How to Mill Rough Lumber With No Jointer

In this video I'm going to show you how I mill rough lumber with no jointer. As you may have noticed, I don't have a jointer but I also want to start using nicer types of wood like walnut from local lumber yards. So I have to mill the lumber with the tools that I have. With rising lumber prices, you can also save money by milling cheaper cuts of lumber.

The first thing I need to do is mill the first face flat. I do this by making a planer sled and supporting the piece of wood, then running it though the planer.

The next step is to mill the other side so it is parallel to the first side and even thickness.

Next I have to cut one straight perpendicular edge. Ordinarily I would do this with my jointer jig for my DeWalt table saw, but it is not long enough for this board. So I screwed a straight piece of MDF to it for a straight edge.

Finally, I simple run it though the table saw with the new straight edge against the fence to get the last edge.

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Supplies

-Planer

-Table Saw

-Drill

-3/4" MDF

-CA Glue

Step 1: Cut to Rough Length

It makes it much easier to work with the piece of wood if you cut it a little over the length you need it to be for your project. I needed a 60" piece of wood so I'm rough cutting my piece to 65"

When rough cutting the wood to size, its is a good opportunity to identify any imperfections you do not want on the ends. and try to cut those off when doing your rough cut.

I marked the board and then cut it in my miter saw.

Step 2: Make Planer Sled

Planning the board by itself will create a face that is parallel to the other side including any warps or cupping.

If you want a flat face, you will need to make a planer sled. I made a long planer sled for this piece out of 3/4" MDF. The sled needs to be longer than the piece of wood you're working with. I made mine 66" x 10". and then added a strip of wood to one end as a stop. The stop is just attached with CA glue.

Step 3: Mount and Support Board on Sled

Lay the board on your new sled and identify any areas that are not touching the sled. Now, using shims and hot glue, support all the voids. Also add a little more glue around the board so it doesn't move when going through the planer. The board should not rock or move after this step.

Step 4: Plane First Face

Start passing your board though the planer. Take off small amounts until their are no more rough areas left.

Step 5: Plane Second Face

Now remove the board from the sled. Using a flat surface, confirm that the board is now flat. Then flip it over and plane the other side until you have reached the desired thickness. If you are not using it right away, you can leave it a little thick. This allows you to do the final milling just before you use it to get rid of any imperfections that may have occurred while storing.

Step 6: Create a Straight Edge

Lay the board on your bench "bad" side up. Find a straight piece of wood (I used MDF) and position it on the board so it hangs just slightly over one of the edges. Now screw it in place. Be careful not to put screws through areas of the board that will be visible on your project.

Now, using your attached board as a fence guide, run it through your table saw. Be careful to only remove enough material to clean up the edge. Taking too much off is just wasteful, taking off too little will not give you a straight edge.

You can also use a table saw taper/jointer jig for this step. I have one that is 48" long so it would not work for a board this long.

Step 7: Cut Last Edge

Now remove the guide board and run it though the table saw again. This time use your new straight edge cut in the previous step as your fence guide. Again, remove just enough to fully clean up the final edge.

If done correctly, you should now have a board that has two flat, parallel faces and two perpendicular and parallels edges.

Enjoy making your project with your freshly milled piece of lumber!