Comments on: End-grain Through the Planer? – Question of the Week http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/ Education and entertainment for the modern woodworker. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Spencer Bates http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-49361 Spencer Bates Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:56:43 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-49361 I think the "don't ever try it's" rule this vote... I think the “don’t ever try it’s” rule this vote…

]]> By: Ray Gardiner http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20844 Ray Gardiner Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:44:32 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20844 I would like to add a vote for thicknessing. I did a batch of 6 cutting boards last christmas, (presents for the family!!) and had no problems planing endgrain, I was using a 15" Hafco 2HP. I http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Products?stockCode=W835 I was apprehensive at first , the first one chipped out badly on the trailing edge, rounding the edges over fixed that. My conclusions:- 1. Route the edges with a roundover bit before starting, (you have to round over again after thicknessing) 2. Take light cuts, I was taking about 0.1mm at a time. 3. Make sure that the bottom is "relatively flat" to start with. So that the board runs smoothly through the machine. The planed endgrain was much cleaner and flatter than I think I would have gotten with just sanding alone. I would like to add a vote for thicknessing.

I did a batch of 6 cutting boards last christmas, (presents for the family!!) and had no problems planing endgrain, I was using a 15″ Hafco 2HP. I

http://www.machineryhouse.com......kCode=W835

I was apprehensive at first , the first one chipped out badly on the trailing edge, rounding the edges over fixed that.

My conclusions:-

1. Route the edges with a roundover bit before starting, (you have
to round over again after thicknessing)

2. Take light cuts, I was taking about 0.1mm at a time.

3. Make sure that the bottom is “relatively flat” to start with. So that
the board runs smoothly through the machine.

The planed endgrain was much cleaner and flatter than I think
I would have gotten with just sanding alone.

]]> By: Roger Webb http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20808 Roger Webb Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:01:50 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20808 I think i'm going to take the advice of the author Isac Asimov on this one. He said "Any fool can learn by his own mistakes, but a wise man lets the snake bite the other fellow!" I think i’m going to take the advice of the author Isac Asimov on this one. He said “Any fool can learn by his own mistakes, but a wise man lets the snake bite the other fellow!”

]]> By: Matt http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20769 Matt Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:35:02 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20769 I was thinking, perhaps the spiral cutter head vs. the regular knives will make a difference. The spirals are more than likely much more friendly and will play together with the end grain because of the way they remove material. Perhaps one day when I have the luxury of spiral cutters........nah, I'm still not going to try it. :) I was thinking, perhaps the spiral cutter head vs. the regular knives will make a difference. The spirals are more than likely much more friendly and will play together with the end grain because of the way they remove material. Perhaps one day when I have the luxury of spiral cutters……..nah, I’m still not going to try it. :)

]]> By: Dave Bruggeman (Dusty Corner) http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20763 Dave Bruggeman (Dusty Corner) Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:56:31 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20763 Hi Mark,I read the question of running end grain thru your planer and tell you that I did with many cutting boards till my last one exploded,that makes you a believer that its not a smart choice.I did find out my glue joints were very good though,the wood broke in between the joints and my planer did a fancy dance as it sprung it so it couldn't be fixed and I had to buy a new one.My new planer with never see an end grain coming thru it ever.Now my small scraps go into my woodburner to keep me warm.Now I take the high spots off with my router and sandpaper.I hope this helps you Matt.Just a tidbit from Dusty Corners,Dave Bruggeman Hi Mark,I read the question of running end grain thru your planer and tell you that I did with many cutting boards till my last one exploded,that makes you a believer that its not a smart choice.I did find out my glue joints were very good though,the wood broke in between the joints and my planer did a fancy dance as it sprung it so it couldn’t be fixed and I had to buy a new one.My new planer with never see an end grain coming thru it ever.Now my small scraps go into my woodburner to keep me warm.Now I take the high spots off with my router and sandpaper.I hope this helps you Matt.Just a tidbit from Dusty Corners,Dave Bruggeman

