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paulz
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 15:58
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I have been milling redwood boards for a 500 sq. ft. deck for the last year off and on, and finally have about enough to start laying it down. My small bandsaw mill has a hard time with these large logs, and combined with operator error there is a variation in thicknesses, probably close to 1/4" from the thickest to the thinnest. I can get around much of this by matching adjacent boards but I'm thinking maybe when it's all laid out I could rent a sander, like used on hardwood floors, and run over the whole thing. Sound reasonable? I suppose i would have to do this before the screws go in. The alternative is to get them planed but they are too large for the average bench planer, I would have to load them all up and take them somewhere.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 18:42
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Can you find anyone with a planer, haul them in to him? I think sanding a 1/4 or so would be time consuming and trying to get them even without holes or low spots would be tough. JMO
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 19:33
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Yep. A thickness planer would be the preferred solution. The $270 ones that the big box stores are not too bad, though more $ gets more quality, more longevity. I have a 20+ year old that I could not do without.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 19:40
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Thanks guys. Many of these boards are 15 inches wide and 20ft. long, the box store planers I've seen only take about a foot wide. I wouldn't be dealing with removing 1/4" of wood, I could put the think boards next to each other and work my way towards the thin ones. But you have a good point TMT, getting an even surface might be tough. This is a rustic place, doesn't need to be perfect.
Another option might be to shim the joists under the deck boards to even them out. How 'bout that?
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Eddy G
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 20:18 - Edited by: Eddy G
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I'm sure you've already thought of this but maybe there's a sawmill nearby? We have a couple 3 in our area and one of them has helped with some beams that needed trimming and used their kiln to dry some cut boards for me. Most can plain down rough cut.
On the other hand a floor sander would work but you'd need some heavy heavy grit paper....and a lot of it to sand down 1/4".....
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snobdds
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 21:00
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Lay them down, then take a hand plane or power planer and feather the edges. However, I think my regular planer will do 15 inches, I would double check the ones at your store.
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skootamattaschmidty
Member
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2017 21:11
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Would it be worth your while to rip the boards down to a width that would fit into a portable thickness planer? I know you end up having some waste but the pieces trimmed off may be great project pieces for picture frames, trim etc....just a thought
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Bushwhacked
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 00:21
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I am going to side with the people that said to take a planer to it. Ive sanded a few floors and a 1/4" will seem like a mountain. Not only that when your working on that high spot, you will keep hitting the spot your not working on and keep making dips and valleys in the floor.... A drum sander will help with this but still..... You can get a low grit paper and work on the high spots and then switch to a higher grit and sand the whole floor a bit more level...... I would choose a different path.
Im not sure what your budget is, there are some planers that will do 15" boards or if you are on the super budget, they do sell hand held corded planers that you can get that 1/4" out and then sand it when its installed. Sink the screw heads by pre drilling with a counter sink bit and you will miss most of them. The sander will sand the heads of any screws you dont get down far enough, just hope you never have to unscrew that set of screws you just sanded the head off of 
My two cents, if you have the budget, get a thickness planer or as ToyotaMotorTech said, take it to a shop ( maybe even a high school and see if the you can have the kids help you run all the boards though for a small donation?). take an 1/8th inch off each side then you have a board that will lie flat when installed and be smooth enough to sand down on the other side (to be adjusted so the boards are all the same thickness).
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sparky30_06
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 06:42
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http://www.grizzly.com/products/20-Planer/G0454?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly .com
http://www.grizzly.com/products/15-Heavy-Duty-Planer/G0815?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_sou rce=grizzly.com
http://www.grizzly.com/products/15-Planer/G0453W?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzl y.com
1/4" will take forever and you will never get them all even. Invest the money you would spend in renting a sander and buy a good thickness planner. I'm sure you will find many other projects to use it on, or when your done you could sell it. I'm sure there would be a few folks on here interested in buying a good used planner. hint hint
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 07:43 - Edited by: DaveBell
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Google "Millwork". Then call around and get prices. They have big floor standing planers and jointers and should be able to all that in about an hour. Drop off and pick up later will be the cheapest.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 09:05
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How will you attach the boards to the frame ?? if a sander was used and a 1/4 in. needed to be removed the screw heads would be gone ! You could posibbaly countersink the screws then use a sander . A large reciprocating floor sander with 40 grit papar would easily remove the variance in the redwood lumber.
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 09:32
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If you have a band mill of your own. I would put them on the mill , straighten them , rip them to a standard width, or several standard widths. They will now be easier to handle. You will likely be best to shorten some of those big long boards, as well, as I doubt they are perfectly straight. You can now lay them on the mill bed and dress a bit off the thick ones.
Or you can get yourself a 12 or 15 inch planer and plane them. If you have a mill, you will use it for lots of projects. Good Luck old 243
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 10:38 - Edited by: paulz
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Thanks again guys. There should be about 15-20 rows of deck boards, so if I put the think ones at one side and work my way down there should be much less than 1/4" variance between adjacent boards. So the overall deck may be 1/4" thicker over the joists on one side but the amount needed to be removed to even out adjacent boards would be far less.
Just the same, I am going to look around at planers, as mentioned it would be nice to have. I'm sick of making boards right now but surely there will be more in the future. Loading and hauling all these boards to another location would be a lot of work but also a possibility.
Here's the mill I have. It's really suited to smaller logs, doing this big stuff leads to some of the variances.
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bronco_ed
Member
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2017 20:14
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Sander can rip the wood away quickly with the right grit of paper. You have to keep it moving otherwise it will dig in. I do not think you would not be happy if you attempted it.
It may end up looking like the ocean full of very large waves.
Planer is best bet.
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don62
Member
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# Posted: 1 Oct 2017 18:26
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Check with your local school, shop class may have a wide belt sander or a wider planer available for you to use.
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