Tape & grain direction

[savethebeer]

Was putting together 2 pieces of wood to do a stack cut of a Steve Good pattern when I got them mixed regarding the top and side of each piece. So I was rotating them to align them in size and grain direction when I had a sudden thought (which does not happen often), Has anyone ever noticed any difference in the amount of lifting of grain when peeling off tape, when the tape runs with the grain or across the grain?

[Tommy Johnson]

I have had Cedar do that at times and that was with the tape running with the grain. When that happens I just take it off from the other direction.

 

[Scrappile]

Ha.  Good question, I don't know the answer.  I have never thought about it.

[Dan]

I have had it happen but I'm not sure if grain direction (with or across) makes a difference. I us Ally sand all my boards first and that reduces the problem a lot. 

[kmmcrafts]

Oak is terrible for that.. and I typically will use a heat gun / hair drier to heat up the pattern / tape when I go to remove it.. heating it up will help it loosen and peel much easier.. I found that the shelf liner stuff instead of tape, doesn't do that.. 

 

 

[Rolf]

I always run the tape with the grain, not because of lifting but that way I know my wood orientation when I stack and cant see the back anymore. Very rarely do I experience any grain lifting. All of my fretwork is pre-sanded to 220.   

[Denny Knappen]

Never thought about it.  I use contact paper and the pattern goes on to fit the wood.  No problems with the contact paper.

[savethebeer]

Thanks guys. I don't have too many issues with grain lifting normally unless it is a pattern that takes days to do, as the tape has had longer to bond to the wood surface.

This pattern is 'Firemen' by Steve and as I have to work to pay for my scrolling, it will take a few days to finish this, so I'm worried about  grain lifting. However I planned this in advance so I used a ply that 'definitely probably maybe' wont lift as the top piece and if it lifts then it suddenly becomes a sacrificial piece and I have 1 good piece or if it works out for the best then I suddenly have 2 great pieces.

Also 2 weeks ago, as a once off, I put BLO on my ply to try and harden the grain before I attached the pattern. I did get some minor lifting so I cant say this worked too well.

Bob

 

[jerry1939]

Regarding "forgetting which is to be the good side" I take a pencil and put a small X in a top corner of each piece before taping.  As soon as the first row of tape is on, I put an arrow on the tape to indicate where the top of the pattern is to be applied.

When removing tape, I use a woodcarving knife to loosen an edge (a sharp box cutter is OK).  Start at a point and start lifting towards a stronger part of the shape.  Don't EVER remove tape towards a point.

jerry