]]> By: Germain http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20762 Germain Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:19:23 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20762 I had read about disasters when running end-grain through a planer. Although I'm typically a stickler for safety in my shop, I decided to try it anyway. When I add up the multiple passes I've made with multiple cutting boards, it's probably over a hundred times that I've done it without incident. When I do run end-grain through my planer I make sure to stand beside it. I set the cutting heads to the same height as the board for the initial pass, then make very fine adjustments to bring them down. Also, since I take a lot of care with glue-up, my boards are pretty smooth before they go into the planer. Based on the experiences shared here and elsewhere, I suppose it's possible disaster could strike at any time. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. Marc's cautions may prevent me from doing it again. I had read about disasters when running end-grain through a planer. Although I’m typically a stickler for safety in my shop, I decided to try it anyway. When I add up the multiple passes I’ve made with multiple cutting boards, it’s probably over a hundred times that I’ve done it without incident.

When I do run end-grain through my planer I make sure to stand beside it. I set the cutting heads to the same height as the board for the initial pass, then make very fine adjustments to bring them down. Also, since I take a lot of care with glue-up, my boards are pretty smooth before they go into the planer.

Based on the experiences shared here and elsewhere, I suppose it’s possible disaster could strike at any time. Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone else. Marc’s cautions may prevent me from doing it again.

]]> By: Anacleto Armas http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20755 Anacleto Armas Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:54:56 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20755 I recommend using Drum/Thickness Sander. This is much safer. I am not sure if I had been just lucky, but had never experience a major kick back with the drum sander. Anyway step away from the line fire is always good idea :-) I recommend using Drum/Thickness Sander. This is much safer. I am not sure if I had been just lucky, but had never experience a major kick back with the drum sander. Anyway step away from the line fire is always good idea :-)

]]> By: Chuck Stromme http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20753 Chuck Stromme Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:48:41 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20753 I'm with Claude. I never even knew this was an issue. Pretty timely, too. Today I'm doing the second glue-up of my Spagnola Special end-grain cutting board. ["Let's get ready to make ... cuttiiiiiing boards!"] I had definitely planned on using the planer on it tomorrow. My recollection is that Marc suggests that as one possibility. Well, I do have a back-up. I have a Veritas bevel-up smoother (wood show impulse buy -- I am such a sucker for those) and I've never really used it. Maybe now's the time. Bevel-up smoother on end-grain? I guess I can use my ROS but I HATE sanding. I also have a nice sharp #3 that I can use. No way I can afford a thickness sander. Well, maybe if they have a special at the Portland WW show in October and my wife doesn't notice it in the back. I’m with Claude. I never even knew this was an issue. Pretty timely, too. Today I’m doing the second glue-up of my Spagnola Special end-grain cutting board. ["Let's get ready to make ... cuttiiiiiing boards!"] I had definitely planned on using the planer on it tomorrow. My recollection is that Marc suggests that as one possibility. Well, I do have a back-up. I have a Veritas bevel-up smoother (wood show impulse buy — I am such a sucker for those) and I’ve never really used it. Maybe now’s the time. Bevel-up smoother on end-grain? I guess I can use my ROS but I HATE sanding. I also have a nice sharp #3 that I can use. No way I can afford a thickness sander. Well, maybe if they have a special at the Portland WW show in October and my wife doesn’t notice it in the back.

]]> By: Tim Dibble http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20749 Tim Dibble Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:35:09 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20749 I thought that part of being safe was to think things through. The physics of end-grain through a planer or a jointer is simply against the safety of the proposition. Just because someone managed once or twice doesn't make it safe, just lucky. I thought that part of being safe was to think things through. The physics of end-grain through a planer or a jointer is simply against the safety of the proposition. Just because someone managed once or twice doesn’t make it safe, just lucky.

]]> By: robert http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20746 robert Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:07:15 +0000 http://thewoodwhisperer.com/end-grain-through-the-planer-question-of-the-week/#comment-20746 I've tried taking infinitesimal amounts off the endgrain with my Dewalt 13" planer, but even that left scars on the wood. I would never run it through my jointer-planer. I wish I had a nice drum sander, but they cost too much for my meager budget. I’ve tried taking infinitesimal amounts off the endgrain with my Dewalt 13″ planer, but even that left scars on the wood. I would never run it through my jointer-planer. I wish I had a nice drum sander, but they cost too much for my meager budget.

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