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Due to some trim work, I need to shave off several 1 in x 3 in x8 feet boards.

I need to shave off the 1 in thickness by 3/8 inches EXCEPT for a rectangular of 1 in x 7 feet, with one side shared with the board. In other words, I need to shave off in a U shape three sides of the board. This is so it would fit into some door jambs.

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What is the best and safest tool to achieve this, even if somewhat time consuming? Would a wood router do this, and if so should I get plunge or fixed-base?

I'd prefer avoid using a table saw due to various factors including cost.

isherwood
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Manu
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4 Answers4

24

If I had to do this, I'd just plane down the entire boards on a thickness planer, cut a 3/8" x 1" x 7' board and glue it back in the desired place. If you don't have a thickness planer, maybe a friend does or maybe a mill shop in your area would do it very inexpensively. A 18 ga nailer with 3/4 nails could be used to hold the 1x7 in place while the glue dried, or even a bunch of small screws.

I know I'm not answering the question you asked, just suggesting an alternate approach.

George Anderson
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Circular saw table adjustment to the rescue. If you don't already have a router bit this is a good solution. Otherwise, a router would do fine. You'd need a straight bit without a roller tip.

This technique is easy and relatively fast. It doesn't require removing safety equipment from your tools.

  1. Set your saw's table to the depth of the material to be removed. Make a test cut to be sure it's accurate.
  2. Mark your board and make the first cuts around the 1" strip to be left.
  3. Make cuts across the board every 3/8" or so, leapfrogging small strips. This is to keep a level cutting surface for future cuts.
  4. Where you can't cut all the way through to the 1" strip, make similar cuts lengthwise on the board.

At this point you should have a completely striped (sliced) board over all areas outside the 1" strip. You have a couple options to continue:

  • Knock all the remaining ribs off with a hammer and chisel. They'll practically fall off due to the cross-grain connection. Shave down any lumps with the chisel.

Or...

  • Slide the circular saw sideways from one end, carving away the ribs as you go. You'll need to make several passes to clear the entire width of the board. This is a very effective technique, but requires more advanced tool control.

Use eye and ear protection, of course.

isherwood
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Lay out three of the boards side-by-side with a gap, e.g. 1/2", between them. With the outer boards for support use a router to make multiple passes down the center board until you have reached the desired thickness. (The gaps allow you to run of the edges off the center board without sacrificing the guide boards.) A bit of cleanup, e.g. with a random orbit sander, will probably be needed.

If your router base isn't large enough to straddle the outer boards you'll need to extend it, e.g. by attaching a suitable piece of plywood.

Depending on the number of boards to be processed you may want to make a guide board with spacers for the gap and a fence for the area to be left at full thickness.

HABO
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On condition you haven't yet bought the board, buy two boards, one the thickness of the lower part, the other to make up the total thickness. Then simply cut out, with a jigsaw, the top board.

This doesn't directly answer your question, but solves your problem.

To answer the question, a router will do the job - but it's messy and time consuming.

Tim
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