Download the video in Quicktime format (*.mov)

The heating season ended a few weeks ago, and it is now time to flatten the workbench.

You will recall that my workbench had developed a severe crown, or high spot, along most of the length, and in the middle of the bench. This made for for a poor work surface, as items would not sit flat on the surface.

What likely caused the crown to develop was uneven moisture content in the wood making up the bench top. Heating during the Winter months can and will lead to drying out of the wood; it slowly loses moisture, ultimately leading to the problem I experienced.

The solution to the problem: Flatten the top.

I elected to use my Fulton #7 jointer plane to do the flattening. In this episode I show how I went about doing it, stopping along the way not only to catch my breath, but to measure progress with a straight edge and also with winding sticks. I then used my Stanley # 4-1/2 smoother to eliminate most of the blade marks left by the jointer. In the end I had to use my random orbital sander (ROS) to eliminate even the smoother’s blade edge tracks. This was necessary, as I always put a little camber on the irons.

I hope the galoots of the world find my hand plane technique acceptable. If you don’t, I ask that you don’t laugh too loudly. I am trying to get better with my hand tool use.

Relevant links:
Look at your workbenches!
Heating season is almost over – %RH for my shop
A great little bargain – monitor %RH and T