Will Wenge last as a plane wood?

[Matthew N. Masail]

My Boss gave me a board of quatersawn Wenge to make some planes from, however I'm having doubts about how suitable it is.
It is very hard and stiff, but I wonder how impact resistant it will be. what do you think? will a wenge plane have a tendency to crack\split? it seems strong and I wonder if the splintery nature goes beyond the face\edge.
if it's no good I will probably see about getting hard maple, but the wenge would be a real looker and have good heft.

[Brian Holcombe]

I dont know about using it in a plane, but trying to plane it.....it basically just laughed at me and taunted me to try again.

[Casey Gooding]

I think it will work well. I've never had problems with wenge splitting or checking. Splintering can be an issue, but I think when you have it shaped well and smooth it will be fine.

[Tony Shea]

Should be fine but is truly a bear to work with hand tools. Especially working wenge end grain.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Matthew

The Janka hardness of Wenge is similar to that of Jarrah and Hickory, somewhere around 1900 pounds-force. This is about 50% higher than beech. As you know, I've made many planes from Jarrah, and also Sheoak, which is 50% higher than Wenge. HNT Gordon Planes use even harder woods (such as Gidgee, which is just over double Wenge). The point is that all woods are doable, just not always practical or sane. But since when can anyone here be called sane? :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Kornell]

Matthew,

I made a 50° smoother from wenge, as well as that low angle block you've mentioned before. Made both of those almost 4 years ago. Neither gets a lot of use but both sit with irons under tension, ready for action. No cracking evident. Yet, at least. 4 years isn't that long of a time.

I wouldn't try making a traditionally constructed plane with it. It would be a bear to chop out mortises. A laminated construction was fairly easy. Wenge works well with power tools and glues well but beware of splinters. Instant festering.

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[David Weaver]

Hi Matthew

The Janka hardness of Wenge is similar to that of Jarrah and Hickory, somewhere around 1900 pounds-force. This is about 50% higher than beech. As you know, I've made many planes from Jarrah, and also Sheoak, which is 50% higher than Wenge. HNT Gordon Planes use even harder woods (such as Gidgee, which is just over double Wenge). The point is that all woods are doable, just not always practical or sane. But since when can anyone here be called sane? :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

The trouble with it would be that it's like a board made entirely of long splinters, just waiting for an excuse to come out. I'd much rather use gidgee (like cocobolo, I'd imagine with hand tools while mortising, the bits would shoot out of the mortise like little missiles). Cocobolo wasn't too bad to make planes from (chopping), but not as forgiving as beech.

Sheoak or live oak would be nice.

I'd save wenge for power tool use. rasping or chisling or an errant float stroke would result in a large splintered off area on a finish surface.

[Jim Matthews]

How will you mill this?

Do you have any native species available?
I've worked with Olive and Willow, very interesting stuff - those.

[Derek Cohen]

The trouble with it would be that it's like a board made entirely of long splinters, just waiting for an excuse to come out.

And that is the issue to contend with. I bow to your experience here, David, since I have little with Wenge. Personally, I would avoid using it. There are better choices. Matthew, I suggest that you discuss this with your boss, and see what else he has available.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Steve Voigt]

I agree with Derek and Dave about wenge.
For any wood you are interested in, just go to the wood database (http://www.wood-database.com/) and look up the stats. For bench planes, you want diffuse-porous and fine or medium grain, janka hardness of around 1300 or higher, weight around 45 lb/cubic foot or higher, and reasonable stability in the radial plane. Compare whatever wood you're interested in to traditional plane-making woods like beech, pear, or yellow birch, and see how they measure up. Wenge is diffuse-porous, but it says grain is "very coarse."
I like Jim's suggestion of Olive, if you can find it in a large enough piece. Too heavy for a big plane (for my taste), but it might make a nice smoother.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I actually have some wild olive, but in branches that are much too small. If I come across a dead tree... well, I don't have the tools to mill it!


