flat out man !!

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 09:30 AM

Been reading a few threads lately on tuning hand planes. Gave me the idea to show off something I've found to be very useful. Never no, it might kick start some idea in you fellas......

Being able to flattern is a very important skill I think in the workshop. Probably one of the first most important things to do. And something you have to do all the time. Like,,,,flatterning stones, plane soles, straightedges, blades of all sorts etc......As a consequence I've found the need to make a bench of sorts that has just one purpose -> flatterning stuff... Its good I think to have a seperate table for just this because I think its annoying to use machine tops all the time, like jointer and table saw. Its disturbs the work your doing there if suddenly you have to flattern something, forcing you remove what your doing and laying sandpaper down instead. And even then, being ideal to spray adhesive the sandpaper down, you'll end up getting sticky crap everywhere. And I don't really want that on my machine tops.......so this is what I've come up with.

I have an old shed, so appearence is definetly NOT important. So I feel I can do what I like to it. Which is good, because it presents options. In this case its meant that I can cement directly off the floor......and rough cementings very easy. Even I managed to do it, and I'm crap at it.

And at a reverse garbage type shop in Brisbane I found a piece of good quality finish granite for $10. It turned out to be very flat, about an inch thick, 1 metre odd long, and glazed (if thats the word) on top .ie. its tops glass like. And its long and thin ready to take that good quality cloth backed Hermes belt sandpaper.

All I did was make a small wall. screwed ply together to make a mold and just filled it with cement and sat the granite on top. Not really in the spirit of woodworking but I wanted something very strong and vibration free. And I wanted something thin as well so I can get a good comfortable stance right on top of it for bearing down with plenty of force,,( which is something that feels dangerous on glass ). And applying a lot of force is important I think for removing large amounts of material quickly . eg. with coarse grit down flatterning a steel plane sole.

And it works great. It sits right next to my sharpening station for ease of use. And it flatterns stones like you wont believe. A dry stone is usually flatterned in as few as say 3 long strokes.....done. (but don't use a wet stone...it'll only clog up your paper) No round and round in circles on a small piece of glass.

Anyway , what you think ?

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 12:59 PM

HELLO !!!! ......anybody their........ doesn't anybody care ? (sniff, sniff)........Hello ?

.....HELLO !!!! :mad: ........Ha loooow

.... can say hello in so many ways.....eh ? EH !

**junkboy999** · 17th July 2005, 01:02 PM

nice find. I wish I can get so lucky

**NewLou** · 17th July 2005, 01:08 PM

Patience apricotripper......Patience!!!!

We don't all jump when a member does a post.....particularly on weekends when where wrestling with SHMBO for Shed time

I reckon you've got a great Idea there!!!!........WELL DONE!!!! TAKE A GREENIE!!!

....................Sargent Peppers Lonely Heart.........LALALALALA

REGards Lou

**Rusty** · 17th July 2005, 01:11 PM

Don't be sad, ripper, it's Sunday, things move slowly. (It is Sunday:confused

?).
I'm in favour of spontaneous indoor constuction, particularly monoliths, and especially functional ones.
Only yesterday I realised just how poorly my planes were set up (and I thought I was making progress

) and your flattening station reinforces the fact that careful and frequent maintenence is essential for good performance. Good one.

Regards,
Rusty.

**knucklehead** · 17th July 2005, 01:38 PM

I actualy have a piece of granite that has been sitting around for awhile. I was going to put an entire sharpening station on it. The whole piece is a hassel because it is so heavy. Maybe a thinner piece just for the flattening would be the go.

Thanks to the Ripper for another tip........

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 03:07 PM

Thanks everyone,,,,,I did forget it was Sunday,,,,,,I got myself so wound up I went through a couple boxes of tissues (sniff)...... but all you lot were probably at church I suppose...... not like this heathen......no way, no how

And here's a stupid question....... whats a SHMBO ? ....I'm pretty shore WHO you refering to ....I've got one.....but .. what does it stand for ? or can't you say ?....does it abbreviate something naughty ?

