Replies

1. 
   Samson | May 12, 2008 06:02pm | #1

   Sometimes you just have to reach for the scraper or sander.

1. 
   WillGeorge | May 18, 2008 03:00pm | #20

   Sometimes you just have to reach for the scraper or sander.

   I'd say you almost always have to 'reach for the scraper or sander'

2. 
   blewcrowe | May 12, 2008 08:25pm | #2

   Have you tried clear grain filler?

1. 
   woodchuckwood | May 12, 2008 10:45pm | #3

   no, i might just have to try that one, keep the suggestions coming? thanks

1. 
   blewcrowe | May 12, 2008 10:50pm | #4

   Works good. You want to do your dying first. Then fill. Goes on in a milky haze but dries clear in an hour or so, then you can sand it back. I've had several brands but my guess is several of them are made by the same manufacturer. Usually comes in tubs about a quart in size. Any questions, ping me.

   Denny

3. 
   geir | May 12, 2008 10:55pm | #5

   A first-class handplane, sharpened to perfection, and set to a super-thin shaving.

   I recommend Lie-Nielsen's DVDs with David Charlesworth.

   Good luck,

   Geir

1. 
   flairwoodworks | May 13, 2008 09:03am | #6

   Geir,

   I'd like to add that while sharpness is important, the proper bevel angle is even more so.  For curly maple, I'd suggest a +50 degree effective cutting angle.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   geir | May 13, 2008 10:44pm | #8

   Yes, you are absolutely right about the cutting angle.

   I have handplaned some very curly maple for violin backs and ribs ("sides") and a higher angle eliminates tear out.

   Geir

4. 
   xmike | May 13, 2008 02:11pm | #7

   I've been using gap-filling super-glue and accelerator spray to set it.  It fills small tearout nicely, sands or scrapes smooth, and disappears completely under shellac or varnish.

   Not my original idea, but it sure works for me.

   Mike D

1. 
   forestgirl | May 14, 2008 05:44am | #9

   "I've been using gap-filling super-glue...."  Mike, a little more detail maybe?  I'm assuming this is different from the ubiquitous super-glue found at Safeway or Ace.  Is it a fairly common item, or harder to find?  I'd love to have this bullet in my armory.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   flairwoodworks | May 14, 2008 06:07am | #10

   Many woodworking supplies carry it.  The cyanoacrylate I'm familiar with comes in three viscosities:  Hot Stuff=watery; Super T=syrupy; Special T=thin molases Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   forestgirl | May 14, 2008 07:00am | #11

   Which one fills gaps -- I've neve thought of CA glue as being at all gap-filling.  Sorry if I'm being dense.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   flairwoodworks | May 14, 2008 08:24am | #12

   In this case, gap filling means good for small gaps such as between pen tubes and blanks, not grand canyons like polyurethane glue.  The thin stuff is more suitable for putting broken ceramic back together.  Dense?  Lignum Vitae is dense!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

2. 
   xmike | May 14, 2008 02:36pm | #13

   Hi Forest Girl,

   I use Super T found here http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=346 at WoodCraft.  It says that it's slow curing, and indeed it is, so I also use the accelerator spray to harden it up.

   It works fine for small tear out in curly maple from the jointer or a handplane that is starting to get not quite as sharp as it should be.

   Best regards,

   Mike D

1. 
   forestgirl | May 14, 2008 05:37pm | #14

   Thanks, Mike.  I've been using epoxy for such little tiny imperfections, but it's such a pain to mix a blob when you only need a tiny bit.

   Reading the descriptions, seems like either the Special-T or the Super-T would work?  Question re: the accelerator....it's a spray application, and the notes say it "doesn't evaporate."  Do you mask off the surrounding area somehow, or is that not necessary?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   xmike | May 14, 2008 06:42pm | #15

   Hi Forest Girl,

   I use the Special-T.  I don't worry about the accelerator not evaporating (although it seems to evaporate just fine), since I sand and scrape the area that I've put the blob on, anyway.  It does make a blob, so it does require leveling off.

   Regards,

   Mike D

2. 
   woodchuckwood | May 14, 2008 11:21pm | #16

   thanks

    

   Dave

5. 
   fussy | May 17, 2008 08:11am | #17

   Woodchuck.

   If filling makes more seense to you than sanding or scraping or planeing and risking more tear-out, try a trick Jeff Jewitt wrote about.  Use plaster-of-paris as a grain filler.  Apply it as youi would grain filler, as it sets wipe it off across the grain with burlap or other coarse cloth, sand when dry.  I'd use blo instead of tung oil.  It dries faster.  When it hits the plaster=of=paris, it turns translucent.  Give it a few days to dry, then hit it with the laquer.

