Planing End Grain?

[kmmcrafts]

I've always heard you can't or shouldn't plane end grain.. I'm not no woodworker by any means but have always heard you can't or shouldn't plane end grain. Always wanted to make a end grain cutting board but never wanted to have to sand everything by hand..

I just watched a video on Youtube where the lady said if you roundover the edges of the board with a router you can then run the end grain through the planer.. she claims she's done it for years that way.

Kind of wanted to see what some of you more experienced woodworkers think of that? 

[Bill WIlson]

I've made a couple end grain cutting boards, but never ran them through the planer to flatten them.  I've watched a couple YT videos and believe it could be done, if you took precautions.  However, for me, the risk outweighs the reward.  I don't want to take a chance of ruining the board after I've put all the time & effort into getting it to that point.  

For me, it's better to put the time & effort into getting a good flat glue up so that you minimize the flattening required.  The last one I made, I took a lot of time to ensure my cross cuts were straight & square.  I used cauls to ensure my final glue up was as flat as possible.  A few minutes with my 6" ROS, working through the grits, 60 - 100 - 150 - 220.  It didn't take long at all, compared to the time I had already invested.  A lot of people use a wide belt sander and that would be ideal, but I don't have one and am not inclined to get one anytime soon.

[Dave Monk]

I planed end grain yesterday. After I glue up my strips for a chess board I recut them and flip them. Before I glue them back up I run them through my planer on edge. You have to allow for tear out on the end. Hope that makes sense. 

[spirithorse]

Hi, Dave,
I don't understand why you say "before I glue them back up".  They were glued up before you recut them so,
why would they have to be "glued back up"?   spirithorse

[Dave Monk]

32 minutes ago, spirithorse said:

Hi, Dave,
I don't understand why you say "before I glue them back up".  They were glued up before you recut them so,
why would they have to be "glued back up"?   spirithorse

I glue up 2" maple and walnut strips. They form stripes. After those have dried I cross cut the piece I glued up. That makes strips of squares alternating in maple and walnut. Then I have to glue them back up to create the chess board. Writing is not my strong suite. If you still don't understand what I am saying I will try to find a video tonight that explains it better. 

[kmmcrafts]

Well, I was more curious about the process etc.. tear out isn't usually an issue for me because I always make my boards first and cut to size lastly.. I never really knew why it wasn't recommended to plane end grain.. I believe I heard someone mention it could be dangerous so I never attempted to do it.. Then wondered when i seen that video and she said she rounds over the edges and has done it for years just had me curious. 

IF I were to make one these days I'd just use my CNC with the surfacing bit. Have used that bit many times on projects I needed to smooth out that wouldn't fit through my 13" planer. Most the signs I make that are 15+ inch wide just get surfaced on the CNC. 

[oldhudson]

To avoid snipe at the end of a board when planing you're doing it right, and I think this is the common way, start with stock longer than the finished size. After planing and gluing are complete - trim to final size. But when 'forced' to use stock close to the final dimension (let me insert here I almost always use a sled to machine plane) the same thickness as my project stock, and add it to sled at the end. Any snipe moves to the scrape stock you added.

 

When I read the first post I was imagining taking a 2x4 and trimming the end with a miter saw, or whatever, because the end had a defect and then with a hand plane remove the machine marks. If you tools aren't really sharp that can be hard to do.

[jollyred]

The problem with planing end grain on a cutting board where the grain is vertical is that the grain is unsupported at the end of the cut.  This will cause the grain to be torn out at of the end of the cut.  By routing the edges prior to planeing, the last of the grain has already been cut below the line of cut, so it cannot be torn out.   This is the same as when using a hand plane to chamfer the corners of a board, you should plane the corners parallel to the grain first, which will prevent the tear out when the ends are planed.

Tom

[Bill WIlson]

And only take the lightest of cuts with each pass.

I've heard of some folks using a planer sled and adding a sacrificial block to the ends of the board, so that it takes the tear out instead of the cutting board.  Again, I've never done it and have no intentions of doing it, but I believe it can be done.

[rash_powder]

I have seen people do it on YouTube, but they also say it is kind of sketchy and have shown examples of destroyed cutting boards.  I don't quite understand the how, but the blades can catch the end grain fibers and then bad happens.  That said, I feel the trick was to support everything really well and very very light passes.

Alternatively, a block plane could be used.  Its hand powered, and was created for the very purpose of planing end grain.  Again, the little experience I have is to make as light a cut as you can.  

[TAIrving]

As you said Kevin @kmmcrafts, plane first then cut to size.  Any tear out on the edges is in the part that will be cut off and discarded.  Also, as others have said, make very light passes with the planer.  Works for me.  

You probably will want to sand it to get the final surface.  

[Roberta Moreton]

I have planed them, be sure of your set up, no snipe, only take off the tiniest bit. Almost sanding…