Jointing boards for tabletop

Are you aligning the grain for minimum tearout? What happens if you use a cabinet scraper (Sandvik makes a $6.00 card) on the wood after jointing? Just curious.

Greg G.

first, with a spray bottle of water, I get much better results.

I know that you said that you are taking only a light cut, but to be sure zero out the knives and then back off just a little.

I have tried running the boards through in both directions. There was very little difference between the two directions.....it is really hard to tell what direction this grain is going!.

I was using a smoothing plane on the face (not edge) of the drawer front. It was very tough going but I was able to remove any problems on the surface with a scraper and it worked just fine. However, there is no way to use a scraper on the edge...as the previous poster mentioned.

Thanks, Bill

Put the *other* end of the board through the jointer. One way is always better than the other. (Easier to show than to describe.) Taking a light cut as you did helps too. Inspect the blades under sunlight and magnification.

No mention has been made of the thickness of the boards, but a makeshift guide/jig can be used to hold the card edge parallel to the edge. A card scraper doesn't have to have a bent to the blade - just put a fresh edge on the card. I don't know if this will solve the OP's problem, but it's an idea. Wiping the wood down with water or alcohol before jointing may help as well.

Greg G.

You don't say how thick it is, but maybe try a router? An end table sound like it should be small.

I don't know if it will help or make it worse, but it should do one or the other....

That was going to be my suggestion; a router with a spiral cutter and a straight guide should do the trick, if the boards aren't more than a couple inches thick. Otherwise a jointing jig for the tablesaw might be in order.

One other trick, that sometimes works, is to moisten/spray the jointed edge with water before running it though.

Doesn't always work, but sometimes saves the day.

Overall, I would say "yes." It might be worth trying to borrow a jointing plane...

HTH,

After you joint them; run them through a well adjusted table saw (WW II or equal blade) and you will be able to edge glue without problems. Just take enough off with the table saw to get rid of the tear out.

Why eve joint the edge Cut them on the table saw alternate the boards face up and face down

He needs to joint one edge to be straight and square to the faces to reference off the table saw fence, in order to cut the other edge parallel.

-- Brian

unacceptable.

before I had a jointer that's how I did it. now I have a jointer and that's what I use. much better... Bridger

I was thinking of buying a jointer and a planer to process my own lumber. The jointer for the edges and planer for the surface. The way you explain it here to get a straight edge by using the table saw I wouldn't need a jointer would I? I could get by with just the planer and my table saw...........correct? What other use does a jointer have that I couldn't do with my table saw? Regards. -Guy

Bill, I encountered the same problem with a bed that I made recently. The most beautiful curly-stripped-quilted flamed maple ever. My jointer kept tearing out. First when I re-sawed the boards they curled up like water skies. I just about lost it, thinking that the project was doomed and knowing what the wife had paid for the lumber. I called my good friend Dave Sochar at Acorn Woodworks and told him of my problem. He recommended that I use a router and a 1/2" solid carbide spiral up cut bit. Then I was able to "joint" the edges smooth for the glue up and using biscuits and alternating the boards. This assisted with the bowing and pulled the boards into place, hours later I had the flat panels for the headboard. Working most figured woods is a challange, but rewarding. Try your router for the edges. Good Luck, Mike from American Sycamore

Ever try to flatten a board using a table saw?