Project Technique Advice

[Fxguy]

Hello everyone! 

 

     I am working on a project for my son's first birthday and I've found myself with a brain freeze where I can't seem to decide on the best way to continue. The project is a wooden Model-T for him to play with. The body involves gluing up four pieces of 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" pieces to create a 3" X 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" block from which the body is cut. 

 

    The problem is that I glued the pieces up aren't exactly flush. They are pretty much flush on the top and bottom, and side to side, but front to back they are off by about 1/8". So my question is what's the best way to make them flush without removing too much wood. My thoughts are I can either:

 

1) Sand it flush 

 

2) Run it through the jointer - (Note that my jointer is not set up and I am still waiting on new knives for it so this is my least ideal option but if it is the best option it can be done)

 

3) Run it through the Table saw with the fence flush 

 

Any other options? Opinions on which would be the best option? 

 

Thanks ahead of time! 

 

 

[..Kev]

Typically there are a few things you could have done up front to eliminate this issue.

 

1.  use dowels, biscuits, or dominos for alignment

2.  Glue over sized pieces and then trim to final size after the glue cures

 

With that said, telling you what you could have done probably doesn't help your current situation.  So, there's a couple things you can do.

 

1.  Trim flush by with any of the tools you listed - It's a child's toy so, precision isn't critical but, you will reduce the overall size slightly

2.  Start over with larger pieces.

 

What ever you decide to do, chalk it up to a learning experience.  We all have or will go thru it so, you're certainly not alone.

 

Good luck.

[mds2]

When I glue up blocks like this for making planes, are anything else really, I always make them over sized, then trim them down to actual size afterwards.  

 

Sanding an 1/8" off sounds like a pain.  I'd use the table saw. 

[wdwerker]

If I understand your question I would use the tablesaw. Do not trap a thin offcut between the blade and the fence !

[Fxguy]

Thanks everyone! Didn't even think of doing it oversized and then trimming it down. Next time I will do that! As said, its a Child's Toy and so precision isn't paramount. I will probably run it through the table saw to trim it up flush. 

 

Thanks! 

[ajkezele]

If I understand the question correctly, you could also consider using a flush trim router bit and use the undersized layer as the "template" to guide the router so that the other layer will mirror it exactly.  this is especially good if there is any curve to the item that couldn't be accomplished by running it through the table saw.

 

Hope this helps.

[ajkezele]

Just re-read the post and realized you said you glued together 4 pieces of ply (thought it was 2) so that may not be a viable fix depending on which layers are out of line.  If the two middle layers are similar then I guess it could be a solution for the side where they are "shorter".

[jHop]

I also agree with the table saw.  Although, I would also suggest that you go simple for your first toy for the 1 year old.  Perhaps just cutting out a car shape from a 2x4, and putting large wheels on it?  anything with small or complex parts that might fall off (or be chewed off by an exploring mind) makes me worry somewhat.  

 

 

(I should add I still feel this way even though my two are 17 and 15.... both have a tendency to chew on things when they don't realize they are doing it.)