4 Common Mistakes That Ruin a Flat Table Top

[@jazzdad52]

Re: When you cancel out the deviation from 90 degrees cutting the edges on the table saw, you said you cut one edge on right side of blade, then move the fence and cut other edge on left side. I've been leaving the fence on the same side, just cutting one edge, marked "up" then marking the other edge "down" and flipping it over to cut the other edge. When I glue them, I glue "up" edge to "down" edge. Seems faster to me, unless I'm missing something?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Nope, I think you're on track better than I am! I just didn't think of that. I always joint at my jointer, it was a last minute though to mention how to do the same at the table saw for those who didn't have a jointer. Your way makes a lot more sense. I'm going to pin this.

[@11SecSTionStockSnail]

Good tip. Funny thing is I was doing same thing today gluing up wider threads, except I was doing it with my ts55 track saw (seems to cut straighter) And when I do bookmarch 2 slabs I just flip them as well. (Using 1 solid piece of makita 9-1/2’ track. Just clamp it and cut really slow with low tooth count blade (deep gullets clean sawdust out nicely and going slow will give you that nice arrow straight glue ready edge with no tear out. Sry for long rant

[@11SecSTionStockSnail]

Barry Manilowa my country is US. It all started with makita sp6000 at first, then my boss liked it so much he wanted to buy it from me. So I got a used ts55 for $400. That was about 5years ago. It’s still kicking. Since then I slowly acquired most other stuff festool has: OF1010 (new), kapex ks120 (new bug 2nd hand for $900, the guy was desperate. But all legit. With receipts and extra blade) domino df500 (new, but it’s my favorite festool tool), 2 of their vacums, and 3 sanders. (One of them is 6” rotex) amazing time saver.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I’ve been thinking seriously about getting a Festool sander. The rotex is more than I want to invest now though. Are their lower end worth it?

[@bungle555]

​@@YouCanMakeThisToo IMO, absolutely. I had the same situation where I couldn't justify the prices of their high-end sanders, but I wanted something better than other brands' random orbits, mainly because I know that prolonged hand vibration can lead to nerve issues. I bought a Festool 574993 for $200 and *love* it. Connected to a Shop-Vac, there is almost zero dust, and vibration is much less than any hand sander I've ever used. Their proprietary discs are a bit expensive, but not too bad - and actually a good deal when you consider how much longer they last than most discs. They also have grit formulations specialized to different stages of woodworking. Another tip: get a Bosch VAC005 hose from Amazon or Zoro for $35 and save a big chunk of change over Festool's hose.

[@joeborowy5794]

This table arrived well packaged and on time. kzbin.infoUgkxn94T8Mu1iMnsLCMNOI9srXSsLkI4JXKW Like another reviewer advised, I pulled everything out and made sure everything was included (everything was!). I built it alone and it took me about an hour. The color is great and for the price the lift part works well. As others have mentioned, it’s not the smoothest opening/closing, but it works. The screws do show, but I plan to order white sticker covers if that bothers us too much. Really happy with this table! UPDATE: it’s been over a year since we got this coffee table and we still love it! It gets HEAVY use as our dining table, foot rest, and school desk. Over time, the opening and closing mechanism has gotten smoother. I added a new photo with the white screw cover stickers. They blend in perfectly and make it look a little cleaner. 100% recommend!!!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Okay

[@handyseth7398]

Caleb seems like such a freaking nice, genuine guy. good on him

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Well thanks! That’s very kind of you.

[@chrissecrest716]

I work in a reclaimed lumber mill and go through these steps many times a week in our fab shop, but I’ve gotta say that the way you explain the sequence of operations and the reasoning behind it all, is beautifully illuminating and fundamental. It’s pretty much a master class in a lot of ways. This should be a first stop for those initially wrapping their minds around the how and the why of turning raw (or poorly milled) lumber into straight, flat, useable boards.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thank you very much! That’s quite a compliment

[@slapmeharder69]

Quick tip with the cauls, use a rubber bands on each side to temporarily hold them in place before you clamp. I make a little notch on the top side of each caul to hold the bands in place.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Oh that's brilliant, thanks!

[@davidbarnett1755]

I followed your guidelines on my current project and it made a big difference in the quality of the build. Thanks for your video

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad to hear it helped!

[@stevenwilliams6741]

I have no unsolicited advice or corrections to offer. I just enjoyed this video and your presentation style. Thanks!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks, I enjoyed your comment!

[@SylvanWorkshop]

Holy smokes, a Shopsmith planer! Great to see. I started on Shopsmith and still have a few tools left that haven't been replaced. Great video.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! It served me well for a few years.

[@redwolf7929]

I've do most milling or prep by hand ,but just bought bench planer today have not used it yet .I noticed that after planing boards to size and flat after a few days they have changed.I live sub tropics Australia. Humidity changeable.Maybe I should just place it more allow them to settle??

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I think I mentioned that early on the video. Make sure it's had plenty of time to acclimate in your shop before working them ( and that they're properly dry). Then do several light milling sessions instead of a big one to final dimension. That lets you slowly remove the "error" as the wood adjusts as you release tension.

