How to flatten boards

[Anonymous]

I have just been given about 12 pieces of beech 8' x 6" X 1" they are all sawn but are bowed in the middle. without having to buy a jointer and spend anymore money ( shes started to moan ) what is the easiest way to make them flat.

 

[Alf]

Someone else's jointer?
Positive thinking?
What am I saying? :roll: You can't do it. They're rubbish. Send them to the recycling plant down here in Cornwall. 'Cos it's you we'll only charge postage...

Well you did ask for the easiest way. :lol: Got any hand planes about your person? Not the easiest, but certainly the way it was done, and still is done by some brave souls, since B.N. (Before Norm). In order to shave wastage on thickness it's worth cutting the boards roughly to length first, so you don't have to remove anymore of that bend than you have to.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Mmmmm :wink:

 

[gidon]

Not a task I would fancy!
Do you know what you're making with them yet? If you don't need those lengths for your project, I would personally rough cut them to more manageable lengths as you need them and then have a go with a decent hand plane.
But realistically I think you may struggle - I know I would! Maybe a local friendly timber yard may help you out?
I can't resist suggesting you have a look at the dewalt planer thicknesser at £400 odd that Neil posted. With the 4 cubic foot of timber you have, it may be worth saving up!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Anonymous]

By the time I've save that much the wood will have rotted :lol:

 

[gidon]

Sorry Alf - realised I repeated your suggestion!

Ok then - you're right it will have rotted by that time :wink:, I'll help Alf out by accepting half of the wood and therefore save her postage - don't want to fill all of Cornwall's land fill in one go!

Cheers

Gidon

 

[trevtheturner]

Save even more, Coopes, and send it to me - I'm even closer - 'bout half way 'twixt you and Cornwall :wink:

Trev.

 

[Alf]

I'll help Alf out by accepting half of the wood and therefore save her postage - don't want to fill all of Cornwall's land fill in one go!

'Scuse me. He's paying the postage, thankyousoverymuch. And I'm sure it's Devon* that has the landfill problem... :?

Mark, it can be done with hand planes, you just prepare the stock as and when you need it rather than doing it all at once as you would with machinery. It's a skill worth having and terribly good for the heart muscles. :wink: Are you equipped with such useful shaving-making devices? Would you care to step into the parlour - er- the hand tools forum and we can pu-help you onto the Slope. You won't feel a thing. :twisted:

Well not in your arms, legs or back after all that planing at any rate... :shock: :wink: :lol:

Cheers, Alf

*Where is that bile-dripping font when you need it...? :wink:

 

[Noel]

Mark,

Other than using a plane there are one or two other ways to help take the bow out of your timber:
1) Check your local weather forecast, find a night with no frost and no rain but plenty of dew in the morning. Place your boards separately on a bit of lawn with a couple of battens below each plank at about 7pm. Providing the forecast is spot on retrieve your boards at 9am the following morning.
By this time the timber should have absorbed a good bit of moisture and you may even notice that the bowing has all but disappeared. Next stage is to bring them indoors and clamp them as they will dry reasonably quickly. The clamping should stop the timber regaining any twist.After about a week to 10 days, declamp and see what shape they are in.

Disclaimer: I've never actually had to do the above myself but have spoken to people who reckon it can and does work.

Rgds

Noel, who is full of wisdom today....

 

[sawdustalley]

You could take it to a local woodyard, or a local cabinetmaker and i'm sure they will prepare it for you. Of course they will charge :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

But the problem you will have, if you choose a planing option will be 8ft boards now much thinner to account for the flattening process.
I would first work out what I was going to make, cut accordingly and hope to minimise it that way by reducing the lengths if possible.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks you all but I think I will leave them for the time being and as Andy says work out what I will use them for. You never know I could win the lotto.

Cheers

 

[Noel]

So you're not too enamoured with the dew idea?.....

Rgds

Noel

 

[Anonymous]

maybe if all else fails

 

[Anonymous]

Noel, I like the dew idea, you truly were full of wisdom :wink:

But then I have no boards to flatten

 

[Noel]

It's sad (pathetically sad) that I have to beg for comments.
A new day tomorrow.

Rgds

Noel

 

[Anonymous]

Put your timber out on the lawn at 7pm in a lot of places and that will certainly be an end to your problem.

Roy

 

[Midnight]

Disclaimer: I've never actually had to do the above myself but have spoken to people who reckon it can and does work.

<starin in stunned silence at the calouses on the hands.....

do you mean to tell me that I coulda saved 10 weeks graft.....with DEW....??????

<THUNKS..........

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the ideas. I have got a friend of a friends friend to do them for me.

Cheers