduced risk of failure. The idea is to prepare two edges that abut perfectly all along the length so that no pressure is required to close a gap.


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