which tool for hardwood ?

[zrico]

hi everyone.. I am not a wood type person but have bought some old hardwood (black but top and iron bark legs) to use for an outdoor table.

table looks great but question is how do i cut back 1-2 mm so I can reveal the beautiful timber beneath the old splintery grey surface.

the recycling place I purchased the timber from told me they use a 15 grit 9" grinder to do the bulk of it and then finish off with a wire wheel.. before going even smoother

any suggestions ? shally I go and buy a 9" grinder with a very course wheel to begin with

thanx
rico

[Waldo]

If it's a once off I would simply take the timber to a joinery place (proving there are no nails etc. in the wood) and get it thicknessed to size. Would save you buying something you might never use again.

[zrico]

tables already made now, so no pulling apart any time soon... and I dont mind buying a good tool..

but what to buy ? u reckon the guys were right about a big 9" grinder ?

[Waldo]

A 9" grinder can be a nasty and unforgiving in anyone's hands. In your case I'd maybe opt instead for a belt sander.

[zrico]

I see there's alot of Makit belt sander fans..

would a grunty makita belt sander do an adequate job of grinding back the hardwood surface ?

[Waldo]

:yes: and safer too. Start with a really abrasive grit and sand down to a finer grit, or alternatively a good random orbital sander. :2tsup:

Thing with 9" grinders, especially if you used a wheel like you were recommended, if that wheel grabs and bites in and takes you with it then anything might happen. :oo:

[Single-phase]

What about hiring a floor edge sander?

Popular Applications
Sanding floors edges, stairs and small decks. Suitable for timber or parquetry.

Main Features
Compact and easy to use. Supplied with disposable dust bags for simple collection and removal of sanded material.

Just a thought.

[ecsk]

I'd pass them through with a hand held power planer first, them finish them with either belt sander or RO sander.

[BobL]

I'd use a router mill. That's basically a gutsy router with a 35 mm dish bit suspended above a table in a cross sled arrangement (the sled is usually made out of MDF) that can allow the router to skim off the top mm or so of the wood. They work brilliantly. Then you would need a belt sander to tidy it up.

Here's mine (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f88/router-mill-35655/)but it's way to complicated and wont fit what you need.

If you do a search on the web you can see much simpler arrangements specifically for flattening bench and table tops.