I'm trying to hand plane the face of some rough sawn black walnut. It's almost flat and smooth, but I keep running into patches where the grain seems to flip, causing minor tear-out. Is this a common issue? I did try flipping to the edge, and that worked fine, but I'm looking for the best way to tackle the remaining spots.
3 Answers
Yeah, I'm facing something similar right now. You can either use a card scraper, some sandpaper, or honestly, just accept that it might look okay once finished. Those rough patches aren't always noticeable in the grand scheme of things!
Card scrapers might just be your best bet for those tricky spots. They can really help finish the job, especially if you get one properly sharpened. Also, if you have old hand saw blades lying around, they can be cut into different scraper sizes and work really well too!
Make sure your plane is sharp, maybe skew the angle a bit, and take it slow. If you’re still not getting a good finish in either direction, it might just be the grain acting up on you—definitely not unusual with black walnut!
Totally agree! A good card scraper can make a huge difference. Make sure you're using the correct angle and technique!