[@barryirby8609]

Thanks for the video. I made up cauls out of hard wood about two inches thick and two and a half wide. (wood rescued from pallets) They are curved so the center is about a 1/4 inch taller than the ends. Drilled through them at the ends and installed long carriage 3/8" bolts instead of using clamps. The cauls are long enough to use on what might be a typical table top. Instead of tape, wax them heavily. I may drill more holes for bolts to keep the bolts nearer the edge of the work. If the bolts are too far out the pieces will arch and not touch in the center. they work great. Thanks for the great ideas.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Nice! I really like the carriage bolt idea, that’d definitely make them super easy to use. Thanks for sharing!

[@duckydrummer6331]

Boy did I learn alot from this video! I was having tons of frustration trying to glue up boards. If I glued up 4 boards at 4" wide and 3/4" thick, my middle boards would always raise up a little. Then I'd spend a lot of time sanding the crap out of them! I don't have any planes, electric or manual. Anyway, can't wait to glue up some boards the right way.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad I could help! If you don’t have planes you can use your sander. Or better, a flat board with sand paper glued to it. Just take it easy and sneak up on getting the flat edge.

[@robertelias3431]

Caleb, excellent presentation. Will follow your recommendations on next project.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! Glad it was helpful

[@michael7324]

Great video. I plan to use this info to build an outdoor surfboard bartop.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Sounds great!

[@TomKaren94]

4:45 - this is the first video I have seen that correctly describes how to joint edges of your glue-up boards to cancel out any slight deviation from square between the jointer fence and table. I commonly make desk tops that are about 22x44. To get the 22 dimension I use four 1x6 boards. I do my layout and then, when I joint them, I put the odd numbered boards through the jointer with the top toward the fence. The even numbered boards are put through with the top away from the fence. Contrary to the video, you don't have to worry about the boards sliding along each other when they are half a degree out... or even more. I use cauls anyway.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! It’s pretty key, but I haven’t seen many people show it. Sounds like you do tons of glue ups!

[@BradyHommel]

Hi, Hoping you see this, Im doing a reclaimed wood bathroom vanity. Wondering if the halceon would be a good finish for the wooden top?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Yep! It should do fine

[@BradyHommel]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo awesome thanks so much for the timely response! And thanks for the video as well. Very helpful

[@felixreali7101]

the power of wood-glue always surprises me. I never thought, in a million years, that those boards were gonna stick together just by glueing them. Thanks for sharing this. Will be doing a much smaller sized version of that for my newly built fish-tank-stand :)

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Wood glue is amazing stuff!

[@BrettsWoodshop]

I have some white oak slabs that are air drying. Whenever it is that I'm ready to make a live edge table, this information will come in handy. Thanks!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@aljundating1574]

I am just making my first build, a dining table last Saturday and Sunday. The thickness of my table top is only less than an inch and I have difficulty gluing and clamping them. I realize that I can't do it with haste lol. I have to go into the details much more that I just learned woodworking in KZbin three months ago and bought some power tools lately. Thanks Bro for the ideas. I hope you get more likes in the coming days.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! I appreciate that. Good luck with your table! And yeah.. good woodworking takes a lot of time, there's a reason most of it speed up footage or do lots of jump cuts. If you ever have questions feel free to reach out.

[@pthanos]

Dude consider making some smaller projects with wood before going for ..a dining table. Like, build a bench. That's what I did. But as the guy in the video said, you do you! Good luck.

[@killingoldgrowthsince]

I've done 4' x 5' x 3/4" with zero problems with these. www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31181&cat=1,43838

[@tcbridges]

What kind of wood was that table. Watch all your vedios and this ond was very help full. TY

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Maple, thanks for watching!

[@tiananman]

I'm making a table out of hickory for my sister - with a bunch of different width boards so this is very helpful. Thanks!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Great! Good luck with your table!

[@bobsnow1996]

Excellent table building tips especially gluing up and clamping... I listened very closely!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Great to hear!

[@davetarrant6888]

I must commend you my friend for the way you handle answering comments! It’s incredible how many people ask the same question comment after comment and you graciously answer them all respectfully. Great video with tons of great information that will be very helpful. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thank you, Dave! I try hard to and do my best to match effort. If folks take time to ask a thoughtful question I try to give a thoughtful answer... but it does tiresome when I have to give the same answer for the 10th time because they don't think to scroll..... but it's all good :). I'm happy to help. Thank you very much for the kind words and acknowledgment.

[@JusBidniss]

Great set of tips! Another really useful one I saw somewhere (I think the Jords Wood Shop channel?) was for flattening a twisted board with an extreme cup. Instead of removing all the material from the top and bottom faces, leaving a very thin board, he struck a line along the peak of the cup, ripped the board on the bandsaw (safer than tablesaw for a warped board), jointed the bottom face and then the cut edges in the middle, then glued it back together before doing any further milling or flattening. Instead of removing a ton from the faces, he only removed a thin V sliver from the middle, preserving a lot of thickness.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Great tip! I’m thinking of doing an “advanced” jointer technique video and go over stuff like that. Same idea works for bow and crook too!

[@dainvestments6308]

Great Video Sir! Would I have to use Cauls on a Butcher Block Cutting Board or would clamps work? Thanks

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

For small glue ups like that you can normally get away with just clamps if you’ve machined everything square.

