Planing big slabs

My friend Charlie just dropped off a couple nice big slabs of walnut.  The original intention was to cut them into heavy veneer and squares for legs.  But one of them was was just dead straight and I immediately knew that I had something else in mind for this particular piece.

Big slabs seem to pose problems for many woodworkers.  They’re hard to move around.  They’re usually too heavy or too large to run through planers and sanders.  But for the folks that understand how to “walk” a board and use handplanes, big slabs can be handled with relative ease.

The first thing is to get one side in plane.  This becomes the datum, the surface from which all other dimensions are taken.  Using a set of winding sticks, the rough surface is checked for wind, cup or bow and imperfections in sawing.  Those areas are marked.

 

Rough planing is done with a long plane with substantial camber in the iron.  My favorite plane for this part of the process is a 20″ wooden foreplane.  Planing is usually done at about 45 degrees to the grain direction of the workpiece, although many times I find that I’m planing cross grain.  The heavy camber of the iron allows for large shavings to be taken without an irordinate amount of edge tearout.

After the datum surface is in plane, a smooth plane is used to remove the wide, shallow “scallops” left by the foreplane and render the datum dead flat.  Then the slab is flipped and the required thickness is measured and marked with a cutting or panel gauge.  Again the foreplane if used to produce a plane second surface, parallel to the datum.  If a large amount of material must be removed from certain areas, a scrub plane can be used.  The scrub plane has a narrower iron with greater camber than the foreplane.  This enables the plane to take very thick, narrow shavings and speeds the work of stock removal.  The foreplane can then be used to remove the deep grooves created by the scrub plane.

Trueness in length can be checked by a straightedge or the winding sticks can be laid flat at both ends of the slab and a line can be stretched across them. Any variance will be quickly determined by simply measuring at points along the line to the surface of the slab. And remember that the human eye is a very precise instrument.

Only time will tell what this slab will become.

Get to know your local sawyer

Most folks go to the lumber yard and pick up their project material.  I prefer to go right to the source, the sawyer.

“Eyeballing” the cut line. Mr. Sharples at work.

I’ve been dealing with my local sawyer, Dennis Sharples, for about a decade now.  I’ve spent a lot of time out in his log yard and rooting through stacks of lumber for just the right stock.   But a couple of days ago I made another trip out to Sharples Hardwood Lumber in Swanton Ohio.  Unlike most days when I’m in a rush and just want to load up and get back to the shop, I had no particular schedule.  Dennis was out in the yard running the mill.  So I just sat myself down on a stack of freshly sawn honey locust boards and quietly watched while he systematically sawed a log into a cant, then sawed the cant into lumber.  All done with a quiet precision that comes from years spent at his trade.  It’s intriquing to watch the mechanical manipulation of the mill machinery to turn, locate and dog down the log.  Then the saw starts its trip down the track and slices to the log like a knife through hot butter.

But apart from roaming around in the log yard, there are a number of very good reasons to get to know your local sawyer.  First you can select the material you want at the source.  You can actually see the lumber you’ll be buying while it’s still “in the log”.  You can buy the lumber in any state you wish; sawn, dried and planed if you like.  Or green, for those folks who work with riven lumber such as chairmakers and early American furniture builders.  Also you’ll find species that won’t normally be stocked at your local big box store.  When’s the last time you saw Sassafrass or Honey Locust at Home Depot or Lowes?

So get to know your local sawyer.  It’ll be time well spent.

The way Gramps sharpened his plane irons

Seventy-five years ago most handtool woodworkers were professional carpenters, joiners, millwrights and millmen.  They depended on their tools to make a living.  They were paid on the basis of their productivity.  They knew how to sharpen their tools to maximize their productivity and they knew how to do it fast.

Now, most handtool afficinados are very dedicated amateurs (or recognized artisans with clienteles that are willing to pay for “toolmarks”).  This group of handtool users has the luxury of time, time to fettle their tools “in absurdia”.

Matt Sullenbrand, frequent visitor to this site and provider of wise observation, sent this recent comment;

“I have purchased lots of old planes over the years, and started out flattening the backs on all of them. Then I realized, if none of the craftsman who owned these planes worried about flat backs, why should I? I am not convinced that flat backs on plane irons were ever necessary. It seems more likely and more expedient that it was the norm to use a back bevel on almost all irons, save maybe profiled plane irons which would have been very difficult to back bevel. Just a thought.”

After reading Matt’s comments, I began to think about how my Grandfather taught me to sharpen a plane iron.  First, you have to remember that not all planes are used for “polishing”.  Most, are used for sizing and truing.  So, fifty-four years ago, Gramps taught me to sharpen plane irons like this.

First, make sure that the iron is ground to the purpose it was intended.  Here’s a number 6 iron that’s ground with a substantial crown.  Remember that a 6 is a foreplane.  It’s the plane that “strikes” the first datum or register, from which all other dimensions are taken.  So we get the “grind” right:

Then we “run” the iron in a “figure eight” motion on a hard arkansas stone.  Just as soon as we raise a “wire”, we strike it off by moving the iron laterally, while just raising the heel of the iron “ever so slightly” off the hone.

Then we move to a hard black arkansas stone.  We repeat the same “figure eight” motion, raise the wire, and, again, strike it away.  We don’t go to the strop.  The iron is razor sharp at this point.  The honed, secondary bevel in very small, which means we’re not wasting valuable tool steel.

We reassemble the iron and the chipbreaker and begin to work.  I mean, how many angels can sit on the head of a pin?

If I could have just one bench plane…….

On more than one occasion, I’ve been asked by fledgling hand plane afficionados, what type of bench plane  would I choose, if I could  have only one?  The answer is really very simple, a Bedrock style 605 1/2.  The 605 1/2 is not an easy plane to find, if you’re looking for a good original Stanley.  But they’re well worth the high dollar that you’ll likely have to pay to take it home.  If a 605 1/2 isn’t available, a 605 (or one of the new planes that emulate the Bedrock) is a decent alternative.

An orignal Stanley Bedrock 605 1/2

So what is it about this plane that makes it so useful?  First is the frog design.  It allows the user to adjust the mouth opening while the iron is in place on the frog.  The Bailey pattern requires the removal of the iron before the frog can be loosened to allow for adjustment.  This makes for a lot of fettling to get the mouth opening “just right”.  The second is it’s length and width.  It is 1″ longer and 1/4″ wider than the standard 605 (60 indicates the Bedrock type frog, 5 indicates jack plane).  It could correctly be classed as a panel plane by English standards.  But how does this extra size translate into performance?  The extra length allows the user to do smaller joining tasks and surface truing (i.e. panel leveling, hence the term panel plane).  The extra width clearly puts it in the class of a large smoother.

The Lie-Nielsen 605 1/2

Different irons for different tasks.  To fully exploit the potential of any jackplane, several different irons are required.  For dimensioning/thicknessing, an iron with a 1/16″ to 3/32″ crown is appropriate.  This is the crown that would be commonly used on a “foreplane”.

