Replies

1. 
   Rob_Millard | Jul 26, 2001 02:47am | #1

   *
   I think that most problem with tear out, when using a SHARP hand plane, is a result of the bed angle of the plane. I know this goes against every rule in the book, but on my own Bailey type planes, I grind the bevel at a little less than 25 degrees, and put a back bevel on the iron, of a little less than 10 degrees. This has the effect of raising the bed angle. The much-coveted Norris style planes have a higher pitch, and I think this has much more to do with their superior performance than their tight throats. A scraper, which has no throat, will cut tricky grain smoothly, so the throat plays only a small part in preventing tear out. Some slight tear out is inevitable.

1. 
   Rob_Millard | Jul 27, 2001 06:50pm | #2

   *Danford,You are entirely correct, that changing the bevel (bezel) angle will do nothing to alter the cutting angle of a bench plane. What you failed to understand is that I advised putting a back bevel on the iron. Perhaps, you were confusing this with a so-called secondary bevel. By adding a back bevel, you will indeed change the cutting angle of a bench plane (see attached drawing). This back bevel does not come without a price, as it causes the iron to dull more quickly, and increases the necessary cutting pressure. I overcame the dulling issue, by having a local machine shop, make new irons for my planes, using A-2 steel, which is far superior to the more common O-1 steel. For a plane to cut properly(especially reversing grain) it needs to meet the following criteria. Sharp BladeChatter resistant bladeFlat soleA pitch of 50 or more degrees will be of enormous benefit, when planing hardwoods, with difficult grain. Having had such encouraging success with back beveling, I made my own wooden smoothing plane, with a 3/16” thick iron, bedded at a shade under 55 degrees. The throat on this plane is nearly 3/32” wide, yet it will cut see through shavings, almost without regard to grain direction. It would be ridiculous of me to suggest that a simple back bevel will change your ordinary bench plane, into something on the order of a Norris plane, but it will do far more for it than the tightest throat. The attached drawing shows the back bevel greatly exaggerated. In practice it is barely visible to the naked eye.

1. 
   Rob_Millard | Jul 27, 2001 06:59pm | #3

   *For some reason, the first drawing I attached would not open. I have attached another one here.

1. 
   joe_avera | Jul 27, 2001 08:04pm | #4

   *Thanks for all the advice. I will try some of these things and let you all know how it goes. Joe

1. 
   Christopher_Corvi | Jul 27, 2001 08:27pm | #5

   *You might want to try turning the board around 180 degrees you might be plaining into the grain (can be hard to tell on cherry sometimes specially if you are new to woodworking). Just a thought. Chris

2. 
   Don_Stephan | Jul 31, 2001 03:09pm | #6

   *Perhaps I have just been lucky, but I have been able to plane and scrape cherry with relatively good success. There are times when the grain reverses and a plane will produce some tear out but the scraper has always seemed to handle even those spots. If you use some very fine sandpaper, like 400 grit, and the dust collects in places, then there are in fact some low spots. Might be tear out, or might be some defects in the wood. I have occasionally found small voids in cherry, but usually too big to confuse with tearout. Should be able to remove any tear out with scraper blade, but might have to remove enough wood to leave slight hollow (which can be hidden by additional scraping of the surrounding area).

3. 
   Derrick_Bond | Nov 06, 2001 04:23am | #7

   *making a double bow stretcher in black walnut.I am making a table in black walnut with a double bow stretcher to tie the legs. The dimensions are 65mm wide by 500mm deep. should I laminate, or can I steam bend the bows?Any advice would be appreciated.