[@joeatkins4470]

Thanks man, I'm new to the channel, but I really like the style and approach. I'll be back.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks, Joe! Great to hear that. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@tommyandresen8160]

I really like that "humble teacher style" of yours. Could you do a video on coating? Thanks for really great videos

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

It's on my list! Hope to get to it before too long. Thank you so much

[@dtacklind]

When I worked at sign shops we used to joint very long 8 quarter slabs by butting up two boards edges and connecting them with a scrap board on the ends. We then ran the connected boards butted seems right down the middle of the table saw blade. It might take two passes but the width of the straight blade makes a very straight joint.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That's pretty brilliant, basically does what I advise but in one swoop. Because they're cut together and at the time, you could inadvertently have all kinds of error but both boards would match up perfectly.

[@DannyPops]

Where has this video been??? Most comprehensive subtle tips about glue ups I've seen yet.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Trust me, I wish I’d done it sooner too! Glad you found it helpful.

[@billrose5146]

Thanks for the video ... very nice. 1) Do you ever try to remove the glue spill out (e.g. wet rag or wet paper towel)? 2) You only put glue (evenly) on one object piece. Do you ever put it on both? 3) You obviously know how much to put on. Is there a tip for that? My glue spill out is usually too much. 4) I have a biscuit jointer and like that. Do you like or dislike them for a particular reason? Thanks again.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I normally don’t wipe glue because it rubs into the grain and takes more sanding to remove. I normally only glue one side, so long as your boards meet well that’s plenty. When I’ve used biscuits they had enough slop I still needed cauls to get them flat... so why bother?

[@billrose5146]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo Thanks for your quick response and insights!

[@billrose5146]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo I wanted to follow up. 1) Any tips on putting the "right" amount of glue on? 2) Since you don't wipe off extra glue before it sets, do you typically only sand it out? Ever try something like a low heat hair dryer and try to peel it off or shave it off?

[@shannonmarie6227]

Do you have a video explaining what you were talking about at 6:01-6:25? I’ve heard about the jointer trick but never heard about that table saw trick! Novice wood worker here. Your video helped me tons, thanks

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I don't.. shoot me an email or DM on instagram and I'll send you a quick clip showing it.

[@TechieTard]

My GAWD, I so wish I had watched your video before I made my first bench top. Every single thing you pointed out as to the "why" do it this way, was a consequence I ran into of not having done it that way. Everything from angles not lining 100% on the edges from the table saw seems, to the top bowing and having to re-saw and re-glue. "sigh". Good info man, subscribed!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Ah man, unfortunately it's part of the process! Glad this was here to help set you straight though and now you know for the rest of your projects

[@ProDMiner]

So this cabinet company had been throwing mass amounts of wood away ruff stock and s4s from them. Sooo on the ruff boards I been doing all 4 sides getting them almost square and just letting them sit. I actually been rebuilding my jointer and I am adding a extension table on it soon. Also got a craftsman table saw off Craigslist today for $150 it had one of those ultra beefy fences 3hp motor. I didn’t know the arbor bearing was bad but that like 10 bucks to fix. So I am super happy. I built a finger joint jig, a massive insane table sled I been working on. I am going to build my radial arm saw into a bench here really soon. I haven’t built for about 12-14 years so I been super happy to get back at it again. Once I have enough oak I am building a missionary bed. Super happy! Also your tool chest are amazing I have tonsssss of that wood from the dumpsters I Goto. Do you have plans on them???

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That’s great! I have plans on my work benches, but not the miter station.

[@bugsy9069]

I made a jig to hold the boards flat, the glue joint about 1/4 - 3/8 apart, depending on how straight your boards are. Then useing a straight edge, run my router, with a 1/2 inch bit, down the middle so it will mill both edges in one pass. One glue edge will mirror the other perfectly even if my straight edge isnt perfect. The glue joint fits perfectly. You can get creative and do curved or wavy glue edges as well, pre-cutting with a band saw or jigsaw.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That's a good technique. I want to try the same idea but with a tracksaw soon. I've had some friends have luck with that. I've used templates and a router before to join on a curve to follow grain. it's a tedious process but with good results!

[@williamfitzer4805]

When I have slight elevation differences after a glue up I use a hand plane to bring it down. I get a flatter more consistent surface than just using an orbital sander.

[@davidowens8419]

Great video. I am a part-time woodworker and have made many tabletops, but these tips helped out a lot. Thank you!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! I'm glad to hear it

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

I would like to say thank you. I was under the impression that a jointer & plainer were going to make everything perfect. However this isn’t the case no matter how good you are you at making stuff. You will always need to sand and plain. I wish I would have seen this video before I started my bench top. I wasted a bit of lumber on my first attempt at my bench. Thinking that my newly purchased jointer and plainer would make all the lumber perfectly straight and flat. I wish in the video that talk about planers and jointers that more of the experts would say. These tools will get you close but don’t expect to have perfect results. You will in fact still need to hand plane and sand.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Newer machines and helical heads get you a LOT closer. My antique jointer struggles... but it's an antique jointer and the beds aren't even flat. Modern premium machines can get you close enough you don't have to fuss with it anymore, but that also depends on you being able to calibrate the machine to that precision and staying up on maintenance. Sorry to disappoint that new machines don't do it all for you, but glad you are equipped to turn out the work you want going forward! If you do have good new machines and you feel like they should be doing better though, maybe they should.. look into how to check calibration and get them adjusted. Might not get you to perfect, but the less you have to finesse by hand, the faster and better it'll be!

