Jack planed surfaces question

[Tony Wilkins]

On the dining table I’m working on, I’ve pretty much decided to leave the underside of the top with the ‘dawks’ of the Jack plane blade. Any tips on working this way?

here’s the Schwarz blog article that is inspiring me (amidst others): https://blog.lostartpress.com/2018/02/01/extrude-this/

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I'm building a couple of cabinets and while the insides are "smoothish", the top upper surface is finished and smoothed; the underside is not original rough, but nowhere near perfect. Just my way of emphasizing that the project was mainly hand-built, and not a tickey-tackey same as every Ikea cabinet.

[William Fretwell]

If the top sits on a frame people’s legs will not hit under the table beyond the frame. In front of the frame should be properly finished as it will be felt. If there is no frame all the underside should be finished as crossing your legs will bump knees into the underside. Women’s stockings will catch and rip. Men’s trousers may catch.
Worst case children playing under the table will bump their heads and may get splinters or abrasions.
Probably one occasion when the effort is worthwhile.

[Scott Winners]

Kind of piling on with William, I would be concerned about the appearance of the joint between the table aprons and the dawks. Inside the aprons (given smooth enough to not put a run in the stockings of female guests point made Aaron) it should be fine. On the underside of my underweight workbench top I smoothed out the underside for the leg joints, but left as much weight on as I could.

My thinking is if your aprons fit good and you aren't running off the ladies, leave the dawks.

[Tony Wilkins]

The design is a shaker trestle table. The surface I have so far is smooth as far a ‘snagging’, just has the ripples, furrows, waves of the curved Jack plane blade.

the connection to the trestles is the one thing I was wondering about. I know it can be done if Schwarz and period craftsman did it but I wonder if there’s any tricks. I could always joint across and maybe even smooth where the trestles connect.

[Ben Ellenberger]

I think your plan is fine. I have a side table for my bed where I left the underside finished with a jack plane. I like the texture.

before you attach the top, set it on loose. If anything is so rough as to cause it to rock, then make a little adjustment before you finish and attach it.

[Jason Buresh]

The design is a shaker trestle table. The surface I have so far is smooth as far a ‘snagging’, just has the ripples, furrows, waves of the curved Jack plane blade.

the connection to the trestles is the one thing I was wondering about. I know it can be done if Schwarz and period craftsman did it but I wonder if there’s any tricks. I could always joint across and maybe even smooth where the trestles connect.

If I'm not mistaken, the picture of the table Schwarz is referring to in that article is a staked table from the Anarchists Design book. That table is staked, and does not have any skirts or trestles, etc. The surface under this table doesn't need to be flat because there are no skirts or trestles to mate up to it.

[Tony Wilkins]

If I'm not mistaken, the picture of the table Schwarz is referring to in that article is a staked table from the Anarchists Design book. That table is staked, and does not have any skirts or trestles, etc. The surface under this table doesn't need to be flat because there are no skirts or trestles to mate up to it.
Yes. Another one of his blogs talks about the same thing on a trestle table.

here ( https://blog.lostartpress.com/2009/01/03/a-thousand-meals-five-lessons/ ) and here ( https://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/01/14/mailbag-how-to-dress-a-tabletop/ )

[Alan Schwabacher]

I recall a Woodwright's shop episode where Roy showed floorboards riven out of logs and flattened on the top surfaces. The bottom surface was left rounded, but flattened by adze just where it was supported by the joists, and just enough to make the tops even.

I did something analogous on the top of my workbench, leaving the bottom surface roughly planed but more carefully planed where it was supported.

[James Pallas]

From what I have observed furniture has always been finished to the level required. Bottoms, backs, and interiors only finished to a point where the item was serviceable. Many times markings are found in these places that help identify the piece. Things I have seen include, chalked identity numbers. Table tops with leaves having the backs veneered but the rest of the top, where attached, left with a jack planed surface. I tend to do the same. I do apply finishes to these surfaces to help alleviate moisture absorption but nothing more.
Jim

[Anuj Prateek]

That's an interesting article.

I am making a TV console from maple. I ran boards through planer before gluing up panels. Then I used a hand plane to flatten the panels (since they won't fit in planer). On most panels I ended up removing a few shavings across the face with #4 smoother. I have done this on both faces. Before any finish is applied both faces will be sanded.

I cannot imagine leaving the inside rough or un-sanded. I won't put same effort applying finish on insides but I will make sure it looks good (to the extent I can).

I think it comes down to individual preferences.

[Kevin Jenness]

Antique hand made furniture is virtually never finished to the same degree on show and hidden surfaces, and is often found as it was sawn or riven from the tree. Nowadays people expect to see smooth surfaces everywhere as it is easier for machine processes to work with s4s material. It's your project, suit yourself.

[Sam Goldsmith]

Are you leaving it after traversing across the grain to flatten it? or after planing with the grain? I think if you leave it after only cross grain planing you'll be a bit splintery/rough for under a table top. I would leave that more for the inside backs of a dresser or places that won't be touched. If you follow up with planing with the grain then you'll have a smooth but textured surface with minimal tearout.
So if you want tips on that, make your finishing cuts with a sharp, cambered blade, plane it just enough to smooth out your cross grain plane marks and you like the slightly scalloped texture, it shouldn't be a hackjob or look lazily planed with crazy tearout. I don't think you'll affect the top to skirt area enough to be unsightly or even enough to care. Children will be the only ones at eye level with that to notice anyways.
That's how I leave most of the underside of tops I do, but another note, is if I plan on handplaning the top with a smoothing plane, I get a little practice and take a few strokes on the underside so I can get an idea on how it will behave before I attack the show surface.