I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

On Dec 29, 6:06 pm, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:
I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?



you might try sharpening your plane with a little bit of a back bevel.
of course, this is a good reason have two blades....

"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
|I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
| 2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..
|
| Now I want to use it for a workbench.
|
| So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.
|
| Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.
|
| This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
| my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
| is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.
|
| I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.
|
| Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
| planing but I guess not.
|
| Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
| they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
| done?

It's not clear to me from your post, did the top need to be flattened or
just smoothed? If it just needs smoothing skip the No 7 and use a well tuned
smoother set to take 1-2/1000s off and if need be a card scraper. Attack
each board from the direction it planes best from... generally with the
grain from one direction or the other. If you skew the plane a No 4 will
take a relatively narrow cut so you may be able to work individual
boards--particularly if you have some camber in the cutting edge. Use a
tight mouth.

If it needs to be flattened first perhaps working at an angle e.g,. 45
degrees, to the length rather than across the width might yield better
results and then move on to the smoother and card scraper skipping planing
with the grain with the No 7.

Another point to consider is that if it's a work bench being flat is more
important than smooth... smooth doesn't last long in my shop as tools,
materials, etc., hit the surface but flat does. I take a card scraper to the
surface occasionally to knock off any lumps.

John

PS. A York Pitch (e.g,. 50 degree) frog L-N No 4 handles these situations
well if you are looking for an excuse to buy a new plane. ;~)

"tiredofspam" wrote:

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

Make life easy, take it to a commercial drum sander.

My guess is about 20 minutes and you are done,

Around here, less than $30 and no aggravation.

IMHO, not a work shop job.

Lew

Tired....
If the top can be removed, try to find a local shop that has a 36" belt
sander. I built my own a couple of years ago and ran it through one of
these sanders. It create a great surface with no tear out.

Roger


"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on my
#7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some is
plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

I might try that.
Hate to have to redo the blade after, so I'll first see about getting a
new blade so I can avoid having to redo it.

Good suggestion, wish I thought of it.

tiredofspam wrote:
I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

Yes the tob needs flattening.

The top is slightly twisted having stuck a straight edge across in
different directions.

I am not looking for smooth. That is why I removed the varnish too.
Boards just slid on it. Not sure why tops come with a finish on it,
other than to prevent moisture from getting to them.

Tried at 45 degrees too. The thing that really gets me is the finger
glue joints.. the grain can be two different directions on the glue up.
And when planing across the grain I have the same issue.

I'll continue with the jointer, but consider rebeveling. A couple of the
tearouts went deep before I closed the mouth, so sanding isn't an option.

John Grossbohlin wrote:
"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
|I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
| 2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..
|
| Now I want to use it for a workbench.
|
| So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.
|
| Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.
|
| This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
| my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
| is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.
|
| I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.
|
| Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
| planing but I guess not.
|
| Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
| they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
| done?

It's not clear to me from your post, did the top need to be flattened or
just smoothed? If it just needs smoothing skip the No 7 and use a well tuned
smoother set to take 1-2/1000s off and if need be a card scraper. Attack
each board from the direction it planes best from... generally with the
grain from one direction or the other. If you skew the plane a No 4 will
take a relatively narrow cut so you may be able to work individual
boards--particularly if you have some camber in the cutting edge. Use a
tight mouth.

If it needs to be flattened first perhaps working at an angle e.g,. 45
degrees, to the length rather than across the width might yield better
results and then move on to the smoother and card scraper skipping planing
with the grain with the No 7.

Another point to consider is that if it's a work bench being flat is more
important than smooth... smooth doesn't last long in my shop as tools,
materials, etc., hit the surface but flat does. I take a card scraper to the
surface occasionally to knock off any lumps.

John

PS. A York Pitch (e.g,. 50 degree) frog L-N No 4 handles these situations
well if you are looking for an excuse to buy a new plane. ;~)

"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
| Yes the tob needs flattening.
|
| The top is slightly twisted having stuck a straight edge across in
| different directions.
|
| I am not looking for smooth. That is why I removed the varnish too.
| Boards just slid on it. Not sure why tops come with a finish on it,
| other than to prevent moisture from getting to them.
|
| Tried at 45 degrees too. The thing that really gets me is the finger
| glue joints.. the grain can be two different directions on the glue up.
| And when planing across the grain I have the same issue.
|
| I'll continue with the jointer, but consider rebeveling. A couple of the
| tearouts went deep before I closed the mouth, so sanding isn't an option.

I think the same principles could be applied to the No 7 as to a smoother...
Do you have camber in the cutting edge such that you can take a narrow cut
of 1-2/1000ths using the middle of the iron? A bit of camber, a tight mouth
and set to take a very fine cut should work fine with a sharp iron,
especially a thick iron that resists chatter. Sure it will take more time to
flatten the top but if you've got tear out problems it may be the
solution...

There is a Fine Woodworking clip on camber at

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki....aspx?id=29711

John

On Dec 29, 8:06 pm, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:
I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

Slap on a coat of 50% cut shellac to bind the fibers.

You have a link to the plans or did you do it freestyle-homebrew. Sounds
like something every shop should have. :-)
Thanks in advance
Lyndell


"Roger Woehl" wrote in message
...
Tired....
If the top can be removed, try to find a local shop that has a 36" belt
sander. I built my own a couple of years ago and ran it through one of
these sanders. It create a great surface with no tear out.