For general smoothing, an iron that is “gently” crowned (think .003″ to .005″) is the order of the day.  When this iron is properly sharpened and honed, it will produce a glass-like surface.  For highly figured work, an iron that is “gently” crowned and back beveled to create a cutting angle of 60 to 65 degrees will produce a surface that is free of tearout, i.e. curly maple.  (Lie-Nielsen offers several different frogs with bedding angles ranging from 50 degrees, “York” pitch, to 55 degrees “Middle” pitch)

Lee Valley jack plane - tote and frog move fore and aft as a unit - lateral and depth adjustment are made via a "Norris" type adjuster

For really gnarly wood such as burl or crotch, the handplane user might consider a toothing iron.  While not commonly available for bench planes, one could be made by simply filing or chiseling teeth (grooves) on the bevel side of the iron.  The iron is then reversed.  This reversal creates a cutting angle of 70-75 degrees, which is the traditional standard for toothing planes.  Just a caveat – not all bench plane designs will allow for running the iron reversed.  The relationship of the chip breaker to the depth control pawl will be the dictating factor.  So try it before you go to the bother of making a toothing iron.

The Woodriver #5 from Woodcraft

So, one plane, three or four irons and you’ve covered 95 percent of your benchplane chores.  Plus, you’ll save space and, very likely, a fair amount of money. 

 

Just a parting thought about replacement irons.  Woodcraft, Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley and others sell high quality replacement irons for original Stanley planes.  IBC irons from Woodcraft are my personal favorites.  Be sure that the irons you order are designed to allow for the use of the original chip breaker, or you may find that you’ll have to purchase a new breaker as well.

 

A “take-off” on Brother Underhill’s “Little French Bench”

Alright.  So I haven’t written anything for more than a month.  And, I haven’t done a thing on the Sidewinder lathe project.  I haven’t been fishing, although the Walleye run was great in the Maumee river this spring.  Friends of mine were literally leaving coolers full of fish on my porch.  So, you might ask, what have I been doing.  Afterall “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”.  Well, once again, I’ve allowed myself to be diverted.  But it’s all good.  Honest!

I’ve always had a hankering to build the small, portable workbench that Roy Underhill features in his book, “Working with Edge and Wedge”.  Roy apparently saw a similar bench while on a trip to France, fell in love with it, came home and built his own version.  The fact that the rear legs are raked while the front legs remain plumb make the joinery for this seemingly simple little knock-down bench pretty tricky, tricky indeed.  In fact Brother Roy increased his degree of difficulty by incorporating rising dovetail joints in his model.  I’ll be explaining why I elected to use a modified dovetailed tenon.

But right at the moment, here are a couple of pictures.  I’ve completed the top and the frame.  They’re just dry-fitted at the moment.  I’ll be posting fairly frequently as I work towards the finish of the project.  It’ll take a little while.  But, I’m sure it will be well worth the effort.

dry-fitted frame – overlook the parallax problem

front and rear tenons - note the front is not a "rising dovetail"

 

 

 

top in place - one single piece of hand-planed ash

 

SO YOU WANNA BE A RESTORATION CARPENTER (or Joiner)

In the past few days, several folks have asked me if I could give them some suggestions as to how to develop a successful carpentry contracting business, based on the restoration or replication of historic homes.

Well at first, a couple of jokes came to mind:

A young journeyman asks a master craftsman, “how can I make a small fortune in the woodworking business?”.  The master craftsman replies “start with a big one”.

The young, frustrated businessman decides he will sever his relationships with the corporate world and make his living with his hands, doing the woodworking that he loves.   He walks through the library doors and asks the librarian if there is a copy of “How to make $100,000 per year doing woodworking”.  The librarian replies, “Oh, yes!  We have a copy of that book, it’s right over there in the Fiction section.”

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The first question you have to answer is “do I want to physically do the work of carpentry and joinery?”  If the answer is yes, understand that your maximum income potential is around $150,000/year.  This assumes that the planets will all come into alignment and the “Age of Aquarius will begin immediately.  Remember, you’re probably going to have a lot of “down time”, that’s time when you’re not producing revenue.  Quoting time, travel time, sales time – these are non-revenue producing hours.  So if you can average $75.00/hour for forty hours a week, fifty weeks per year – you’ll be able to generate $150,000 in revenue.  However, you have to consider direct and indirect expenses like fuel, tools, insurance, loans on equipment, etc.  After you subtract those costs from your revenue you have your gross (before tax) income.  BTW, most working carpenters are “tickled pink” if they can find 1500 hours of work per year.  Do the math.

If you wanna make the big bucks by executing the proper restoration of America’s historic architectural treasures, you’re going have to be a contractor.  That’s the guy who’s not going to get to play with the tools very often.  He’s going to make his revenue by taking an “override” on the work that’s done for him by other craftsmen.    He’s a planner, an accountant, an administrator, a salesman and will have a host of other job descriptions – anything that is required for the completion of the project – except working at the craft.  But this is where the bucks are.

WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW

Develop a basic (but sound) understanding of business.  Get an accountant and a lawyer.  A good banker would help.  But, in this day and age, lines of credit for carpentry contractors are a rare thing, a rare thing, indeed.  Most craftsmen fail in business not because they’re poor craftsmen.  They fail because they know absolutely nothing about business.

Develop a client base.  An excellent restoration business can be built around as few as twenty clients (given that they have fairly substantial restoration projects that will be spread over a broad period of time).  Client development is very time consuming and it can be very, very frustrating.  However, it is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to your success.  Most successful restorationists get all or nearly all of their business from referral.

Occasionally close your mouth.  Listen to what your client is saying.  He/she will tell exactly what they want and with a little effort on your part, they’ll tell exactly how much they can afford to pay to get it.  You can’t listen is you’re talking all of the time.  Learn to be comfortable when there is a “pregnant pause” in the conversation.

Build a sterling reputation.  Under-promise and over-deliver.

Be honest.  Provide client’s with a very well-defined scope of work, sign a contract and keep up your end of the bargain.

Make sure that your math and geometry skills are “up to snuff”.  This may sound like a joke, but it is deadly important.

If you can’t be a master practitioner of the trade, you should, at very least have an excellent grasp of the craft you’re talking about.  Don’t try to “bullshit” your way through a client interview.  People will respect you if you simply say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out and share that information with you”.

Understand that the work can be very physically demanding.  Toting tools to a third floor ball room can get to be a real pain in the arse.  Toting tools to a third floor ball room when it’s cold and snowing or hot and rainy can be a royal pain in the arse.  Realize what you’re getting into.  It’s not the same as whiling away the hours in your shop, admiring the sound that your antique Norris smoothing plane makes as it sheers across a beautiful piece of old growth mahogany.  It’s work!  Work, with a capital W.

Become a student of architectural history.  Learn how the structures you’re interested in were constructed and why they were constructed in a particular way.  Understand materials.  Love what you’re doing.

READ – READ – READ

Several readers have asked if I can recommend any book titles that I have found useful in pursuing the trade over the years.  Here’s the list (I’m sure there are other titles, but I have found these especially helpful):

The Ten Books on Architecture – Vitruvius – A classic

The Classical Orders of Architecture – Robert Chatham

The Architect , or Practical House Carpenter – Asher Benjamin – Leader of Greek Revival Architecture  in North America

The American Builders Companion – Asher Benjamin

The Country Builder’s Assistant – Asher Benjamin

The Steel Square – Frederick Hodgson – Essential

Circular Work in Carpentry and Joinery – George Collings

Modern Practical Joinery – George Ellis – An incredible resource

Specialized Joinery – Thos. Corkhill and S.G. Duckworth

Modern Practical Stairbuilding and Handrailing – George Ellis

A Treatise on Stairbuilding and Handrailing – W&A Mowat

A Simplified Guide to Custom Stairbuilding and Tangent Handrailing – George R. diCristina – Be wary when anyone says it’s a “simplified” guide.  It’s definitely NOT.  But, it might be the best staircase book available.

