wooden planes

[mr grimsdale]

I've got a collection of ten or more woodies from abt 6" to 26". They are all sharp and set up to the best of my abilities. They are all usable and will do the job. Total cost abt £15.
But they do not do as well as steel planes. The candle wax trick will take a steel plane up to another level, but not a woody. Moving from wood to steel is like moving fom a cart to a limo.
Am I missing a trick? Is there something I should be doing?
The work I'm doing at the moment requires hand planing (for finishing and for boards wider than my planer) so it's a practical (non tooly) problem - they would be useful.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Jacob

You are saying that your woodies feel sticky compared to your waxed metal planes? ... !

I use woodies as much as metal planes. What I love about the woodies is that I do not need to wax the soles to get the same slippery slide as the metal planes. The soles of the woodies are not treated in any special way - just burnished from planing. So I am wondering if you have a finish on yours, even the wax you have used, and whether this has become sticky? Try cleaning the soles and using them au naturale.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Chris Knight]

Wot Derek said. A well set up woody is a delight to use, every bit as nice as an iron plane. The reason Karl Holtey is making a transitional is to satisfy the folk who love the feel of wood on wood but can't be fagged with the adjustments etc.

 

[mr grimsdale]

Right.I guess I'm just not using them enough to get the bottoms run in.

 

[woodbloke]

What you could do with Jacob is a 'grease' pot at the end of bench. The sole of the plane is just touched on it ready for the next stroke - Rob

 

[Modernist]

When I bought my first woodys (new 25 years ago) I stood them in a tray of Linseed oil for a week before use and havn't needed to do anything to them since.

 

[bugbear]

I've got a collection of ten or more woodies from abt 6" to 26". They are all sharp and set up to the best of my abilities. They are all usable and will do the job. Total cost abt £15.
But they do not do as well as steel planes. The candle wax trick will take a steel plane up to another level, but not a woody. Moving from wood to steel is like moving fom a cart to a limo.
Am I missing a trick? Is there something I should be doing?
The work I'm doing at the moment requires hand planing (for finishing and for boards wider than my planer) so it's a practical (non tooly) problem - they would be useful.

A tuned plane doesn't know care wether it's doing so-called practical work or a test shaving. Tuning is tuning.

You say that your woodies aren't doing "as well" as your steel planes. Can you be more specific? Do they need more force to push? Leave a poorer surface? Not perform as accurately?

Without a clear description of the problem, it's very hard to diagnose and cure; there are people on this forum with knowledge and experience of wooden planes, but we need detail.

Alternatively, there are several books on wooden plane tuning (and making), which have been discussed before - you can find the threads using search, or google with a site: prefix.

BugBear

 

[mr grimsdale]

More oil vicar! That seems to be the way. And more use of course. Using is tuning.
The point is they all work OK but should they work so well that you might even prefer one to a steel plane?

 

[Modernist]

More oil vicar! That seems to be the way. And more use of course. Using is tuning.
The point is they all work OK but should they work so well that you might even prefer one to a steel plane?

I think it depends on the size of the work. If you are planing the gunwales of a boat for example it is a lot easier to trot up and down with a light woody than a steel version. They are also a lot lighter to carry in your site bag as most European joiners demonstrate. If you are doing end grain Lignum Vitae however then a heavy steely is the answer, thick blade, bedrock et al.

 

[mr grimsdale]

...
A tuned plane doesn't know care wether it's doing so-called practical work or a test shaving. Tuning is tuning.....

Not really. You need to do a fair bit of work with one before you can be sure it's going well as it can. Doing nice shavings on a bit of scrap is only the start.

 

[lwilliams]

More oil vicar! That seems to be the way. And more use of course. Using is tuning.
The point is they all work OK but should they work so well that you might even prefer one to a steel plane?

yes, without a doubt

 

[Karl]

I'd sell them Mr G and buy a set of these

Cheers

Karl

 

[mr grimsdale]

Not now I've got some old ones not greatly different in design and quality. Anyway I'm not rushing out to buy new tools just because I can't make old ones work - that's pathetic!

