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I'm building a small couch tray table out of Red Oak. The top is 3/4" thick and measures 14 3/4" X 24 3/4". I made the top by gluing up 3 boards. The top is not dead flat. If I lay a straight edge across it I can see light in a few spots. I've been sanding to try and get the high spots down. I don't have a planer or wide sander. I loaned my belt sander and it hasn't been returned. I have a random orbit sander but don't think this will do it for me. There aren't any woodworking close by. I'm going to stain and use an oil based poly on it. I've used poly quite a bit and I'm wondering if the self leveling process will help make the top flat?

Okay Master of the great wood turner, lathe tool sharpening queries.... I have both a grinder and a table top belt sander. which do you think is better to use for a beginner and which grit for the sander and grind wheel. i was watching videos but they dont tell me. so i am looking to the masters for help.

Picked this up from another member over on the Canadian forum. It was in what can only be described as tough shape with no motor. It was completely encased in want looked to be a hard shell of bondo dust. At least thats what I assumed it to be given the seller said it came out of a body shop. But what the hay, I love a challenge. Fist step was to remove all the crud. Turns out it was fairly easy to scrape off. After complete disassembly I soaked all the painted parts in a strong hot bath of TSP which moved any remaining crud. Follwed this up with a two day soak in citric acid solution to remove all the rust as well as some of the paint.Removed the paint with paint remover. Discovered that a couple of the legs had been bent and twisted so I had to straighten them out. The belt cover was dinged and pushed in a bit. Some work on the dings and some bondo worked fixed that problem As usual the top cover had a groove worn it it from a poorly tracking belt. Some JB and bondo disguised this. Wire wheeled and buffed all the shiny parts. Painted it up. Made new decals and put it back together. Put on a 1 HP motor I had in my rathole, install a new motor starter and drive belt. The machine did try my paitence when I was tracking the new sanding belt. By the way this is best done with the side cover and top cover removed. Fortunately I had been warned about this in advance. Turned out good enough to earn a place next to the rest of my Delta stuff. I also discovered during the coarse of the rebuild that I was missing two parts, a front dust deflector that goes at the bottom of the belt and a small dust deflector that goes inside the dust chute. I made the deflector for the inside (sorry forgot to take picture) I was making the one for the bottom of the belt but gave it second thoughts. I ended up using the one in the picture below by the previous owner. It no doubt catches more dust as it strats just below the table. I know it cuts down on the belt lenght in the horizontal position but I don't that as a problem as I am likely to use it in the vertical position most often.

Had a few chisels that were a bit beat up. Seems all that work on the last tool chest wore a few out. Set up the center for sharpening. Belt sander clamped into the vise. Honing Guide set to the correct angles ( 2 were needed) Floor tile set out, full sheet of 150 grit clamped to it. 220 set aside, 1500/2000/2500 grits on standby Ok, one firmer chisel had some rust spots that had to go. Wire brush in the drill press took that off. Mortise Chisel needed a new edge ground first, had the rest set @ 30 degrees, and made a new edge. Set it up in the honing guide, gave it a spin on the belt-sander, cup of water handy. then off to the sandpapers. The rest of the items were a couple chisels, and a Stanley Cordovan 9-1/2 block plane. All of these edges needed to be @ 25Degrees. Shined up the backs while I was at it. First off, the chisels on the far left is a Greenlee 3/8" Gouge, out channel. Then the mortise chisel a firmer chisel and two paring chisels. Did I say the backs were done, too Almost mirror bright. Now, about that Block plane. It had seen a lot of use, working on the chest. Backed the iron out a bit, and ran the sole around on the 150 grit. Still a small hollow behind the mouth opening, but not too bad. Next, the iron got a GOOD clean up with the wire cup on the DP. Had some "patina" growing. Now back to shiny metal. Then the whole routine with the sander, and sandpaper. Put the cleaned up plane back together, and tried it out Took a couple tries to get the depth just right. Not see-through, but I didn't set it that close. Did back it off just a hair more. Been working on a spot to store the wee planes I'll just have to move a slider or two out of the way. Yep, tool chest now has a slider installed, with a second one coming later Yep, these only go half way across the length, have other plans for the left side of this chest This side of the divider will get a few things added to it. Just what? Stay tuned....

and very little got done. Brought two 1 x 10 pine boards to the shop, since they were stored against the wall of the house. Cut them to a length needed. Ripped one right down the middle. Ripped just over 5" out of the second board. Used a jointah plane to ease an edge or two And the chest now has a bottom. Screwed to the cleats along the outside edges. Center plank is just held by a pair of screws, one on each end. Had the box clamped to the bench for a little clean up Well I used this to clean up after a belt sander leveled things a bit. Then a block plane for some detail work.....Then set up a drill press with a special bit Cuts a tapered plug. Chunk of scrap wood is Black Walnut. I used a screwdriver tip to pop the plugs out.A littlte glue into the counter bore, and bang a plug home. Later, after the glue has set for awhile, a block plane to trim these down Lets see, seven to a corner, and there are four such corners,, might take a bit. BTW: Beltsander don't work very well trimming the plugs down. Gouges the wood, and burns the plug. Just about any sharp plane will do. Stay tuned....