Manual of Traditional Wood Carving – Paul N. Hasluck – Classic British Work on Architectural carving.

Also:  In my experience there is no one single source of information about North American historic architecture and craft that Roy Underhill.  Read the Woodwright series of books and everything else that Royhas written since he was Master Housewright at Williamsburg.  The man is clearly a National Treasure and an individual with a huge sense of stewardship, from which we all benefit.  Understand how things used to be done.

Frederick Wilbur is, in my judgement,  the finest contemporary Architectural woodcarver in the United States.  Let him be your guide to any restoration or replication carving that you might undertake.

Alright.  Enough said.  There will be a test and you better know the difference between a Linen Fold Panel and a Bolection Moulding.

Good Luck!

FINDING THE RIGHT RESTORATION CARPENTER

The following is a reprint of an article that I wrote a number of years ago which was published in a several  historic architectural newsletters.  Hopefully it will help bridge the gap between homeowners trying to find a qualified restoration carpenter and qualified tradesmen who are trying to determine the best methods of doing business in a marketplace that can be daunting, at best.  Good luck to you both.

FINDING THE RIGHT RESTORATION CARPENTER

By Dennis Laney

            If you’re reading this article there’s a very great likelihood that you live in a historic home and you’re in the process of restoring one of the architectural treasures of the area.  Also, there’s a strong possibility that you have had dealings with contractors who claim to be qualified in restoration work, only to find that they were not.

            Here are a few tips that should help simplify the carpentry contractor qualification process.

   Is the carpentry contractor familiar with your architectural style? 

            During the early part of the twentieth century an integral part of the Finish Carpenter’s or Joiner’s (A fancy finish carpenter specializing in interior architectural details such as staircases, wainscoting and the like) training was familiarization with classical architectural styles and those styles that were currently in vogue.  (Just as an aside, the Greek word architekton means “master carpenter”.  Interestingly, the Japanese word for Master Carpenter is used to identify any professional architect.)  Any qualified restoration carpenter should be familiar with and conversant in the style of your home.  In many cases the carpenter will be responsible for determining the proportions of renovations in your home.  It is important that they understand the ductus that determines the perspective and proportion of various architectural styles.

   

Is the contractor familiar with the construction methods of the period?      

            Construction techniques change constantly.  However, your home was built using time honored methods.  Your contractor should be very well versed with those methods.  The careless incorporation of a modern construction technique can ruin an expensive restoration.  Your contractor should be familiar with the following terms:  Mortise and tenon joinery; Housed stringers; Dovetailed Balusters and coped cornices and skirting.  If he or she is not familiar with these terms, there’s every probability that they’re not familiar with the construction methods that were used in the building of your home.

Can the contractor identify the material and does he have a source of supply

Just about every species of American and Exotic hardwoods were used for the interior trim inAmerica’s historic homes.  Cost and unavailability have eliminated the use of many of these materials in new construction.  As a consequence, few carpenters are familiar with the species that are likely found in your home.  For instance:  Yellow pine was used as a trim wood in domestic areas such as kitchens, rear stairs and servant’s quarters.  It is very dense and durable.  It must not be confused with or substituted for with White Pine or Hemlock, which are of low density and durability.  It’s simply not enough to say that your trim is oak.  There are at least five sub-species of oak, not to mention various growth patterns and sawing techniques. Make sure that your contractor knows the material and that he has identified a source of supply.  A caveat; many of the materials used one hundred years ago are very scarce, some are simply unavailable.  All are expensive.  Make sure that materials can be replaced before someone starts tearing off mop boards, door casings and other bits of visual detail.

 How much of the contractors work is accomplished with hand tools?

          Much of the carpentry and joinery work in your home was done using hand tools.  The impact of this on your restoration is very direct.  Simply put, there are details that cannot be shaped with power tools.  They must be done by hand.  Any qualified restoration carpenter will use power tools to expedite the work except in those areas where tool choice affects historic integrity.  If your contractor is not competent  in the use of hand tools, he’s probably not too concerned about the authenticity of the restoration.

 Is the contractor well versed in circular or elliptical layout?

            Curved window sashes, elliptical staircases and other circular details add to the grandeur of many historic homes.  Doubtless, you’ve noticed that they “just don’t build them like that any more”.  Make sure that your contractor understands and can execute circular and elliptical layout.  Simply ask if he knows, and can explain,  the differences between a semi-ellipse (oval) and a true ellipse.  Also, he should be knowledgeable about the special joinery techniques that were used in the construction of circular and/or elliptical details.

 

Is the contractor comfortable doing the work in stages?

            If you’re not already familiar with the expense of a proper restoration, you will be.  Be suspect of anyone who is unwilling to perform the work in stages that will allow you time to “replentish your war-chest”.  Also, be aware that when you ask for a fixed price bid the contractor has every right to require a detailed scope of work.  This fact poses two distinct disadvantages to the home owner.  First, this type of arrangement proves to be most profitable to the contractor when he completes the work as quickly as possible.  In many cases this will lead to work that is done with time savings in mind, as opposed to the authenticity of the restoration.  Second, if you elect to make changes to the scope of work, the contractor is well within his legal rights to require a renegotiation of price.  This has the potential of new costs being determined on an unusually high price structure as the contractor knows that he, effectively, has the home owner “over a barrel”.

            Consider finding a restoration carpenter who you are comfortable with and confident in and engage him on an hourly basis.  Most qualified craftsman in the area charge in the range of $50-60 per hour (when compared to electricians, plumbers and other tradespeople, a well qualified carpenter is a real bargain and, of course, this cost will be higher in America’s larger cities).  This eliminates the tendency of the contractor to build in contingency pricing and it allows the home owner to make changes when desired and break up the work in stages, at his or her discretion.

The restoration of your historic home can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life or a complete nightmare, depending on how well you do your “homework”.

Simply a Plane diversion

Half finished projects fill my little shed.  The place needs a good clean-up and some paint.  The sidewinder lathe and the “raked leg” workbench are awaiting completion.  So what do I do?  Of course, I allow myself to be diverted and completely distracted from all the stuff that I’ve got to do.  For what reason?  To build a toothing plane.  A what?  Yes, you heard right, a toothing plane.  I don’t need any more planes!  I’ve built a lot of them over the years.  I’ve bought a lot of them over the years.  So why a toothing plane and why now?

While reading about toothing planes on the Anthony Hay Cabinetmaker blog, I remembered that I’ve had several historic designs rolling around in my head for a number of years.  I knew that, at some point, I’d incorporate them into some little plane for use around the shop.  The toothing plane is an uncommon but very useful tool for anyone working on highly figured stock or around knots.  But I wanted to do something a little bit different from just the standard, everyday, purpose-built wooden plane.  So I delved back into history…

The famous Renaissance artist Durer included a fanciful plane (along with the famous number puzzle) in his work Melancholia I.  It’s got some pretty wide marginal lands, but it is a real sweetheart design.

