Hey everyone! I just glued up a few cutting boards and now I need to flatten them out after the glue-up. I'm wondering if using the DeWalt DW735 planer will really help reduce my sanding time. My boards are 10 to 12 inches wide, made up of individual strips that are one or two inches wide. However, the reference side isn't flat since the glue-ups shifted a bit. Am I asking for trouble if I start using the planer without a perfectly flat reference side? Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
If you’re handy with a hand plane, that might be a great way to flatten your boards first. Alternatively, using a router sled could work well too! It’ll give you more control over the squareness before hitting the planer.
You can definitely make this work! Try hot gluing your boards to a flat melamine base and shimming to avoid wobbling. Just take very shallow passes with the planer. It's crucial not to send anything through that isn’t flat at the start—just find a way to create a flat reference side, even if you have to fake it. And remember, steer clear of end grain!
Having a flat reference side is definitely ideal for planing. While it’s not a strict requirement, it’s really tricky to get consistent results without one since the boards can shift during planing. If the board isn't flat, you might not get an even surface, and it could lead to some frustrating sanding later on. Just a heads up!
Thanks for the advice! I’ll look into getting my boards more stable before planing.