So i have found a large slab of maple in the form of an 4 foot x 3 feet. Its shaped as a rounded rectangle, and at least = 1.5" . How would you go about cutting this without a cabinet saw?
I own a bosch 4000 contractor with no accessories and very little space (its basically storage right now, sitting in a brooklyn basement)
or i can utilize a 6 1/2" - 7 1/4" circ cutting saw.
Plan .8.0 right now is to take a circ saw using a 4 ft level clamped to the table along desired cut.
I'd like this table to be of high quality as my new work bench. After i would like to something modern such as add functions of electricity(lights, usb ports, integrated outlets, etc)
Also: I'd like to build this bench without screws or nails if possible, something where the legs square up to the top of a table through a hole flush the legs insert (rectangular or spherical?)
>>940004
Yep, a circular saw with a clamped straightedge or level as you suggested. Take your time as its difficult to get perfectly parallel cuts. But if its for a workbench it might not matter as much as, say, a coffee table. You could also build a jig of some type.
>>940025
What would you think about taking two cuts?
1st to get very close to final width
2nd to trim to size, using about a portion of the thickness of the saw blade?
This table will be the heart of all my operations be it electronic, plastic, or wood. I'd like to use it for promotion as well in the business im hoping to soon open. (local handyman/technician)
>>940035
a circular saw is not the appropriate tool for that second cut. You should focus more on knowing how to be a handyman/technician and less on the table you want to promote yourself with.
>>940062
>>940062
>>940062
I already know how to fix a large amount of things, work as an electricians apprentice, fix laptops, phones, etc, run a 3d printer, building a cnc machine.
I'd like to focus on doing this job right as if it were for a customer, this slab is worth a couple hundererd after all, what would i need to do this job completly proper as if i had a shop? I'm going to guess cabinet saw for the second pass? If need be, I do have a brother that could receive as i feed the slab through the contractor saw with extra hands perpendicular to the feed?
I'm willing to invest in tools/accessories.
>>940241
If I'm reading this right, you want to straighten a 4' curved edge on a 1 1/2" thick piece of maple? Sure, use a circular saw and get within 1/16th, then use anywhere from a #4 to a #7 Stanley plane to take it to final dimension. You won't even have to sand it, OP.
>>940246
Yes, that's exactly what i'd like to do.
Would sanding it be an equal quality option, even if more work?
I've only used a planer once, found it difficult to set the plane parallel and at the proper height.
I suppose ill go research now, thanks.
>>940252
If you're doing both sides, try the back first, no one will see your...work. Kidding, but it does take a little practice. You could use a belt sander, carefully, because one dip and YOU'LL know it's there forever. Watch a Paul Sellers vid or two. He makes it look too easy, but it's not hard, and that "schlick" you get with a hand plane is pretty satisfying!
>>940258
Good idea, noone will see the back.
So planer wise, what about this electric one?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-6-Amp-3-1-4-in-Corded-Hand-Planer-HPL52K/20550961
With the 90 degree guide, seems like its perfect for edges, and would provide a good finish regardless of how the circ saw cut goes.
>>940285
I can't say because I've never used one. I tend to gravitate toward hand tools about 2/3rds of the time.
>>940285
electric hand planers TEND to be shit all around, because they're main use is contractors shaving down doors to fit, so finish isn't necessary. YMMV though.
>>940285
So, yeah... I use that exact one to shave doors closet doors. It's a decent cut if you have sharp blades and slow movement, but I wouldn't use it for anything that needs a decent finish.
>>940297
>>940333
>>940376
So I suppose i'll go the hand plane route.
I have a buck bros 6 1/2" plane with a 1.175" blade.
Still needs to be sharpened or refined which will be done so according to paul sellers.
Would that be sufficient enough or should i order a plane with a 2" blade?
P.S. Reading about planes and it seems like hobby within a hobby betweeen japanese vs american, 400$ planes, different angles for different woods, different types of blades, etc.
