BIG edge jointing problem

[noonenparticular]

No problem Moses, I'm reading them all

jc aka noonenparticular aka the OP

[hylourgos]

Perhaps the OP can find someone with a 12" TS, or the Ryobi BT3K series--they'll cut to nearly 4"

H

[Chris Friesen]

If you're going to suggest expensive tools....why not just use a jointer? The following 16" jointer costs about as much as what you suggested and has about twice the length (since the shaper fence is only half the length of the table).

[noonenparticular]

That's on my birthday list, Chris.....

jc

[Scott Geyer]

While we're tossing out ideas, here's a couple untested concepts - both would require some effort...

1. How about not trying to move the big lumber, but the tool instead? I might have missed this suggestion with all of the others so far... You used a similar technique with the planer.

- Clamp your boards solidly together, 'joint' side up

- Create a 'runners' out of smaller boards that you can mill accurately and locate them on each side of your lumber

- Create a carriage for your router that slides along the rails, but moves back and forth as you go down the length trimming both boards flush - Accuracy here is very dependent upon your sled setup

Wood magazine suggested a similar setup for those who had a router, but not a planer, but it might work here

1. Another option would be to not try to cut through the entire piece, but leverage off of the dado that you plan to use for the spline, a couple different flush trim bits, and sacrificial splines. Note: the flush trim bits must be the same size OR the one with the bearing on the router side must be larger

- Cut a dado in both of the long boards

- Cut a (hardwood) spline and joint or plane it to a slightly thickness LESS than the depth of your dado

- Use your router and a flush trim bit (bearing on the end of the bit) to make a clean edge on both sides of the FIRST board

- Cut another spline that is just a little larger than the depth of your combined dados PLUS the width of your second flush trim bit (with the bearing on the router side)

- Place the sacrificial spline in the FIRST board

-With the second flush trim bit (with the bearing riding on your lumber) cut a groove in the spline deep enough to use as a reference for the first bit

- Either move the sacrifical spline to the SECOND board or attach them together (depending upon the size of your bit)

- Use the groove in the sacrifical spline as a reference to cut a matching face to the original

- You may need to repeat this process for the second part of the SECOND board.

My $.002

[Mike Berger]

Wouldn't someone with a 12" table saw also be likely to have a

6" jo> Perhaps the OP can find someone with a 12" TS, or the Ryobi BT3K

[noonenparticular]

H,

I've a 6" jointer, but it's the standard JET 6" and when you take into account the short (for this application) length of the table, the amount of effort it took to keep the timber pushed down on the top and up against the fence was prohibitive. Couldn't get an accurate cut.

Joe

[Max Mahanke]

Isn't is amazing how you can run a board over a device that has a cutterhead flanked by two flat tables and get a board with a crown on the edge?

[hylourgos]

I guess that leaves the Ryobi.

Always looking for a worse solution, H