OF1400, Guide Rails and Heart Pine

[Chas]

Im doing a heart pine floor using wide planks. I started off straight but due to variations in the milling, an unlevel floor, shims etc, I have developed a slight bow. This results in having to wrap the boards in with jacks and wedges.

I was thinking that I could route the edge  straight at this point to make the rest of the floor go easier.

The floor is not perfectly flat but it looks like my guide rails will follow the dip. By connecting all of my rails I can do it in one continuous piece.

I will not be able to attach the rail to the floor but i is unfinished pine and the rail seems to be grabbing ok. If I pick up an OF1400, a spiral down cutting bit and a rail guide attachment, do you think there is a good chance of success?

The router will hang off the edge of the floorboard. Is there a way to get the router level when edge routing with the guide? The little outrigger appears suited to Dado type work.

 

[tbellemare]

You could add a base as a spacer and hang the entire router off of the guide rail.

Tom

 

[Chas]

You could add a base as a spacer and hang the entire router off of the guide rail.

Tom

Thanks, I have been reading about the spacers. 5 mm whic is 3/16" or so.. I guess the best material would be Plexiglass. Given the wave I have to follow, I might be able to get away with a polished birch ply shim or something..

I dunno, if it screws up, (read I screw up) I might be worse off. I am going to put on another run of 9" planks and just dry clamp them in. That way if I mess it up Ive only ruined material that hasn't been glued, nailed and pegged. 

Likely, my worst problem will be that Woodcraft has no OF1400's in stock. Or they will have the OF 1400 but no guide rail kit. .. Well, you know what I mean.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Use a rail saw. Finish the ends with a mm ans chisels.

 

[Chas]

It never occured to me to use the saw. Im not sure why. I have both now cause a miracle occured at the Woodcraft store and they managed to dig out everything but the bit. I have a upcut spiral instead. I won't be able to get to both ends. I think the router would do a cleaner cut. But it won;t be as stable. Stable probably counts more here but there is always stable enough vs perfectly stable. Ill do some short test cuts on scrap before I do the whole thing.

I picked up the wide base attachment. It is 9mm thick or something.. will that make the 1400 level to the rail?

 

[bruegf]

The saw should do a good job w/ a sharp blade.  When I bought my TS55 the dealer told me about a wood floor that was laid down in the convention hall in Chicago for a big show (I think the car show) and how they used a bunch of rails connected together and the plunge saw to cut out the major aisles so they could inlay carpet for the aisles.

Fred

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

The saw would give you much less chance of error I think.

 

[peter halle]

Personally I would use both.  I assume you will be cutting the tongue side. 

I would wedge a new piece into place.  I would pop a few finish nails into it to hold it in place.  Lay the rails down with the metal edge where I wanted the cut.  With a pencil mark the line.  Push up to the walls on both ends.  Adjust rail and continue the mark of the line.  Turn rail around and put splinter guard on line.  Using plunge cut saw, cut as much as possible.

Pop flooring up.  Pull nails from the bottom of the boards.  Lay rail on uncut portion to line and cut.  Using router with guided bit route the tongue.  Reinstall. All you will have is the small finish nail holes to fill.

Others have ideas, those are mine.

Peter

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Wide plank floors are a hit and miss for t&g.  I see a lot ship lapped or just butted together.

It would be easy to straighten it out and make a new ship lap for the fresh start.

 

[Chas]

Well, I decided to continue warping the wood into place till I got halfway through the room. A bow is a strange beast geometricaly. Its only about 3/16 of an inch but it translates to over 1/2" end to end which is a lot to move a 9" wide plank. Thanks everyone for the ideas. I just got a new Tru-Point lead holder. Its a 2mm with 4 jaws and auto advance (Made in the USA). I'll be marking with that so Im sure to get a good cut

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I think you would have a better chance modifying the new strips you are laying down then trying to fix the ones you already have installed.  Snap a chalk line where the strips should end up in an ideal world then use your router with a T&G bit or even your rail saw to modify your tongues on the row you are installing.  The longer you wait to fix the problem the worse it will be. 

 

[Chas]

I think you would have a better chance modifying the new strips you are laying down then trying to fix the ones you already have installed.  Snap a chalk line where the strips should end up in an ideal world then use your router with a T&G bit or even your rail saw to modify your tongues on the row you are installing.  The longer you wait to fix the problem the worse it will be. 

A chalk line would be almost as wide as the error but I get your point. This is almost the approach I am taking. I will clamp a new strip in place. I will mark a line from end to end with a pencil using the back of the rails. Ill then lay the rail on the line. I'll be using the rail saw to cut the top side of the shoulder of the tongue. Ill then unclamp it and finish the ends, again with the rail saw I hope depending on the curvature. I may just cut back close to the line and finish with files. Then the tongu will be cut to match the top shoulder with my router and an edge guide. The bottom shoulder will get cut with the rail saw. No real need for any precision here except for the top shoulder where straightness is critical.

 

[Chas]

Well, the deed is done and aside from the nick I put in my 2700 rail, Im fairly satisfied with the results. The saw worked perfect but aligning the three rails perfectly on an uneven surface was a little tough so I did end up with a slight dip on one end but the joint is near perfect except for a slight difference in elevation probably due to cutting the tounge a little too narrow. It will get sanded smooth in the end anyways.

Thanks for the help!