# Twisted wood - router jig to flatten



## hfminmi (Sep 16, 2009)

I need to flatten some twisted wood. I saw a slick jig using a router and a special bit to flatten the wood but now I can't locate the source, a magazine or book. Can anyone point me to the source. I think I saw it in a Woodsmith magazine but I am not sure.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

hfminmi said:


> I need to flatten some twisted wood. I saw a slick jig using a router and a special bit to flatten the wood but now I can't locate the source, a magazine or book. Can anyone point me to the source. I think I saw it in a Woodsmith magazine but I am not sure.


This is one method, just put packing under edges so that there is no wobble, once the first side is flat reverse it and do the same again.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Come on baby let's do the twist
Take me by my little (router-ski) hand and go like this . . .

To de-twist, or not to de-twist, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of more fire wood,
Or to take arms against a sea of twisty troubles
And by opposing, end them. 

(apologies to both Chubby and Will) 

In other words, I think it depends on how much twist you have in relation to the thickness of the board. The twist is the result of internal tensions in the tree. There's no telling where you are in the board responding to those internal tensions. It may continue to move. And, once you have one reference surface flattened, and thickness the other surface to be parallel, and re-plane the reference surface to equally expose new surface to avoid warping, how much do you have left?

Assuming there's still sufficient thickness for your intended purpose, I'd sticker the board and let it rest for a week or so to see what it's going to do.


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

Harry gave you one method, the other is very similar, called router planing sled such as in this link.

newbie question of the week... rough lumber w/no jointer/planer - Woodworking Talk - Woodworkers Forum


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Just one more way to get the job done 

Video | Woodhaven

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## hfminmi (Sep 16, 2009)

It is 4/4 plus and I did sticker it for about a month. The twist is significant but I only need 3/8" to build my project.


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## Binder (Jan 5, 2011)

Thanks for the lead to these video's very helpful.


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