# Hand planing zebrawood



## NinjaAssassin (Sep 5, 2013)

So I've got a board of zebrawood that I'm trying to plane. It seems like the grain is changing direction or something in patches. I'm new to this so maybe that's not what's happening. I'll be happily planing along leaving smooth, tear-out-free section when suddenly a patch of something awful appears. Planing that patch in the opposite direction leaves it less-terrible looking but it doesn't do much good. In any case, I'm lost and hoping someone can help. Here are a couple pictures.



















Those rough patches are what I'm talking about and they spring up randomly. They have different texture from the unplaned wood around it. Any thoughts?


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/zebrawood/

Interlocking grains is your nemesis here. Id probably switch over to card scrapers Billy.


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## NinjaAssassin (Sep 5, 2013)

D'oh! Well, I haven't any card scrapers to speak of so this will have to wait. Thanks Chris!


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

You could put a 5 degree back bevel on your plane to give it a bit higher pitch. Or hone another iron that you can swap out.


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## NinjaAssassin (Sep 5, 2013)

Oh, good idea. Thanks.


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

I have a couple boards of exotic that have interlocking grain also that I'm just having to leave alone until I can get a high angle smoother or jack made.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Interlocking grain is the culprit, the short term solution is to use a card scraper and sandpaper instead of a hand plane. A lot of tropical woods have it. It is caused by the outer cells of the tree aligning themselves spirally around the trunk instead up and down and every ten years or so the cells align themselves in the opposite direction. It's a real bugger and most of us have had to deal with it a time or two.


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## NinjaAssassin (Sep 5, 2013)

Richard - you're having a plane made? Or are you setting up an iron?

Bondo - that's some great information, thanks! I'm going to put a back bevel on my plane iron for now. Maybe Santa will get me a blade for my stanley #80 scraper O


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