Thank you.
Yes, I do need to work with the board that wide.
I don't think I will be doing this on a regular basis, but the sled idea
sounds like the way to go anyway. I have a lot of rough sawn hardwood
around here, so the sled might get more use once I have it.

Pete Stanaitis
-----------------

John Grossbohlin wrote:


"spaco" wrote in message
.. .

I just heard of a woodworking machine called a "Flattener" today.
We were at a birthday party and I asked for advice about taking the
twist out of a 9/4 walnut board, 8" wide and 5' long, without having a
jointer big enough or using winding sticks and hand planes.
Obviously, the task is to get one side of the board flat, and then
go from there to get parallel sides.



Not sure what is meant by a flattener, but the first question I have is
do you need to work with the board that large? If not, reducing it to
roughly the dimensions you need on a bandsaw might solve your jointer
width problem.

Alternatively, make a sled for the planner... If this is going to be a
regular task and you are into it, make a fancy one with side clamps,
jack screws, etc. If it's a one-shot-deal use a board with at least one
flat side, or a piece of plywood, that can be run against he planner
bed. Place the walnut board on it, and then shim the walnut to hold it
so it doesn't rock. The shims can be held with hot glue to even a dab of
carpenter's glue. Run the top side through the planner until it's flat,
remove from sled, plane the other side.

John