The best of them is this one, which also has the best bottom and works very nicely. It's all down to bottoms!

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

You know Jacob, I generally find that when the performance of a plane is not what it should be, or appears to have fallen off, that the root of the problem is a blade that has ... what do you call it ... become blunt.

Perhaps sharpening those thin blades of your favourite Stanleys has caused your skills to go into reverse and these thicker blades are now beyond your orbit :lol:

OK ... a sharp and well-bedded blade (have you checked the bed and the wedge for fit?), a de-greased and flat sole that is allowed to burnish with use (I would not wax the sole of a wooden plane) ... and Jacob's your uncle.

Regards from Perth

Derek

p.s. a comment on your comment about woodies being sold on eBay because they are not as good as Stanleys .... pineapples - your bias is showing. The previous owners either did not know how to use them (they are different, not better or worse) and grew impatient ... or they represent planes that were "found" (both woodies and iron planes require maintenance, albeit differently).

 

[mr grimsdale]

....s of your favourite Stanleys has caused your skills to go into reverse and these thicker blades are now beyond your orbit ....

No sharpening is not a problem, except it takes longer with a thick blade of course

OK ... a sharp and well-bedded blade (have you checked the bed and the wedge for fit?), a de-greased and flat sole that is allowed to burnish with use (I would not wax the sole of a wooden plane) ... and Jacob's your uncle.

I tried wax but it adds nothng, but doesn't take anything away. But the bottom is the issue I think - not burnished enough as you say. But I'm oiling them, as that seems to be the trad way.

p.s. a comment on your comment about woodies being sold on eBay because they are not as good as Stanleys .... pineapples - your bias is showing.

Haven't got a bias - quite the opposite, I'm trying to be prejudiced in favour of wooden planes.
The reason they are so cheap on ebay is market forces I'm afraid - nobody wants them. Fact of life, they are not as convenient and effective as steel planes, or Stanley, Bailey and co would have come and gone unnoticed. Or several generations of woodworkers who have preferred steel are completely deranged.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Haven't got a bias - quite the opposite, I'm trying to be prejudiced in favour of wooden planes.

Hey Jacob

:lol:

Or several generations of woodworkers who have preferred steel are completely deranged.

No need to include the others :lol:

Relax J .. I am just teasing you

Actually, I think that your problem may be that you are adding oil to the sole ("But the bottom is the issue I think - not burnished enough as you say. But I'm oiling them, as that seems to be the trad way."). When I say burnish, I mean that this is done on bare wood. That is how I have always done it, and how Terry Gordon (HNT Gordon planes) does his. Perhaps Larry and Phil can say more about this.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Philly]

Sorry, I hadn't commented because I couldn't tell if Mr Grim was doing his usual wind-up job. That's the problem when you spend your time on-line rubbing people up the wrong way......
If the original post really is a genuine question, a quick rub on the sole with a candle will make a big difference to the amount of friction the sole provides. Also, as mentioned, regular use will soon burnish the sole which also lowers resistance - wood on wood is far smoother than steel on wood in my experience.
If this is making no difference I suspect the sole may be gummed up or maybe the plane is a little damp? True the sole on sandpaper stuck to a flatish surface to remove the muck and start using the plane.

Philly

 

[mr grimsdale]

Sorry, I hadn't commented because I couldn't tell if Mr Grim was doing his usual wind-up job. That's the problem when you spend your time on-line rubbing people up the wrong way
If the original post really is a genuine question.........

Sounds like the start of a wind-up job. :roll: Is this a genuine answer or just an attempt to rub me up the wrong way?

I think my plane query (not really a problem) will be answered by more use, which is often the way.

 

[woodbloke]

I'd sell them Mr G and buy a set of these

Cheers

Karl

They've all got woodworm though :lol: :lol: - Rob

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Jacob

There is no wind up on the part of Phil and myself (OK, I did tease you a little ). You just have to listen to what others say, not what you want to hear.

Clean off the oil and any other gunk that is on the soles. Do not use anything on the soles. Leave the wood bare. Now use them - that will do all the burnishing that is needed.

Regards from Perth

Derek