SLAB FLATTENING MILL

Woodpeckers Slab Flattening Mill guides your router over your slab in a controlled plane. Since you’re using a router instead of a planer-style cutterhead, tear-out is minimal…the surface will only need light sanding afterwards. The Slab Flattening Mill starts with two aluminum extrusions. The inverted “V” shape of these main rails sheds sawdust and provides a solid base for the mating extrusion. The second extrusion fits over the inverted “V” and glides on UHMW polyethylene runners. Simply mount the mill to any flat and level work surface…even a sheet of MDF on a pair of sawhorses. When you’re done, the modular design stores conveniently.

We now offer the Slab Flattening Mill in 4 sizes to accommodate the needs of every slab woodworker. If you’re tight on shop space and are planning to do end-grain cutting boards and end table sized slabs, our smallest Slab Flattening Mill will handle work up to 24" x 24". If you need more length, there’s the 24" x 48". The Basic Slab Flattening Mill accommodates slabs up to 38” x 57”. The Extended Slab Flattening Mill adds an additional pair of 72" rails that can either replace the cross rails to increase width, or connect with the base rails to extend length. The capacity grows to either 62” x 105” or 38” x 129”. These huge capacities are great…when you need them. Remember, though, you can always mount the rails closer together when it suits your project. See the chart in the photos for a guide to all the maximum size configurations. All sizes of the Slab Flattening Mill can accommodate stock up to 3-7/16" in thickness.   If your stock is thicker than that, you can use shop-made spacers to raise the Slab Flattening Mill.  Conversely, if you are dealing with thin stock, you can use the same approach on the underside of your thin stock. Since all routers vary in height capacity and router bits vary in overall length, you may need to elevate your stock or elevate the mill in order to achieve the desired results of the Slab Flattening Mill. 

Using the Slab Flattening Mill is as easy as sliding your router across the slab and back, moving over a little less than the width of your cutter and repeating until you’re done. It works best with a variable speed router of 2 horsepower or more. You’ll get done sooner if you stick to a large diameter spoil board style bit. We’ve done some of the shopping for you and offer a couple of suggested router bits. One is an economical brazed carbide bit from Whiteside. The second one, from Amana, features reversible/replaceable carbide inserts so you can always have sharp edges.

This process produces lots of shavings. Our new optional dust collection port bolts to the carriage and rides along right beside the exit point of the shavings. It works with either shop vacuums or larger dust collectors. A brush surrounds the pick-up area, trapping the shavings equally well on smooth or uneven slab surfaces. Mounts to the carriage with 6 simple screws, replacing the carriage end-stops. This will retro-fit to any Woodpeckers Slab Flattening Mill, regardless of when you bought it.

Don’t put off that natural edge project you’ve been dreaming about any longer. Order your Woodpeckers Slab Flattening Mill today!   Don’t forget to check-out the full line of domestic & exotic Woodpeckers live edge slabs while you’re at it – you can buy online and have them shipped right to your woodshop!

Check out other hand tools for finishing your projects as well.