collinb Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Just curious, after reading some CL ads for various planes and the discussion here on drum sanders: Ss a sander going to produce a smoother surface than one can get with a (the proper) plane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 It will if I'm the operator of the plane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Every situation is a little different but, typically a smoothing plane is going to give you a better surface. However, the sander will make the process of leveling uneven pieces much faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raefco Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 That is a never ending debate looking for a place to happen, sanding abrasive options are endless, while many here will fret over the amount of sanding, the dust it produces, sand paper, its cost, what steel the blade on the plane is forged from and on and on and on. Once your wood is reasonably flat, compared to many other trades and skills, wood takes a fairly small effort to get smooth enough to surpass most finishes and the effort many are willing to put into it. It takes for more skill and patience to achieve a finish ready surface with a plane than it does with a sanding machine, be it a series of hand sanders or a stationary drum sander, and before all of that you must be able and willing to give that plane a lot of attention to keep it working properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Bevel up smoother is my weapon of choice! Or the festool ets... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 When I take my drum sander down to 220 grit and follow with 240 and 320 grit on my ETS 150/3 it is incredibly smooth and very flat with absolutely no nicks or tearout. However a skillfully hand planed surface has a gleam and texture that beats sanded hands down, you just can't make a living doing it that way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_in_SD Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Number 4 smoothing plane. Got one to eliminate torturous sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 When I take my drum sander down to 220 grit and follow with 240 and 320 grit on my ETS 150/3 it is incredibly smooth and very flat with absolutely no nicks or tearout. However a skillfully hand planed surface has a gleam and texture that beats sanded hands down, you just can't make a living doing it that way. That phrasing makes me think of b&w chemical darkroom. Sure, I can scan a neg and do a digital print. But nothing can equal a platinum/paladium print. Still, a regular print can look very, very nice. So I guess it's just a matter of importance -- and time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Bingo ! I have some clients that pick at the slightest flaw, but they can't percive the quality of a planed surface. These are the same people that want walnut and mahogany stained so dark you can't see the grain anymore ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotscott Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 I use a scraper card for the final surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collinb Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Bingo ! I have some clients that pick at the slightest flaw, but they can't percive the quality of a planed surface. These are the same people that want walnut and mahogany stained so dark you can't see the grain anymore ! These are the people in photography who are either digital pixel peepers or who take a loupe to a photograph instead of standing back and appreciating the beauty. For instance, this print of mine has a serious and very visible flaw but few can find it. http://brendemuehl.net/images/model.jpg I just appreciate it even with its weakness. (4x5, APX100) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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