# Jointer/planer question. Woods to avoid



## videator (Mar 2, 2015)

As a new woodworker I am learning new things everyday, busy being as most of you have been through most of this I figured a question wouldn't hurt....

I just tore up a pretty piece of flamed maple on my planer. Literally took chunks where the figure was intense... Now before I go jointing or planing anymore stock I would like to know which type of woods to be concerned with. Does it tend to tear out more where there is more figure in the wood?

Thanks


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I don't know if you can label a species of wood a bad wood any more than you can label a bred of dog a bad dog. You might run another piece of flamed maple from another tree and not have any problem with it. All you can do is watch the direction of the grain when you are surfacing and try not to run them against the grain. Then start off only taking off a little wood. Some boards you run them against the grain on one end and then with the grain on the other end. You turn the board around and you get blow out on the opposite end.


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## 2lim (Aug 30, 2009)

Heavily figured woods tend to be troublesome. 

Steve is correct though, it is more about grain direction than species itself. It is just that certain species tend to have more squirrely grain. In my personal experience, I have also found softer woods(pine and cedar) to tear a little more easily too. This may be my planer knives thoug.


Simon


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Whenever you're not sure, take the very lightest cut on the first pass. See if you get any chip out. Then try swapping the board around and send it through in the opposite direction and see if it helps. If not, find somebody with a drum sander.
Mike Hawkins


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Heavily figured woods can be an issue with planers, but with a very, very light pass ive found you can get away with it, though I haven't tried this on say, Birdseye maple. Just make sure your knives are as sharp as can be


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## videator (Mar 2, 2015)

Thanks guys, yea I figured to plane it to within about a 1/16/ 3/32 or so to the final dimension, then just drum sand it the rest of the way to avoide any tear out... Seemed to work well. And yes to above, I removed less than 1/16" and there was very minimal tear.

I found that by slightly lifting the workpiece on the entrance, and exit of the planer reduced the snipe. Do you guys have any techniques the remove it all together? 

Thanks


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

videator said:


> Do you guys have any techniques the remove it all together?


Ive never tried it myself, but i know a lot of people will use a piece of melamine or similar as an auxiliary bed. Reduces the max thickness a bit but its supposed to do a great job of minimizing snipe generated from uneven beds, and it really makes sense when you think about it. You can see what im talking about at the bottom of this page:

http://www.ibuildit.ca/Workshop Projects/planer-stand-1.html

Also, if your planer has a head lock, use it. If youre lucky enough to have a newer planer that automatically locks the head when the feed rollers engage, great, if not remember to twist that crank. I know on mine it makes a pretty bit difference, especially when taking heavier (1/16 and up) cuts, where the head would otherwise creep up the shaft


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## videator (Mar 2, 2015)

Wow that guy went all out!... I am unsure of the head lock, but I will dig into my manual and find out. Thanks for the input... What about slightly lifting The wood before and after it enter and leaves? I actually tried it out and it almost eliminates it. I am sure with some practice I can master it.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

firehawkmph said:


> Whenever you're not sure, take the very lightest cut on the first pass. See if you get any chip out. Then try swapping the board around and send it through in the opposite direction and see if it helps. If not, find somebody with a drum sander.
> Mike Hawkins


Very good suggestion. Until you know who any piece of wood is going to react, keep the bites small.

George


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

I have found the exact opposite of light passes to be more effective dealing with tear out prone wood.

If I take an 1/8" pass, no tear out. try to skim it, tear out.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I have found the exact opposite of light passes to be more effective dealing with tear out prone wood.
> 
> If I take an 1/8" pass, no tear out. try to skim it, tear out.


With the kind of tools you have 1/8" is a light pass.:laughing:


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## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

videator said:


> Wow that guy went all out!... I am unsure of the head lock, but I will dig into my manual and find out. Thanks for the input... What about slightly lifting The wood before and after it enter and leaves? I actually tried it out and it almost eliminates it. I am sure with some practice I can master it.


A head lock would be a lever on the side of the machine... can't miss it. My Delta planer has one and it's a night and day difference.

I have read that lifting the board as you describe can help. I've also read that setting the infeed & outfeed tables so that they're slightly inclined upwards does about the same thing. I've also seen a video of a guy using scraps the same thickness as the work piece, in front of and behind the board being planed. The snipe will be on the scrap pieces, not your work.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Raising the far ends of the board slightly is going to disengage the board from the knives at the beginning and end of the cut, so in theory it should help keep the cutter from going too deep and causing snipe. In practice, I can see it being very easy to miss the tiny sweet spot and causing reverse snipe, where the ends of the board are thicker. I'd still start with the axillary table


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