Running an End-Grain cutting board through a planer?

I have done this with disasterous results. The board shatterred, pieces went flying. Based on the dent in my wife’s washing machine I was very lucky to not have gotten hurt. Personally I would definitely not do that ever again!

But, I have heard of others who do it regularly.

-- “There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.” ~ JRR Tolkien

I wouldn’t. Not sure about the safety issue, but I think there’d be a good chance you’d ruin your project. I think you’re going to have to get better aquainted with your belt sander!

-- http://www.peteroxley.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

A drum sander is a way better option. That’s what I do. But as Tokolosi said people here on LJ say they do it all the time without any problems. Perdonally I’ll stick with my drum sander.

-- "Courage is being scared to death -- but saddling up anyway."

I’ve done it once, board was purpleheart, maple, apple and some others. Even making very light cuts, 12 stops to turn the crank one turn still slowed the machine a bit. Did a great job though. Hardest part was setting the initial height.

-- --Rev. Russ in NY-- A posse ad esse

This is a bad idea, the blades can grab the end grain and cause an explosion in your planer.

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/end-grain-through-the-planer/

-jeremy

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html

I’ve found it easier to use a router and a sled. Or, the router table and a riser on the boards.

What ever you do, consider rounding over the edges so there isn’t as much chance of catching the edge and breaking stuff.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!

Drum sander, done.

I would not even attempt this for all the reasons previously stated. This is one of those jobs where a traditional approach of using a well prepared hand scraper works very well on the finished glue up.

OK, I have made my final decision pertaining to the end-grain-through-the-planer idea, two words: H*LL NO!!!

So, the router sled it is!

Thanks. I had a feeling this was a bad idea to start. Just proved my suspicions.

Anyway, I’m not risking it and possibly hurting my brand new $300+ lunch-box! Just not worth it.

I could see it now, catching on the end-grain and shattering the granite bed. Oh how wonderful that would be!

-- Kenny

I went the router sled option and found it worked very nice—- not everyone has a drum sander. ;-)

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

Never tried it but the general opinion seems to be – BIG MISTAKE

-- Don, Royersford, PA

I agree with other that this would be a bad idea.One a lunch box planer is way to light duty for even straight grained heavy boards and you only have one speed. The only way I would do it with a planer is to use climb feed and a slooooow speed.Its best to use a wide belt sander for this project.Abrade the wood rather than cutting it and tearing the grain.

Bruce, I don’t have a wide enough belt sander or drum sander (my drum sander is only 10” wide), and in all reality, I want to avoid sanding this if I can.

I don’t know if you’ve ever sanded anything that is all end-grain and contains a light wood, like maple, and something exotic and and brightly colored like this purple-heart is, but it always seems to turn the lighter colored wood purple, and it’s a pain to clean it off after. Even with compressed air and then wiping with denatured alcohol, it doesn’t always come back as white as it was.
This may not happen to everyone, but it sure happens to me! If you have a secret on how to avoid the staining, I’d love to hear it!

And seeing as this has jatoba and purple-heart, which are both much darker than maple, sanding is something I’d like to avoid as much as possible.

Once I get this flat, level and of even thickness, I’m going to do final prep with my Veritas low-angle block plane with the knob and tote attached. I’m thinking the 25 iron in that plane should handle that end-grain nicely. If it give me any issue, I’ll score it lightly with the toothed iron and then come backand take a super-light shaving with the 25 blade with a fresh hone on it.

Thanks for all the help everyone! Probably kept me from getting hurt!

-- Kenny

Don’t do it!

-- Bondo Gaposis

Kenny, I know about how the end grain can swap colors and blend when sanding. BTDT. My way at that time was to sand it as needed with 80=100 grit then use a card scraper, freshly sharpening the bur every so often. A sharp scraper will take off more material than a lot of sand paper, leaves a nice finished surface and is a bunch easier on the arms than a block plane.

-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!