>>940974
That's literally all of woodworking.
If you really want to see some people get rabid, bring up knife people versus abrasive people (scrapers versus sandpaper).
>>940974
I was looking on lee valleys website, almost started crying looking at plane prices
>>940977
Sandpaper master race reporting in. Knife retards spend waaaaaaaaaay too much time and are always autismus maximus.
Don't get me wrong, If I lived 300 years ago you bet I would be knifing it. But in 2016 we have better shit than stone age tools.
>>940974
Don't get too wrapped around the axle sharpening Paul Sellers' way. He does it that way because it's fast to resharpen and you don't need a jig/years of practice to do it. If your iron is basically hollow ground, you'll be fine for one job to just touch it up using the same angle that's on it. It'll at least let you try it and see if it's going to work for you. By the way, are you talking about a bench plane you have, or more of a palm/block plane? Block planes can be hard to adjust, and 6 1/2" by 1.175" sounds a little small to me... Speaking of which! I was thinking about this very thread today and it hit me that you can get a "schlick" sound with your wife too, and it can also be very satisfying!
This is my plane, it's pretty shit. all I had to sharpen right now was some dollar store sand paper. while I am terrible at planing , it is a pleasure to do.
Looking to invest in this aspect of wood working, any advice as to what I should get?
sounds like I need at least two planes, 1st for initial plane, then a smoothing one. although I'm intrigued by the jap planes, as the Japan are the best to ever do it,
then there's sharpening, what setup do you recommend?
also how do you actually level your plane, my googlefu is coming up short.
>>941222
look up fettling
I've just finished it myself. basically easiest method is to get plate glass, glue sandpaper, scribble on sole of plane with sharpie, and sand down until scribble gone. next grit up, repeat. use paste wax or other method to prevent rust when done.
The sole doesn't need to be totally flat, just a flat spot at the front, back, and around the mouth of the plane.
if it's a really bad banana, you should look into bending the plane (they do flex under use too) to be straighter before doing that. ending up with a sole that's too thin will make it too flexible.
I quite like my hf plane http://www.harborfreight.com/no-33-bench-plane-97544.html
I stack it up against any of my yard sale planes in terms of usability out of the box.
This one was utter shit though http://www.harborfreight.com/no-4-jack-and-mini-plane-set-92553.html
especially the mini plane, kept the blade and junked it.
oh, also, don't forget that sometimes you need to grind the cap iron to have a straight edge where it hits the blade, so nothing can get stuck in there.
I have a worksharp 2k, quite like it, but chisel slot doesn't work for the larger plane irons :/. so I use that for main grind, then stone for bevel. I've been having to grind out nicks to the blade, so I'm going to try sharpening it more instead of powering through :p. Just picked up a set of diamond stones going to 1200 grit, going to use that to put an edge on it.
sandpaper can work, but more expensive in the long run (even dollar store) and you NEED a piece of glass or granite as backing that is dead flat. I got mine out of a broken window, used a glass cutter to snap off jagged edges, and built a holder for it out of osb and some screws.
>>941222
That should work for you. Paul himself did a video basically saying a 250 grit sharpening is entirely adequate for a plane, 600 is better, more than 600 is getting into "magic/voodoo" territory that you can argue about all day and no one will really win.
Were it me, I'd loosen that big screw enough to let me square the iron by tapping the blade side to side, then tighten it about halfway to tight. Now try a pass, if shavings are too thick tap the rear of the sole, try again until it's where you want, then tighten completely. To make it cut deeper tap the front, or tap the blade. Paul's right about using a very light coat of oil (like 3 in 1 oil) on the sole to make it slide easy too.
>>941288
As he says, even if you plane >250 grit the resulting surface will be too smooth to catch finish and you'll just need to roughen it down to 200 or so anyway. There's a reason carpenters a few years ago didn't bother using anything fancier than a 2 or 3 step oil stone.
