Hey everyone! I'm in a bit of a bind at work. We need 42 linear feet of 8x10 Douglas Fir planed from rough to finished by the end of next week. Unfortunately, no local suppliers have it finished and their turnaround times are too long for our project. Renting a large electric beam planer isn't an option for me, and I'm not keen on the rough finish it might leave, especially since this is for an exterior application.
I have a good collection of hand tools, but I've never worked with Doug Fir using them. I'm planning to use my low angle jack plane, as I think it'll manage the knots and potential tear-out well. If the wood is mostly clear, I might also use my No. 7, No. 6, or No. 4 1/2 planes. If anyone has tips or insights on working with Doug Fir or hand planing in general, I'd really appreciate it. I promise to update you all on how it goes!
2 Answers
First off, what do you mean by ‘finished’? If you're just looking for a smooth surface, a decent belt sander could speed things up. But if you're aiming for a planed finish, hand planes are definitely the way to go. Just make sure you understand the grain direction and be mindful of the knots. Trust me, using a tough iron like PMV11 or A2 will help avoid issues with chipping.
Doug Fir planes super easily! Just be careful around the knots and make sure your tools are sharp. When I worked on my Anarchist's workbench, I only needed my #5, #7, and #4 1/2 planes, and they handled it beautifully. You got this!
I usually go with a belt sander for quicker projects, but I want to avoid multiple sanding passes this time. I have PMV11 on my low angle jack, so fingers crossed that helps!