Plane better than...

[PlaneCrazy]

I don't know how you feel, but since I have started to use the scary sharp method of sharpening my plane irons I use them much more.
I look forward to using them...
have had near out of body experiences using them...
have seen this bright light...
have been weak in the knees...
found myself caressing highly figured wood...well, maybe not caressing...
Lately I find myself tuning my planes like a crazy man. I don't seem to be happy unless my smoothing plane puts out molecule thick ribbons as I push it along with my little finger...a little more tuning and all I will have to do is blow on it and it will move along cutting through the molecules and splitting the atoms (can that be dangerous?).
Just wanted to know if anyone else out there has become addicted to their hand planes.

[Driver]

Know exactly what you mean, pal.

However, this obsession doesn't have to become a problem. At the point when you find yourself seeking out scraps of wood that you haven't smoothed to perfection yet - STOP!

Get down to your timber merchant and buy some really BIG pieces of wood. No, No . . . must get a grip! What I meant to say was . . . start another project. Pick one that requires a great deal of planing . . . and if it doesn't have enough planing in it . . . go and buy some more really BIG pieces of wood. No, No, . . gotta control myself.

Listen, if you want to know how to solve this, you'll need help.

Come in Derek Cohen. . . Derek, are you there? . . Derek?

Regards from another happy(?) planer :)

Col

[Sir Stinkalot]

Not quite plane blades but turning tools ...... I was really kidding myself previously with my only sharpening of the tools being a quick rub on one of those small cheap diamond sharpeners ..... it really did very little but I didn't know the joy of a sharp tool. Then I bought a 8" bench grinder and the appropriate wheel and WOW .... what a huge difference ..... I am really enjoying turning as it is so much easier ..... I am now using the chisels like I have seen in books ..... the shaving are like ribbons ..... oooh Im getting excited just thinking about it. I have now branched into the stage where I am giving the tools a little touch up on WD paper after hitting the grinder and finding that even better ......

Really ...... sharpening is a must for any tool not just plane blades .... if it can do the job it was designed for it makes it so much more enjoyable.

Stinky with his new fav. toy .... the bench grinder.

[Robert WA]

Sharpen blades. Whose idea was that?
Surely the correct method is that when the plane bogs down you just hit it harder at the back with the hammer?
Sissies, the lot of you!!!!

[Theva]

Amen to Planecrazy and Driver's posts.

I have got only a few hairs left on my left arm. Even tried to dress rough sawn timber with the hand planer, just to compare with the one dressed by my local supplier:D .

Thanks to Derek for showing us the shinning path to planer glory...

Regards,

Theva
:p

[DPB]

Ok you guys - stop your boasting.

I agree with you about the joy of sharpening and using sharp tools. But I'm still not certain how you accomplish the same results on a scew chisel, or a gouge. I can't see the scarey sharp method working with these.

So explain in detail - how do you get raisor-like results sharpening these chisels?

And if the answer is a bench grinder, what stone do you use on the grinder?:)

[Theva]

Sorry DPB,

didn't mean to annoy anybody.
Cheers, Theva

[grumpywombat]

Just getting into the woodworking thing myself.
Went out and purchased some mid-range (Stanley) chisels.
Read "Scary Sharp" and fettled them as per directions.
When you get down to the mirror finish you start to realise what fun this is. Got enthused.

Then I de-rusted my grandfathers hand plane, got the blade out and scary sharped it. By the way 25mm chisel took 30 mins, 12mm took 20, 6 mm took 5 and the plane took over an hour!
Seriously, read the method, did the sharpening, tried out the tools and was impressed with the zero effort shaving, mortising, paring etc...and the results - smooth and reflective...

Now I have all these bits of wood that glow and shavings that waft around the shed for minutes! And bits of the wall with shavings sized patches where I just couldn't help myself.

Well worth it.