Reply To: Benchtop Laminating Tolerances
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Don’t forget that all you’re supposed to be doing when you plane each part prior to laminating them is to remove all the milling marks. You should have the plane set to a reasonably light cut if you re-watch Paul’s videos pay as much attention to the sound of the plane as to what you can see.
Once I’d planed a pair of boards, I copied Paul’s ‘press the part together by hand’ test. If that worked I then went ahead with the next pair until I’d finished the lot. I then glued up (after a clamp up rehearsal). If you get the parts properly aligned and clamped, you should then find that there’s not too much work needed to square/flatten the tops. Mine came out in wind so I had the underside flattened in about 20 minutes.
When you’re doing the hand pressure test a slight gap in the middle of the joint is OK – as long as you can clamp it out. You’ve made a spring joint and that’s a method of board glue-up that’s been around for ages. If there’s any gaps at the ends though, you’ll have to work on the timber a bit more.
It can be pretty soul destroying if you get into a circular plane/test/plane/test routine where you don’t seem to be going anywhere and your precious timber is ending up on the floor as shavings so just take it one joint at a time and take a break if your start feeling any pressure or frustrations – remember; this is the recreation of your choice so it’s supposed to be fun.
Once you have a joint that’s good – mark it up so you don’t plane it again by mistake (don’t ask me how I know about this 😉 )
Once the boards are planed smooth, they are ready for glue-up. I certainly didn’t rough mine by sanding afterwards. Each face took me about 10 minutes (although some were quicker than others) but that was me, at that time, on a nice day, with the radio on, in no particular hurry. If it takes you longer then it might be you have higher standards than me rather than I’m quicker than you so don’t measure your work by the clock.
Above all, have fun – I promise you that the sense of achievement you’ll get when you unclamp (declamp?) that big slab of timber will be worth all the time you invest in it.