I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
- is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated.
Leuf wrote:
> On 3 Sep 2006 01:08:12 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
> >of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
> >I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
> >- is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
> >protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
> >appreciated.
>
> It'd help if you gave a little more information. What is causing them
> to be not even? Have you glued it already? If not and it's a mortice
> and tenon type of joint you can tweak the alignment by adding a piece
> of veneer to one side of the tenon and shaving a bit off the other
> side. If it's already glued up then you don't have any choice but to
> sand or plane it flush.
>
>
> -Leuf
Unfortunatelt it is already glued - it was a biscuit join that I messed
up and didn't realize until after it was glued. I learnt my lesson
about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am stuck
with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I guess it
will be a long afternoon!
John Grossbohlin wrote:
> If it's real bad any chance you can use a thin pull saw (e.g., Japanese saw)
> to cut all the joints apart on that side and then redo the biscuit joints?
Put a _chainsaw_ through it if you have to, and that's the best and
most accurate saw you have. If the piece is big, and you're making the
frame before you're making all the parts that fit around it, then you
can almost always afford to lose a saw kerf off the overall width.
Biscuiting tip - don't use the fence. If you can arrange this, and the
height adjustment is right, then lay both things face down on a flat
bench and use the big solid face of the biscuit jointer as the guide,
not the narrow wobbly fence.
If you were a "REAL PRO" you would run the frame through your 53" wide
belt sander!
The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
> Dave In Oz wrote:
> > Leuf wrote:
> >> On 3 Sep 2006 01:08:12 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the
> >>> pieces of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of
> >>> levelling them? I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very
> >>> good with a hand one - is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt
> >>> sander to sand down the protruding piece to the right height. Any
> >>> suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> >>
> >> It'd help if you gave a little more information. What is causing
> >> them to be not even? Have you glued it already? If not and it's a
> >> mortice and tenon type of joint you can tweak the alignment by
> >> adding a piece of veneer to one side of the tenon and shaving a bit
> >> off the other side. If it's already glued up then you don't have
> >> any choice but to sand or plane it flush.
> >>
> >>
> >> -Leuf
> >
> > Unfortunatelt it is already glued - it was a biscuit join that I
> > messed up and didn't realize until after it was glued. I learnt my
> > lesson about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am
> > stuck with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I
> > guess it will be a long afternoon!
>
> oops! I see now your trying to plane/sand a wide piece. ;-)
>
> --
> Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite
Stoutman wrote:
> > Well, in that case I would scrap the job. Its not right and never will
> > be. As we say in the business...."sometimes you just have to rip it
> > apart".
>
> You're joking right? Tongue in cheek? I think knowing how to correct
> things like this that distinguishes a real craftsman.
>
>
> Dude, DON"T sand it. As C&S posted it will round your stock at the edges.
>
> Woodcraft, Wood Workers Supply and Rockler (I have all three local to me,
> G-L-O-A-T) all three sell cabinet scrapers. This IMHO is the tool for the
> job.
>
> If you don't have a Woodcraft or Rockler near you. Order one and wait for
> it to arrive.
Why not cut the board down the length of the joint (bandsaw or tablesaw
with 1/8" thin blade), re-joint and re-glue? Adjust the remaining
dimensions to accomodate.
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:57:44 GMT, "Stoutman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Well, in that case I would scrap the job. Its not right and never will
>> be. As we say in the business...."sometimes you just have to rip it
>> apart".
>
>You're joking right? Tongue in cheek? I think knowing how to correct
>things like this that distinguishes a real craftsman.
>
>
>Dude, DON"T sand it. As C&S posted it will round your stock at the edges.
>
>Woodcraft, Wood Workers Supply and Rockler (I have all three local to me,
>G-L-O-A-T) all three sell cabinet scrapers. This IMHO is the tool for the
>job.
>
>If you don't have a Woodcraft or Rockler near you. Order one and wait for
>it to arrive.
>
maybe I'm not reading the message correctly, so, I'll put it this way
- If he has made an error that now leaves him in a position that he
must modify the work to compensate for the error, then I'd take it
apart, start over.
"Dave In Oz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
> of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
> I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
> - is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
> protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
I'd use a sander.
--
Regards,
Dean Bielanowski
Editor, OnlineToolReviews.com
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com
Over 110+ woodworking product reviews online!
-----------------------------------------------
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=========================
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:09:20 -0400, Joe Bemier
<[email protected]> wrote:
>maybe I'm not reading the message correctly, so, I'll put it this way
>- If he has made an error that now leaves him in a position that he
>must modify the work to compensate for the error, then I'd take it
>apart, start over.