The grain is coarse but pores are actually very tight and smooth. I am sure their are much better choices, but this is what we have so my main concern was about it splitting, which doesn't seem to be a problem, so I'll give it a shot with one plane and see if it's too hard to work. I've made a plane of Ipe so I think I fit in quite well (Insane):)

Mark - Very cool as before! that pics comes up on google a lot! lol I wonder why you don't use them much, I aim to make only user planes. as in a plane I will reach for over others.

[Brian Ashton]

There is about 400 years of plane making experience available for you to read about. In that time, it would be highly unlikely that someone, if not hundreds. haven't tried Wenge and discarded it as an unsuitable wood… Beech and fruit woods have proven them selves over hundreds of years and you should take note when trying to reinvent the wheel. HNT has played with various australian woods, but for practical purposes, considering they have been known about for the past 250 years, they have not been adopted as being of value for plane making - or for furniture making for that matter… Not to say you can't make a plane out of Wenge but don't expect any revelations. My understanding of Wenge is that it hasn't got a great deal of adhesion between the fibres, hence it's splintering reputation. Therefore trying to make a plane where you will be driving a wedge in and creating a great deal of lateral pressure across the cellular structure will end often in failure (cracking).

But! Most likely you're not trying to reinvent the wheel so have at it and see where it goes. And let us know how it turn out.

[Ryan Baker]

You can successfully make a plane out of pretty much any species of wood if you really want to (or are limited in choices). Wenge shouldn't have any wear issues and shouldn't split as long as you don't make it too thin or wedge between the grain. In other words, if you can get it made in the first place, it will probably do just fine after that.

Personally, I avoid wenge (for everything), since it is a pretty miserable wood to work with due to the long, sharp, splintery, coarse grain that was previously mentioned. It's much easier to work with power tools.

As a side note, olive would probably be very nice for making plane bodies.

[Brian Holcombe]

I think there is a lot more to it than just Janka, I have very little issue working ebony, but wenge was absolutely hell to work.

[Rick Fisher]

I have used quite a bit of Wenge.. Built a desk, Sofa Table, stuff like that..

I agree with Brian. Its an ornery, miserable wood. I have loads of scraps and pieces in my shop, I get a sliver when I look at them. As a plane ? I guess.. Its been quite stable for me. It doesn't really sand smooth like other woods. Hard to explain.. I would use it for accents rather than a plane. The nicest thing about Wenge is the color.

[Paul Hinds]

I agree w/ those who've said:
1) splinters are a REAL problem (boy are they nasty)
2) it can be very tough to work with because of the stringiness.

As Mark's planes show, though, it can produce beautiful results if you DO get something made with it (and don't have blood all over it from the splinters cutting up your hands :) )

[Matthew N. Masail]

I really appreciate the input. will give it a shot, not much to loose. as long as I manage to plane it..... Rick, what plane configuration did you use to plane it?

[Mark Kornell]

Matthew,

Both planes work quite well and have proven to be very stable - soles have not needed flattening since they were built. That may be partially due to the laminated construction.

The reason I don't use the block plane much because it is too wide for my hand. Rookie mistake on my part.

I use the smoother more, but I usually choose my 45° smoother over this 50° plane. Just depends on the wood I'm working. Often, though, I'll use both to stretch out the time between sessions at the sharpening bench.

I have to disagree with Rick on the sanding results - I have no issues getting it to sand up nicely. It is a very porous wood, more so than oak, so you never get a truly smooth surface overall. But the areas between the pores sand well.

Splinters are problematic. Anything resembling a splinter will tear through sandpaper. And your finger, if that is what is behind the sandpaper. If those planes ever get stolen, the maker could be readily identified through analysis of the copious amounts of DNA left as trace.

I've even turned some and that turned out nicely. Using a skew. I suspect a gouge or scraper would tear out big chunks.

[Rick Fisher]

I really appreciate the input. will give it a shot, not much to loose. as long as I manage to plane it..... Rick, what plane configuration did you use to plane it?

Me ! .. For Wenge, A 12" Jointer with a Tersa head, and a Helical Head planer .. I would loathe using hand tools on Wenge ..

When I said it doesn't sand well.. Afterwards I read "Stringy" . that is it . its stringy ..