Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Mar 30, 2005 06:02am | #1

   Take a sharp knife like a utility knife and slice a small chamfer down the edge. In one direction it should take off a nice controllable 45°. Go in the opposite direction and the blade will dig in. If you are near the end of the board, with the grain, it will slice off right to the end. Against the grain and it will split off.

   There are some differing opinions about what the grain actually is. Some call the cathedral like arches and other face characteristics the grain. These are actually the growth rings and often have different color and size due to the difference between summer and winter growth. The grain is more the structural nature of the radial growth habit, that runs from bottom to top of the tree and inside to outside. A knot is a good example. The grain radiates from it, to go "with the grain" you would have to work in a 360° pattern. This is what makes working with figured wood like birds eye maple so difficult.

   With some species the grain is more visible than in others. Red oaks' grain can usually be seen in the little brown slash marks among the growth rings. You can often see that they lay in a slant fashion towards the edge or face. If you cut in the direction of the slant you get a better finish and much less chipping out or splintering. You can often hear the difference when cutting with power tools. There is a popping and snapping when going against the grain. It's much more obvious with a hand plane. The plane just digs in when you go against the grain. Sometimes chips break out and jamb in the throat opening. The chipping on the surface is immediately noticeable. You usually only get splinters when you go against the grain.

   To see the grain direction, you sight down the length of the board as well as directly at the face or edge. You're looking for a sign of a slant towards the edge or face. Sometimes the grain runs with the growth ring marks but not always. The grain often runs in the opposite direction of the opposing face and edge, as far as milling and shaping goes. This is one problem with buying pre-surfaced lumber, little attention is paid to grain direction. Borads are planed with a double sided planer or put into the planer from the same end on both faces. When using a planer you have to turn the board end for end when you flip it over to the opposite side for surfacing. Keeping organized, by laying your boards on the cart or horses in the direction they came off the machines can be a big help. Thinking ahead, when you have some stiles and rails to run on the router or shaper, for instance, can really help to eliminate a rough or splintered edge on the bead. Saws don't care much about grain, they just chop out hunks. Anything that slices like router bits, plane blades and jointers will give better results "with the grain". Once you figure it out, it will be easy to see.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
1. 
   Dizzy | Mar 31, 2005 02:04am | #4

   Thanks for your answer - most of my hardwood comes rough sawn.  Believe knife or hand plane will work before planeing.

2. 
   joinerswork | Mar 30, 2005 03:43pm | #2

   Scott,

   Hammers description is a good one.  I'll add that if you are having trouble "reading" the grain direction, you can often feel it, by lightly passing fingertips across the surface first one way then the other.  Often you can feel the rising ends of the wood fibers as you go against the grain direction.  It'll feel smoother one way, and bristly the other.

   Regards,

   Ray

1. 
   Dizzy | Mar 31, 2005 01:57am | #3

   That is how I've been trying but with the tight grain of hickory it was hard feeling the slight difference.  Since most of my hardwood will be bought rough, I'll try with hand plane then label in some way.  

   Thanks for your input