Melancholia I

Here’s a little closer look at the actual design of the plane.

Durer plane - from the book, "Planecraft"

A.J. Roubo shows a number of beautiful plane designs in his book, “l’art du Menuisier”.

So I decided to incorporate features from both designs and add a “mechanically affixed” sole, similar to the soles found on Ulmia and ECE planes today.  So here’s the design that I came up with.

The body is Swiss Pearwood.  The horn, wedge and sole are made from Bloodwood (Satine).  I opted for a brass pin as opposed to “cheeks” to hold the wedge in order to maximize the throat opening, which is substantially reduced due to very high bedding angle of the iron (80 degrees).

The sole is joined with angled box joints (and some good old Titebond III).  Hand cut dovetails could be used as well.  But I must admit that I made a little box joint sled and cut the slots with a dado on my table saw (yes, I still own a table saw – kinda like a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat).

example of sole joint

The iron is made from O1 (oil hardening) tool steel.  In its annealed state, O1 can be easily cut with a hacksaw and filed into shape.  I used a 6″ slim taper file to cut the grooves.  If I had it to do over again, I’d use a cold chisel as suggested in the piece by Anthony Hay’s shop.  I know that all of my knife making friends will find this disgusting, but I actually quenched the iron in hot water, as opposed to oil.  I know, I know, this is not recommended.  But I chose not to fill the shop up with oily smoke (if and when the quench bath caught fire).  I was lucky.  The iron did not fracture and warping was minimal.  It was easily honed flat.  The heavy section of the iron probably prevented catastrophe.  It’s 3/16 x 2.

iron after shaping and hardening

 After the quench, I tempered the iron by placing it in our kitchen stove for 30 minutes or so at about 500 degrees F.  Having no technical means of checking the surface hardness, my guess is that it’s 60-62 Rockwell C, based on how it honed.  To “prettify” the iron, I used a little Birchwood-Casey cold gun bluing to darken it down a bit.  Maybe on the next plane I build, I’ll heat blue or chemically blacken the iron.

The horn was carved and the faceted surfaces were left un-sanded.

The "horn"

Rough parts ready for finishing

I used Weldwood Plastic Resin glue to glue the horn in place.  It’s an excellent product that’s been around for years.  Have to give a nod to my friend Les for educating me in it’s uses.  After finishing individual parts and assembly, I gave the plane a couple of coats of Birchwood-Casey Tru Oil.  It’s a gunstock varnish made with tung oil and some “secret” ingredients.  Two coats was all that was required.  Slap it on, wipe it off.  Just doesn’t get any easier.  It’s a fantastic finish.

The string like shavings made by the toothing plane

Alright, enough already with the distractions.  Now it’s time to get back to work.

Building an Improved Shavehorse

Recently I decided to give my son, a bowyer, my old shavehorse and build a new one with a few improvements.

The bowyer at the shavehorse

There are basically two styles of shavehorse, the “blockhead” or German (Swiss) and the “bodger’s” or English style.  The English style is a little lighter, affording the user a little more portability.

All shavehorses are designed to provide the user with a place to sit and a method of holding the work.  The “blockhead” design is usually fitted with fixed ramp.  The “bodger’s” style utilizes a floating ramp.  This feature allows the user to work a greater range of thicknesses without repositioning the clamphead.  On older “bodger’s” horses, the elevation of the ramp was changed by simply moving a wedge shaped block forward or aft.

"blockhead" style shavehorse with fixed ramp

 Most shavehorses are fitted with legs that are driven into tapered holes in the seat plank.  Legs usually have both rake and splay.  A simple way of boring the initial holes is to use a shopmade angle guide, once the “resultant” angle has been determined.

Boring guide

Boring guide - another view

Boring guide – yet another view

The next step is to use a tapered reamer to create the tapered hole or socket that the legs will be fitted into.  Using a tapered reamer can be tricky when rake and splay are involved.  The reamer I use is one made from a plan on Jennie Alexander’s website, greenwoodworking.com.  However, it does have one significant difference in that the first few inches of the reamer are cylindrical and designed to fit into a 1″ hole.  This means that this particular reamer cannot be used to ream a hole smaller than 1″, but it does help in maintaining the rake and splay.

shop built tapered reamer

The seat plank is held in the bench vise while the leg holes are reamed from the underside.

starting the reamer with the cylindrical section as guide

Okay, so after the ordeal with the reamer, the rest is pretty straightforward.

The finished product

 Well first, those of you who have been reading this blog for any time will know that the above picture was not taken in my shop.  But, rest assured, this is my new shavehorse (although, if asked, it may prefer it new surroundings).  Anyway, the clamp arms are 1 1/8″ x 2″ ash.  The clamp head is 3″ x 3″ ash with a 3/8″ wide V-groove on one surface and a 1/2″ V-groove on the opposing surface.  The are two positions for the clamphead on the clamp arms.  The footpeg/spreader is one piece made from hickory.  The ramp board’s position is supported by a pegboard that has been drilled with two rows of 1/2″ dia holes spaced 1″ apart.  A simple turned peg with a bit of a handle secures the pegboard.  A piece of 1/2″ brass or steel rod would work just as well.  The ramp board assembly is held in place with a wooden wedge.  The lignum vitae stop in the middle of the ramp board is used to keep longer workpieces from meandering to and from when you’re cutting chamfers or rounding edges.  The rear legs are 1″ longer than the front.  This allows the user to benefit from his or her own bodyweight (and helps to keep one from sliding backward into potential catastrophe).  The overall length of the seat plank is approximately 56″.   It may seem somewhat long to most first time users, but the benefit of the long plank becomes immediately recognized when you start working on something like the backpost of a chair, a bow or a canoe paddle.

Note the black fasteners.  My buddy, Les, explained to me that all you need to do is wire brush the most common, plated nuts and bolts that you can get your hands on, then paint them up with cold gun bluing.  Costs about $7.00 at Bass-Pro, Cabela’s, etc.  Hats off to Lester.  I’ll tell you, I learn something new everytime I turn around.  Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks?

Back to work

Okay.  I’m coming out of my malaise.  The hiatus is over.  I can’t believe it.  I haven’t written anything for nearly two months.  No, I haven’t been sick.  I’ve been busy.  First, the holidays occupied a good bit of time.  But truth be told, I’ve been busy working wood with friends and family and it’s my intention to share the important part of those experiences with everyone who reads this rag.  You just gotta be patient with me.  Remember, I’m not a kid anymore.

Over the next few weeks we’re going to cover a lot of ground.  We’re going to talk about primitive bowyering, how to put together an improved shavehorse.  We’ll take a look at a beautiful little Roubo workbench that I had the privilege of helping my friend, Les put together.  Welsh stick chairs are on the agenda.  And, last, but not least, the Sidewinder Lathe project will be completed before the first day of summer.

So stay in touch.  Better weather and a lot more information is just around the corner.

How to tune up Grandpa’s old iron plane

At least once a week, someone tells me that he (or she) has an old iron hand plane that belonged to a grandfather, father, uncle, some other relative or friend.  After repeated attempts to “shave” wood with the instrument in question, the owner concluded that there certainly must be something wrong with the darned thing.

