I had some tearout issues with some Qtr sawn oak. It was the first time working with this wood. It was figured quite abit. I used a #4 LN. I’ve read that a high angle frog might help in this situation. I was also looking at the LV catalog and noticed their low angle smoother.
They state that you can grind it so the end angle is a 60 deg. angle. I have a LN low angle jack plane, can I buy a seperate blade and use that next time?
Replies
Were you planing in the direction of the grain? Try skewing the plane to the grain and see if that helps. Otherwise, try a scraper or scraper plane. Make sure you don't try to remove much when you plane or scrape, though. Also, try planing in the opposite direction and see if this helps. Planing with a circular motion can help on figured woods, too.
I'm assuming you've already got a very sharp blade set for a very light cut and a small mouth opening.
Sometimes it's really easy to tear up oak. The grain probably comes out of the wood in one direction, and if you plane "upstream", you're much more likely to tear it. Sometimes, the preferred direction changes along a board.
If you're smoothing, you might do better with a card scraper, though you still want to be aware of grain direction.
Pete
tc
You've already answered your own question. Your LN low angle jack is the answer! Get another blade, or grind yours now to a 40° secondary bevel, giving you an effective angle of 52°. Use a tight, tight mouth, and take light wispy shavings. You should have no more trouble. This plane was my solution to QS planing problems, along with the HA frog and the 4 1/2.
I've got two blades for the LA jack, one for this problem, and a regular grind for end grain.
Jeff
Jeff,
For the secondary bevel @ 40 deg. do I keep the stock angle that comes with the blade and hone the secondary bevel at 40?
The grain changed directions and the rays were at anywhere from 30-50 deg. from the grain. I was wishing someone would say I need a new #4 1/2 with a high frog.
Buying planes can be addictive.
tc
There is no need to regrind the entire bevel at 40°. Just a few mm of microbevel will do the trick. As far as the LN 4 1/2 with Yorkie frog, Go For IT!! I did. It's a terrific tool to have. It will probably very quickly become the first smoother you reach for. It's my favorite, and I have 7 smoothers.
Jeff
I'm glad you said that about the # 4 1/2. It will be a future pick. My next two planes are going to be kits from Shephard Tool. They have a beginning kit for a pocket style plane for $99. I'm going to get this one first because they state they will replace the body parts if I screw it up. Then if that works well I'm going to get a Norris Style #6 kit.
Just have to pass it by the wife. Eventualy I should have enough planes laying around that she'll never notice another one.
Yep. After you get more than 20 of them laying around, the significant others tend to lose count. Before you know it, you'll need to build a storage shelf system just to house all your planes.
Jeff
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