Flattening a Chainsaw Milled Slab | DIY Router Sled
--⏱️Timestamps⏱️--
0:00 How to flatten slabs with a router
00:37 Making a slab flattening jig
03:24 Dust collection for a slab flattening jig
06:52 Flattening a wood slab
09:28 Making levelers for stacking lumber
10:30 How to make a level surface for stacking slabs
I love milling my own lumber using an Alaskan chainsaw mill. Unfortunately, when I went to cut this oak log I just couldn’t get it down off the pile of logs. It was wedged in there pretty good. What I ended up doing was cutting the first few slabs off the top of the log. That lightened it up enough to finally pry it loose and get it onto the ground. What complicated it even more was that I hit metal…a lot of metal…while milling. All of this combined for some really wonky slabs. What I decided to do is build a slab flattening jig that allows me to flatten and stack the slabs so they will eventually be ready for use.
This jig is made with construction lumber, MDF, and plywood. The walls of the sled were made from 10ft long 2x8 boards that I cut to approximately 7” wide. I connected the sides using 2x4s that I cut to 3” wide. Cutting the edges off the boards gave me good, smooth edges for aligning the boards when constructing the jig. Once the lumber was screwed together, I laid a piece of MDF on top so that I had a smooth surface for loading and unloading slabs.
The jig that holds the router is made from 3/4" plywood. Essentially, it’s a trough that holds the router so that it has enough room to slide back and forth with no friction, but not loose enough to wiggle around. There is about a 2” gap in the center of the jig for the router bit to fit through. Lastly, I added a dust port so that I can hook up my shop vac.
Here is your public service announcement for this project: please wear your protective equipment. No matter what dust collection you are using, dust gets everywhere. You don’t want that in your lungs. Also, eye protection is a must as shavings and chips can go flying.
I put the slab on the sled and stabilized it with a few wedges. Then it was back and forth with the router, inching (literally) closer to the end. Once I felt the slab was flat enough, I flipped it over and did the other side. When I use these slabs for their final project, I’ll do this once more, making a lot of passes to ensure a smooth surface.
Slabs have to have some place to go. I made some steel levelers that allow me to create a flat surface for them to lay upon. They are made from 1/4" square tube and bolts. The bolts allow me to adjust the height of the levelers.
I hope that this video helped you to get an idea for how you can make your own router sled. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
•• Tools & Materials ••
Dust Deputy: amzn.to/3aXeqe6
Rigid shop vac: amzn.to/2U1V6Gz
Makita circular saw: amzn.to/2O54epZ
Makita drill: amzn.to/2U6DJnP
Bosch Router: amzn.to/30Yus2A
Jet table saw: amzn.to/2RwQTJa
Spax 2-1/2” screws: amzn.to/2OaLm8X
1-1/4” coarse screws: amzn.to/2GBt5xn
Slab flattening router bit: amzn.to/38S4ssi
CA glue: amzn.to/38VSy0V
CA activator spray: amzn.to/36AvS4I
Dust mask: amzn.to/2O4x3Tx
Eye protection: amzn.to/37F5M1N
•• Tech Gear ••
Nikon DSLR Camera: amzn.to/2vtIJJ5
HP Omen PC: amzn.to/2RxxXtH
Asus 24” Monitors: amzn.to/2RVGky9
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My brother ground the point off a 2" forstner bit and uses it for flattening. It worked!
Call me the wonky sawer! 😅 Thanks for the video. ✌️
Builds router sled ..has more lumber in it than a 🏠...hired two people to move sled...but has quality tools ..another Makita pro here ...great video
Great video. Thank you. Have been planning to build one for years. The time has come.
your lumber levelers are an amazing idea! so many times in our shop when we assemble, we glue up a piece and stack it, glue up a piece, stack it, etc. the glue dries while on the stack so if it isnt flat then the installers get angry because they get warped gables or something. this is such a great solution.
Good economical flattening jig. Regardless how fancy your router sled or how perfectly straight your main support rails, an absolutely essential element in the setup is to be sure that the rails are in plane with one another, i.e., not in winding (twisted). If your setup fails in this regard, the result will be generally flat work pieces, side to side, but with a twisted face, end to end. You can either use winding sticks or a reliable level to assure that the rails are co-planar. I happen to have a digital level, so I am able to accurately achieve this planar result, even if my rails are not truly level. But you can achieve an excellent result with careful use of a standard level.
Timely video! Live edge slabs & slab projects are very poplar now. Unfortunately, many people take it for granted that every slab, regardless of size is flat as a pancake. Rarely is that the case. "How can I get this flat?" is not a question you want to start thinking about after the purchase.😉 Your router sled jig is something every slab woodworkers should have in the shop.
GenealogistWoodworker One of the worst abominations i’ve ever seen in the lumber business involved a 30” x 40 inch long buckeye burl slab turned into a coffee . Possibly one of the most spectacular slab specimens I’ve seen in my career - completely covered in dense burls, almost no open inclusions, wild colors running from copper to black to silver to tan. Basically everything you look for in an A+ grade buckeye Burl. Someone just dumped a ton of epoxy all over it and ruined it. Epoxy was uneven, turned yellow from UV exposure, bug holes were appearing as live bug bore through the Epoxy from inside. I think some people think rustic = anything goes. Not true! 😆
Can you use a version of that last jig on your flattening table, so you don’t have to use wedges and shims to level the piece prior to the flattening operation?
Wow.....that slab was cupped just like the one I just flattened. I used a 3/4 inch bit and it turned out very well.
Yeah I hit a lot of metal and it threw off my cuts a bit. But it's all good now!
Decent router sled design, but the only problem that I see with it is that you ar planing the work piece perpendicular to the direction of the grain. Its not crucial but it definitely makes for a better finished product if you go parallel with the grain. Just a little advice, I learned this by trial and error unfortunately because my first sled was a cross grain design as well. My slabs look much better now that I have it setup to run parallel to the grain direction... Happy woodworking Sir, Good Day!!
You said get in my shop and build something awesome, I am working on awesome stuff but it seems like I spend most of my shop time waiting for glue to harden , and paint to dry , always something holding me back , but you can’t rush a good thing ha ha ha ha .
If you add a vaccum floor attachment under the vac attachment you have you might capture alot more. Just a thought...
It might! I'll have to consider that next time I use it. Good idea.
I really thought the wood was 100% guaranteed to warp as it dries out, so flattening it was something to do only after it is dry. Apparently, that is not the case... Thank you - learning is good!
You should definitely flatten your slabs once the drying process has completed or at least very close to completion because your slabs absolutely can still warp or twist after they've been flattened if it still has a high moisture content. Really depends on the species of the wood that you are using ie. Madrone/Arbutus is highly prone to warping and twisting during the drying process. So in the end personally I would say to always dry your wood before you plane it. It would be very upsetting to spend all kinds of time flattening your work piece only to come back to it once its dry and find it warped or twisted and have to completely go over it again.
I hit a railroad spike that was embedded in a log once. Lost 6 teeth on my chain.
Why was there metal in your tree?
I'd say it's unusual not to find metal in urban trees. People nail into them, trees grow around items on the ground or on fences. I've found bullets too.
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