[@the_ABM]

I was confused for a while about why you did 24 ish shaves on the calls to create the pivot points. I've needed to apply clamping pressure in a similar application and my solution was having a flat portion like the "2-in flat" surface you described. Additionally, if I want to apply maximum pressure to that exact spot, instead of taking 6 shaves I'd do maybe 100?, to make extreme "valleys" as you called them. The ends of the calls would be off of the boards and even after applying maximum pressure, they would still never touch the table and all pressure is concentrated in that 2-in area.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Now I cheat and don't bother shaping with a plane. I just grab some little shims from the floor and stick them where the joints are.

[@kenkozimor8471]

Enjoyed the video. If making a tabletop like your's you do not have to use dowels just glue on one edge of the board?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

So long as your edges are flat, there's no need to make up lost strength due to bad jointing. The glue is plenty strong. In a panel glue up, biscuits, dominoes, dowels, etc... just help the alignment - same as I'm using the cauls for.

[@markquinlan4876]

Very well done. Doing a 6/4 maple top right now. Milled over 3 sessions and looking forward to moving forward. Your videos have helped a ton. Thanks for the content, please keep them coming.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That’s great to hear! Thanks for watching and commenting. Comments like this are super encouraging to keep putting in the work 👍👍 I’m glad this one has gone well, for now I plan on doing some more process specific help videos like this

[@treysonantonick3407]

Some great information! I didn’t think to use the planer in multiple sessions and I know that too is going to be super helpful!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad it helped! Sometimes you get luck and wood is good with just one milling.. but in my experience that hasn't been the case, haha.

[@daveinarmstrong]

Very informative video. How did you remove the small ridge in the table center? Belt sand or orbital sand? Would this leave a dish in the center of the table from the sanding?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Orbital sanding. Didn’t take long. And no dish, only one side was higher so just brought it down level. Thanks!

[@Ang.0910]

1:50 Does that concept work with old growth lumber also? I was thinking because it’s old growth, it’s rings and fibers are tighter/tougher. It’s already been through years of different seasons so it would not need the same amount of time (when milling) you described to expand and contract as much as modern conventional lumber. Is that correct? Hopefully I described my thoughts clearly on that. I have a bunch of 1x6’s of old growth redwood and Doug fir. Should cover a 10x10 wall fine. I wasn’t sure if I should plane them down(I only have a hand planer), leave as it, or sand. I was thinking of using them for an UN-painted shiplap accent wall in the living room. Just an idea not set on it. I’m also open to suggestions for any other cool ideas to use the lumber. I don’t want it to sit outside and get ruined though so indoor ideas are better. Ciao

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Old growth v new growth doesn't make a difference when you're milling. If you remove 10% of the structure of a board.. you remove 10% of what's contributing to it's shape and the rest will adjust accordingly.

[@johnjohnson1146]

Hello there, love the video! As for the Halcyon product, the manufacturer recommends re-coating annually and I'm wondering if you have ever had to actually go back on any of your projects to recoat? - "...maintain the beauty with just 1 to 2 quick coats annually."

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That’s for outdoor projects. It’s a marine varnish and where they recommend that they’re talking about having it on boats. If you’re using it indoors you shouldn’t ever worry about recoating unless it’s in front of a window and gets a LOT of sun.. and even then wouldn’t be annual.

[@johnjohnson1146]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo Thanks much for the reply! This will be used on a new studio desk build, so that makes perfect sense. Keep up the great videos!

[@madbenn5864]

Hi, excellent and informative. I am new to this game and have three milled planks of 22mm thick maple, they all have slight bends but I did it all at once, so watching this I can cure. My question is that I have a table saw but both edges of the planks are slightly bowed. If I saw one edge against the straight edge of the saw, it will still come out bowed as both sides are warped, how do I overcome this to enable a tight glued joint?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaLamXaGmZyooc0 Watch the bits about edge jointing without a jointer. You can make a sled with a straight edge that you mount the board too, or tape something straight like a level to one side. Then go through the table saw.

[@jimbarta5482]

When I'm laying out my boards I alternate the heartwood facing of each board. If you have the heart of adjoining boards facing the same way it could exacerbate any cupping over time, alternating them will reduce that.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Sounds like you're talking about alternating the growth rings. I've heard that too but personally don't follow it and haven't had any issue.

[@FoxSaysWhat]

This is incredibly helpful, thank you! Love the idea of the high point cauls. I may use a few dowels but it depends on what will be easier for me to reduce joint mismatching.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Yep, tons of ways to skin the cat.

[@sll-tt6bj]

Enjoy the video what planner would you recommend for someone who's starting out and on somewhat of a budget

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Whatever you can find on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace around you with decent knives in it

[@mikeygee4564]

Very helpful and well made video on table tops. Thanks!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@katebeless3717]

Great video, thanks for the tips! I might of missed it, but can you tell me what type of wood you used for this table top?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Maple

[@RodgerHarrell]

I'm doing an 84" white oak tabletop using 8/4 stock. I have a couple of pieces that are bowed. Milling them would lose too much thickness, so I thought of cutting those boards in half and milling them before gluing them back together. That joint would be very weak, but would get strength from being sandwiched in with full-length boards might be acceptable. The line where it was cut in half would not be very apparent (theoretically) since the grain should match up well. What are your thoughts?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

If you have a sturdy base there's no problem there. Just have to bear in mind that those pieces do results in a weaker top since they're taking strength away from the full length ones instead of adding to it. If you have a domino or are using cauls.. another approach would be to make some relief cuts in what would be the bottom of those boards so you can clamp them to flat. Obviously neither of those approaches are ideal.. but this is the realm of best approach to the material.

