Old guy at the lumber yard told me to always plane my stock before cutting joinery

I was picking up some oak for a cabinet job in Springfield last month, and this retired carpenter saw me loading rough sawn boards. He said, 'Kid, you'll save yourself a world of hurt if you run those through the planer first, even if they look flat.' I've been doing it his way since and my dados fit way better. Do you think this is a must-do rule for all hardwood projects, or just when you're working with rough stock?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_ward3927d ago

Remember watching my uncle fight a twisted board for an hour. He finally planed it flat and the whole project went smooth after that. Ever try to cut a mortise in wood that's secretly bent?

beth71127d ago

Oh man, that hits home. I used to just power through and force pieces together, thinking the clamps would fix everything. Watching a buddy's table leg split weeks after he built it totally changed my mind. Now I check every board for twist before I even mark a cut. That hidden bend will always find a way to ruin your day, won't it?

terry83527d ago

@blair_ward39's uncle learned the hard way that clamps aren't a cure for twisted wood.