Problems Planning Western Red Cedar

[Richard Line]

I'm trying to joint some Western Red Cedar 2 x 4's. As I plan it, I get some of the wood folding over the blade rather than being cut by the blade. Typically a large portion of the blade width loads up before I've made a full pass, then that part of the blade (or the entire width) stops cutting. I've tried several different planes - an LV BU jointer, a bailey #5 with a mildly cambered blade, another #5 with a highly cambered blade (my fore plane), a bailey #5 with an LV blade & chip breaker set real close, and an LV Low Angle BU smoother. All of the them end up with pieces of the wood folded over the blade. Along with this there is quite a bit of chip out, mostly small in size, even though the wood as a pretty smooth consistent grain direction. Changing the mouth opening on the 2 LV planes (easily done) does change the performance much. Light cuts and deep cuts get similar results, with maybe the deep cut being slightly better.

The following pictures show the blades of the LV jointer and the #5 with a mildly cambered blade with the wood folded over the blades. The other picture is obviously the wood I'm working on.275231275232275233

Any ideas; is this a common problem with WRC.

[Jim Koepke]

I have worked a little WRC. The piece shown looks like it has a knot in the center. Grain direction tends to swirl around knots.

My experience indicated the blade needs to be extremely sharp and the cut very thin. With a Bailey style plane, set the chip breaker close.

Cedar likes to split or tear out.

If the wood is real dry, it might even be worse.

jtk

[Sam Stephens]

sounds like the mouth is getting jammed. either a) open the mouth up or b) move the chipbreaker back a bit b/c it's in the way -not allowing the shaving to pass by. I realize this will be contrary to others opinions. I've got a jack plane w/ a very narrow mouth. On this particular plane the chipbreaker cannot be set less than 1/32" from the blade or else the mouth gets jammed. Now of course move the chipbreaker back too far and you'll get more tear out, so you need to strike a balance.

[Andrew Hughes]

Looks like some nice wood Richard.Dont feel bad it probably has lots of silica in it.It can't be hand planed like normal wood,just look at your edge close it's like trying to hand plane sand paper.
I have some nice stuff in storage I keep for gates.Just have to sand it good thing it goes fast but the dust is foul.

[Dave Beauchesne]

+1 on what Jim said.
WRC is indeed a very stringy wood, and if there are grain undulations and your iron is not super sharp, you get what you have been experiencing.

Personally, I have more experience planing yellow cedar ( actually cypress ) but it behaves very much like WRC. Jim and I are surrounded by it, but I stay away for finer work; it is a bear to plane and chisel due to its stringiness and the tenacity of the fibres to stay stringy at very small diameters.

FWIW, at the pulp mill I work at, high WRC and Cypress % pulp is sold to the toilet paper manufacturers - it makes the product soft and durable!

[Kees Heiden]

I have some experience too with wrc. Not the problem you have though, so I can't really help with that. But I do know that the edge needs to be ridiculous sharp. Sharper then you need it for the most curly maple. With a real sharp blade the wood becomes wonderfully shiny with all the little silica bits glistering in the sun.

[Chris Vandiver]

Like others have said, a very sharp blade and low angle plane with a tight mouth and very fine depth of cut. Because of the silica content you'll probably have to sharpen your blade often. As soon as the blade starts to dull you'll notice a fuzzy quality appearance to the wood surface.

Lightly moistening the surface with warm water from a dampened cloth(thoroughly wrung out) will sometimes help. You also might be experiencing problems from a piece that has grain that is "shaking"(lifting out of the surface of the board). This is a common occurrence with redwood and western red cedar. Sanding is a good alternative for western red cedar.