Replies

1. 
   TomBenas | Dec 06, 2002 06:53am | #1

   In my experience, using a scraper plane will result in tearout.  Scraper planes are very limited in their application.  You would be much better off with a low angle block plane such as one made by Lie-Nilsen I believe it is the 102 (Around $95.00).  Also a high quality smoothing plane may work for you.  Mario Rodriquez wrote an article in Fine Woodworking on planing tricky grain.  I can not remember the issue.  Maybe you could perform a search to find the article.

   Tom

1. 
   Ricky_Yu | Dec 06, 2002 11:37am | #2

   The article you are referring to is in Fine Woodworking No. 144 (October 2000).

2. 
   lwilliams | Dec 06, 2002 05:12pm | #3

   I would advise against scraping soft wood. While doug fir can be pretty hard stuff, it won't scrape well. Low angle planes do well in soft woods and on end grain of hard wood.

   My guess is there is something lacking in the tuning of your plane. If you could give us a little more information, we could probably get you on your way without buying another tool--not that there's anything wrong with buying  tools.

   What plane are you using? Can you describe what the plane performs like in a couple different situations like on end grain, planing across the grain and planing with  the grain? Are you having trouble with the plane choking or shavings jamming in the mouth or getting under a cap iron? Any other symptoms obvious to you but I might not have thought about?

1. 
   racwood | Dec 07, 2002 07:28pm | #4

   Larry, Your line of questioning may exceed my skill with a plane.  I have a few.  An old stanley jack plane that I've tuned as well as my uncles OLD Craftsman smoothing plane, also fairly well tuned.  Yes I do have shavings sometime plug up though not a big problem.  For me the greatest obstacle is planing a 36 - 48" piece and the grain of the doug fir jumps up and down along that length.  A wonderful result on the first 20-30" may result in my tearing into the grain where it's orientation changes and I'm SUDDENLY planing into a rising grain.  This is beautiful old tight grained material that I'm working with and I'd like to accentuate the grain's beauty by not beating it down in a planer nor muting it with a sander.  However, the trear outs are even worse.  That's where my question arose: Scraper plane (very HIGH angle) or a low angle plane.  Two very different angles but often times mentioned to have the same ability to deal with such difficult grain conditions.  Hope I'm making some sense.  Thanks in advacne for your help