The truth of the matter is that in 99.9% of these cases, the ”un-usability” of the device is a matter of operator error.  (Or as the golf great, Ben Hogan said, “it’s the indian, not the arrow”.)  A plane is a deceptively simple device.  It is after all, nothing more than a blade, supported by a rigid body.  The basic design hasn’t changed in several thousand years. 

So, we’re going to rehabilitate your old plane, step by step.  We’ll concentrate on the Bailey patent design.  This is the type of plane that most woodworkers are familiar with.  Stanley, Sargent, Record, Kunz, Sandusky, Defiance, etc. all made planes based on Leonard Bailey’s design.  There are some other types, namely Sargent’s Accu-Set planes and Stanley’s Gage planes that are departures from Bailey’s adjustable frog design.  But, most of what we’ll discuss here will apply to these planes, as well.

We’re not going to consider the arcane minutia here, just simple, straight-forward, how to get the job done.  Here we go.

1.  Most bench planes have suffered some damage around the perimeter of the sole and the mouth.  These dings will leave “tracks” when you’re planing, so we need to get rid of them.  File a small chamfer around the perimeter and “draw file” the back of the mouth.  Be very careful around the mouth as we don’t want to increase its size, unless it’s absolutely necessary.  (Remember when drawfiling that the teeth only cut in one direction, so make sure you’re going the right way.)

removing "dings" around the perimeter

small chamfer filed around the perimeter

Drawfile the rear edge of the mouth - if necessary

 2.  With the iron in place, flatten the sole of the plane by “lapping” it on a flat surface such as a heavy piece of float glass, granite gauge block, cast iron jointer or table saw.  Leaving the iron in place will put “normal stress” on the plane body.  Remember to back off the iron.  400 grit wet/dry paper is a good place to start.  Don’t go too fine.  Remember a polished sole looks good but as it increases surface contact, it also increases heating and energy required to do the planing (that’s why corrugated soles were developed).  Contact areas will “brighten” during the lapping process.  The goal is to insure contact at three points; the toe (front), the mouth and the heel (rear) of the plane.

"lapping" the sole

"bright" areas at heel, toe and around the mouth

3.  Insure that the frog is properly seated by running a bastard file across the bed.  Ideally, the upper and lower edges of the bed will “brighten”.  This indicates that the iron will seat firmly on those two points when the lever cap is tightened.  If the center and one edge brighten first, the iron will not seat firmly and it will be prone to “chatter”.  In this case the frog should be filed flat.  THIS TASK MUST BE COMPLETED WITH GREAT CARE AND PATIENCE to avoid creating a surface that is distorted.

"brightening" the frog to check for flatness

bright top and bottom indicate that the iron will seat firmly

4.  Clean and lubricate the plane.

5.  Determine the type of planing you’ll be doing and establish the amount of crown you want on the iron.  Shape, hone and strop the iron.  See earlier articles on sharpening and crowning in the blog.

6.  Insure that the chip-breaker is making correct contact with the iron.  Set the chip-breaker back from the cutting edge around 1/32″.  Remember the mouth opening is the determining factor in shaving thickness, not chip-breaker position.

7.  Re-assemble the plane and adjust the mouth opening (by positioning the frog) to allow the passage of the maximum shaving thickness that you intend to remove with this particular plane.

After a little testing on some scrap, you should be getting results that rival those from any $300.00 plane on the market today.

Hand “chopped” mortises

I’m one of those folks who thinks that it’s a pretty good idea to know how to chop your mortises by hand.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to mortising machines.  Whether they’re powered by electricity or a crank, mortisers (mortising machines) can save a lot of time and energy.  And, if your hand tool skills are still somewhat wanting, a mortising machine can add to precision of your work.  But there will be times when it is absolutely necessary to make a mortise by hand.  When that situation presents itself, you have two options.  The first option is to bore out the majority of the mortise volume then clean up the sides and ends with bench chisels.  The second, and for me the preferred option, is to “chop” the mortise with a mortising chisel.  I choose this option because I believe it is not only faster but that it creates a mortise with more integrity than the boring and trimming method.  But once again I have to say that there is not a “right” method.  There’s the method that you’re most comfortable with and gives you the result that you’re looking for. 

Whether you’re using an English (“pig-sticker”) or “German” type  mortising chisel, you’ll notice that they’re designed for heavy work and meant to be struck with a mallet.  Also, you’ll notice that they’re very “thick” in section.  This strong section allows them to be used in a “prying” manner as well.

L-R; gooseneck, English (pigsticker), Japanese 1" bench chisel (for comparison), German

Chopping mortises is like every other hand tool skill – it must be practiced.  Don’t expect your first hand cut mortise to be perfect. 

Most texts call for starting the mortise at the ends and working toward the middle.  I find that working from the middle toward the ends works much better for me.  It seems much faster and I feel that I can control depth more precisely.  The illustration below shows the chopping “strategy” I normally use.

Maintaining alignment that is square to the workpiece is critical.  A common mistake is to “chop” from a position that is “alongside” the workpiece.  This will almost surely lead to a severe misalignment problem.

Standing in line with the workpiece makes maintaining squareness much simpler.

(Note that both my friend Dave and I are committed to getting back into shape)

After you’ve got the mortise chopped to depth, clean up the bottom by using paring cuts from the mortise chisel itself or the gooseneck (also known as the swanneck or lock mortise chisel).

When fitting the tenon, remember that it’s much easier to build the tenon up (should you make a trimming error) than it is to narrow a mortise.

Happy chopping!

Three legged table poses more than a few challenges

Three little legs - lotsa carving - lotsa angles

 Wallace Nutting,”godfather” of American Colonial furniture authorities, mentions that three-legged tables are fairly rare in the U.S.   According to Mr. Nutting the explanation for this is reasonably straightforward, a table with three legs is considerably more difficult to build, especially when the legs are also raked. 

Well, I decided to build a small decorative piece, just to see how difficult it really was.  Just to add to the degree of difficulty, I thought I’d throw in a little carving, as well.  Can anyone say “masochism”? 

ANGLES EVERYWHERE 

Okay, an equilateral triangle has three sides coming together at three sixty degree corners, right?  How tough can it be?  You set your bevel, you make your guidelines, build the table.  Simple enough.  So…let’s up the ante a little, let’s rake the legs 4 or 5 degrees, just for fun.  Get out your old plane geometry book and figure it out.  When that doesn’t work, build a little mock-up of the base from cardboard, it’s a big help. 

THREE LEGS WITH SIX SIDES 

So, in laying out the legs you’ve got to have two surfaces where mortises can be placed for the aprons and stretchers.  Theoretically, the section of the leg blank could be a parallelogram, but that would be an unnecessary waste of material.  A six-sided section is the most efficient.  I rough cut the leg blanks on my table saw (yes, I do occasionally use tools that require electricity), then constructed a planing jig to insure that the surfaces were true to one another.  Go to Roy Underhill’s Woodwright Shop and check out the episodes on the Barley Twist table (2006-2007 Season) and watch them online.  Lay out of the legs is well explained.  You can also reference one of Roy’s books that discusses that particular project. 

ADD A LITTLE CARVING 

Never content to do anything the easy way, I decided that I’d use this little table to practice my low relief carving.  The legs are carved in a twist pattern and, once again, Underhill provides excellent instruction in the Barley Twist episode.  