[@danielandshannonboye]

I'm about to make a 12' table for outdoors and have a couple questions for you: 1. What kind of wood did you use in this video, I really like the way it came out? 2. I'm new to woodworking and am curious what sort of glue you used? Everything I've read suggest glue and also either joiners or pocket hole screwing them together, do you find that that glue alone holds the top together well enough to safely move as one piece and ultimately pick up the table with once it's attached? Thanks in advance.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Awesome! This 8/4 (2” thick) soft maple. I dye stained it and sealed it with halcyon. Links in the description to that stuff. I used titebond 2. Since you’re doing an outdoor table, I recommend titebond 3. If you want a flat and smooth table top, skip pocket holes. They go in at an angle and will pull the top out of flat. A good glue joint is stronger than wood. So if you’re boards for against each other with no gaps, just your glue will be plenty strong.

[@peterdepuy6072]

Great session! This is a must-see for anyone planning to glue-up planks with the intent of creating a flat table top.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks so much!

[@robertdennis1439]

great video!!... question re. clamps... I've had my finger on the "complete purchase" button for pipe clamps forever and I notice you opted for a different style of clamp... can you comment as to your preference if any? thanks so much.... RD

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I prefer the parallel bar clamps because they apply more even pressure across their face. Pipe clamps tend to apply pressure at a bit of an angle

[@misterfee6467]

Parallel clamps worth it but more expensive

[@3solo877]

3x or 4x the price! And harder too get dried on glue off. I'd rather add more clamps to apply even pressure. Over all I prefer bar clamps in most situations.

[@hrayrohanyan4498]

Hello, thank you for video. i have made tabel top (oak) 40inch wide and 80 long, and thikness is 1.5 inch. Dray wood about 8%. Is it crucial to use C channels? And is there any other option to chose instaed of C channel and braedbord to keep tabel top stable. Thank tou in advance

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I wouldn't worry about it for that size.

[@jmac2009]

I had a question about the Halcyon varnish you used at the end. Why use it versus an epoxy resin? You mention that it is hardens up, but is it enough to resist daily wear & tear? How many coats did you use? I am currently making a cedar slab table (not a river table, just a good old fashion live edge table) and was looking for something to seal and protect it. I've been back and forth over whether or not to use a casting epoxy but wasn't sure. The Halcyon looks like what I've been hunting for, so I thought I'd ask you. Thanks for the videos, really enjoy them. Thank you for your service. Semper FI, (saw your website said Army, but I couldn't resist)

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thank you, and thanks for your service. So long as it's not being abused, Halcyon is fine for a table top finish. Epoxy is one of the most durable finishes you can use.. but it's thick and feels like plastic. Think every franchise restaurant table and bar top.. That's not the vibe I want on my furniture. Also, epoxy normally won't add any amber, it's clear. So I also use the amber Halcyon for the color. Cedar is really soft, so I would consider using a penetrating epoxy first to harden it up, and then apply Halcyon. That's what I did in my recent-ish coffee table video on some rotted walnut. It's been working great.

[@jmac2009]

thanks for getting back to me and the advice! Do you have any recommendations for the brand/type of penetrating epoxy i should use?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I like TotalBoat but they do sponsor me, sponsorship cake after I’d been using it.

[@verleschneiders938]

YouCanMakeThisToo l

[@brandofalcon]

Excellent video ! Wish I had seen this before building my desktop.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! At least ya know for next time

[@sallen7869]

Okay, this video is just plain fantastic. Clear, concise, and well explained.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thank you very much!

[@KomarProject]

Great info on making the calls. I always used flat calls and from now on im going to make a hill in them. Thanks brother. Great video

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! You might luck out with that, the first time I used them I was asking too much because I didn't mill properly and they helped but not near enough. Did some more research and learned about tapering them, it makes all the difference. Just be sure to give yours a wider hill top, not just a point. I messed that part up when I showed making them but talked about it later.

[@killingoldgrowthsince]

Komar project try these, much better www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31181&cat=1,43838

[@joerusso7001]

Maybe I missed it but was there any mention about checking the annular rings on boards before arranging and gluing to reduce the occurrence of cup warp? Thanks for providing a good video.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Nah, I should’ve mentioned it. My thought is that line of thinking assumes boards must cup and you have to settle between a cupped top or a rippled top. If you’re using properly dried wood, mill it properly and store it properly and follow the other steps.. it’s gonna stay flat so ring orientation doesn’t matter.

[@kdouglaslee]

Wow, this is the first of your videos I've seen but I'm hooked! I especially liked how you explained in the end how using a 2 to 3 inch flat area at the center of the caul would be better, I'm not likely to forget that point next time I make cauls for a glue-up. A+ content

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks, Doug! I really appreciate that.

[@LisaK-lj3vt]

I'm hoping you can help me. I bought a beech wood table top online, stained and matte oiled. The seller showed the top at 45 x 24 with metal plates (or battens) about 5 inches in underneath on both ends and one metal batten in the center. My top arrived with only 2 battens instead of 3, with each on the ends. The underside of the table top has a rough area that's uneven, I don't know the proper term and there are some cracks coming from it but only on the underside. I'm wondering if I should be concerned and return it? It won't be easy for me to do that, but I don't want to see anything happen to this tabletop after I go through the effort of attaching legs.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

So long as it’s glued well I’m sure it’ll be just fine. I’ve done much larger tables than that and almost never add any cross support underneath

[@MBLStacks]

Great video, man! Thank you. Solid tips for this apprentice.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

You bet!

