Thread: Hollow grind for plane blades?

I hollow grind mine and it works fine.
Mike

Me too (for bevel down planes). I tend to do the whole flat bevel and microbevel thing for bevel up planes.

I have been hollow grinding my plane irons (blades) for 40 odd years without any problems

I found it too easy to ruin a standard Stanley blade on a high-speed grinder, but anything over 3mm I hollow grind.

It's all about what's faster, I just make more work for myself with the thin plane irons if I try to grind them. If I don't blue the edge, I usualy shape it wrong or some such. If you have a steadier hand than I do there's no reason not to.

I have found two ways to combat burning the blades (even thin ones):
1. Use a hand turned grinder.
2. Use a coarse grit white AlOx wheel

Originally Posted by jmk89

I have found two ways to combat burning the blades (even thin ones):
1. Use a hand turned grinder.
2. Use a coarse grit white AlOx wheel

THe third, and most important factor, is to ensure that the wheel is dressed.

All of this presupposes that the blade is just kissing the grinding wheel, not being pushed hard onto it.

Cheers,

eddie

Originally Posted by eddie the eagle

THe third, and most important factor, is to ensure that the wheel is dressed.

By this you mean the edge of the wheel is square and even?

Using something like this:

Originally Posted by rhancock

By this you mean the edge of the wheel is square and even?

Using something like this:

exactly like that, that's similar to the one I use.

Cheers,

eddie

Thanks, Do you just hold it up to the wheel then? How do you make sure it stays square?

I would suggest you go for one of the "t" shape wheel dressers they are much more forgiving if you are not used to it

A cheap chinese platform with a mitre helps keep it square, or do it by eye, or if the front edge of the platform is straight then make up a block of wood with a hole for the toolshaft to keep it square as it passes the wheel face

If using a single point truer, be sure to point the tip down; less risk of the diamond fracturing.

I haven't seen a T shped one any where, so I'll get the straight one, and use a square to keep it square. I can see its going to be fun keeping it square against a wheel spinning at high speed...

Thanks for the info so far,

I have the Veritas grinding jig which which also comes with an angle block for setting angles against the wheel, I have the "Blue Max" 50mm wide wheel on a A&A 8" grinder - perhaps not the best from what others are saying re the white Alox wheels but it seems to work well for me. To set the initial grinds does take a while, one gentle pass and dip into water, one gentle pass and dip into water etc - you get the idea - it takes a while to get the initial grind angle but once done, providing you use the same angle it works well as the grinder is only used when it becomes necessary to redo the angle other touch ups are done in a minute on an oilstone.

When I first started with chisels I did find that very narrow chisels would "blue" if I was ham-fisted but when gentle does it it seems fine. I also find that doing 3-4 in a session [1 at the grinder 3 "cooling in water] and rotate through them rather than doing 1 at a time seems to work for me.

I'm thinking that I'll give a plane iron a go and see what happens as there don't seem to be any negatives at this time - it may be a little while as I have just done my planes and spokeshaves the old way using a guide and stones/paper ready for the next project.

Regards,
Bob

Originally Posted by Bob38S

When I first started with chisels I did find that very narrow chisels would "blue" if I was ham-fisted but when gentle does it it seems fine. I also find that doing 3-4 in a session [1 at the grinder 3 "cooling in water] and rotate through them rather than doing 1 at a time seems to work for me.

That's a very smart idea, Bob, I wish I'd thought of it, and I'll certainly be trying it. Like you I've got an 8" A&A, but with a white wheel and I still manage to blue the egdes...