Roger


"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on my
#7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some is
plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the table.
The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website with
photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better than I
could give.

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

I am familiar with that. Would rather plane it. Might as well improve my
planing skills. Although this top has frustrated me.

If I don't get it done, I will consider it. I have a sled already built
from working a board in the past. but it is slow work due to the size of
the cutter and I am not interested in doing it again.

Ron c. wrote:
The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the table.
The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website with
photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better than I
could give.

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

"Ron c." wrote in message
...
The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the table.
The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website with
photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better than I
could give.

Are you sure that you blades is really sharp?


http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:
I am familiar with that. Would rather plane it. Might as well improve
my planing skills. Although this top has frustrated me.

If I don't get it done, I will consider it. I have a sled already
built from working a board in the past. but it is slow work due to
the size of the cutter and I am not interested in doing it again.

I doubt you can hand plane a bench top successfully. Think about it;
even if it were perfectly flat in one area larger than the plane, what's
the plane going to do? It's going to remove material. I suppose a sled
of some sort would work, but not too sure how to rig it up properly.
I'd much rather just glide a router across a sled a few more than a
few times and be done with it. Nothing to keep track of, easy to guide
the router, & it only works on the high spots. As smooth as you said
that was, it probably only needs one pass total.

My 1 ¢'s worth anyway


Ron c. wrote:
The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the
table. The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website
with photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better
than I could give.

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth
on my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter
sawn,
some is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across..
every
which way. I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in
hand planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so
that they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a
top
have done?

"Twayne" wrote in message
news:Ettfj.22$Xo1.14@trnddc06...
tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:
I am familiar with that. Would rather plane it. Might as well improve
my planing skills. Although this top has frustrated me.

If I don't get it done, I will consider it. I have a sled already
built from working a board in the past. but it is slow work due to
the size of the cutter and I am not interested in doing it again.

I doubt you can hand plane a bench top successfully.


I have done it many times with a #8.

Yes my blade was/is sharp.

The grain is going in all different directions. I do believe setting the
plane up with a high angle bevel on the back of the blade will help take
care of much of the tear out as suggested. Not all of it. I think it
will continue to tear out some of it.

I think if the boards were oriented correctly it would have helped quite
a bit. I am sure the company that made the top took the sanding
approach. just throw it in the machine and be done with it.

If it were flat I would leave it alone. It's off by a slight amount,
twisted.

Hank Finkel wrote:
"Ron c." wrote in message
...
The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the table.
The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website with
photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better than I
could give.

Are you sure that you blades is really sharp?

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?

"tiredofspam" nospam.nospam.com wrote in message
...
Yes my blade was/is sharp.

The grain is going in all different directions. I do believe setting the
plane up with a high angle bevel on the back of the blade will help take
care of much of the tear out as suggested. Not all of it. I think it will
continue to tear out some of it.

I think if the boards were oriented correctly it would have helped quite a
bit. I am sure the company that made the top took the sanding approach.
just throw it in the machine and be done with it.

If it were flat I would leave it alone. It's off by a slight amount,
twisted.


I didn't think of it being manufactured and no thought going into grain
direction. I have only leveled tops that I have glued up myself.

Have you called any cabinet shops to get a quote on have the leveling
outsourced?

Having fealt with similar tops, the best way to plane them is to plane at a
45 degree angle across the brain - not perpendicular. Set the throat as
tight as you have too. You will probably still get some tearout in places -
note where they are, and work those areas with a cab. scraper. Its a lot of
owrk, but it can be done. Stop frequently to hone your blade.

the method I use is to start at one corner, and take a pass at 45 degrees,
slowling moving across the top. When I get to the other side, I start going
back, but reverse the angle - if I start out at the left end cutting left to
right, when I get to the rigt end, I go back cutting right to left. That way
you are planing a criss-cross pattern, and are less likely to develop dips.
Start with a smallish plane - it should be big enough that it "skips" parts
of the surface, but cuts others, but not so big that it only cuts in smal
areas. Once its taking cuts across the majority of the surface, move up to a
bigger plane and repeat. a #7 is as big as I get, and I get pretty darn flat
surfaces. Use winding sticks to make sure you don't introduce new twist..

good luck
-JD




"Ron c." wrote in message
...
The best way to flatten your tabletop is to use a router and a simple
jig. The jig consists of two boards clamped to the sides of the table.
The top edge must be parralel and straight. Here's a website with
photos of the jig in operation and the instructions are better than I
could give.

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/...ut/index2.html


On Sat, 29 Dec 2007 20:06:55 -0500, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

I bought a maple slab from Woodcraft 2 years ago .. got a great buy.
2 1/4 30x57 for 129 ... used it for a setup bench..

Now I want to use it for a workbench.

So I used a cab scraper #80 to remove the varnish.

Then I started to plane it.. tear out everywhere.

This is a finger jointed glue up. I figured I could close the mouth on
my #7 and plane across the grain, but some of this is quarter sawn, some
is plain sawn, and the tear out is still occurring across.. every which
way.

I tried wetting it out, skewing doesn't help.

Looking for advice on how to work it. I thought I had advanced in hand
planing but I guess not.

Next question... If I build my own top, do I orient the boards so that
they plane easily? Is that what those of you who have built a top have
done?