# Running hardwood thru planer?



## ChesapeakeBob (Nov 11, 2008)

Many years ago, my high school shop teacher told me to apply a little water before running hardwood like oak through the planer. I thought of this today while I was planing hardwood cutting boards. Does anyone use my old shop teacher's "trick?" Any real advantages?


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## bent (May 9, 2008)

maybe to raise the grain on the board, or cut down on dust?


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

It's a good trick to use on highly figured wood to help prevent tear out.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

It'll work. Just allow the wood to dry before ya run it. Don't want to run wet wood thru the 'chine. That'll make a mess.
It raises the grain, but then cuts off what is raised. Think that you'll have to do it again after planing/staining before sanding the final surface? Yep.
Bill


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hate to disagree but the wet wood is what keeps the wood from tearing out.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Yep, that's what I learned as well Jim.


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## cmaxnavy (Dec 23, 2007)

I never knew! Thanks. Will test on my planer with my next piece of figured wood.


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## usnret (Jul 14, 2011)

Like Jim said for figured wood wet it before you plane it. You dont soak the wood just use a damp cloth on the wood to get the surface moist before you plane it. Works like a charm, I have done this and no problems with my portable planer.


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## tenontim (Feb 24, 2008)

I used this method a lot when planing ash, with all of it's crazy grain directions. Since I changed over to the Shelix head on my planer, I don't have to worry about it. And yes, you don't want to let the board dry out, or it won't do any good.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Another good point is since I've owned a spiral head planner I haven't found it necessary to wet figured wood to stop tear out. 
Opps looks like Tim and I were posting the same time ,I didn't mean to repeat his comment..


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## MNWOODWORKER (Aug 1, 2008)

I have done it with pretty good results on figured wood, but since getting a drum sander figured wood never meets my planer.


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## childress (Sep 14, 2008)

used that technique today with some hard rock maple….works great


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## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm planing pommelle sapele tonight with a DW 735, and even with fresh blades and a light cut, it looked like 
it had been hit with shotgun pellets. I remembered this trick, and as that Navy guy ( thanks for your service, and do all the boats still have those little round windows?) and Jim said, don't soak it. Moisten with a cloth, run at an angle, and Most of the tear-out will be gone.

Steve


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

"do all the boats still have those little round windows?) " 
Never saw one on a submarine. Interesting thread as I have some pecan to plane this winter.


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## tamboti (Oct 19, 2009)

Hi I use parrafine as it is inert and dries quite quickly does not affect the wood in any way, learnt this from some full time carvers who were carving hard wood chair legs. Regards Roger in RSA


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## toddbeaulieu (Mar 5, 2010)

I just love reading about how dumb I am.

I searched "planing wet wood" to see if that's why I had such a hard time tonight with simple 2x material. I tried planing it both ways when I saw tearout and still got terrible results on most the boards.

My theory: maybe they had too much moisture? Apparently, that ain't the case.

So now my theory is dull blades? Which is irritating since they're new … except I ran a bunch of reclaimed maple treads through them (with finish). I think that must have killed them.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I only do it if the wood is tearing out. It generally
helps reduce tear out but as a habitual practice
on all hardwoods it6 would be mostly just adding
extra labor to the milling process. A lot of wet
chips might clog ducting too.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

That's a good trick to know about getting it wet to keep the figured stuff intact. I take off so little at a time on my planer that it probably wont matter anyway.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Hate to jump in here but I'm learning.

A gent over at woodcraft said I should use rubbing alcohol on the wood to raise the grain a last time before staining. I haven't tried that.

In my mind - that would prevent the rust problem with the planer. Then again, an out of control flash fire might be the result.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

I also moisten figured lumber as I get it closer to the finished thickness to reduce / prevent tear out.
I've used both water and also mineral spirits with good results : )
Water is cheaper though ! LOL


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Mark
I don't think Alcohol raises the grain much if at all. Just because someone works at Woodcraft doesn't mean they know what their talking about. There's no reason not to use a little water to raise the woods grain .


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## toddbeaulieu (Mar 5, 2010)

Hmm. I've heard about the alcohol trick quite a few times, including a few woodworking shows.

Supposed to raise it a bit so you can knock it down one last time w/o interfering with the finish you're about to apply.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

If anything , alcohol would remove any moisture that was left on the surface. Might raise the grain slightly.
No , wait …he typed "rubbing" alcohol….which contains some water which varies depending on which strength it is, 
ie: 70% or 91%. Might as well just use H2O : )


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I had never tried Alcohol for raising grain before ,so I just tried it on some maple and oak ,I could not detect any grain raising but perhaps someone else has ?


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

When I strip paint or finish from wood, I use alcohol as a final rinse specifically because it does not raise the grain.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Ted , what kind of alcohol do you use ? This guy is referring to rubbing alcohol.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Interesting, the guy definately said rubbing alcohol. By the same token, he led me wrong in a big way once before. I'm not holding it against the guy but I'm checking with you all before I take his advice again. He's real nice and likes to chat. Anyhow, I learned some good stuff from this thread. Thank you much!


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## toddbeaulieu (Mar 5, 2010)

I can find thousands of hits for "raising wood grain with alcohol". In them, they talk about isopropyl (sp?), rubbing and denatured.

I just skimmed several of them and people are definitely claiming it works for them personally. It's also in an article on Popular Woodworking.

I think it warrants experimenting if you want to find "your truth".


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Weird. I've always heard and witnessed the opposite. As Ted stated, I use DNA when I DO NOT want to raise the grain but clean off sanding dust or anything else.

Jim, great tip on the figured wood! Does wetting heavily interlocked grain or woods that tear out no matter what you do (purpleheart, bloodwood) help with planing also?


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