I'm having a real hard time with this stuff. I'm trying to make a small hammer of out a block of beach, I squared it up and I'm trying to plane the chamfers but it's giving me hell. a blade that is still sharp enough to glide through oak full width is requiring a lot of force on the beach, this stuff is like steel. the end grain is especially hard to work.. so I guess I'm asking is this normal? I didn't know beach was sooo hard.
Last edited by Matthew N. Masail; 04-01-2012 at 4:31 PM.
Contributor
I've found end grain to be touchy like that, but with a shallow cut I find that beech planes rather well, also saws and chisels well too. I would lessen the depth of cut significantly and give another go. I've also noticed a great difference between air dried (easier) and kilned stuff. Don't know if that helps you much though.
Trevor Walsh
TWDesignShop
I also found that with a light cut I can get whispery shavings and a glass like surface, but I can't work with only light cuts... it takes much more force to plane than oak... most likely the stuff I have is klin dried. I guess I just need to learn how to work with very hard woods... starting with sharp tools. Thanks for the response.
Member
The beech I have used tons of isn't THAT hard. It isn't as hard as oak or hard maple. I'm wondering where you are getting such hard beech.
We have used American air dried beech for the many planes we made. I also have a stock of kiln dried European beechwood. Both are about the same hardness.
I'm in Israel and have no idea where it comes from.... I don't know if this is an indication of hardness but it can't dent or scratch it with my nail. I have a piece of oak that is harder than it, but it's still easier to plane..
Member
Here is an excerpt for European Beech properties (likely what you have) from this web site http://www.musterkiste.com/en/holz/pro/1003_Beech.html (Bold italic is mine...)
Properties
Beech wood is medium to heavyweight. It is very hard and tough. It has good strength properties and high abrasion resistance.
Beech can shrink considerably and is subject to movement more than other woods. It should not be subject to moisture fluctuations before or during working.
Usage
Despite its hardness, beech wood can be worked easily. It can be cut, planed, drilled and milled....
The above stated is pretty much my experience as well with American Beech...
Are you sure your stuff is actually Beech? Pic perhaps?
Contributor
I'll be the next to say that beech isn't usually that hard to work. Sure, its pretty tough, but usually not difficult to work with. Are you sure you've got beech?
Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.
maybe it's not beach... in Hebrew we call it "Book", and the imported workbenches from Germany are made of it. I tried taking pics but I only have a phone cam so the quality isn't good enough to really see well.
Member
Could be Teak?... Has high silica content in the wood and is tough on cutting edges...
no.... it's not teak... I have some teak, now I'm anxious about working on it. I'd like to clarify that I can work it and get whispery and thicker shavings, but only while the blades are at top condition (they are A2). and it's hard to push the planes on it. maybe I was just trying to do too much with the plane.
Contributor
I often use a chisel on the end grain. One of my findings is that just like face grain end grain has a preferred direction of being worked.
Often it is just as easy or easier to put a chamfer on the end grain with a chisel instead of a plane. YMMV
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
A picture would be helpful.
How are you holding the hammer block? Beech is delightful to plane, with the grain.
End grain can be stubborn, but a light touch will yield excellent results.
Member
Can't help with the Hebrew name, but what you might have is "Hornbeam" (Carpinus betulus). Another name for hornbeam is "ironwood", and it is very dense and extremely hard and tough.Originally Posted by Matthew N. Masail
the thing is, it looks exactly like beach, in color and texture... and it's a left over from a 50" X 6" X 2" thick slab... how much sense does it make that I'd have a slab that size of hornbeam, and more of it, considering that for the most part, only the more common and usable hardwoods are found in most wood supply houses in Israel, mostly maple, walnut, oak and beach. and sometimes other stuff, but no special or exotic woods on a regular basis. is hornbeam similar enough in appearance to pass as beach ?
I think I need to find a way to clamp it better, instead of a planing stop, going to try that now.
Member
The word "book" comes from the German word for beech. Beech was used on early book covers. So,I don't think Matthew is off track using his Hebrew word for beech correctly. German benches aren't made of hornbeam anyway. They are 99% of the time made from steamed beech.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote