When to use a scraper plane

[Jay Buckler]

SO I put a new byrd shelix head in my Dewalt 735 and man the stuff comes out slick. Has a burnised look to it. Started sanding like my normal procedure w/120 grit and wasn't necessary. 150g Still didn't have the finished when it came out of the planer. (this is cheery wood) So I'm thinking is it time for a scraper plane? I've never thought I'd need one but am kinda thinking so now.

[paul cottingham]

Try planing with a finely set smoother. Failing that, a scraping plane may or may not improve the look depending on the wood. Mine often left wood "fuzzy."
I am more than willing to consider that I was using it wrong. Now I use a no. 80 scraper.

[John TenEyck]

Try putting some stain or finish on samples of planed vs. planed + sanded or planed + hand planed and I think you'll see that the plane + sanded/hand planed look better. The wood may look nice in the raw as it comes out of the planer, but a planer makes a rotary scallop which will show up (ugly) when you put stain or finish on it. Hand planing, sanding, or a scraper plane will remove those scallops so that you are left with a truly flat surface. When you put stain or finish on that surface you should see a marked difference, for the better, compared to what the planer only specimen looks like.

John

[Jim Matthews]

If it's a first time, any new tool will give you difficulty.
The finishing step may be the only one a casual observer notices in your work.

Practice on something disposable, first.

You're in the market for a card scraper, which requires a degree of "feel".

Scraper planes are rarely used in my shop - I find they're either ineffective or make tear out worse.