Woodworking
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Milling Four Square Lumber
   
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Introduction:
This tutorial assumes that you know how to safely operate your
power tools. Always refer to the manufacturer instructions if
you are unsure how to use your tools.
Any wood worker needs to take a board from the lumber yard or
their local sawyer and make this board a uniform thickness,
length and width. This board needs to have all four edges square
to each other. This is referred to a milling a board four square
and is a pre-requisite to any wood working project.
This is best accomplished by using a jointer, thickness planer,
miter and circular saws and a table saw. In this example we will
mill a board 30" x 4-1/2" x 5/8" with all for edges square to
each other.
Step 1: Rough cut your stock Rough cut your stock to 30-3/4" x
4-3/4" and maintain the same overall thickness. Start by
selecting a piece of stock larger then your finished size
(obviously) and use a framing square to square off one end of
the board. Be sure the end isn't checked (cracked) and if it is
square the board off just beyond where the cracks end.
Make the cut using a circular saw being careful to make a fairly
square cut. Now measure 30-3/4", the rough length, and square
off the board using your framing square. and make the second cut
the same way you made the first. Be careful to cut on the waste
side of the line.
Step 2: Rip to rough width The table saw is the best tool for
this cut. Set the rip fence so it is 4-3/4" from the blade and
set the height of the blade so the gullet of the teeth are the
same height as the stock. Following the directions included with
your table saw start the blade and make the cut, being sure to
use a push stick.
Step 3: Truing one face Now that your piece of stock is the
rough size needed it is time to true up one face. This is best
accomplished with the jointer.
As always with the jointer it is advisable now to take more than
1/16" per pass. Taking more wood per pass will overwork the
machine and give results that are less than optimal.
Analyze the board to determine the direction of the grain and
whether there is cupping. It is best to place the cupped face
down since it will site better on the jointer table. Run the
board through for a couple of passes until you have a uniform
face free of voids and dips.
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Step 4: Truing the second face The thickness planer is by far
the best tool to accomplish this. On the jointer it is simple to
get the second face true but it is quite difficult to get it
parallel to the first.
The thickness planer guides the board and makes the second face
exactly parallel to the first. Once the second face is true and
parallel to the first continue to plane the board until it
reaches the finished thickness, in this case 5/8". Remember to
feed the stock with the grain to ensure a smooth clean cut.
Step 5: Square one edge Back to the jointer for this step. Set
the jointer fence so it is exactly 90 degrees to the table and
be sure the cutting depth is set to 1/16". Determine the
direction of the grain and place on face against the jointer
fence and make a pass through the cutter applying steady
pressure against the fence.
Once you are satisfied that the edge and face are square to each
other mark the edge for reference.
Step 6: Square the other edge Now that you have one edge
prepared it is back to the table saw to rip the board to width.
Set the fence 4-9/16" (1/16" larger then needed). With the
marked edge against the table saw fence rip the board. Now
return to the jointer and make one final pass, milling the new
sawn edge. Be sure that the jointer is set to 1/16".
Step 7: Squaing the ends I prefer to use a table saw to square
the end and cut the board to length although a table saw with a
miter gauge will work as well. Check that your miter saw is
cutting a true 90 degrees and when you are sure it is trim one
end of the board, taking as little off as possible. Now measure
the finished width of 30" and make the cut taking care to cut on
the waste side of the line.
Conclusion: You should now have a board that is 30" x 4-1/2 " x
5/8" with all four sides square to one another.
There are a number of methods that will work for milling a board
square, however I have always had good luck using this method.
About the author:
Dave Markel has helped hundreds of individuals improve their
wood working skills. Visit his site at Willowbank Wood Working
Plans