I'm struggling to plane a piece of hard, curly maple. It seems to skip over the surface without cutting, and when I adjust the blade, it takes a huge cut all at once. I've checked my plane sole, and it's flat, plus it works well on pine and oak. My blade is sharp, but not perfectly so, and I think the board may have started out quite uneven. Any advice on how to handle this?
3 Answers
I had a similar situation with rock maple once. It was tough, but I ended up getting a drum sander which really saved me. But before that, remember to keep your blade razor-sharp and try to flatten it by cutting across the grain to start.
Sounds like you're dealing with some tough grain! One trick is to check your cutting angle. For hard, figured woods like maple, a steeper angle can really help reduce tear-out. It might be worth trying a scraper plane for those tougher parts too.
Try taking minimal cuts at a shallow depth, and don’t rush it! Pass it over the board more than once before lowering the blade to prevent skipping. Patience is key with hard maple!