Maybe there should be somekind of woodworking forum glossary or something ? I'm pretty new to this internet business .....

**E. maculata** · 17th July 2005, 03:15 PM

G'day Ripper

[I]"She Whom MUST be Obeyed"[/I] AKA "her indoors" "trouble 'n Strife"......uh oh g'day Darlin didn't see you there

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by E. maculata

G'day Ripper

[I]"She Whom MUST be Obeyed"[/I] AKA "her indoors" "trouble 'n Strife"......uh oh g'day Darlin didn't see you there

Busted !!!.....sorry about that mate...my fault.......thanks for the head up though......while your at it.....whats '' mean ????? :confused:

Some bloke answered my post with just those 3 letters and I don't have a clue what it means......

Where's the fridge
went to fiji
????????? :confused:

**E. maculata** · 17th July 2005, 03:40 PM

An Oldie and a goody, ie; WHAT THE FOOCK is that

**derekcohen** · 17th July 2005, 04:56 PM

I like that. In fact I would do the same if I had the room. My approximation is a 1 meter x 200 mm length of 10 or 12 mm float glass that is glued to 3" of MDF, and all this sits on a flat and rigid assembly table. Stilll pretty heavy and rigid. But I'd much prefer granite and concrete.

For those of you who have not experienced the difference between a short length and a long length for sharpening, all I can say is (in this instance, at least) size does count!

The second point that be added to the above, in regard to a dedicated sharpening table of these dimensions, is to keep it waist high. You want to be pushing downward - NOT forward - when you flatten a plane's sole, for example. Otherwise you will scoop the plane up and round its sole. Push down in the centre (don't hold the totes). Do not sand it as if it were a plane. So waist high gives the best leverage to do this.

Good one again Big A.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Five Thumbs** · 17th July 2005, 05:19 PM

Well done Apricotripper. Simple but effective.

Cheers

5T

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I like that. In fact I would do the same if I had the room. My approximation is a 1 meter x 200 mm length of 10 or 12 mm float glass that is glued to 3" of MDF, and all this sits on a flat and rigid assembly table. Stilll pretty heavy and rigid. But I'd much prefer granite and concrete.

For those of you who have not experienced the difference between a short length and a long length for sharpening, all I can say is (in this instance, at least) size does count!

The second point that be added to the above, in regard to a dedicated sharpening table of these dimensions, is to keep it waist high. You want to be pushing downward - NOT forward - when you flatten a plane's sole, for example. Otherwise you will scoop the plane up and round its sole. Push down in the centre (don't hold the totes). Do not sand it as if it were a plane. So waist high gives the best leverage to do this.

Good one again Big A.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek,,,,,,agree with the waist hieght. Probably could have made mine even lower to get even more controled downward pressure......

and maybe something else I forgot mentioning. Sand only in one direction if possible I reakon. I think it can be tempting, especially with a tough job, to scrub back and forth. Once I'm pretty certain I stuffed up a sole because of this. Took a while to get the round out. So sand one direction. Stop, lift back to start, not draw it back dragging along the grit to start over again .... maybe with good technique it may not make a difference...I don't know.... but you'll certainly eliminate the chance of rounding all together if you lift it off . I reakon anyway...

**PaulS** · 17th July 2005, 05:42 PM

A Ripper,

Don't you hate it when you cut somebodies head out of the shot...

**JDarvall** · 17th July 2005, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by PaulS

A Ripper,

Don't you hate it when you cut somebodies head out of the shot...

Mate....that was deliberate......trust me .....you don't want to see my head....

Thread: flat out man !!

Thread Tools

Search Thread

flat out man !!

Flattening Station

Similar Threads

The blind man

A man named Bob.......

Because I am a man

10 bucks for a homeless man

BIG MAN IN A SMALL TOWN

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions