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tips on machining birch

5/19/14       
Jeff Guild

I'm using a W&H to make birch base and casing. About 150 feet worth. When I run the relief cut and the face profile the knives brake out pieces of wood across the grain. Does anyone why this happens with birch or how to stop it.
Thanks

5/20/14       #2: tips on machining birch ...
Adam

Birch is notorious for large chips and big splinters. Sometimes its impossible to run a board thru a planer.

It just seems to be a very brittle wood lacking in adhesion between the fibers.

The only thing you can do is lighter passes. However, its not much help on the Hussey.

Basically its the nature of the beast. Personally I dislike birch in appearance and machining.

5/20/14       #3: tips on machining birch ...
ken

If you have the ability to climb cut it first it works pretty good. Basically run it backwards first. With shapers and power feeders it works, but with your molder, I don't know if you can do that.

5/20/14       #4: tips on machining birch ...
Jeff Guild

reverse cutting works well to rough in the cut on a router or shaper without a fixed feed direction. With the W&H there is a fixed feed direction and fixed motor direction. I've tried to take multiple passes, I've tried spraying water on the face. That helped on the small back out cut. But I run the deeper face it breaks chunks out and splits.

5/21/14       #5: tips on machining birch ...
Will Williamson

What is the moisture content of your stock ? Sounds like you are running air dried material.

5/23/14       #6: tips on machining birch ...
Larry

Normally when birch is run on a molder a cutter head with a very shallow hook is used. It reduces the tendency to pull chunks out. We run with a 10 degree hook angle on a real molder. It takes more power because it is pushing/plowing the wood out rather than slicing. You will need really good hold down & constant feed as any vibration increases the risk of blow out. It is possible to modify a set of knives to make them act like a shallower hook than what the head is. We can do that on our profile grinder, not sure if it is possible to get a good job by hand. You are probably best off taking it to a shop with a 5 or 6 head molder. Machines with two tops can do a better job.

5/23/14       #7: tips on machining birch ...
Jeff Guild

The local mill I use assured me that the birch is kiln dried to 10 to 12%. I bought it about 2 years ago and it sat on a shelf until I got this job to run the trim. I bought W&H about 3 months ago before that I used a Grizzly. I bought the model 206, 230v, viable speed. It leaves a really nice finish on oak and poplar

5/24/14       #8: tips on machining birch ...
David Martin Member

You can choose stuffs as per your budget and expectations. However, before making a final decision, you must go through every aspect associated with the stuff. Further, if you want to get it done in a professional manner, then taking help from a professional could be a wise decision.

5/24/14       #9: tips on machining birch ...
Will Williamson  Member

Website: http://www.willmade.com

Kiln dried in my book means 7 % moisture content. I would expect your same results with that MC.
In my experience Kiln dried stock breaks up into small chunks as it comes off the knife.
As compared to Air Dried 12 % MC.
As the cutter comes around, the knife edge lifts the fiber instead of cutting it and it starts to split ahead of the cutter
Your cutters dull 3 times as fast cutting 12 % MC.
So your knifes are dull also. Will they shave your thumb nail?
And in addition to that your little W& H does not have a chip breaker.

5/24/14       #10: tips on machining birch ...
Jeff Guild

Sounds like that's the nature of the beast with birch it just chunks out with a small molder. I have install trim for 15 years. Learned from the best in the business on high end homes. I still cut my miters with a jig on the table saw. Over the last 5 years I've ran 20,000 feet on the grizzly and W&H mostly red oak and poplar, the grizzly was a good machine because it had 3 knives and it didn't pull up chuchs like the W&H. But I was constantly fixing it. I bought the W&H to make higher quality products. I'm trying to grow my customer base and services offered.


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