Planning knots

[Jack Saw]

I'm planning a piece of wood that has a medium sized knot half way down. The trouble is my plane hits it and wont go any further. Are there any techniques when planning wood with large knots?

 

[dave323]

I have had the same problem in the past. You need to have the blade as sharp as possible and the cut as shallow as possible to give yourself the best shot but to be honest you will probably still have problems.

If possible use a power planer, it should cut it without these problems.

Maybe someone else will come up with another answer I don't know.

 

[Evergreen]

There used to be a saying, "The softer the wood, the harder the knot". I'm not sure if it's always true but knots can certainly be like bits of concrete.

I onced watched Mr Morita, the Japanese tool demonstrator who used to attend the Axminster Woodworking show, preparing the softwood for one of his amazing constructions. He very carefully pared down each knot just a little with a chisel before he started planing. He used the chisel bevel down of course. He knew just how much to pare away so that the whole surface would be flush after a few passes with his wooden smoothing plane. Which, although it looked like a battered old piece of scrap oak, would take shavings so fine they were translucent.

I've tried doing this "spot treatment" myself with pine and it certainly helps a lot.

 

[Digit]

Alternatively cut 'em out and plug with a suitably grained piece.

Roy.

 

[Ironballs]

You can try skewing the plane where it hits the knot too, that way you're not hitting it square on but taking more of a slicing action

 

[Jack Saw]

Thanks all for the replies. As all I have to take of now is literally millimeters I guess the easiest option would be just to sand the wood down to required level. I'll bare in mind all your advice though thanks.

 

[Digit]

Sanding will possibly leave the knots proud jack I'm afraid, planing or scraping are really the only two ways around the problem.
Have you got any scrapers?

Roy.

 

[Jack Saw]

Oh(??)

Ive got a spoke shave if thats any good?

 

[Digit]

Not really, a scraper would permit localised lowering so that you could then plane over, or level after planing.
If you are seriously into woodwork you'll probably end up using scrapers anyway. Nothing beats them for a finish, trust me.

Roy.

 

[newt]

Why are knots so hard?

 

[Digit]

I've never thought about that Pete, but it's good question. Knowing this forum though I expect someone will be able to tell us.

Roy.

 

[newt]

Roy I am sure someone will, I only asked because it is clearly the same wood as the rest of the tree :?

 

[Setch]

I believe it's because as the tree grows and 'swallows up' the small limb which creates the knot, it also compresses the limb, making the timber extra dense. The knot also seems harder as it is end grain, or at least it presents as end grain when seen in a board.