tearout on unknown wood

[mickthetree]

Hey all

In a last ditch attempt to get something in for my comp entry, I grabbed a board out of my stash today which might just do and got to work.

Its rough sawn, not sure what it is (another bit from a joinery firm liquidation) but it will do.

Used my number 5 to clean up the rough sawn surface at 45 degrees

Which worked fine.

Then set about flattening with my number 7

This was ok, but started to get a bit of what I think is chatter. Never had it before.

Used my 4 1/2 record smoother and that was even worse! On the finest of cuts it would all of a sudden dive into the wood.

anything I can do to over come this? I tried skewing the plane. Is a scrapper the only option? (dont own one) Dont think I have time for that.

Plan was to finish one face then re-saw it and get 2 or 3 boards out of it.

Might end up using some recycled wood for this comp entry now....

 

[big soft moose]

anything I can do to over come this? I tried skewing the plane. Is a scrapper the only option? (dont own one) Dont think I have time for that.

I'll probably be burned at the stake by handtool purists but - belt sander with an 80G belt

by the way that wood looks like mahog or sapele or something similar so do be careful of the dust - they fall into the same category as iroko for causing you harm by inhalation

 

[wizer]

Maybe not a belt sander But there's no shame in using a ROS to eradicate tear-out. Let's not be snobs now [-X

I've got a load of that stuff in it's different flavours. Sometimes I can get it ok when sending it through the thicknesser by taking tiny shavings and flipping it round the other way. The grain seems to go back and forth quite a lot.

 

[mickthetree]

hmmm

Think I might put this one back on the shelf and use some of this recycled wood for my comp entry. No time for messing about. Times getting tight!!

Got a belt sander, but no ROS.

Heres a close up of the grain (when it behaves)

cheers for the suggestions chaps

 

[big soft moose]

Maybe not a belt sander .

actually i only use the belt sander for finishing - my main weapon on obstinate woods is the performance power power planer - then i follow up with my ryobi belt sander with 40G then 80G - and move to the ROS for 120 and 240

 

[mark w]

Try using a back bevel on your plane iron to raise the effective pitch, or hone a micro bevel on a bevel up plane to raise effective pitch. David Charlesworth explains this in his latest DVD, I tried it and it works brilliantly.

Kind regards, Mark w

 

[Karl]

A belt sander or ROS is great for getting rid of the tearout.

They're just hopeless at keeping a board flat.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Racers]

Hi,

Scraper, either by hand or in a scraper plane.

Pete

 

[Chris_belgium]

Hello,

I've got very limited experience with hand planes, but that wood look's a lot like aphselia doussie. I've been working on a big project with aphselia and have the exact same problems like you. Planing goes perfectly and suddenly BAM huge tearout. The blade also looses it's edge very quickly.

I have added a 15° back bevel and this has helped a lot with the tear out, but still have occasional tear out without any visible (grain direction) reason.


Have you found a yellow (sulfur coloured) powdery residue on the wood, if you did it's surely aphselia.

 

[Ironballs]

Looks like sapele or something similar, the problem you have is interlocked grain, the vertical stripes you can see. You need a well set up smoother or scraper for this

 

[Philly]

Yeah, looks like Sapele or one of the mahogany types. You're getting the tearout because the grain goes in opposite directions as you move across the board - its why the grain seems to flash and change as you move around the board.
To stop tear-out you need a very sharp blade, a fine cut and a tight mouth when using a plane. You'll still get areas that seem immune to this approach - thats when a scraper saves the day. You'll also find that planing from one direction gives the least tear-out - try planing from different directions to see which is best.
As mentioned, power sanding will smooth things out without tearout, but you won't end up with a flat surface - something that will become painfully visible when a shiny finish is applied.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[woodbloke]

...and only 12 days to go! :lol: :lol:
Seriously, the grain as Philly and others have said is 'interlocked' or 'rowed' and will only be really smoothed with a scraper or back bevelled iron. A ROS will do the job but the price paid is that the surface isn't flat - Rob

 

[Shrubby]

Does your belt sander have a frame? - makes a BIG difference. I use a frame the size of 3 No. 6 planes side by side - it yields a very flat surface (dont like the noise & dust though) Uneven scraping can give a scalloped surface too .
Matt

 

[mickthetree]

Hi Matt

No, no frame unfortunately.

I've put this piece back on the shelf for now. For when I've got some more free time.

10 days now is it Rob? ::Gulp::

 

[Shrubby]

A shrewd move I think.
Good luck
Matt