Tip #66
How to Read Wood Grain
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Characteristics

Knots are extremely hard and the grain within each knot runs at an angle to grain in the surrounding wood. This angle may be slight or it may be nearly perpendicular to the overall grain direction. To avoid tearing a knot, feed the board so the planer knives 'stroke' the grain.

Fig. 4

Crotch figuring is the transition between the knot and the wood around it. It's not as hard as the knot, but it's harder than the surrounding straight grained wood. (The grain pattern is highly figured -- erratic and wavy -- but it follows one general direction.) Feed the wood so the knives stroke in this direction (see Fig. 4).

Burls are hard, dense clusters of undeveloped knots surrounded by figured wood similar to crotch figuring. The gain direction is totally random. Because of this, burls are extremely difficult to plane. Take very shallow cuts at a very slow feed rate (see Fig. 5).

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Bird's eyes are tiny knots, similar to the center of a burl, randomly distributed throughout a board. The grain of bird's eyes all tend to follow the same direction. This will determine how you feed the board into the planer (see Fig. 6).

A curly grain pattern grows in pronounced waves that follow a general direction through the board. Because the waves are so exaggerated, the board may be difficult to plane. Feed the board in the direction indicated by the general grain direction and take very shallow cuts at a slow feed rate (see Fig. 7).

Fig. 7

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