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Path: utzoo!linus!ell
From: ell@linus.UUCP (Edward L. Lafferty)
Newsgroups: net.rec.wood
Subject: Re: Any cures for Klutziness?
Message-ID: <480@linus.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 19-Nov-83 12:54:39 EST
Article-I.D.: linus.480
Posted: Sat Nov 19 12:54:39 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Nov-83 01:03:57 EST
References: <1799@ihnss.UUCP> <678@ihuxi.UUCP>
Organization: MITRE Corp., Bedford MA
Lines: 24

One thing that modern amateur woodworkers try to do is duplicate
professional procedures with inadequate tools. The only real substitute
for a thickness planer (in jointing edgewise) is a lot of hand planing
like they used to do before the invention of power. It is not only a
lot of work but to do it correctly takes a lot of practice. Gimmicks
like dowels, tongue and grooves, etc. add time to the procedure and
really help only slightly. I have a small thickness planer, made by
Williams & Hussey for which I paid about $500. This in combination with
a small (4") jointer have served me well for several glued-up table
tops. But there was still a need to plane by hand and surface sand with
a belt sander followed by lots of sanding, scraping, and cleanup. 

Dowels add little to the strength of the joint, too and since they
don't help enough in line-up, I don't use them. One thing I do in
clamping up a surface is to clamp a straight edge board crosswise to
the glue joints on both ends to keep at least one surface pretty even.
Then if the thickness is consistent and there isn't much warp in the
center, we have a good start toward a flat surface.

I agree with Dave Wallace: practice, practice, practice!!

				Ed Lafferty
				Mitre Corp.
				Bedford MA