How to work out grain direction

[fobos8]

Hello all

I realise this topic isn't on hand tools but it is such a fundamental consideration before using them that I thought I'd post it anyway.

Although I'm a relative new woodworker and I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know how to tell which direction grain goes in.

I've tried to find out; I asked a joiner at work and he said, "well you plane it one way and if you get tearout you change direction!!".

I had a look on GOOGLE and could hardly find anything. Is it really that obvious that its not on the net!!

The only article I could find was this one http://www.newwoodworker.com/readgrain.html
It suggests picking out a grain, using a combi square to see if it gets closer or further away from the edge of the wood. If it gets closer to the edge as you move down the timber then that is the direction of the grain.

I tried the above combi square method today and it was a dead loss. Some grains get closer then get further away from the edge?? Help??

I have got somewhere though. Where timber has a roughish finish I stroke it in both directions and whichever is the smoothest that is the grain direction. Also where it has already been machined the "direction" of the tearout if it exists gives away the direction.

Now that I've come out and admitted this I feel better.

Is it difficult to work out the direction? Can you share your tips?

.....or is it so easy that I should hang my head in shame and sell my tools.

Andrew

 

[wizer]

I've tried to find out; I asked a joiner at work and he said, "well you plane it one way and if you get tearout you change direction!!".

What's wrong with this method :?:

That's how I do it. Yes, you can read some woods and get an idea. But all you're concerned with is how the wood works with the tool.

 

[fobos8]

if possible I'd prefer to know which direction to plane in before I get tearout as oppossed to using tearout to tell me the direction of the grain.

 

[wizer]

Why?

 

[Karl]

It's easier to take a light shaving (so as to avoid deep tearout) - if you're going in the wrong direction you will hear, feel and see it!

Cheers

Karl

 

[wizer]

Yes, sorry I realised that must be the problem. If you take just light shavings while you are 'reading' the board, then you won't get massive digs. I really don't think there is a solid fool proof method of reading the grain without putting a tool to the wood.

 

[Mr Ed]

I usually try stroking my hand along the timber as you describe, but this is not foolproof. As Karl says, a light cut in what you think is the right direction will soon tell you if you have it correct or not. Don't forget that some timber will have grain that reverses along its length, so sometimes the best you will do is a compromise and a sharp plane.

Ed

 

[Paul Chapman]

The problem with grain direction is that it is not always consistent - it can vary considerably in an individual piece of wood. Much will depend on the species.

With some pieces there will not be a problem and, as a rough guide, look at the edge of the piece and the direction you need to plane is where the grain goes uphill. However, it's not always as simple as that and you will have to become proficient in the setting up and use of planes and, where necessary, scrapers and scraper planes to tame some pieces.

One tip, mark with a pencil the direction of the grain (when you find it) so that when cleaning up you don't ruin your work and plane the wrong way.

Hope this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Karl]

One tip, mark with a pencil the direction of the grain (when you find it) so that when cleaning up you don't ruin your work and plane the wrong way.

Now there speaks a voice of experience :lol:

There's nothing worse than gluing up a [say] table top, only to find that the pieces have differing grain direction. Mucho scraping required.....

Cheers

Karl

 

[matthewwh]

First it is important to understand how the tree grows.

Imagine a stack of upside down paper cups, each year a new cup is added to the stack. Now if you imagine taking a slice through the stack you will see a series of n shapes one on top of the other.

Planing towards the tip of the n shapes is the grain direction.

If the tree wasn't straight you will see an oval shape with grain lines radiating from it, this is referred to as the flower of the timber and the grain direction runs away from the flower in all directions.

If you only have a part of the flower or the n shapes it can still be tricky, in this case look at the side of the board and you will see the grain lines running towards one of the edges. Work with these lines, stroking them flat rather than pushing against them. When you reverse the board turn it end over end and you will still be working with the grain.

If the timber has lots of flowers, knots or burred sections or is cut from a crotch (nightmare wood) then a steeper pitch on the plane will reduce the tendancy of the timber to tear out, it requires more effort but you can plane in any direction you please.

Quartersawn timber or the central section in a plainsawn bole just has lines and is unlikely to tearout in either direction. This is the most stable board in the whole trunk, the fillet steak of trees if you will. Watch out for the pith - a hole which will run down the centre of it, you need to either avoid exposing it in the finished surface or cut it out altogether. The boards either side of the central plank will cup like a bu&&er, cupping then becomes progressively less pronounced as you work towards the outside of the tree.

Hope this helps!

 

[wachenga]

Hello,

I use two main methods for determining grain direction in hardwoods, first one is to look at the edge of the board, this can give you an idea of grain direction, as in this picture of some Victorian Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis / regnans).

The edge of this piece of Ash is a bit of a giveaway when it comes to identifying grain direction, its certainly splintery. This should also work with softwoods too.

*Edit - Realised I needed to explain that the direction of the grain is for working the top surface, it is the opposite direction with the bottom surface in this picture.

Another method I use is to read the direction of the pores, this only works for hardwoods as softwoods do not have pores only tracheids. The way the timber is cut should reveal 'teardrop' like shapes, this is the pore having been sliced through. With this method you want to plane in the direction of where the pointy end of the 'teardrop' shape is pointing, as in this pic.

*Edit - This piece is quarter sawn and will tear out if planed in the wrong direction.

Hope that helps,

Liam

 

[Alf]

Couple of older threads on the subject with assorted tips here and here. Luckily trees don't change how they grow, so still relevant.

 

[woodbloke]

I look at the edge of the timber to determine how it'll plane on an adjacent surface. It's not completely foolproof as sometimes the timber can be interlocked and then it's a bugger to plane anyway, but a trial shaving or two will soon tell you which is the best way to go - Rob

 

[fobos8]

many thanks for all the replies in particular for the pictures. They're really helpfull.

I really feel I'm getting somewhere now

Thanks a million, Andrew

 

[David C]

Liam's photo's are absolutely spot on.

Those "scratches" in the first photo are tubes in the timber, with part of a side wall cut away. These always line up with the fibre structure of the wood.

Many people look only at the coloured graphic lines on the surface or edge, but these do not always match the fibre direction. They are caused by the coloured growth rings in temperate timbers.

There is a 5 page article on this subject in my third book, including face and edge marks which tell you which way you planed a surface. (Paul's point.)

best wishes,
David Charlesworth

 

[devonwoody]

I found an easy way.

Purchase sawn boards at least 2.4 long, the widest end must be the bottom of the tree so the grain is running up to the narrowest !

Hows Zatt?

 

[bugbear]

Many people look only at the coloured graphic lines on the surface or edge, but these do not always match the fibre direction.

They are actually useless - if you consider a book-matched pair, they have identical surface patterns, but opposite grain direction.

BugBear

 

[fobos8]

Read the links to some previous posts which were extremely usefull.

There was an artice from Fine Woodworking which mentions looking at end grain seeing if it is a hill or valley and then eithing planing with or against the cathederals.

I tried this method out today and scraps lying around and it was spot on each time.

However.......

This method is great for grain direction for the wide faces of timber but what about the narrow edges. Is there a "method" for these two sides?

Regards, Andrew

 

[devonwoody]

Looking at the grain drawings on the link is easy to determine if hand planing, but what about planing and thicknessing?

In machining the cutter comes towards you planing and comes into you thicknessing?

 

[bugbear]

Looking at the grain drawings on the link is easy to determine if hand planing, but what about planing and thicknessing?

In machining the cutter comes towards you planing and comes into you thicknessing?

Perhaps that's why some people prefer handtools

BugBear