Good Evening.
I'm fairly new to woodworking by hand and I'm trying to get better at 'leveling' surfaces. I'm currently building a table with hand tools (+ a circular saw and table saw for rips) and I can get the top "pretty" flat, but I doubt it's as flat as I think it is.
I'm currently using an amazon #4 (converted to scrub plane), an LN 5 1/2, and an old Stanley Type 7 #7 that I restored.
My question to those of you who don't use a powered jointer + planer; Do you utilize longer straight edges than a #7 or #8 in your workflow? I was looking at something like the Veritas Aluminum Straight Edge in 38" or 50" as a way to help identify low spots.
Right now the way I identify them is with reading shavings from the #7 and using the #7 on it's edge as a straight edge that I walk down the surface.
Obligatory project info and photos:
Project is a dining room table, Legs and top are in cherry. Aprons and dowels will likely be walnut. Drawbored mortise and tenons for the joinery, and cherry buttons to attach the top to the aprons. Legs are 2 3/8 thick squared from 10/4 stock. Going to put a taper on the inside of the legs. Top is from 8/4 stock and will have a bottom bevel with a land. Yes the top is very heavy, and yes I'm working on a plywood out-feed table.
This is the 10/4 stock before I had it completely milled down and cut into the legs.
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This is me doing some fitting for the jointing before glue-up.
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This is the top after flattening.
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And just a random pic of the #7 I cleaned up. She works pretty well for her age.
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