Workbench Trestle Base

[MLB3164]

Ok I am using up all my requests for advice in a short period of time so here goes another. I think with everyones advice and Johns offer to run my workbench top through his belt sander I might have that issue resolved. My question now is this....I have 2 very large slabs of 8/4 maple for my trestle base, they are WAY too wide for my 6" jointer (8" on the way). Is it a good idea to cut the pieces down to a rough size small enough to face joint with my jointer? Then I can run them through the planer. Then I can dimension everything to final sizes.Is this the correct way of going about the process? Thanks in advance for all the help I am sure to receive.

Marty

 

[WoodWrangler]

I'm interested in hearing what others have to say on this topic, but I'd have the same problem due to the size of my tools. How I would deal with this is ...

Cut the boards into managable pieces.
Run them through the jointer/planer/tablesaw to square them up
Glue them back up (long grain) as needed
Cut them to size

I think in doing this you will end up with stable, strong wood suitable for use ... and you will have done it in a safe way.

 

[DaveO]

Marty, for a trestel base I wouldn't think that you would need any stock wider than 6". So I would rip it down and joint the pieces.
Dave

 

[JohnsonMBrandon]

I agree with dave. you could definitely limit them to the width of your jointer if not smaller. you probably only need a 4x4 base, but could do a little larger if you would like.

 

[michaelgarner]

i also agree with dave,,rip, cut, glue if you need to.

 

[Mark Fogleman]

Marty,

Wood tends to move around a bit (the fibers relax) after it's ripped from a bigger piece...especially from thick stock. Always a good idea to joint after it's ripped near final dimension.
Mark

 

[Steve D]

If this is rough wood it is much safer to rip to width on a bandsaw, the blade of the TS will bind as the wood racks and moves. The other option is to use a sled and shims to "face joint" it with a planer but for oyur application that probably wouldn't be necessary.

 

[michaelgarner]

you know steveD I have read that a lot, to mill rough lumber on the bandsaw, I have to admit,,i have been a big table saw guy up to this point,,I guess a season of change is in order,,less wast as well.

 

[Ozzie-x]

Yes, I (used to be) a hard-core tablesaw guy too until I discovered all of the virtues of the bandsaw. With thick stock like 8/4, it's easier to at least make your initial rip on the BS. Like Michaelgarner said, there's less waste, and there's no burning or unpredictable stuff happening, more control. I probably use my BS more than my TS. Anyway, back to the original point of the thread- yes, just cut the big pieces down to rough size for your base parts then joint/plane/rip to square it up. You're probably looking at 4x4 size pieces or there-about. Like Mark said, big stock can "come & go" a lot after you rip out your rough pieces from the big stock. When you rip the big stock, you turn loose a lot of internal stresses in the wood and this can result in warping, bowing, twisting, etc. Sometimes this doesn't happen immediately, so after you cut your rough pieces from the big stock, you may want to let them settle for a couple of days before truing them up. A lot depends on how straight the grain is. Just my $0.02 1/2.

 

[michaelgarner]

starting a new thread about bandsaws,,,