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Mohagany planing

Hi,

I bought some African Mohagany and asked the lumber store to plane it for me. After I got them, all boards come out having very bad mars on it. Seems like a dull planer blade pulling the soft part of wood grain together. It looks all ruined to me. But the store tells me that is Mohagany looks like. Their theory is the same planer works fine for other wood species.( it is true, I bought some oak and maple at the same time. They all look good). I don't know what to do now. I was going to use them for panel cabinet doors. Now I can't. The marks will be all over the face of doors.( some are as deep as 1/8"). Just wonder somebody here can help me with the following questions.

  1. Is it normal for African Mohagany to be planed like this?
  2. What is the best way to plane this type of wood?
  3. Anyway to save these boards ( I bought a lot, around 100bf)
  4. With mark on it, will that be fine for the cabinet?

Thank you!

Tom

Reply to
tong2k
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1> NO 2> With a quality planer and SHARP blades 3> If they have enough stock left re-plane them.1/8" gouge???? my lawn mower planes better than that.
Reply to
Lee

Thank you!

Tom

Reply to
tong2k

That's not the way my mahogony turns out. I sometimes get a little fuzzy grain out of the planer, but it sands right out. The place where I buy wood uses too fast a feed rate that leaves scallops in the wood, so I always have them leave it an extra sixteenth too thick so I can take 1/32 off each side on my Makita planer at home. But I've never had them harm a board so much it couldn't be cleaned up with a couple of passes. If you have planing defects even 1/32 deep, I'd say they ruined it for its intended purpose. I agree with Leon. Press them to replace the wood or give your money back.

DonkeyHody "In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice, they are not."

Reply to
DonkeyHody

You should give the name of the supplier in case others here might buy from them so that they are aware of a possible problem.

Reply to
Lee

DonkeyHody,

Thank you for the suggestion! I called them up and they are pretty good on services. They agree to refund the money, but they said they can't do a better job than that. It is just a nature of crossgrain. I think I should take your suggestion to ask them plane it to 1/16 more. Just wonder what type of planer do you use? I am thinking of returning some and leave some relatively good ones to keep my work going, since some part may not need perfect lumber. And buy some more to ask them to plane it to 1/16 to.

Tom

Reply to
tong2k

I called them up and they are not bad on customer services. They are willing to refund all the lumbers but they can do a better planing job on it for me. I probably will take your method. What type of planer you are using? I will probably return some and keep some good ones for my project going, since some part may not need perfect pieces.

Thank you!

Tom

Reply to
tong2k

Glad to hear they'll help. I have a 734 Dewalt. Not the best but it does a great job and the knives are very easy to turn or replace. If they can't do better then they must have a problem using there planer.Ask them if they can make lighter cuts.

Reply to
Lee

Have them plane new stock +1/8", then go to a commercial drum sanding shop and have them sand it to size.

Check with a local top shop if you have trouble finding a sanding shop.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

My planer is an old 15" Makita model 2040. I don't think they even make them anymore. It's underpowered and very slow, but it leaves a good finish that requires very little sanding. You should be able to get much better results that you've seen so far from just about any planer if it's set up properly.

DonkeyHody "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement."

Reply to
DonkeyHody

DonkeyHody,

Thank you for the suggestion! I called them up and they are pretty good on services. They agree to refund the money, but they said they can't do a better job than that. It is just a nature of crossgrain. I think I should take your suggestion to ask them plane it to 1/16 more. Just wonder what type of planer do you use? I am thinking of returning some and leave some relatively good ones to keep my work going, since some part may not need perfect lumber. And buy some more to ask them to plane it to 1/16 to.

Tom

Reply to
tong2k

I have the same planer and used it last year to do a project with African Mahogany. No problems with tearout.

Reply to
Michael Faurot

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