Ash and Planer Chipout Help

[Craig Hemsath]

I've been working with a lot of Ash lately (got a whole bunch real cheap!), I know it's prone to chipping/tearing more than other woods. I've been having a real problem with it chipping out when I've been planing it.

I think my biggest problem is I need to have very long pieces, so I'm unable to cut smaller pieces and avoid changes in grain pattern.

Is there any tips or tricks you pros have to help reduce chipout? I've tried running the wood through in different directions, taking very small cuts, very big cuts, I don't know what else to try. Any help, or am I just going to have deal with it and hope it sands out??

[John Keeton]

Craig, I have always had real good luck with ash so I would suspect dull blades or some other mechanical situation. I usually took light passes, but got clean cuts and I was using a lunchbox planer. Wish I could be of more help. I know a lot of people don't care for ash, but I think it has some real utility in the right application. Good luck!

[John Michaels]

As from the previous post, I suspect dull blades also. If you can find a local cabinetmaker with a drum sander you could plane the ash a little then hit it with the drum sander to get it to final dimensions. I often do this myself. I picked up the phone book and called around until I found a shop with a drum sander.

[Steve Clardy]

*Sharp blades*

Light cuts. 1/32nd

Skew the board in at an angle sometimes helps

[Don Bullock]

*Sharp blades*

Light cuts. 1/32nd

Skew the board in at an angle sometimes helps

You might also try using the slow speed if you have a dual speed planer.

[Cary Swoveland]

I used ash for the first time recently, for a bed I made for my grandson. I loved working with it, and liked the way it looked. I had zero tearout problems, but I do have spiral cutterheads with carbide cutters on both my jointer and planer, and that probably helped. Of course, some boards may be more prone to tearout than others, but I too would suspect dull planer blades.

Cary

[Craig Hemsath]

I don't think it can be dull blades, it's a brand new planer (Dewalt 734). This is the first stuff I've run through it. Although now that I think about it, the first few boards run great then I started getting the tearout so maybe I have some of those bum blades I've heard stories about.

I'll try flipping them to the other side, see if that helps.

[Lee Schierer]

When I run a board through my planer and it gets tearout, I try running it the opposite end first and see if the tearout is reduced. Sometimes the reversed grain is more resistant to tearing the other way. You can also wet the surface just before planing and it will lessen tearout. Running the board through at an angle as much as you can sometimes helps. Reduce the amount being removed to 1/64" or less will help too.

[Peter Quinn]

Are you sighting the edge grain to decide which direction should be the infeed? Forget looking at the face, it tells you very little. Look at the edge grain on a clean cut or jointed edge to orient the grain away from the cutters revolution. I agree that sometimes planing a tear out prone board from the opposite end of the first pass solves the problem even when it is contrary to what sighting the grain would suggest. Just another wood mystery to me!

I have never found ash to be particularly problematic. Sometimes if a woods moisture content is near the lower end of workable (6-7%) it can be more prone to chip out and wiping the face to be planed with a just moist towel or sponge can minimize tears. Ash is known to dry very quickly and can become too dry in the right conditions.

[glenn bradley]

Craig, I have always had real good luck with ash so I would suspect dull blades or some other mechanical situation. I usually took light passes, but got clean cuts and I was using a lunchbox planer.

I'm pretty much like John. DW734 three knife lunchbox planer. Standard grain direction feeding. This diagram is for hand planing but grain and knife direction still apply:

[Craig Hemsath]

I think maybe it was the blades. I reversed them and took smaller cuts and didn't have a problem today.

Thanks for the advice guys- I tried reversing the board right away, but would get tearout in different spots. I'll try wetting a bit as well, as this stuff is dry dry dry. Kiln dried, then has been stored in a sealed reefer (not one) with a dehumidifier.