Dealing with tear out

[Jaze Derr]

I'm in the process of flattening my new bench top, made out of #2 construction grade doug fir. I am really new to woodworking, and didn't pay enough attention to grain direction when I glued up the top.

I'm getting some pretty bad tear out with my #5 plane. I don't have a scraper and can't afford one right now (plus, that's another thing I'd have to learn to sharpen, and I'm not doing so great with the regular tools).

How can I reduce tear out in soft wood, with knots everywhere, and grain going every which way? Should I just call it good and switch to my sander?

Also: Hi! I'm new here, but i've been reading the forums for a month or so before I signed up. Not crazy about the "real names" part, but this place just has so much useful info that I finally couldn't resist.

[Paul Atkins]

I would sharpen that plane ASAP (as sharp as possible) and go cross grain to take out the bumps and stuff. Don't set it too deep and set the mouth close. You can go even 45 degrees and back the other way and then get the sander out. Might take a while, but the tearout will be less.

[John Thompson]

I would pull out the belt sander and make a jig to get it flat. I love hand planes and have used them for almost 40 years but you shot yourself in the foot by not orienting the grain on the DF in the same direction. DF can be grainy on the edges and splinters easily. Trust me on that as I have made around 10 work-bench bases from old growth I got from beams I recovered from a civil war warehouse here in Atlanta. The belt sander (as much as I hate using them with the dust issue) is definitely where I would go.

You can epoxy.. bondo.. wood fill any deep ruts you have created as it's just a workbench after all. Mine looks that way simply because I chop.. hack.. pound it 5 days a week so... just cut your losses with the plane as you already know how it's going to react going with and against DF grain at the same time and grab the BS IMO. Chalk it up to learning as next time you will learn to orient the same direction and especially if you intend to use hand planes.

Good luck...

[Thomas Hotchkin]

I would sharpen that plane ASAP (as sharp as possible) and go cross grain to take out the bumps and stuff. Don't set it too deep and set the mouth close. You can go even 45 degrees and back the other way and then get the sander out. Might take a while, but the tearout will be less.

I vote with Paul, Tom

[Lee Schierer]

I concur, sharpen that plane iron and take lighter cuts at an angle. Scrapers are less than $20 and are easily sharpened. Try the "Scarey Sharp" method for sharpening your plane iron. It is amazing what a shaving that is .001" thick or thinner looks like. You can also runs squiggles or paraffin (candle wax) on your plane sole and it will dramatically decrease the friction and improve the cutting action.

Just last night I made a shim out of cedar that was 1-1/2" wide 12" long, tapered from zero to .090" thick for a project I was working on using my hand plane.

[Brian Jarnell]

I would use the belt sander,mind you I don't find my bench critical.

[Jaze Derr]

I did sharpen the irons using the plate glass and sandpaper method,with a jig, and found it pretty sharp, but I'm still missing something there. Might just need practice.

I have been sharpening the iron while working on a 6000 grit waterstone. And I have an adjustable frog, so I know what you mean by "closing up the throat" but I just can't seem to get it right. :(

this stuff is hard! Fun, but a little frustrating to learn on your own by trial and error. Reading is one thing, doing it, even passably well, is another!

I think I'm going to try a little bit more with the planes, just for practice. Then I'm taking out the RO sander. I don't have access to a belt sander.

Thank you for all your replies! I really appreciate them.

[Rich Aldrich]

Another method would be the use of a router on rails. To flatten my workbench, I put two 2 x 6 the length of the bench top on each side. Then I used some plywood to make a channel that bridges across the bench top with a slot in the center a little longer than the bench is wide for router bit to protrude. It takes some time and you have to level the two rails with the bench top, but it worked well for me. Then I sanded the top.

[Jaze Derr]

Another method would be the use of a router on rails. To flatten my workbench, I put two 2 x 6 the length of the bench top on each side. Then I used some plywood to make a channel that bridges across the bench top with a slot in the center a little longer than the bench is wide for router bit to protrude. It takes some time and you have to level the two rails with the bench top, but it worked well for me. Then I sanded my bench.

Rich, I've read and seen pictures of the jigs you are talking about, but I don't have access to a router. I think a router is going to be my next tool purchase, but it will be a while yet.

[hugh lonner]

You can also see a good video of the technique Rich is talking about at thewoodwhisperer.com (I think the episode is called "the jointer is jumping" and it is toward the end). This, of course, doesn't help if you don't have a router, but I thought others might read it and be curious.

[John Thompson]

I did sharpen the irons using the plate glass and sandpaper method,with a jig, and found it pretty sharp, but I'm still missing something there. Might just need practice.

I have been sharpening the iron while working on a 6000 grit waterstone. And I have an adjustable frog, so I know what you mean by "closing up the throat" but I just can't seem to get it right. :(

this stuff is hard! Fun, but a little frustrating to learn on your own by trial and error. Reading is one thing, doing it, even passably well, is another!

I think I'm going to try a little bit more with the planes, just for practice. Then I'm taking out the RO sander. I don't have access to a belt sander.

Thank you for all your replies! I really appreciate them.

Even skewing the plane which is standard practice as it lightens the cut with an extremely sharp blade is not going to dismiss the fact that you probably have 1"- 1 1/2" strips glued adjacent to each other with grain running in different directions. Your #5 jack has a blade in excess of 2" so you can't avoid going against the grain in this case.

I can take Doug fir which I stated has stringy grain to my jointer with very sharp knives turning at 4000 + rpm and take extremely shallow passes and will still get some tear-out if.. if.. I run the stock throug against the grain. The good news is you will know that next time.

Good luck..