Squaring rough sawn lumber.

[curiousgeorge]

George,
Thanks for that link. That was very helpful to a beginner who doesn't even have enough background to ask a decent question. This podcast are full of demonstrative info.

You are welcome, Steve. I have downloaded all 44 of the podcasts and burned them on a DVD. That way I have easy, instant access to any one of them.
I have attached a pdf index file for all the podcasts...

[ryansm7]

I whole heartedly agree Forrest.

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The Academy article to which you referred mistakenly assumes, I assume, that there is no warp or twist to the broad side of the board. That most often is not the case.
Your first task is to flatten at least one side before you joint an edge. If you have a planer - which you do not list - you can build a sled to support the board on a twist/warp side so that the side being planed will be flat. Remember that the planer will force out some of the warp when going through the planer if you just run the bare board through. After planing the warp will still be apparent.
Remove from the sled and flatten the other side.
Then go to the jointer and table saw as suggested.
Forrest

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Fine Woodworking had a really cool (video) "A Planer Sled for Milling Lumber".

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAn ... px?id=5245

Also a pdf article "Flatten Boards without a Jointer"

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAn ... x?id=24118

If you do have (or get) a planer][INDENT]

Take a long straightedge and draw a line down the board close to the edge. Then put a 5/8" wide blade in the bandsaw and saw down the edge. You will be amazed at how straight an edge you can cut, so straight in fact that you can usually go right to the jointer, skipping the saw.

I've done boards as long as 104" this way. For long boards it helps to have roller stands on both infeed and outfeed sides of the bandsaw table.

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Finally, to get out all the twists and bowing the Planer Sled does a great job.
The last project required long boards for a 8' x 6' bookshelf.
My bride keeps asking what all that wood is for... sheesh!


Bookshelf [ATTACH]11432[/ATTACH] Planer Sled[ATTACH]11433[/ATTACH] Sticked Rough Sawn Stock[ATTACH]11434[/ATTACH]

[robinson46176]

Back when I still had the big bandsaw mill and was doing some custom millwork I found that I could do a lot to prevent twist in a small stickered pile of lumber by restacking it and putting anything trying to twist on the bottom. I have also put some short scraps of lumber crosswise above a row of stickers and stacked weights (usually concrete blocks) on those boards to hold everything flat including the boards on or near the top.
I have never used one of the little benchtop planers but on my 5 HP Foley/Belsaw I never really had any problems with even very rough lumber. I did find that the way for me to deal with a lot of variation or cup was just taking a lot of light cuts. It would really hog-off up to about 1/4" in a pass if desired but on real rough stuff I would find the thickest part of the board and slide that part under the cutter head and then start cranking the bed up until it was taking a bit off than flip it end for end and take off a light cut. Next I would flip it over and take a light cut off of the other side. From then on I just keep flipping it over and and taking light cuts until it is the finished thickness I wanted. If the board had cup as long as I kept the cuts light it would cut the cup away without it pressing the board flat (which will always spring back). This is of course just on my planer. YMMV... My bed is a lot longer than on the benchtop units and that might be making the difference?
On common rough sawn stuff that does not have special problems I just plane it with normal handling. Guys used to bring me stuff that had been stored on end in a barn for maybe 20 years and some of it was pretty rough.
Of course they also used to bring me crooked 3" logs and want me to saw straight 4" x 4"s out of them...