I decided that the aprons should have a little decoration and chose a pattern from Frederick Wilbur’s “Carving Classical Styles in Wood”.  The stretchers are decorated with a panel of fish scales.  The scales should have been a little larger so they would have been more defined, but the overall effect is acceptable. 

KERFING IN 

Once all the mortises and tenons were cut, the base was assembled.  As I had thought, some trimming was required to get all the joints to seat properly.  “Kerfing In” is a method of using a saw to re-establish the shoulder of a tenon in relationship to the stile into which it is being fitted.  Kerfing a barn timber doesn’t require that you be concerned about marring up the surface of the post.  However, after you spend hours turning and carving the legs of your table, you prefer not to scratch them with a saw.  So, I used a metal rule to provide a constant offset dimension, in lieu of the saw itself.  After taking the base apart, I recut the shoulders in order to “true” them to their reference surfaces.  Upon re-assembling the base, I found that this method worked very well. 

TIME WILL TELL ABOUT THE TOP 

My first thought about the top was to make it circular.  But when I laid the top on, it became apparent that from certain viewing angles, it made the table look very asymmetrical.  So I opted for a triangular top.  I decided to make the top from three triangular sections.  It required some patient joining, but the visual effect is very pleasing.  However, I am more than a little concerning that seasonal movement may become an issue as the fibres on the long side of each triangular piece have greater potential for shrinkage than their shorter brethren in the middle of the top.  I’m keeping fingers crossed that the use of well seasoned walnut and many, many coats of tung oil varnish will minimize movement. 

All in all, this little Renaissance inspired occasional table proved to be a challenge.  But, I’m pleased with the outcome and glad that it forced me to get back to the blogging after my nearly sixty day hiatus.

Detail Carving. Cheap ornamentation or art? You decide.

My wife and I just returned from a short visit to Puerto Vallarta, the site of our daughter’s “desitination wedding”.  It was great; wonderful weather, terrific friends and family, marvelous food and the incomparable people of Mexico.  I’ve never had better guacamole or drank better margaritas. 

But I was amazed how prevalent architectual wood carving continues to be in Mexico.  I mean, keep your eyes open and you’ll see it just about everywhere; in homes, shops, clubs and, of course churches.  Carved furniture is all around and appears to be as popular as carved architectural details.

Carved door panel from "Casa Quinta Laura"

Nearly fifty years of work in the architectural joinery field has given me many opportunities to repair and/or replicate a lot of carved details.  So, I began to wonder just why this type of carving seems to have become much less popular in the United States than it was as recently as fifty years ago.  I didn’t have to think very long or very hard.  Detail carving is time consuming and time is money.  In short this type of carving is costly. 

Prior to World War II, molded cornices would have been the norm in all but the most modest houses.  Some cornices could be very heavily carved as well as newel posts, which always provided a “center stage” for the journeyman detail carver.

A classic newel post with acanthus leaves and bell flowers

This type of detail work is now seen only in the most “high-end” structures that are currently being constructed.  The high cost, coupled with scarcity of qualified detailed carvers, has put this kind of art out of the reach of the average home owner.  While once considered part of the joiners apprenticeship, rudimentary architectural carving is only being taught at the special craft institutions like the North Bennett Street School.

But fortunately the broad application of carving furniture and architectural details  lives on in places like Mexico.  Of course it lives on with dedicated, individual craftsman who continue to practice the craft as part of their own work.  Whether you consider it cheap ornamentation or art, it is an important part of the woodworking process.

Floral panel on apron of a small table inspired by designs of the Italian Renaissance

Note the one little flower that’s missing its stipling.  Sometimes it pays to photograph your work for “inspection” purposes.

Turning multiple spindles

At some point, every turner or furniture builder who uses turned members or details is going to have to turn more than one of the same thing.  Whether it’s a table leg or a flame finial, we’d like them to look-alike – exactly alike.  Many people have asked me if I recommend buying a lathe duplicator.  My answer is always quick, short and simple – NO!

The way to insure that your duplicate spindles look-alike is to learn how to construct and use 1/2 plan story sticks.  These 1/2 plan templates allow the turner to create a grid pattern from which critical longitudinal and diametric measurements are transferred to the workpiece.

Note that in the above photo I’m actually using a full plan stick.  By using a set of dividers, I’ve marked out the diameters at each longitudinal “station”.  This operation allows me to render a full plan view and create measuring points that I can use to set my calipers to the appropriate diameters.  (At each “station” I’ve made a little “v-notch” with a utility knife.  This insures that I place my pencil in exactly the same place each time I use this story stick.)

Above, the calipers are used to gauge the diameters set out on the story stick.  Several points in the above photo should be WELL REMEMBERED:  Make sure that the points of new calipers have been BLUNTED AND ROUNDED.  New calipers come with sharp points that WILL catch in the parting groove.  DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGER IN THE CALIPER SPRING!!!  DO NOT WEAR BAGGY CLOTHING WHEN WORKING WITH ANY ROTATING MACHINERY.  (Obviously, I wasn’t dressed appropriately for this picture.)

After the diameters have been set in, begin working on the details.  By using a story stick, you’ll find that you’re able to produce precise duplicates much more quickly and accurately than you would using a lathe duplicator (copier). 

A last consideration is the use of a steady rest.  Serious deflection and vibration can begin to occur in pieces as short as six inches (depending on diameter).  This deflection will affect your ability to make exact duplicates.  Spindles at twenty-four inches in length, will almost certainly deflect (unless they’re over three inches in diameter).  Buy and use a steady rest.  Your work will be all the better for it.

The Holy Oak

Quercus Alba

 

 My friend Lester recently loaned me an interesting book, “The Artisan of Ipswich” by Robert Tarule.  It’s a small book, only one hundred and forty-nine pages of text, but full of information about the daily lives of artisans in the Pilgrim community of Ipswich in Massachusetts Colony. 

One fact leaps out at the reader immediately; the early colonists understood the importance of the planned use and ongoing stewardship of their lumber supplies.  When an artisan or property owner needed to harvest trees from the common forest for building or fuel needs, he was required to seek and receive the permission of the town committee of selectmen.  Failure to do this would result in the levying of a fine and the town marshal seizing property that would be held until the fine was paid. 

The English colonists were amazed at the numbers of species available to them in the New World, remembering the near de-forestation of most of Great Britain.  But of all the species, one stands above all others as  most desired by  every tradesman in New England, the White Oak, Quercus Alba. 

The White Oak

 

 Today, woodworkers and furniture aficionados will, more often than not, associate white oak with the Craftsman movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  The grain pattern and color of fumed, quarter-sawn white oak is very easy to identify.  But most folks would find it hard to believe that early colonists depended so heavily on the species not only for its beauty but for its engineering properties.  Considering some of the uses of white oak will help us understand why it was so sought after. 

White oak offers very high heat potential, so it was valuable as a fuel and was well-regulated by community authorities.  Smallwood (offcuts, small limbs, etc.) were collected for firewood.  When the selectmen allowed an artisan to take a tree for working material, the “smallwood” was considered a separate item and not necessarily included in the allowance. 

