bought a 3/4" flamed top... have a look?

[mistermikev]

so a while back I posted here and elsewhere about some really nice 1/4" quilt tops I got from my new fav seller downhomewoods over on etsy.  At the time I asked them if they ever carry any 3/4" tops as I plan to do a lp style as my skillset develops... perhaps they listened or perhaps it's coincidence, but they now have a few 3/4" flamed maple tops so I snagged one and another 1/4" top.  Though you guys might appreciate a look:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ShatnersBassoon]

Lovely flames there...I just tried to plane some flamed/quilted wood...well a friend did in a planer...and it got shredded in to pieces

[mistermikev]

I've read that wetting the surface down right before planing can help that.  Failing that... a router planer has worked flawless for me.  i use a nice whiteside bit.  Planed down my flamed maple neck w no issues. 

Next on my list is a planer so perhaps I'll feel those woes soon;>

 

[ScottR]

I've given up on using a planer for figured wood. A thickness sander would be wonderful though.

SR

[mistermikev]

not sure how I missed your post... not sure thickness sander is publicly affordable in the kind of size I'd want.  I value your experience so you have me wondering if I made the wrong move: bought a planer.  just a craftsman 13".  I was planning on buying some really nice blades for it.  I take it you mean to say that even the best ones leave a finish that is less than desirable on figured wood?

[ScottR]

It's not the finish so much as chipping.

The boards you have there have likely been through a planer. How is the finish and is there any chipping? Planing highly figured wood can be done successfully. But it is almost always a gamble. The nature of the figure means the fibers will be running in a hundred different directions across the surface of your board. The odds are high that at some point the blades are going to find an unsupported area and knock out a chip instead of a clean slice.

SR

[mistermikev]

as always - you are very kind with your info.  I thank you.  Yes, the boards there are fine, I was more asking because i have some 8/4 curly soft maple that I think I'm going to use a few feet to turn into a bookmatch top for a lp build.  When I get to that point!

I really bought the planer to make it easier to get flat surfaces on body blanks... as the router sled is great but takes a lot of effort at 1/16 per pass!  added benefit to potentially be able to thickness plane a top after resaw.  Just thinking ahead or daydreaming depending on how you wanna call it!

[MiKro]

Here is a short lesson in thicknessing a bookmatch set.

After re-saw, place face down (the re saw side)on both pieces to get to rough thickness for both parts. then thickness sand the re-sawn sides. this will keep the book match as close  as possible  by matching the surface flats to the re saw flat. Otherwise you may have an angle introduced from the re-saw that will make the book match not as desireable. Then you are  able to square the edges properly.

[mistermikev]

so, if I understand, you are making the inside your upside then?

[ScottR]

Yes, the inside is where the bookmatched grain is. It's a little ironic isn't it? You buy a piece of timber based on what you can see, Then cover everything you can see with glue and show the world something you've never seen prior to cutting the board in half.

You give your money for something you can only guess will look nice.

SR

You can use your planer on the glue side of the boards without worrying about chipping though.

sr

[mistermikev]

hmm, I just always assumed I would take a look at both sides... and decide.  With the particular wood I'm thinking of... it's 8/4 so I figure I'm going to cut two 3/4 pieces (to end at 5/8) and then split the remaining 1/2 into two... to end with 1/8 tops.  perhaps it is a naive thought as my resaw abilities are non-existent at this point.  Thank you very much -both- for your guidance!

[ScottR]

Looking at both sides is all you can do, and is usually a perfectly fine indicator. On the other hand the first piece of quilt I ever bookmatched had some splits and voids inside that only came to light when I re-sawed the board.

SR

[MiKro]

1 hour ago, mistermikev said:

hmm, I just always assumed I would take a look at both sides... and decide.  With the particular wood I'm thinking of... it's 8/4 so I figure I'm going to cut two 3/4 pieces (to end at 5/8) and then split the remaining 1/2 into two... to end with 1/8 tops.  perhaps it is a naive thought as my resaw abilities are non-existent at this point.  Thank you very much -both- for your guidance!

book match is inside to inside as if opening a book

Take a look at this. it will give you more info.

http://www.veneernet.com/matching.html