How to straighten a crooked board.

If you have less than perfect lumber, this little trick will get your boards true and ready to become a work of art.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 1/4 inch screws
• screw gun
• 8 foot piece of plywood
• table saw
• out feed rollers
• saw horses

1. 
    

   The first thing you will need will be a guide board. If your lumber is under 8 ft. a rip off of a sheet of plywood will do nicely. I usually use a 9 inch wide guide board. Lightly sand the factory edge with some 150 grit paper just to make sure it is smooth. Clearly mark your factory edge so you don’t confuse it with the ripped side, this will be the edge which rides along your table saw fence.

2. 
    

   Determine a screw length which will hold your guide board onto the board you are trying to straighten, make sure it is long enough to get good a secure hold on the board you will be truing.

3. 
    

   Grade your board for the side you will use to finish, and the best edge to true. I usually pick the edge that runs parallel to the grain with the least amount of deflection in the edge. Now lay the board with the finish side down and the edge you want true facing away from you.

4. 
    

   Lay the guide board on top of the board to be straightened leaving 5/8 of an inch of the board you are trying to straighten showing from underneath the guide board. Make sure the straight edge of the guide board is facing you. Keep your screws several inches from the end of the board, I usually only use one screw at each end.

5. 
    

   Now flip the married pieces over and you are ready to go to the table saw. Take measurements and decide the width of your cut. If you used a 9 inch guide board the width should be around 9 ½ inches.

6. 
    

   Make sure your saw is set to the proper depth and square. Note: My saw guard is removed only for the sake of this photo, please leave your guards in place.

7. 
    

   You are now ready to feed your table saw, use steady even speed and keep the guide board tight against the fence. Rollers on the out feed will greatly enhance your success and safety with this operation.

8. 
    

   Unscrew the guide board and you no have a straight edge to finish working your material. This trick will work no matter the size of your wood, the only limiting factor is that of your table saws ability. For wider boards simply run the married boards through the saw with the guide board on the top.

Tips & Warnings

• Always make sure your finish side of the board you are truing is down when you are attaching the guide board.
• Use out feed rollers to ensure consistent cuts.
• Center your screws in the piece you are trying to straighten.
• Never remove your guards from your table saw.
• Follow all of the instructions provided by the manufacturer of your table saw.

Resources

• Dreamwood Innovations

[Woodcarver]

on 2/29/2008 Please spread the word Ken. I use this little trick with the rough sawn wood we utilize at Dreamwood Innovations.
Thank you for your interest.
William

[kqmsradioman]

on 2/28/2008 Ah, handy tricks from the general building contractor. In the remodeling game, these framing tricks come in handy because sometimes we have to use old mill lumber that cannot be bought. Or this is a good trick for milling tailing lumber from slash. Mind if I spread the good word on the owner builder radio broadcast? Good stuff for every builder! Ken