Remind me never to work with you :)
If I had to start over every time I screwed something up I'd still be
on my first project.
-Leuf
On 4 Sep 2006 01:44:39 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>Leuf wrote:
>> On 3 Sep 2006 01:08:12 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
>> >of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
>> >I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
>> >- is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
>> >protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
>> >appreciated.
>>
>> It'd help if you gave a little more information. What is causing them
>> to be not even? Have you glued it already? If not and it's a mortice
>> and tenon type of joint you can tweak the alignment by adding a piece
>> of veneer to one side of the tenon and shaving a bit off the other
>> side. If it's already glued up then you don't have any choice but to
>> sand or plane it flush.
>>
>>
>> -Leuf
>
>Unfortunatelt it is already glued - it was a biscuit join that I messed
>up and didn't realize until after it was glued. I learnt my lesson
>about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am stuck
>with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I guess it
>will be a long afternoon!
Well, in that case I would scrap the job. Its not right and never will
be. As we say in the business...."sometimes you just have to rip it
apart".
> Well, in that case I would scrap the job. Its not right and never will
> be. As we say in the business...."sometimes you just have to rip it
> apart".
You're joking right? Tongue in cheek? I think knowing how to correct
things like this that distinguishes a real craftsman.
Dude, DON"T sand it. As C&S posted it will round your stock at the edges.
Woodcraft, Wood Workers Supply and Rockler (I have all three local to me,
G-L-O-A-T) all three sell cabinet scrapers. This IMHO is the tool for the
job.
If you don't have a Woodcraft or Rockler near you. Order one and wait for
it to arrive.
This is a standard cooper's rig and it works well but I agree about the
gloves. A great way to get an unintended nail clipping.
"The3rd Earl Of Derby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> My hand plane (no electric planes then)teqnique in the early days of
> starting woodworking was none existent,so I used to clamp the plane in a
> worktop bench vice upside down and set the planes blade for minmium cut
> then glide the wood across,I did wear welders gloves though,cant be too
> carefull. :-)
>
> --
> Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite
>
>
>
Dave In Oz wrote:
> I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
> of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling
> them? I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a
> hand one - is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand
> down the protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would
> be greatly appreciated.
My hand plane (no electric planes then)teqnique in the early days of
starting woodworking was none existent,so I used to clamp the plane in a
worktop bench vice upside down and set the planes blade for minmium cut
then glide the wood across,I did wear welders gloves though,cant be too
carefull. :-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite
Dave In Oz wrote:
> Leuf wrote:
>> On 3 Sep 2006 01:08:12 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the
>>> pieces of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of
>>> levelling them? I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very
>>> good with a hand one - is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt
>>> sander to sand down the protruding piece to the right height. Any
>>> suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> It'd help if you gave a little more information. What is causing
>> them to be not even? Have you glued it already? If not and it's a
>> mortice and tenon type of joint you can tweak the alignment by
>> adding a piece of veneer to one side of the tenon and shaving a bit
>> off the other side. If it's already glued up then you don't have
>> any choice but to sand or plane it flush.
>>
>>
>> -Leuf
>
> Unfortunatelt it is already glued - it was a biscuit join that I
> messed up and didn't realize until after it was glued. I learnt my
> lesson about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am
> stuck with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I
> guess it will be a long afternoon!
oops! I see now your trying to plane/sand a wide piece. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite
On Tue, 05 Sep 2006 10:52:46 -0400, Joe Bemier
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:05:02 -0400, Leuf <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:09:20 -0400, Joe Bemier
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>maybe I'm not reading the message correctly, so, I'll put it this way
>>>- If he has made an error that now leaves him in a position that he
>>>must modify the work to compensate for the error, then I'd take it
>>>apart, start over.
>>
>>Remind me never to work with you :)
>
>HA!......my two boys (28 & 26) would say "right Leuf, right"
I'm 30 and tell them my dad's worse than their dad.
-Leuf
Got a friend who has a wide belt sander like a Performax? If not, try a
local cabinet shop and see if they would run it for you. WB sanders really
fix these kinds of problems.
"Dave In Oz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
> of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
> I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
> - is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
> protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am stuck
> with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I guess it
> will be a long afternoon!
It depends on how mych you are out. A ROS tends to round over an edge
because of the soft sanding pad. If the offending ledge is 1/32 or more it's
not going to work very well. What you really want to do is create a ramp
rather than a roundover. A card scraper it pretty effective for a small
ramp, A hand plane is really the right tool for a crating a large ramp.