   Plaster-of-paris is cheap, so try it on a piece of scrap and see what happens.

   Steve

   There are two secrets to keeping one's wife happy.

   1.  Let her think she's having her own way.

   2.  Let her have her own way. President  Lyndon Baines Johnson

1. 
   Ray | May 17, 2008 05:15pm | #19

   I've been using plaster as a filler for oak for a long time.  Learned that from my grandfather.  Sands smooth as silk and the little white flecs just disappear when the piece is stained.

1. 
   fussy | May 19, 2008 04:10am | #22

   Ray,

   I used it once on yellowheart  and once on purpleheart.  It's easy to apply, dries fast, sands easily as you said, and it's transparent under a finish.  Thought I was crazy for trying it until I tried it.

   SteveThere are two secrets to keeping one's wife happy.

   1.  Let her think she's having her own way.

   2.  Let her have her own way. President  Lyndon Baines Johnson

1. 
   Ray | May 19, 2008 06:16am | #23

   Most people I tell about plaster think I'm totally nuts - until they try it too :-)

6. 
   WalnutPete | May 17, 2008 02:19pm | #18

   I was pleasantly surprised by a recent purchase of a 5 1/2 Lie Nielsen hand plane. I am able to plane curly maple and even birdseye maple without tearout. I have with much tuning and fiddeling been able to do this also with a #5 Stanley also but not with the standard iron. The mouth must be very tight, iron very sharp and use long, slow and steady strokes.  If using a stanley a replacement hock iron and chipbreaker would be a wise $65 upgrade. And once tuned up, only kept for such tasks.  the rusults however are impressive and might make you toss your sandpaper. By the way I don't work for Lie Nielsen but would not refuse if offered ;-)

1. 
   woodchuckwood | May 19, 2008 03:23am | #21

   Walnut Pete, is that the No. 1 Bench Plane by Lie-Nielson?

1. 
   WalnutPete | May 24, 2008 05:43pm | #24

   That is, in my opinion, the best plane that can be purchase under $400.  Of  course Clifton and other 'gold plated' brands are much more expensive.  I like the Lie Nielson 5 1/2 because that is ths smallest plane with a tote that does not cramp my hand. Smaller planes won't let all four fingers fit on the tote.  Most well known and published hand tool craftsmen say that the larger the plane the flatter the surface.  The Lie Nielson like the older Stanley Bed Rock planes allow the adjustment of the mouth with out removing the cap iron and loosen and adjust the frog.  Then there is 15 to 20 minutes of adjusting to set the iron again. The machining is great also.  You can almost see your reflection in the sole and the plane body sides are exactly square to the sole.  I paid $345 for my 5 1/2 and fell in love the moment that I started the plane in the wood. I am able to take 1-cell thick shavings in birds-eye maple without tearout. I produces a surface that is smoother than a card scraper and certainly better than sandpaper.

    

    

1. 
   woodchuckwood | May 25, 2008 02:15am | #25

   great, someday soon I want to by  a Lie Nielson or two, thanks for the info.  check out the table in the gallery forum, thanks

   DaveChildren are our future, unless we stop them now -- Homer Simpson

7. 
   integrity_woodworks | May 25, 2008 03:09am | #26

   wood , you have a bunch of fix it suggestions here, so I will just say next time dampen the wood just before you joint and plain . most important NEVER EVER put laquer over tung oil!!!!!! I have two tickets infinishing and over25 years finishing behind my ,that is the biggest no no . good luck   -Dan thewoodbug

1. 
   woodchuckwood | May 25, 2008 03:14pm | #27

   Can you explain why tung oil over Lacquer is not advisable?  thanks

    Children are our future, unless we stop them now -- Homer Simpson

1. 
   integrity_woodworks | May 25, 2008 08:04pm | #28

   the main reason to not put lacquer over tung oil is that tung oil was deigened for outdoor use there for it never complettelly dries (meaning it stays fexable allowing the wood to breath. If your goal is to pop the grain and inhance the natural wood coulor? you can use danish oil (Watco is good w/ lacquer) wipe your oil on leaving it on for only 10 min/or so then wipe dry , by the next morning your peice should look as if you never oiled it (thats ok).Wait 48-78 hours before lacquer sealer and then final lacquer top coats.   Dan thewoodbug.