Freckles on V.G. Cedar

[Joe Wood]

Is there any solution to these freckles I get after planing this beautiful old growth W.R.cedar? I get them even with brand new planer blades.


Light sanding doesn't get rid of them either as you can see on this pair of double gates sealed with Penofin.


Doesn't happen with every board, and I've even tried switching board feed directions when it does happen.


What in the heck is causing this? Would a set of spiral cutters help?

[Thomas S Stockton]

They are caused by wood chips that are denting the wood. I sometimes have the same problem the solution is sanding, start with 120 and work your way up to 220 and you should be fine. I don't know if a spiralhead will cure this, it might because the tend to make smaller chips which are sucked up easier. Other causes might be planer design and not a big enough dust collector. I just sand them out and everything is fine. Another thing you could tryis moisting the wood before sanding that will help pop the out.
Tom

[Paul Atkins]

Does it happen if you hand plane it? If so, it's in the wood. I thought it might be bruising from the chips hitting the planed surface which I have had on soft wood when I take a deep cut because the DC can't quite keep up. Sometimes I get chips under the outfeed roller too.

[Joe Wood]

Darn, time to improve my D.C. setup then, at least replace the 4" flex hose I'm using now.

I would've never figured this out (been scratching my head over this for months), thanks so much!

[Chris Padilla]

As you've probably noted, Cedar dents/marks up if you look at it funny. Soft stuff. I recently built a 4' x 7' gate out of cedar. I loved the smell in the shop when milling but one little bump, and there goes your nice board.

I, too, was racking my brain at trying to explain the marks you had because I never saw such things on the cedar I had but it makes perfect sense that chips being pressed by the rollers on your planer causing this. I've seen such things when I used to have a lunchbox planer...even in birch and maple.