Resistance to rot and weather, made white oak one of the carpenter’s favorite materials for sills, sleepers and other structural members that would come in contact with soil or be exposed to moisture.  These same properties allowed the white (wet) cooper to create casks that were water tight and used for the storage and shipment of water, wine, beer, salted meat and fish, and other processed food stuffs that required packaging that would not leak. 

The shipwright, the boatwright, the millwright, and the wheelwright held the white oak in high esteem for its strength and durability.  White oak’s straight grain and the relative ease with which it can be split, riven and cleaved when green made it the material of choice for all of the village tradesmen, including the blacksmith, who found that white oak made the best charcoal for his forge.  Tanners would use the trees bark, twigs and leaves for the production of tannic acid that was required in the processing of hides into leather, hence the word tanning. 

Craftsmen in the community realized that by the judicious use of varying parts of the tree, they could optimize the yield from a single felling.  Blacksmiths were not concerned with grain irregularities or color, shipwrights might find crooks the most beneficial for knees and short ribs.   Joiners and millwrights could “work around the occasional knot.  Coopers and wheelwrights generally required the most select, straight-grained material due to the precise nature of their work.  A thriving material trading system grew up between the town’s tradesmen, a system that many woodworkers employ still maintain. 

So, on your next walk around the woods, stop and give praise to the Holy Oak, remembering not only its many contributions to the community of man, but it’s religious significance to many primitive groups.  The Druids held the Oak and Mistletoe as holy.  Maybe they were absolutely right.  What a tree!

Sidewinder Lathe Project Update

Well, I’ve completed a number of “required” projects and now I can get back to the “fun stuff”.  The Sidewinder lathe is taking on “a life of its own”.  I’ve done some re-examining of my goals for this project.  Here’s the current list of things that I’d like to accomplish by building this lathe:

• design and construct a lathe that is human powered, but still capable of a range of speeds that will allow for high quality execution of the work on a reasonbly broad range of diameters, up to eighteen inches;
• be able to turn pieces up to sixty inches in length on a fixed bed (perhaps longer with a bed extension);
• minimize the footprint, by positioning the driving wheel parallel to the lathe bed;
• utilize contemporary work holding devices

In short, the goal is to build a big lathe that will be capable of turning large parts using modern chucking while occupying a small amount of floor space and – DO IT WITHOUT A MOTOR!

Okay, so I’ve got to start somewhere.  And, it seems to me that the logical place to begin is with the drive mechanism.  This, it would seem, would consist of the power supply (Me!), the power transmission apparatus, and the speed control system.  Alright, you’re right to ask the question – if I’m using a treadle, which is driven by human power, why do I need a speed control system?  Can’t I just increase or decrease the treadle speed as required?  Well yeah, I could.  But if anyone has every ridden an old single speed bike up a hill, you’d immediately know why some method of speed control (or more appropriately power control) would be so desirable. 

I plan to use a large drive wheel, forty-two inches in diameter.  From working on my springpole lathe, I know that about one hundred treadle strokes per minute is a pretty comfortable pace.  The math is realatively straightforward, I’ll be able to generate a pretty good amount of speed.  Ahh, here’s the problem.  The springpole lathe, you see, is all about torque.  It is a “torque monster” (as Underhill says, great for cutting multiple threads).  The “big wheel, high gear, high speed” lathe won’t be very torquey.  It’ll be kind like when Honda brought out their 250 cc four cylinder motorcycles to the race track.  Everyone thought their little rubber bands would break (but they beat everything in sight).  However, when I’m roughing in a large piece of stock, I’m going want to run at a slower speed with adequate power (torque).  Therefore, the need for some type of gear change mechanism.

So for the past few days, I’ve been thinking about methods of gear changing that I might use.  The whole issue is pretty well complicated by the fact that I have a right angle change of direction in the “power supply” line.  I thought about a step pulley arrangement but that would require the use of some kind of tensioning device (idler, etc.).  That device would not only take up valuable space, but it would also alter the direction of the power transmission (spliced rope or round leather belting).  Then there’s the problem of the type of belting I would use between the two step pulleys, as I invision them as being supported at both ends, not cantilevered.  Then, EUREKA! – a flash of insight.  Why not use two cone pulleys with a transfer idler?  Truly variably speed.  After a little simple mathematics; Speed of drive pulley X Diameter of drive pulley / Diameter of driven pulley = Output speed,  I figure that if I pump the treadle 100 times per minute, I can realize spindle speeds of between 175 rpm and 2950 rpm by simply moving the transfer idler.  Here’s a diagram of the “theory”,

So…If there’s anyone out there in “Lalaland” who’s as goofy as I am, let me know if you think that my theory holds up.  I’d be most appreciative of any input.

Obviously, this little project isn’t going to be completed within the next couple of days, so I’ll keep you posted.

Gadrooned – an undisciplined distraction

Okay.  I got up this morning.  It’s Super Bowl Sunday.  But, I’ve got to finish this little turning  job.  It’s a number of small trophy bases.  I’m running late (not unusual) and time is of the essence.  But I start thinking about one of Chris Pye’s books in which he discusses gadrooning.  Gadroons are these kind of bulbous appendages that  have no earthly reason for being, other than the fact that they look cool.  You see them a lot on Dutch Colonial furniture.  And, I’ve noticed them on a fair number of English Jacobean pieces.  So…I should be working.  But maybe I can sneak in a little practice.  I’d like to do a table or a joynt stool with gadrooned legs, but I want to give it a try first.  So I allow myself to be completely distracted.  I make what is nothing more than a little ring-box with decoration that reminds me of a proboscus monkey.  Oh well, you can’t be 100% disciplined all of the time.  When the muse has you in her sights, you just have to go along for the ride.  The good news is that once you figure out this carving pattern, it goes pretty quickly and it can lend a level of sophistication to a number of period styles.  Give it a try.  It was fun.  Of course, I’m gonna have to work twice as hard tomorrow. 

a "gadrooned" ring box in walnut - a small distraction

Honing – choosing the right media for you

Well, we’re going to talk about honing, the second part of the Gateway skill of sharpening.  But to start off with, we need to make some “hardware” considerations.  We need to take a look at a variety of honing media.  There’s a lot out there, much of it accompanied by a fair amount of hype.  So we’re going to “cut thru the crap” and take a look at reality. 

There are a couple of things we need to keep in mind while making our investigation.  There are two considerations when sharpening tools, the actual sharpness of the edge and durability.  Roy Underhill uses an elegantly simple illustration to demonstrate the ideal tool edge condition and hopefully he won’t mind if I “paraphrase” him; 

 

Also, the speed with which you can “refresh”  an edge tool has a tremendous impact on your productivity and creativity.  My goal is to spend as much time as I can working the wood, not sharpening the tool.  I’m going to assume that’s your goal as well.  That said, I’m going to immediately rule out one method of honing that has become very popular, especially among amateur woodworkers, the “so-called, Scarry Sharp System”. 

