Jointing Curve Board - Which Side To Start With?

If I want a straight edge, using my router, I just tack a straight piece of wood down, and rout down to that. Mark the other side, tack the straight wood down, rout that side. You could use something else to hold the piece down, but I like to tack them. Yes, nail holes, but I don't care, because I make sure they wind up where they will never be seen.

39" is a lot more than your router table's fence can probably handle...by the time you get to the middle, the front end will likely be past the end of the fence.

Since you have a table saw, why not attach a straight piece to the curved piece and rip the first side (doesn't matter)...then remove the straight piece and cut the other side using the then straight edge against the fence.

If you must use the router table, you will need to attach a straight board as close as possible to your desired straight line(tape, hot glue, etc), set your offset and run both edges on the cutter. Doesn't matter which side you do first. This will allow your piece to be cut to completion and not run out of fence. I would use as thin a piece as possible for your temporary straight edge so you don't have to raise your bit too high.

In this case I agree with Theo, if there is very much exposed past the straight edge then nip them back somehow so the router isn't taking too much of a bite. It will do better if the depth of cut is less than half the diameter of the bit.

Generally on a jointer or against a saw fence you always want the "horns" down or against the fence. If you go the other way there is potential for the piece to rock on the curve as you are machining it which will give you uneven results.

Since you have a table saw, I would tack a straight board to your work piece, with some overhang, then run that straight edge against your table saw fence and trim off one edge. With one edge of your work piece straight, run that edge against your table saw fence and trim the other edge. Then plane to your heart's content.

See that @Nickp posted while I was typing - I agree Nick

Joint the inside curve with your router. Then cut the other side straight on your table saw with the newly straight edge against the fence. However, it has been my experience that a board with this much curvature will resume that shape before long.

Cherryville Chuck said:

if there is very much exposed past the straight edge then nip them back somehow so the router isn't taking too much of a bite.

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Oh yeah, I take very shallow cuts, until I get down to about 1/8", or less, from the board.

Perfect application for a track saw.

tomp913 said:

Perfect application for a track saw.

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That is quite curious. I can think of a way to do it with a track saw, but given the choice between that and a table saw, I'd pick the TS.

I'd be interested in hearing how you would set that up.

Rick

RickKr said:

That is exactly what I did. Thanks all for the help.

I had to dig deep, but I found a long since not used fence from the radial arm saw I had, which is an very old piece of very straight old-growth Douglas fir and tacked it on my bowed board, just off the straight line on one edge.

Cleaned up real nice. Ran it through the opposite side and both were fairly straight. I had stock left to remove and wanted to do it with the TS rather than the RT, so ran it through both sides a time or two. Then ran it through the planer to get it to size. Actually had to take it down to 1.955" to get the last of the saw marks out.

Thanks all,

Rick

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Excellent...!