What you really want to do here is shape you stock. Most sanders are best at
smoothing and actually do a poor job of flattening (the excepting being
something like a Performax thickness sander).
If you must sand, start at a high course grit and sand up to, but resist the
temptation to sand over the line. Only when you are done flattening and have
moved up to finer grits, should you cross over the line.
-Steve
"Dave In Oz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Unfortunatelt it is already glued - it was a biscuit join that I messed
> up and didn't realize until after it was glued. I learnt my lesson
> about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am stuck
> with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I guess it
> will be a long afternoon!
If it's real bad any chance you can use a thin pull saw (e.g., Japanese saw)
to cut all the joints apart on that side and then redo the biscuit joints?
If done carefully I'd think you could reuse the parts with little loss of
width to side grain piece. Worse case you make one new piece...
One reason I mention this is that you might end up with a gap between the
face frame and carcass if you simply flatten the face side...
John
On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 05:24:59 -0400, "C&S"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> about dry assembly! Thanks everyone for all your advice - I am stuck
>> with sanding with an orbital sander as that is all I have. I guess it
>> will be a long afternoon!
>
>It depends on how mych you are out. A ROS tends to round over an edge
>because of the soft sanding pad. If the offending ledge is 1/32 or more it's
>not going to work very well. What you really want to do is create a ramp
>rather than a roundover. A card scraper it pretty effective for a small
>ramp, A hand plane is really the right tool for a crating a large ramp.
>
>What you really want to do here is shape you stock. Most sanders are best at
>smoothing and actually do a poor job of flattening (the excepting being
>something like a Performax thickness sander).
>
>If you must sand, start at a high course grit and sand up to, but resist the
>temptation to sand over the line. Only when you are done flattening and have
>moved up to finer grits, should you cross over the line.
One technique I've found effective with the ROS is to hold the sander
at a slight angle. This takes some practice as it is really unstable
and wants to run off on you. But if you hold it with two hands and
keep your arms steady, and move side to side just by shifting your
weight from one leg to the other I've gotten good results. It avoids
the rounding over problem as you're making more contact at the center.
It does tend to leave more swirlies this way, so finish up with the
sander flat.
-Leuf
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:05:02 -0400, Leuf <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:09:20 -0400, Joe Bemier
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>maybe I'm not reading the message correctly, so, I'll put it this way
>>- If he has made an error that now leaves him in a position that he
>>must modify the work to compensate for the error, then I'd take it
>>apart, start over.
>
>Remind me never to work with you :)
HA!......my two boys (28 & 26) would say "right Leuf, right"
>
>If I had to start over every time I screwed something up I'd still be
>on my first project.
I've learned that it is always better to start over. 45's that are no
longer 45. Square cuts that are no longer square. One screw-up can
have lingering consequences and require that out of spec adjustments.
Improvising is accepted.
I provide two examples; one which I consider acceptable improvising
and the other I feel is a "take apart"
A framer is building a gable dormer. The side wall height is 79" and
he builds the right hand wall first. When he goes to build the left
hand wall he messes up and cuts the studs 73" instead of 74.5".
In this case he can simply add an additional top plate to make up the
error. This is an acceptable course.
The same framer building a dormer messes up and has the left wall
forward of the right wall by 1.5". He finds his mistake that he went
to the wrong side of his mark when snapping a line. If this framer
continues his work, everything about the dormer will be wrong as it
will be out-of-square. It will cause other problems requiring
improviisation and maybe the dormer will never come together
correctly.
I've built a lot of stairs and one thing that I've learned is that
exactness from the start makes everything else that much smoother. I
strive for perfection.
Cheers,
J
>
>
>-Leuf
On 3 Sep 2006 01:08:12 -0700, "Dave In Oz" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I have built a frame as part of a chest of drawers. Two of the pieces
>of wood are not level. Can anyone suggest a good way of levelling them?
>I am thinking about using a planer (I am not very good with a hand one
>- is a power planer harder to use?) or a belt sander to sand down the
>protruding piece to the right height. Any suggestions would be greatly
>appreciated.
It'd help if you gave a little more information. What is causing them
to be not even? Have you glued it already? If not and it's a mortice
and tenon type of joint you can tweak the alignment by adding a piece
of veneer to one side of the tenon and shaving a bit off the other
side. If it's already glued up then you don't have any choice but to
sand or plane it flush.
-Leuf