I know I should not do that...

[Burkhardt]

So I went to the local Rockler store and found that pretty nice slab of partially spalted Oregon Myrtlewood like 22" x 60" x 2" for a well discounted price ($120 instead of the original crazy 750 bucks). I think $7 for a board foot is quite O.K.

Anyway, I had planned to make a smaller slab table from it but at closer inspection it turns out that it has too much twist for that. So much for my impulse buys...

Question: Should I slice it into 3 or 4 strips and glue back and plane flat (never tried that) to really build that table. Or should I try something else (and what)?

[phil_o]

Slicing it into 3 or 4 strips can work. After slicing you need to run one face over a jointer and then run the pieces through a planer to flatten the opposite face. A planer will not take care of the warp all by itself. Finally glue the pieces back together. A two inch thick board should yield a slab of good thickness.

Phil

[garyb]

depends on what you classify as too much twist.

You can use the twist to your advantage and machine a flat area for the table top blending to the twist around the outer edge then build the base to suit.
not everything has to have square straight and level lines.
Gary

[jTr]

I agree with Gary. Also note that the bottom does not have to be perfectly clean. If you can flatten the show face (cnc surfacing routine at that size) you may then flip to do a hit and miss planing on the bottom. If your leg assembly will be a traditional framed style, you'll probably desire a flatter surface where aprons meet the underside. However, if you take a Windsor chair approach to legs and simply bore holes from underside and insert legs, you can get away with a very uneven bottom. Just need to trim legs to level. A turned dowel end on leg with a wedge insert is very strong. Also could protrude top and sand flush, as this can be an interesting detail.

I just planed a 20x60 walnut slab. Was rough milled to 1.5". I lost .40" in the surfacing, but still have what I feel is a perfectly presentable table top at a pinch over 1" thick. Due to the natural curves/angles of the live edge, it doesn't seem disproportionately thin. Still appears to be what it is - a nice natural edge slab that is far above a 3/4" board from the big box lumber rack.

Speaking for all when I say, I'd love to see a picture of it - especially when you get it completed...

Good luck!

Jeff

[Burkhardt]

Thanks for the advice. The warp is unfortunately over 1 " and removing all that material to flatten at least one side would leave to little of that nice slab.

As for the strip cutting/gluing method, the problem is I do not have a jointer and would have to do the joint fitting with a bench plane, ruler, square and a lot of patience. Not sure if that is feasible.
At least I do have a 13" planer and 16/32 drum sander. FWIW, the slab has one straight cut and one natural edge and lends itself to a table that is positioned next to a wall.

I will take a pic of that slab and post here later.

[phil_o]

It is possible to use a planer to flatten a warped boards. Check out this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UONmuQt_98