A lot of good methods have been published for flattening boards that are too wide for the capacity of one’s jointer. Most involve some sort of planer sled. I’ve taken a simpler approach lately, which is just as effective. It works on boards up to 2 in. wider than my jointer.

You’ll have to remove the guard on your jointer to make way for the wider board, so be sure to use push pads as always to keep your hands safe. Start by jointing as much of the width as you can, leaving a lip along one edge. Then remove the lip with hand planes. I start with a smoothing plane and sometimes finish with a jack plane. With the jointed surface as your guide, it’s very easy to flatten the lip accurately, bringing it flush with the rest of the face. If it’s not perfect, it soon will be when you run both sides of the board through the planer. Start with the jointed face down on the planer bed.

—Jim Murtha, Lancaster, Ohio

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