Plane Woes

jim crockett

Member
Messages
120
Location
Jay, Maine
I have a "Handyman" plane that was my dad's. I recently tuned this plane, or thought I did. I cleaned the body and all parts, sharpened the blade (25 deg) using sandpaper up to 2000 grit on a flat marble slab and flattened the sole.

I adjusted the chipbreaker so it is approx 1/32" back from the edge of the blade and set the blade so that there is approx 1/16" clearance from the front of the opening and parallel.

However, when I attempt to plane hardwood stock (maple, oak, hickory), instead of a nice smooth shaving, I get tearout, divots taken out of the stock. I have tried readjusting the blade and chipbreaker to no avail.

This may be a problem with the plane or with the operator. I've never used handplanes before. I secure the stock to the bench (I might add that I really don't have a good bench and usually use a WorkMate with plywood attached to the top) and try to use a good stance and follow through as I have read about and seen in videos. I can't even get one stroke down the length of the stock before the blade apparently digs in and lifts a divot.

Any suggestions or ideas? I would really like to be able to use this plane, which I realize is not one of the best in the world, but it seems that it should be able to plane a flat surface. I'm stymied.

BTW, I used it on the edge of some pine and it seemed to work ok there.

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Jim
 
Two suggestions:

1. Make sure you're taking a very light cut. Hardwoods won't allow the same 'hogging' cuts as pine will. Strive for just a thousandth or two, nothing more.

2. Pay close attention to the grain direction, and plane with it, not against it. Going against the grain is like trying to plane uphill, and will result in a lot of tearout.

You might also try moving the chipbreaker back a bit, and moving the frog forward to close up the mouth. A mouth of 1/64 ~ 1/32 ought to be plenty.

Just for the heck of it... You do have the blade installed "Bevel Down" don't you?
 
Two suggestions:

1. Make sure you're taking a very light cut. Hardwoods won't allow the same 'hogging' cuts as pine will. Strive for just a thousandth or two, nothing more.

2. Pay close attention to the grain direction, and plane with it, not against it. Going against the grain is like trying to plane uphill, and will result in a lot of tearout.

You might also try moving the chipbreaker back a bit, and moving the frog forward to close up the mouth. A mouth of 1/64 ~ 1/32 ought to be plenty.

Just for the heck of it... You do have the blade installed "Bevel Down" don't you?

Hi, Jim. Thanks for the response. Yes, I do have the bevel down. I'll try your other suggestions and see if it helps.

Jim
 
Hi Jim - I'm a newb at handplanes too, but just stumbled into this article right after reading your post.

Jim Delaney gave good advice....I'm finding things work better just taking a teeny bit off.
 
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