HELP! My planer is scalloping my board!

[Kurt Cady]

What model planer are you using? Have you done this process before?

Its a Ridgid 4330. I've made a dozen or so cutting boards before. On some I noticed it, barely. On some it was perfectly flat. I'll try to get a better pic

[McKay Sleight]

Time to get your #7, #3 and scraper out. Plane the piece to 1/16" proud then finish with the hand planes. I do this as standard fair as I do not want any mill marks on the finished piece. It really is not much work.

[Mel Fulks]

I just looked up that machine. I don't think any of those machines with thin proprietary knives leave a surface as good as that made by the thick knife type. If it doesn't make the marks on a softer wood,it's the thin knives.They may be dull,too.

[Ted Calver]

Are these end grain cutting boards?

[Kurt Cady]

Are these end grain cutting boards?

Yes, but it is happening at te flat panel step.

I ended up running the panel through the drum sander, then cutting into strips.

[Bill Huber]

You are running them long grain into the planer correct.
If you run them cross grain you will get something like you are saying with a harder and then a softer board.

[Peter Froh]

I've had chips get lodged under a section of the blade causing that section of the blade to cut deeper than the rest. Take your blades out and make sure they are clear of this possible problem.

[Kurt Cady]

You are running them long grain into the planer correct.
If you run them cross grain you will get something like you are saying with a harder and then a softer board.

Yes. Running them long grain into the mouth of the beast

I've had chips get lodged under a section of the blade causing that section of the blade to cut deeper than the rest. Take your blades out and make sure they are clear of this possible problem.

I don't think it's that either. The scalloped areas were only about 12" long - then flat after that.

I gave up trying to figure it out this weekend. Another weekend maybe. I had to get back to getting stuff done. I cut the panel into 20" lengths and fed them through the drum sander to flatten them out before segmenting and turning end grain up.


Thank you everyone for the ideas. My first thought was that the board was cupped, the pressure from the rollers flattened it out at the knife, then it cupped again. This didn't make sense and I can't think of a scenario will that will occur.