Replies

1. 
   pantalones868 | Sep 17, 2021 02:24am | #1

   Try card scraping or hand planing. The maple is harder than the adjacent pieces. The 80 grit is what got you. The sander base is flexible as is ,to some extent ,the sand paper itself and your removing more of the softer material than the hard and denser maple. Random orbital sanders can get you into real trouble sometimes. I love to work with maple but it fights back! You need to bring the high points down before trying to sand across the entire surface but sand paper as a leveling tool might not be the best choice in this case. A demonstration of what's happening would be to take a piece of vertical grain douglas fir and a sanding block the same width. Sand with the grain and when you look at the result the harder dark lines will be higher than the light lines. The flat sanding block was still able to remove more of the soft light material than the dark even though you were spanning the entire piece. Kind of like a miracle,but not a good miracle! If you planed and scraped flat then maybe used fine sandpaper just to polish. You could try running it through the planer but that would scare me personally. You get some tear out this far into it and you can spoil the whole piece.

2. 
   esch5995 | Sep 17, 2021 05:29am | #2

   The card scraper or a scraper plane is the way to go. As you have found out sanding is an inexact method and I always try to minimize the amount of sanding I do. Once you learn to master a card scraper you will be amazed at how useful it is and may religate your ROS to the shelf to collect dust.

   You might want to consider switching to soft maple for future boards, since it has a hardness similar to your other woods.

3. 
   _mj_ | Sep 17, 2021 07:07am | #3

   +1 on the scraper. Stanley #80 cabinet scraper would be a great choice. A split between a card scraper and a plane. Easy to learn to use and always easy to find.

4. 
   Rob_Sp | Sep 17, 2021 08:01am | #4

   After glue up it is important to let the the piece fully dry. The glue introduces moisture into the joints. The glue will cure and can be machined in a short period of time, however wood at the glue lines may still retain a bit of excess moisture. Prematurely planning the surface flat, the joints will continue to dry with the wood shrinking at the glue lines and cause the issue you describe.

5. 
   newbie01 | Sep 17, 2021 08:30am | #5

   Ok thanks guys for all the help, I will be in pursuit of getting a scraper. Also on letting the glue fully dry im using TB3 and it was in clamps for 24hrs the out of clamps for about another 12 to 14. Does it need to set longer? I'm learning as I go.

1. 
   esch5995 | Sep 17, 2021 02:30pm | #7

   Don't get discouraged if it doesn't go well at first. Learning to sharpen and use a scraper is like learning to ride a bike, it seems hard as hell at first but once it clicks you will never look back.

6. 
   roy.unit8c | Sep 17, 2021 10:20am | #6

   Some good sharpening and use of scrapers articles from FWW:
   https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/handplanes/how-to-sharpen-and-use-a-curved-scraper
   https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/handplanes/bob-van-dyke-shop-tip-using-a-card-scraper
   https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/handplanes/sharpening-burnishing-a-gooseneck-scraper
   https://www.finewoodworking.com/project-guides/finishing/foolproof-surface-prep
   https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/10/28/fast-reliable-way-to-sharpen-a-card-scraper