Planing hard maple end grain?

[inventor]

We have an end grain hard maple chopping block built into our kitchen. My wife burnt it. I sanded it out with a random orbit sander with rather poor dust collection, which left us both cleaning the kitchen for two hours.

I'd like to take more off the block surface, to remove a decade's worth of wear. But, I don't want to do any more sanding. Can anyone suggest the best method of planing this block in place? I have a feeling my poor collection of planes won't cut it, so this could be a good opportunity for a little investment.

Thanks!

 

[MIGNAL]

Low angle block plane, very sharp blade. Wet the end grain if you feel the need.

 

[Smudger]

That's why they are called block planes, according to legend - used for resurfacing butcher's blocks.

Needs to be very sharp, though.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Despite block planes supposedly being for planing the ends of butchers blocks, I would be inclined to go for a much larger and heavier plane - the heavier the better. Maple can be very hard and the end grain even harder. I reckon your little block plane would be bouncing about all over the place and not making much impression on the blocks.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Colin C]

Wet the end grain if you feel the need.

When it comes to wetting the end grain ( which is a great way to make it easier to plane ) , just dont get it too wet as it can some times have problems later.

I get a damp cloth or sponge and wipe the end I my planing, this way it does not get too wet.

Regards Colin

 

[MIGNAL]

Not so. I plane Maple frequently, including heavy figured stuff and end grain. A sharp low angle block plane should slice through it, especially if you spritz it.

 

[Smudger]

And I bet it makes a very satisfying noise!

I think the block planes in question were hefty woodies.

 

[inventor]

Ah, so that's why they're called block planes. So something like
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48942
would be suitable, yes? Bearing in mind that this may be a purhcase officially sanctioned by the household accounts department?

 

[Paul Chapman]

So something like
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48942
would be suitable, yes?

I would rate that one as currently the best block plane available. It's better than the Lie Nielsen, in my view, partly because of the Norris type adjuster, which the Lie Nielsen doesn't have. But the two planes are slightly different in size, so you might want to handle them to see which one you prefer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MIGNAL]

errrmm....yes and no. You didn't say 'money was no object'. If you want something that will make it a pleasant experience then you could go for a low angle smoother or low angle jack. It's the low angle that helps slice through the wood fibres and the smoother/Jack will give you Paul Chapmans heft. I think your decision should depend upon the other possible uses you may have for the plane. The block plane you linked to will certainly be up to the task, they can even be used as a mini smoothing plane and they are very useful for a number of situations in woodworking.
Ultimately though you will have to get the blade really sharp otherwise planing end grain might elicit some profane language.

 

[DaveL]

Ah, so that's why they're called block planes. So something like
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48942
would be suitable, yes? Bearing in mind that this may be a purhcase officially sanctioned by the household accounts department?

If you can push the boat out then go for the add ons that Lee Valley do for that plane, here, will make planing a large slab of end grain easier on your hands.

 

[Chris Knight]

I'd probably use a router riding on a sled supported by a couple of parallel rails temporarily fixed to the sides of the block

 

[ByronBlack]

would a scraper not do the job ? Just a thought if you wanted to do it cheaply.

 

[MIGNAL]

Not really Byron. It would take forever and it's pretty difficult scraping end grain. A decent Stanley 60 1/2 would do it if cost was a consideration.

 

[Paul Chapman]

A decent Stanley 60 1/2 would do it if cost was a consideration.

While the Stanley 60 1/2 might do it, in my experience it would be struggling a bit on a hard maple chopping block. I've had a Stanley 60 1/2 since 1970 but with increasing use of hard woods I eventually bought the Veritas low angle - the difference is like chalk and cheese. The extra weight, better design and construction and much thicker blade really do make a difference.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[ByronBlack]

I also have the veritas block, and have used it for end-grain beech and it worked quite well - but have no experience with maple, either way I can recommend it on it's own merits as it's a very good plane.

 

[David C]

If you wanted a decent Stanley 60 1/2 it had better have been made way back in something like the 1920s.

Postwar offerings suffered from continual cost cutting and loss of quality.

My preference is for L-N 60 1/2 but the Veritas or is that L-V is good also.

A large heavy low angled plane would make for easier work, due to the heft of the plane, but the small block plane would get there too.

Come to that there should be no undue difficulty in planing Maple end grain with a regular bench plane, if it is sharp.

Sharpening is the key and the damping would also help.
David

 

[inventor]

Thanks very much for all the advice, everyone.

 

[ivan]

The LV block is a lovely plane, but, horses for courses I suppose, I don't like Norris style adjusters. For me, they look like an elegant engineering solution that just doesn't deliver. I can't get used to the interaction between shaving thickness and lateral adjustment!

 

[David C]

Ivan,

I have exactly the same reservations.

David