Stopping tearout on oak

[morfa]

I'm trying to finish off worktop number two today for my kitchen. But I'm having a right nightmare with tearout on a section. Most of the grain is fairly straight apart from this one round section. The knife and the pencil show the two patches of tearout. Here's the catch, one patch of tearout goes one direction and the other goes the other way. I can smooth one side, but then I end up hitting the other side and making that worse. Any ideas?

Or should I just lump it? It's not that bigger patch and I'm sure after a while I just won't notice it. I have a good sander and it's 'characterful' right?

 

[JohnPW]

Have you tried using a cabinet scraper?

 

[morfa]

Have you tried using a cabinet scraper?

Nope, never actually used one. I do have one however. I guess I can be very selective with that can't I?

 

[JohnPW]

Yes, very small areas can be scraped, but depending on how bad the tearout is you might end up with a hollow.

 

[morfa]

It's a small area and I could live with a small smooth hollow. I'm not happy with a small rough patch tho.

 

[JimF.]

Get / use a No. 80 scraper. I've just done an oak table top with mine. Marvellous tool!

 

[matthewwh]

A very sharp cutting iron, close set cap iron (under half a mm) or small back bevel on the blade, and a tight mouth setting may all help you to minimise the scale and scope of the torn area.

If anything is left then a scraper will fix it.

I agree about the No.80 - a very useful tool.

 

[G S Haydon]

All good stuff so far, more on the cap iron here and what it can do. Good luck! http://www.woodcentral.com/articles/tes ... _935.shtml

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi Morfa
I have a No 80 scraper , just give me a call if you want to have a lend .

Cheers Bern

 

[Peter Sefton]

Get / use a No. 80 scraper. I've just done an oak table top with mine. Marvellous tool!

If you need to buy a new one for less than £40.00 then search on WoodRiver No 80. A great tool that can get you out of all sorts of trouble without localized dipping of your surface.

Cheers Peter

 

[David C]

Last time I looked new Stanley were less than £20.

Tilgear have one for £14-95

Second hand Records and Stanleys should also be below £20.

Veritas are the expensive but good ones.

There is no way a Chinese clone of the Stanley 80 is worth £40 in my opinion. It appears they have even copied the recently introduced half length blade which is such a pain. For the life of me I cannot decide if this is a cost cutting perversion or H&S gone mad?

Maybe I am missing something?

David

 

[morfa]

I have a no 80 given to me by my grandad, which I've used to great effect. Also he gave me a normal cabinet scraper. I'm on about my fourth pass or so. I keep on stopping going, it's done. Then trying again 10 minutes later and finding new imperfections. I'm keen to get the top sanded this evening, then I can oil it and let it dry over night.

Bern - thanks for the offer. I'll be sending you a PM later about something different tho.

It's turned out ok in the end:

 

[Racers]

You should be able to stop after scraping and finish, sanding will make the finish look flat and lifeless.

I try not to sand anything, only de-nib with a scotch brite pad between coats of Danish oil.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

There is no way a Chinese [Wood River] clone of the Stanley 80 is worth £40 in my opinion. It appears they have even copied the recently introduced half length blade which is such a pain.

Given their normal habits, I'm surprised they didn't directly copy the Veritas scraper, which has some genuine design improvements.

BugBear

 

[Trafalgar]

Plane, then scrape and sand if and as required. SOP for decades. Use garnet sanpaper if available and don't be bashful about changing it out frequently. The tail-end of a project is not the time to worry about economy.

You need a Stanley 80 (or Record equivalent) and a selection of card scrapers straight and shaped. Somebody elses 'copy' or 'improved' model of the 80 will work just as well but probably no better at the end of the day. This is one of those circumstances where you can let your wallet be your guide and not be hurt by it.

Fine Woodworking put the canard to rest years ago that one could distinguish a sanded surface from a planed one once a finish went on, even oil finishes. And really, an oil finish looks best when sanded in with fine sandpaper anyway -- the only way to achieve a very silky smooth finish IMO.

Must be a member to read:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/a ... plane.aspx

I think I may have an extra 80 lying around. I'll ship it to you prepped and ready to go if push comes to shove at your end.

 

[Racers]

Fine Woodworking put the canard to rest years ago that one could distinguish a sanded surface from a planed one once a finish went on, even oil finishes. And really, an oil finish looks best when sanded in with fine sandpaper anyway -- the only way to achieve a very silky smooth finish IMO.

So no point in sanding and breathing in all that dust.

Pete

 

[Benchwayze]

Get / use a No. 80 scraper. I've just done an oak table top with mine. Marvellous tool!

+1 on that.

But dare I say, you'll have to learn how to sharpen it. No doubt there will be diverse opinions on that! :lol: :lol: :lol:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105428888/ ... et-scraper

In case you haven't seen one. Best of luck.

 

[Trafalgar]

Fine Woodworking put the canard to rest years ago that one could distinguish a sanded surface from a planed one once a finish went on, even oil finishes. And really, an oil finish looks best when sanded in with fine sandpaper anyway -- the only way to achieve a very silky smooth finish IMO.

So no point in sanding and breathing in all that dust.

Pete

The point is to not be afraid to scrape and sand in situations like the OP's. Nobody will be able to tell the difference. If the component is flat and the grain amenable by all means plane to a finished surface and stop.

How to you handle curved surfaces, mouldings, turned parts, thin veneers, etc.?

If you turn, how are you handling dust control from the lathe?

 

[Racers]

Scraping.

I don't turn much because I hate sanding.

Pete

 

[Trafalgar]

Very little sanding would be needed (maybe none at all) after scraping. A relatively trivial amount of dust would be created when doing this bit of sanding by hand. If an oil finish is planned then sanding could even wait until the stage in which the oil would be sanded in. This creates no airborne dust, just a surface slurry which wipes off with a rag during the finishing process.