[@duanemiller5606]

When sanding a seam I like to take a pencil and make squiggly lines that go back and forth over the seam. Just scribble back and forth letting some squiggles be short and close to the seam and some six to eight inches from ether side of the seam. This helps keep the sanding more even. As you sand back and forth over the seam the majority of the pencil line will sand off leaving a short segment on the low side of the seam. At this point draw new squiggly lines and repeat as often as necessary. When you can run your sander down over the Lankes of the seam and have no small segments your boards are smooth a crossed and because you drew lines further away you feathered out the sanding so you don’t have a big cup or trough down the seam running the length of the table.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That’s a good technique. I’ll do that to keep track when I sand the whole board. But haven’t for spot sanding. I will now. Thanks for sharing!

[@saxyrep1]

Very valuable info within the first minutes of the vid. Props !

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sharonshookup]

You were correct. Cup is a deviation of the shape of one side edge moving towards the opposite side edge along the length of the board. (like a ditch) Bow is deviation of the shape wide end towards the other wide end (along the face of the board). (Like a teeter-totter with two very heavy people on it) Crook is deviation of the shape where the near wide end meets the edge at the corner moving towards the far wide end corner, keeping the face flat but the edge bent. (like a rainbow)

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Great clarification, thanks!

[@SH-pc4xt]

Sorry, this is a nice love-fest, but I don't think the comment is correct. The teeter-totter analogy is a good one for a bow, which is what can happen if a long narrow board is stored standing on one small end and leaning against a wall. The narration refers to the result as a cup in the board, but it is a bow. Anyway, in the video, the on-screen text annotation properly corrects the narration.

[@sharonshookup]

@@SH-pc4xt I went and watched it again to see, and I understand what you mean. When he said store the wood vertically I assumed he meant up on edge against a wall.... you assumed he meant up on end. Storing lumber flat of course is the best way. The first piece of 2X6 he put through his machine had cup in it. Cup is considered a seasoning defect which is what he's talking about in the first part of his video. The wider the piece, the worse the cup and then you usually get seasoning checks. Bow is often apparent as the log or cant is cut fresh in the mill and no amount of keeping it flat between kiln strips and kiln drying it, will take the bow out. A piece like that doesn't get through our Sawmill & Planer very well without crossing up a few times...... but if it makes it to your home, at least it's easy to screw down. Crook is the worst. Thanks S H, it took me a while to figure out the teeter-totter. I never liked the definitions they gave in the lumber grading course.

[@mrclean146]

I don't know how many videos I have seen on this topic but yours was very helpful. Subbing and liking.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Awesome, thank you!

[@davenopeapottimus2590]

Im not clear on the calls or culls concept. the tapering will apply more force to the seam but wont that permit the 2 boards to pivot off that and make a V if your jointer isnt 0.0000 ? wouldnt untapered blocks give you an average flat glueup then the wiggly seams get planed true and theres no undue locked up stress in the seam, where the thing is most likely to come apart when jostled 20 years out?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

It's to help you apply a little more clamping pressure, especially if you have a thin gap you're trying to squeeze together. Problem is it makes boards want to bow, and the easiest place for that to happen is at the joints, so you want pressure there to keep them from bowing. Also, despite the carefullest milling, lumber is still often not totally flat and straight, so you wanna push those boards together into the same plane. The tapered caul lets you do that by putting pressure right on the joint. If you use a flat board you can crank your clamp till its breaks but all you're probably gonna do is squeeze the side of the board.. enough pressure ain't gonna make it 12" away to bring a joint tight.

[@joshlucas1236]

Do you have to account for snipe from your planer at all, or is your planer dialed in enough that snipe is not an issue?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I don't really have to worry about it on mine. If you have a snipe issue you haven't been able to correct just keep everything long enough you can cut it off afterwards.

[@joninfect8681]

I just finished staining a coffee table I built. 35"x18" made of 2x2's spf cut in random lengths, predrilled holes, glued and screwed each row. Stained it with 3 different colors and I'm going to apply the clear coat tomorrow. Thank you for the tip about staining each side equally. *New subscriber

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That sounds awesome! Glad to hear this helped some. Thanks for watching!

[@joninfect8681]

imgur.com/a/Pcez0O2

[@TheRayCaruso]

Thanks for the video. Quick question, why do you not use any type of joinery alignment like biscuits, dowels, or dominos (understanding that dominos are a whole other joinery topic)?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I should do a video just on that. Dowels are finicky for a panel because you have to nail the alignment. Biscuits are helpful.. but if your boards aren’t dead flat they won’t help pull things together like cauls will. The domino is out of a lot of folks budget. They’re certainly viable techniques, but my goal with this video was to try and present a strategy that could work for the most amount of people. Some packing tape, scraps, and extra clamps are all you need - and you might still have to use cauls even if you’re using other alignment techniques

[@TheRayCaruso]

I use a self centering dowel jig. Helps nail the alignment. Thanks again for video, and the response.