In my experience, there are a number of ways that folks can derive pleasure from woodworking.  Some folks simply are driven by their creative muses to be constantly making stuff.  Some folks love to collect tools.  They love the history.  They love to possess something that ties them to a distant past.  Anyone who loves working with handtools has an understanding of and a little bit of the collector in his or her own nature.  Some folks really like to sharpen tools.  They can usually be recognized by the lack of hair on hands and arms.  These folks love the Scarry Sharp System.  It can produce incredibly sharp edges.  However, in many cases the practictioner overlooks the need for edge durability.  It is truly impressive to see a hair split with a broad axe.  But the reality is that the edge doesn’t hold up well when doing the hewing and shaping work that the axe is intended for.  My other objection to the system is that it is expensive.  Start adding up the cost of Wet/Dry sandpaper or expensive Micro-film that is rendered useless when it is unintentionally sliced in half.  I won’t take long to see that a very expensive whetstone can easily be justified.  BTW, I have my Grandfather’s  oilstone, the one I learned to hone plane irons on.  I have none of his sandpaper. 

Gramps' oilstone has been used by workman in my family for more than 100 years

Okay, now that I’ve infuriated and/or alienated a substantial number of my friends and colleagues, let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s of the honing media that strike me as both technically effective and economically justifiable. 

OIL STONES 

These have been around since “who tied the pup?”.  The name, oilstone, derives from the fact that an oily lubricant must be used during the honing process.  The oil carries metal particles lost from the blade away from the stone’s surface.  This prevents metallic glazing, which, can render a stone useless. 

Natural Oilstones are generally novaculites.  Recognizable varieties include (but are surely not limited to) Arkansas, Washita, Belgian Blues and Slates.  Arkansas stones are the most widely recognized in the United States.  These stones can range from moderately coarse (Soft white) to incredibly fine (Transparent black).  Oilstones can vary dramatically in density and particle size/shape, with price varying accordingly.  But as the adage goes, “you get what pay for”.  

Manufactured oilstones, such as Norton’s India and Chrstylon, are available as benchstones, or as slipstones.  These stones are usually somewhat less expensive than natural stones and offer good performance. 

Oilstones, while somewhat slower than other honing media, wear exceptionally well and do not require frequent flattening.  The can be a little messy due to the requirement for lubricant.  But, there’s every reason to believe that any oilstone you purchase could end up on your grandchild’s workbench. 

Manufactured and Natural oilstones - India, white and black Arkansas

WATER STONES 

Waterstones can cut with amazing speed.  They can create an incredibly polished edge.  Waterstones require the constant presence of water on their surface (in some cases submersion during use) to carry away metallic waste.  Best results are achieved when a secondary stone (similar to a chalk or talc) is ground on the surface to create a slurry which increases the cutting and polishing action of the waterstone.  Waterstones can be naturally occuring or manufactured.  Some waterstones can be prohibitively expensive.  All waterstones degrade very quickly and require frequent flattening.  Also, it is very easy to damage the surface of a waterstone while sharpening tools such as chisels or gouges.  While offering incredible performance, when used correctly, the novice should understand that there is a high level of maintenance associated with any waterstone.  Waterstones are also available in shapes such as slips, cones and files. 

Waterstones - 4000/8000 combo (left) and a "12000" grit natural Chinese stone

DIAMOND STONES 

Even the most hidebound traditionalist has to make an occassional concession to technology, especially when it works well.  And diamond honing media falls into that category.  Diamond hones are available as bench stones, slips, files, rounds, et cetera.  Diamond hones can be used with or without water.  (If used dry, they can simply be scrubbed free of any glaze or build-up that has occurred).  Diamond hones are extraordinarily durable, typically using steel or steel reinforced resin as the support for the application of graded diamond particles.  Diamond hones are available in grits from the very coarse to the very fine, with an 8000 grit bench stone being available from one manufacturer that can rival the surface finish of a waterstone.  They require only light pressure during the honing process, cut very quickly and will rarely, if ever, require flattening.  The initial investment can seem a little daunting.  But in terms of the performance/cost ratio, they are very difficult to beat.  BTW, I have inadvertently knocked my 8000 diamond stone off my bench, picked it up and started honing again, while thinking “boy, I’m glad that wasn’t an oilstone, waterstone or ceramic that I just dropped”. 

Several styles of diamond hones

 CERAMIC STONES

 Ceramic honing media offer yet another option.  They are reasonably fast cutting, produce an excellent edge and rarely require flattening.  They should be used with water as using them dry will lead to glazing, which can be very difficult (if not impossible) to remove.  While fairly durable, they can be prone to cracking caused by point impact (as in dropping them from the benchtop).  Ceramic hones are available in all the usual shapes.  They can be expensive but offer very good value for money.

Ceramic benchstone and round - extra fine

SO, WHAT’S THE RIGHT ONE?

Well Virginia, there is no Santa Claus.  There simply isn’t one right honing media.  They all have there place and they all excell in certain applications.  Plus there’s one other thing to keep in mind.  You still need a grinder and/or coarse stones for initial edge shaping and the final step of polishing (stropping or buffing) will improve the edge, no matter what honing media has been employed.

That said, I have developed some “honing habits” over the years.  They’re right for me, and they might prove helpful to you.   But again, there’s no “right way”, only the way that works best for you.

For honing edge tools that can be held in a guide, like plane irons or register chisels, I prefer the large diamond honing plates.  The cut fast and create a good edge with a minimum of fuss and provide an adequate support surface for the guide to roll on.

For honing cambered irons, tapered section chisels and gouges, or anything that I’m going to “hand-hold” while I hone, I still find oilstones give me the best results.  Plus, I get the benefit of having a few “swarfy” oil stains to keep my old workbench lookin’  gnarly.

When I’m honing turning tools, I typically will use diamond “paddles” for outside surfaces and ceramic cones or rods for inside surfaces.  The speed and ease with which they cut allow me to keep my turning tools consistently sharp.  I prefer surfaces that are “off the tool”.  My goal is to never have to sand a turned surface.

Sloyd knives, chip knives, detail knives and other carving tools all must be maintained to the absolute highest level of sharpness possible (while maintaining the appropriate durability).  In recent years I’ve turned to ceramic stones to accomplish that task.  However, stropping these tools after honing is always required.

Lastly, the waterstones.  I got ‘em, I love ‘em and the finished edge that they can create.  But when all is said and done, if I had to give up any of my honing stones, these are the ones that I could live without.  And, if push came to shove and I could only have one variety…hmm…     you’re just going have to make up your own mind. 

But remember, “you can’t do your best work with dull tools”.

THE “SIDEWINDER” LATHE PROJECT

Call me irrational, illogical and a spendthrift, if you will.  But I’ve concluded that one can never have too many treadle driven lathes.  After all, God saw fit to give us two feet, so…  Over the next month or so, I’ll be working on a “sidewinder” style, continuous rotation lathe.  This is a curious configuration, with the wheel sitting parallel to the lathe bed, that offers a number of distinct advantages and challenges.

The advantages of this design are; the wheel diameter is only limited by the number of pulleys that are required to create the appropriate reeving path.  The larger diameter wheel can generate much higher spindle speeds with fewer treadle strokes.  The crank link will be in the center of the treadle.  This will allow me to build a trapezoidal treadle which will be both stronger and lighter than a “side load” treadle (type seen on most treadle lathes).  The actual depth of the lathe will be much narrower than one with the wheel perpendicular to the lathe bed, therefore saving valuable floor space.

I’ve only seen two partial photographs of this style lathe.  If anyone out there has any information that they could share with me, I’d certainly appreciate it.  Stay tuned.  We’ll doubtlessly uncover some arcane information about gear ratios, reeving, pulleys, bearings and rope splicing.  Should be fun.