On 6/11/2016 10:12 PM, wrote:
Does anyone know if it is possible to make a flat surface on a pencil sized, 16" long piece of end grain using a hand planer? I am trying to count very faint tree rings on a sugar maple without using sandpaper, which clogs up the pores with saw dust. Would a hand or electric planner catch rather than cut, or create a rough surface when viewed under a microscope? If anyone knows of a better method then please let me know.

Here is a link to an image of what I am trying to create an even and smooth surface on:
http://www.fortedwards.org/projects/tree-no1d.jpg

I would try a a quality card scraper before I'd try a hand plane.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...=1,310&p=41069


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