[@leandersmith6184]

You didn't mention the grain of the woods and the with of the boards, having the rings of the wood opposite will give a flatter surface and the smaller the boards are the better the glue up will turn out. I would always put a dowel in between the boards and use the scoles as well thanks for sharing.

[@scottrobertson9788]

Awesome video, super helpful advice! Thanks for posting!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks for watching!

[@manoadano]

@YouCanMakeThisToo Your video gave me the direction I needed for my first glueup...thanks! I'm looking for a similar stain applicator (large push pad) for my 3 tabletops (30"x60" and 30"X84") Looks handy! Can you include a link where might I find one?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

A few people have asked but I can't find one online, it's something my local wood workshop carries.

[@jude.25]

Excellent video and very helpful. I've been doing woodworking for a long time and have commercially made many table tops. But I learned something from you. Thanks!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thank you! Do you mind sharing which tip(s) were new to you?

[@jude.25]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo I never thought of planing down the caul on each end. I saw you do that and thought, "Well, duh!" LOL!

[@mikemason5704]

So ONLY gluing a top this size and this thick is good enough? No dowels or pocket holes? Also don't know your plans for a base but would that still work for a base that doesn't fully support, like say a farmhouse base

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Definitely. Assuming you can joint a straight edge. Glue is stronger than wood. But that’s reliant on your ability to make a good glue joint.

[@mikemason5704]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo awesome! Thanks!

[@jbb5470]

First time to your channel and really enjoy your style of presenting this topic. I have always had trouble with alignment on glue ups. Now, using some of your techniques I hopefully will end up with better results. Great video and presentation.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! And fantastic! Hope your next glue up goes better for you.

[@francoisbouvier7861]

What about alternating the growth rings? Can't do that without flat and square. Growth rings that aren't alternating will cause cupping.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Improperly dried or milled boards cause cupping, as well as having them in a poor climate (sun shining right on the top, opening a humid window near them). The alternating growth ring concept presumes you have to settle between a top that cups, or a top that is rippled. I accept neither.

[@mrkoolio8494]

What do you think of those clamps that apply pressure top to bottom and side to side? What is the downside if the cauls Are straight....not tapered? Thank you very much for sharing your knowlege

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I haven't used them.. they seem kind of gimmicky to me, but they might be great. The one fault I see is you can't balance the amount of pressure in each direction. The way I do it I can increase or decrease pressure on the cauls or on the boards independently. If they're the straight the problem is most of the force will be applied at the edges of the panel instead of the joints where it's needed. A work around is to just put a shim on the joint to get the pressure there.

[@joelegrand5903]

Thinks, making a farmhouse table as a wedding gift & your video was very helpful.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Awesome! Good luck on your table! I’m sure they’ll love it.

[@MrJKellerLewis]

Great information. Stoked about the halcyon finish. I'll be using that on some nightstands as we use a humidifier and always have cups of water on them

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Great! It’s an exterior finish so should hold up well to that. Don’t forget to use the code to get 10% off

[@sverrewilson870]

Great tips. Making my first ever tabletop right now, hopefully the first of many!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

You can do it!

[@marrazzowoodworkingdiy8118]

Great video. Im building my very first coffee table top out of Ash and am a little intimidated. This video will be a huge help. I just have to make some cauls.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

For sure! Just take your time. Be deliberate. And don’t try to take any shortcuts.

[@marrazzowoodworkingdiy8118]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo will do!

[@WoodUCreate]

Wouldn't it help a lot more to use a biscuit jointer or rout a slot to for the panels to register evenly? The concern I had was that 1/32" misalignment would cause a lot of planing or belt sanding to get it flat. I just think the biscuits are extremely easy to do and the results are excellent.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

When I used a biscuit joiner I still had to use cauls, they had too much play in them. Could’ve been my error though. I like promoting cauls because they don’t require any extra tools or material handling, just a few more clamps and once they’re made you have them. That said, this certainly isn’t the only technique, just what I like and thought would be best for my brand. Dominos are fantastic too, but that’s a big investment.

[@killingoldgrowthsince]

Biscuits are not needed for panel glue ups what so ever.

[@leifharmsen]

Ever use biscuits to help alignment? Can biscuits replace the calls or would you need both?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I've used them and didn't care fo them as much. Still had to use cauls to keep things flat so figured why bother?

[@simonsteers142]

Cool vid! It's a good idea to alternate the arc of the end grain of the boards, that way, over time when the boards eventually start to cup, the alternate directions of the cupping help to maintain the overall flatness of the boards.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks! I don’t follow that, some still stick by it but it’s mostly been abandoned. The idea was if all your boards cupped, you’d have a wavy top instead of everything cupping the same way. But, if any of your boards are cupping it’s because you did something wrong previously. Lumber wasn’t dry enough, didn’t acclimate to your shop, didn’t mill over multiple session, or didn’t finish both sides equally. Do that and your wood won’t cup, which eliminates what the alternating growth rings was intended to mitigate.

[@simonsteers142]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo we will have to agree to disagree my friend, 35 years working with all common and many not so common species of timber have taught me that its timber and it will eventually move.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

No worries friend, I may end up eating my words and it never hurts to be more cautious. Regardless, thanks for sharing!

[@dt9913]

@@simonsteers142 Your absolutely correct Simon. I've been doing custom woodwork for over 50 years now. If you don't oppose the inside and outside grain your asking for trouble down the road. It's not my law it's natures law. The outside will always dry out first and yes I do mill, wait a day or 2 and mill again.

