Surfacing table tops

[Karl]

Hi all

Just thought i'd canvass some opinion. I have a bedroom furniture set to make, and was wondering how others overcome tearout when planing differing grain directions on panels glued up from several boards?

The last set I had caused me a real headache - both a bench plane with 15deg back bevel and a HNT Gordon smoother caused tearout. I eventually resorted to a 112 scraper plane. But it was hard work (to remove the deep tearout).

Cheers

Karl

 

[bugbear]

Hi all

Just thought i'd canvass some opinion. I have a bedroom furniture set to make, and was wondering how others overcome tearout when planing differing grain directions on panels glued up from several boards?

Unless you're doing figure-matched panels (where grain reversal is unavoidable) allow for this issue when preparing you glue up, such that all your sub-boards have the same grain direction.

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

I would do as much planing as possible of the show side before glueing up, then use biscuits or loose tongues when assembling so as to ensure that there was minimal planing to do after glue-up. Then, if was wood likely to tear out, finish with a scraper plane.

Is there scope here for your toothed blade so as to ensure that you don't get tear out in the first place :-k

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Karl]

BB

It isn't just bookmatched panels which are a problem. Aligning all the boards so they have the same grain direction won't normally give you the most aesthetically pleasing configuration. Quite often the best configuration will have one or more boards with grain reversal.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Harbo]

If it's that bad (after trying my 11A) then I would have resorted to my belt sander!

Rod

 

[Frank Drew]

I like using hand tools whenever possible, but to get the work out the door in a timely fashion you might have to use power tools, and I agree with Rod's suggestion of a belt sander; the very best thing to happen to belt sanders was the invention of sanding frames (not available for all machines, unfortunately). These accessories virtually eliminate the possibility of a dig in or other mishap when using these powerful tools, allowing them to do close to finish work.

But planes or sanders or a combination of both, the scraper is usually part of the picture.

 

[bugbear]

BB

It isn't just bookmatched panels which are a problem. Aligning all the boards so they have the same grain direction won't normally give you the most aesthetically pleasing configuration. Quite often the best configuration will have one or more boards with grain reversal.

Arranging boards for a glue up is always a compromise; amongst the factors are:

• cupping (heart up/down)
  edge compatibility (heart/sap wood)
  aesthetics
  grain reversals

How these factors are weighted is up to the maker.

BugBear

 

[Anonymous]

For this kind of work, I start with the jointer plane (#7) and work diagonally across the top taking pretty fine shavings at around the thickness of a piece of paper.

I then run along the length of the top using the same plane but backed off for a finer cut and possibly with the mouth closed a little tighter if I am getting tearout on this stroke. Pays to lubricate the plane's sole with a little parrafin wax.

Finally, the smoother (#4.5 for me) taking a very fine shaving and a little hand scraper work to remove any light signs of tearout that still exist.

This approach has worked fine on many table and cabinet tops including my workbench :wink:

 

[BradNaylor]

Bring 'em to my place and we'll stick 'em through the drum sander!

Dan

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I would plane directly across the grain. It is possible to get quite a smooth finish this way while achieving flatness.

Then you can either finish up with a scraper.

Or plane in each direction with the grain but not over the joins. Finish the joins with a scraper.

Regards from Perth

Derek