Mike

Julie, another approach would be to fill in the deep gouges with hot melt lacquer sticks. You can find these in colors to match your finish. You then use a graining pen to draw the missing grain, seal it with a coat of lacquer and you are done. Rockler carries a limited supply of these items, the best source would be Mohawk. Mohawk offers a complete line of professional refinishing products. Having used them I highly recommend them. I repaired a 3/4" deep by 3/4" wide gouge 8" long that tapered to a scratch on a triple length oak dresser using their products. The repair was invisible.
http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/

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Mike

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DONALD

Using the router table might smooth the panel but it would still not be parallel with the other side if it isn't now. There ia a simple jig in the most recent issue of WOOD magazine that might work. Your planer will smooth out one side but it still wouldn't be the same thickness all the way across the board. You will have to flatten it with a hand plane which requires some experience or rip it into boards then joint one side and one edge then run it thru the thickness planer. You will still have to place the side you edged against your saw fence and trim the other edge.

viper1

I'd use a good belt sander and get it to the point I wanted then use a 5" orbital to get rid of the marks. After that add several or more coats of a good quailty poly and it will be qood for quite a while. The poly will help it stand up to water and punishment. I'm with you paint or anything that hides my wood is.... well just wrong!
Paul

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Eric Nelson

I bought several lengths of UHMW from Garland Manufacturing in Maine. They extrude the material in a bright/caution yellow, which seems like a good idea for safety in my shop. I also made a herringbone and several pushers out of it. Garland is online at http://www.garlandmfg.com