[@jeremykramer7021]

I noticed your shop smith planer, I am having problems with mine. Have you checked your table level? I tried taking the chain off but am working thru it. Every time the chain tightens you have to account for movement either way. Have you found any tricks for this? This all started when I checked the height between table and crossbars on all four corners and one was off .... now I can’t get more than 2 or 3 posts even. Any suggestions? Or is the shop smith a mistake and sell it for a DeWalt?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

I always suspected mine was the slightest bit off.. but never dug into it. It wasn't off enough to cause any problems. I don't have it anymore. I've heard a lot of good things about the DeWalt 735... but everyone I know that has one has also had to put in a fair bit of repair time.

[@aaronmercado8630]

Can you make video on finishing the table top. I want to make a desk top and there’s so many ways to finish it and I’d like to see how you handle the finishing presses.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

One is coming soon! There’ll be an abbreviated one in two weeks and one in depth in July.

[@MntungwaMbhulazi]

Thank you! You just saved me hours of planing and sanding! Wish you'd posted this two years ago! Very grateful.

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad I could be of help! Trust me, I’ve logged those hours too.

[@J.Allen_]

Very helpful thank you for your time

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

You are very welcome

[@FOUAD60SANTOS]

I'm working on a staircase of 10 to 11 stapes if I could! Very small space, 1m30cm t runs. 2m35 hight. My worries is gluing 2 large wood toghather ? With out bisket?

[@Bernardory]

Amazing tutorial! I have a few thick, 10’ rough cut Cypress boards that I planed and tried to get a straight edge with a DeWalt tracksaw... acclimating in my sunroom. Not happy with the edge and I’m so happy to see this large scale glue up! Really gives me the confidence and tool list to move forward. I’ve been searching for larger glue ups on KZbin and nothing till now! So detailed. Love it!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

For something that size you’ll probably need to go to hand planes. When your pieces are that big it’s less about making them straight and more matching each board to each other. Stack them on edge, mark where they touch (high points), and plane those parts until they touch the whole way. This was just a 6’ glue up, but follow the principles (and use more clamps and cauls!) and you’ll have a good glue up!

[@killingoldgrowthsince]

I've done 4' x 6' panels with these with no problems www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31181&cat=1,43838

[@wholegrain27]

@@killingoldgrowthsince I tried your link. Didn't find what your clamps. Can you link to the specific product?

[@thomaszaccone3960]

These are awesome tips, Thank you!!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kevinh5031]

Thank you sir! I just got started out these tips are phenomenal

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Best of luck!

[@robbmartin9855]

which Halycon product provides the best look for table top or coffee table?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Amber if you want that oiled look. Then use clear satin to topcoat.

[@eduardsiger1860]

Can i do this with just pipe clamps? Three on top and two on bottom? The pipes are flat so would it achieve the same result?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

They’ll flex some under the strain, especially with larger glue ups. That’s where the cauls come in.

[@eduardsiger1860]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo thank you for the helpful information! Appreciate it

[@damianmcilroy]

Are your boards thick ebough that they don't need bracing to stop vertical bowing due to the weight of the table? I'm making a 1.6m long desk top from pallet wood and a ply base and I'm worried about bowing in the middle. Do you think I'll need something to strengthen it? And if so what are your suggestions? Thanks a lot!

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

That’s the aprons/skirt around the top off the base are for. They provide the support to keep the flat on thin (3/4”ish) tops.

[@edteneyck6312]

Great video. You covered all the mistakes I made in my 10ft table. Haha. When talking about multiple milling sessions does this apply to kiln dried rough as well as air dried?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Yes. If anything, more so to kiln dried. The accelerated drying can add tension.

[@vinvin8922]

The cauls are with the fulcrum or whatever you create directly on the piece, right? So it would be like: ) | ( with that centerline being the workpiece? Thank you in advance. Ive messed up quite a few glue ups now that has had me milling off over 1/4 of a material at times so this has been great. Gonna try this out over the weekend for a batch of Coasters and cutting boards!! You the man clifford franklin

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Correct! and you want the fulcrum to be your glue line. If you only have one, it should be the middle. You want a high point on your caul wherever you have a glue seam. Imagine the fulcrum in the middle but with a three board glue up.. it'll help, but not near as much.

[@vinvin8922]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo oh i get it now! So for each glue line, you need one high point. So probably make multiple glue ups for a big piece?

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Yes. And make each high point about 2-3” wide, not a true point. That’ll help. And definitely multiple glue ups. For table tops I seldom do more than 2 glue seams per glue up so I can keep control. I’d much rather do another extra glue up than have to rip a joint and start over, or have tons of sanding.

[@vinvin8922]

@@YouCanMakeThisToo thank you! Appreciate the prompt replies man

[@AGlimpseInside]

Really well put together my friend. Definitely some clamping techniques in here that everybody should know. Great job Caleb

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

Thanks, Chris! I do what I can, just trying to share the knowledge

[@jeremywong9207]

I've never heard of making the cauls (sp?) Like you did and it makes so much sense. Thank you so much . New sub

[@YouCanMakeThisToo]

It's an old school technique but super effective. A few commenters have mentioned another great trick.. just have a few super straight boards and a deck of playing cards. Instead of making cauls for each multi-board glue up. Just put some cards on the seams to get pressure there, and they're glue resistant.