The two top boards are almost 2″ wide, which is much bigger than my machinery. So, I pulled out a few hand tools and got to work. I used an old #6 Stanley hand plane with a very camabered blade, a new Lie-Nielsen #7 and even a belt sander.
Tools for flattening: #6, #7 and a belt sander!
I”d mostly use the Stanley #6 across the grain, taking very thick shavings to quickly remove material on the boards. Winding sticks and a straight edge check progress.
Use winding sticks and straight edge to check progress
The belt sander was used on knotty areas where the hand plane was really tearing out.
Belt sander quickly removes material around knots
The Lie-Nielsen #7 was set for thinner shavings and used diagonally and with the grain as the final passes.
A Lie-Nieslen #7 cleans up the board nicely
Morton is a furniture designer builder working in Harvard, MA. He reviews tools for Highland Woodworking on YouTube. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter @morton, and his own YouTube channel.
Just came across this post and it’s great timing for me. My friend and I are trying to restore and old buffet we rescued from the garbage. The top is in 2 pieces and warped so it won’t lie flat. This top is not veneered but solid wood and your article makes me think I can use your technique to get the top to lie flat again!
Thanks a lot for sharing these wonderful tips. I love your post. Keep posting.