Table top flattering

tooboos

New User
tooboos
Hi folks.
Right not I try to build desk for fork from home.
Just mill some oak boards and glued it to make table top ~65x28
unfortunately it is not flat, Last 2 days try to make it flat with ROS and hand plane #4. With partial successes ;) right not it is still wavy.
Maybe you can recommend some tutorial for hand plane flattering? Maybe I can borrow hand jointer?
Any other recomendation?

Alex
 

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Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Alex, try flipping the top over and let it sit overnight to see if it flattens out some. I had a top that would cup like that because the top was absorbing moisture from the air. When I flipped it over, the top moved back flat. The way it is now, can it be flattened with pressure by putting a weight on it? You could maybe attach a batten underneath to temporarily flatten it so you could finish it and then incorporate some sort of apron in the final design.

Roy G
 

Robert LaPlaca

Robert
Senior User
Alex, when working with rough to finish, here are some tips;

  • Let the rough lumber acclimate to your shop humidity
  • I flatten and rough mill the lumber to +1/8” over in thickness and width, after performing this step, I sticker the stock and let it acclimate again.
  • Finally perform finial milling to size, you might need to flatten the stock again before thickenessing, or cull as sometimes the wood just doesn’t cooperate.
  • Then glue up the panel.

I think at this point, the best course of action is let the panel get airflow on both sides, to see if it settles down. 28” of oak is going to move quite a bit, so what ever it’s final destination, is going to have to account for this movement.
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
When gluing up a table top, take care to alternate the end grain of the wood, or it will almost always cup if the end grain is oriented the same way. Don't ask how I learned about this.
 

tooboos

New User
tooboos
3 days fool of hand planing bring expected result in terms of flatness. Unfortunately I make several chipped gaps. But for now I more then satisfied with result. It was my first real experience with hand planes and it was fun.
 

Chris C

Chris
Senior User
20200409_142630.jpg


I spent a little time this afternoon getting the cup out of this piece... I'm pooped.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Yeah, this is where the power planer helps you can get the rough flattening done then, go to the hand plane to clean up
 

Graywolf

Board of Directors, President
Richard
Staff member
Corporate Member
Good work Chris! Tooboos, some fresh pictures of your efforts would be cool.
 

Dee2

Board of Directors, Vice President
Gene
Staff member
Corporate Member
Truly a "flattering" top. Should match any office decor. ;)
 

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