Plane Shaving Question and a Couple IndyFest Questions:

[John Weber]

Hey guys,

I had a couple hand planing questions. First I thought I had read somewhere that a striated shaving was the sign on a blade then might need sharpened. So I been setting up some of my new hardware and been getting the shavings as seen in the picture. The top is poplar, and the lower is cherry. Both are straight grain, kiln dried, and the same plane and settings were used on both. The cherry shavings are whisper thin (even translucent), while the poplar shavings are “striated”. Both surfaces are excellent. I assume it’s more the type of wood, but I though poplar would be closed grained enough to behave like the cherry. Any thoughts?

Second, as many of you know I’m setting up the IndyFest planing contest. From what I’ve read, other contests have used 2”x6’ pine. I would like to use hardwood. I’m thinking 6/4 rather then 2” and maybe even going a little shorter, maybe 4’. The goal is the thinnest, full length, full width shaving. Any ideas on what might make a good contest wood? I’m going to try and get Frank Miller Lumber to donate the contest wood and they have about anything you could want from domestics to exotics. I would like something that presented a little challenge, but could also be planned. Any ideas?

And finally, I was curious as to what people might use in the contest. (I plan to plane, but don’t think it would be fair to be a contestant - not that I can plane, very well, but in setting everything up I'll do some testing so that could be an unfair advantage). The board will be prepped between contestants with a standard plane. Each contestants will get 3 or 4 tries to take a full width, full length shaving. There will also be an on deck station with an identical board set up for practice runs. So assuming it’s a hardwood, what would your use. Right now I’m leaning toward a York pitch number 4. I think the shorter plane will help maintain a solid shaving, and I’m hoping a higher pitch might help produce a thinner shaving.

Now all this is still to be determined for the Hand Plane contest at IndyFest (April 30th), but I thought a little input might help me get everything set.

Thanks – John

[Ray Thompson]

I think an 8' Q/S 6/4 cherry cut into two pieces would be an excellent choice. If you want me to meet you over there sometime let me know, I have to go back over sometime soon anyway.

Ray

BTW - ran into Jen this past week over there.

[Joel Moskowitz]

do the contestants provide the plane that they dompete with?
If I were entering I would want a standard pitch very fine mouth plane - and I would prep the sole so it would be hollow between blade and toe, and the heel would be up. So I would always have essentially 2 points meeting the wood. The toe and the area in front of the blade which would regulate depth of cut. side way the plane will follow every minor curve in the wood. I would go 45 degrees because the finished surface isn't important - just the shaving and you may get more tearout with a 45 pitch but I think (not sure) you will have an easier time getting a thin shaving.

[Derek Cohen]

John

Why not plane MDF!

Actually I'm not kidding that much. The timber you choose needs to be (1) as straight grained as possible, with no reversing grain (including knots), and I would not choose a quarter sawn cut as the grain would be too vertical to hold together. (2) I would choose a soft timber over a hard timber, since the blade edge will not have to work as hard (will keep its edge longer).

The plane I would choose would not be too long, preferably about a #3 in length. Could you use a block plane? (or a spoke shave!!!) The reason I say this is that the plane sole will better follow the undulations of the timber and so have less likelihood of losing its thickness and the shaving breaking off. An adjustable mouth block plane would be ideal, if allowed.

I agree with 45 degree cutting angle - probably a good compromise. Go lower rather than higher, especially if you have undemanding timber.

I remember a FWW article extolling the vertures of Bass timber for carving as it was near grain-free.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[John Weber]

Thanks guys, but it's suppose to be a bit of a challange, and yes you provide your own plane. I think a block plane would be ok, but with 6/4 there wouldn't be much room for error in planing. If you want to customize a plane for the contest, I don't think that would be a problem, we do have very nice prizes, and as long as it's a hand plane it would be in the spirit of the contest. I agree with no knots, although I wouldn't mine seeing a little figure to make a little more challange. I'll see what our lumber supplier might be able to come up with.

Ray,

I need to call Darren @ FML, I could run up one day this week (W,T,F) in the afternoon if that might work. Let me know and I'll give Darren a call.

John

[Rob Millard]

John,

I was the one who talked about the striated shavings. This was in response to someone planing curly maple with their new LN No. 4 1/2. The shavings showed evidence of the irons edge being fractured, which is something I experienced with my own LN planes. See the discussion under the title A-2 Plane blades.

You shavings in poplar are typical of a well sharpened plane. Poplar has a more coarse texture than the cherry, and that is why the shaving in cherry are more "solid".

Rob Millard

[John Weber]

Rob,

Thanks, I was fairly sure my blade was good and sharp, but I couldn't recall the discussion on the shavings. A LN will plane ok out of the box, but you get that blade sharp and they are awesome. Glass, polished, smooth as silk, whatever you want to call it. The grain almost pops without finish.

John

[Rob Millard]

John,

I was wrong about where the discussion took place. It was not under A-2 plane irons, but under, How smooth will a smoother smooth?. I agree about the LN planes. I'm currently working on a piece in curly maple, and the clarity of the grain on the planed surfaces is outstanding.

Rob Millard

[Mark Singer]

John,
I think the attached link of the event at Palomar College may be of interest. My friend Chris Fedderson , an instructor there had the Japanese Masters attend in a contest for the longest shaving. Scroll down on the link .....pretty amazing! They typically use Japenese woodbodies and pull them.

Your shavings look great...the texture of the wood as Ron pointed out will create lacy or more opaque shavings as will the grain orientation. Those are pretty and the plane appears to be well tuned.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...hlight=palomar

[John Weber]

Mark,

WOW! Thanks on all accounts! I just wanted to create a little extra interest in the upcoming IndyFest. Then Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen, Steve Knight, and Popular Woodworking all agreed to help out, so we have a serious event now. I've got have my ducks in a row so it's fair and fun and lives up to the billing. The contest in your link was amazing.

Thanks again - John

[Pam Niedermayer]

I mentioned the port orford cedar and cherry on woodcentral, but forgot to mention that I'd go for air dried wood if possible.

Pam

[Ray Thompson]

Thanks guys, but it's suppose to be a bit of a challange, and yes you provide your own plane. I think a block plane would be ok, but with 6/4 there wouldn't be much room for error in planing. If you want to customize a plane for the contest, I don't think that would be a problem, we do have very nice prizes, and as long as it's a hand plane it would be in the spirit of the contest. I agree with no knots, although I wouldn't mine seeing a little figure to make a little more challange. I'll see what our lumber supplier might be able to come up with.

Ray,

I need to call Darren @ FML, I could run up one day this week (W,T,F) in the afternoon if that might work. Let me know and I'll give Darren a call.

John

Hey John, don't forget friday is good friday and they will be closed. I found out the hard way once. Let me know what day. Ray