[pianotech] Tool for Wood Selection at Lumberyard

[Terry Farrell]

I will be inspecting a fairly large pile of Sitka Spruce for purchase  
in a couple weeks. I'm seeking suggestions for a good tool(s) to bring  
with me so that I can examine the wood characteristics. Typically the  
spruce lumber is rough cut and in pieces approximately 2" by 9" by 12  
to 20 feet long. They are stacked in bins so that you can really only  
inspect one of the 2" x 9" ends. I'll likely be purchasing about 1,000  
bd.-ft.

I need a tool that can clean up (grind/shave) the rough endgrain so  
that I can see the annular rings. I've used a small hand plane in the  
past, but it's rough planing end grain and often I can't even get the  
darn plane on the end of a board that is set in a little further than  
the one above and/or below. A tiny belt sander about 1" x 4" might  
work quite well - don't know of any that small though. Cordless would  
be good also. Is there any kind of small plane or other tool that  
would work for me? Any suggestions would be appreciated (well,  
constructive suggestions that is.....).

I'm hoping that this time after I select lumber candidates I can re- 
inspect the lumber after a couple days - after they've pulled my  
selected lumber. Then I would like to spot check the face of the board  
for defects - pitch pockets, etc. - and again, I will need some sort  
of tool to clean up the rough surface to inspect it. Sure, I could  
take a belt sander to it, but I'm not sure the lumber yard would like  
that if I were to reject it. Maybe for the face a good hand plane  
would be the ticket - I've got a nice smoothing plane with a curved  
blade that won't gouge the wood - maybe that would be best. Any other  
ideas?

Thanks!

Terry Farrell
Farrell Piano, Inc.