How can I avoid plane tracks??

[Edward P. Surowiec]

This is my first attempt at flattening and squaring some stock. I need a 4ft 2X10 milled true for a jig. I happy with my results using a LN 62 and LN 7, except for the blade tracks. These will not affect the functioning of my jig but I would like to learn how to plane without tracks.
I'm aware that the blade corners could be honed with slight bevel but my skills in that area are still developing and I did not want to screw-up a blade that was already sharp. Plus I needed to get my current project done and not spin off on a sharping tangent. Perhaps the answer is as simple as adjusting the blade so that it tapers to one side and planing from one edge to the other.
Thanks Ed

[Sam Yerardi]

You can do as you suggest. It will help somewhat but if you're already laying down ridges they'll still be a problem. It can also lead to slanted paths planed into the wood (sort of like plateau after plateau) so keep that in mind and don't be too aggressive at first til you see how it will work. Two things as far as the iron is concerned will lessen if not eliminate the problem: camber, and rounding the corners. Rounding the corners is not as difficult as you would imagine. Setting the camber is a bit more difficult but if try either one I would start with rounding the corners. On my planes I use about a 1/16 or so radius on each corner. I just eyeball it.

[Edward Miller]

The blades on your plane should be cambered -- that is the edge should be curved a little bit to take a slightly deeper cut towards the center of the iron than on the edges. There's a short video here that talks about this: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki....aspx?id=29711

[Mark Rios]

Plane tracks can be avoided by not allowing planes to land in your yard.

[Jon Toebbe]

I'm aware that the blade corners could be honed with slight bevel but my skills in that area are still developing and I did not want to screw-up a blade that was already sharp.

I know exactly how you feel. I've taught myself to freehand sharpen a reasonably square and consistent bevel, but am still rather leery of goofing everything up by trying to put a curve in it.
Recently, I decided to try Chris Schwarz's advice and buy a cheap honing jig (the $10 Eclipse, or equivalent that you can get pretty much anywhere). Its narrow wheel made it pretty easy to bear down on the corners without boogering everything else up. Now that I've cambered a couple of irons with the jig, I think I understand better how to do it freehand.

[Danny Thompson]

Camber is the answer.

I recently bought a Veritas Mk.II Honing Guide and found that even with its wide roller I could get a decent camber. They key was to do just what Charlesworth says, make several passes on the stone pulling with pressure on one corner of the blade, then the same number passes pulling with pressure on the other corner. Then try a couple of passes where your pressure transitions from one corner to the other during a single pull stroke.

About a year ago I cambered a blade by first grinding a curve, then honing using a side-to-side sweeping action, keeping my elbows stiff to my body. It worked well enough.

Just remember, the camber only needs to be slight.

[SF Basilix]

Plane tracks can be avoided by not allowing planes to land in your yard.

LOL - thanks Mark - I needed to laugh today...

[Edward P. Surowiec]

Thank you all. I'll try the jig method .
Ed

[Mike Marcade]

Stay off of the runway.

[Ananda Dorje]

I just learned to use the David Charlesworth technique, and think that it beats the grinding of a slight arc followed by honing method. I was taught to use shims of card stock (~.008) under alternate sides of the blade while honing on a 1000g stone, using the pull back method. The cheap honing jigs with the roller in the center work well for this. That way the blade is supported, but not the roller. My notes on the process say to use 4-5 strokes on each side while using the card stock. 4 more on each side without the card stock, 2 or so just left and right of center, and one or so in the center just to raise the wire edge on the back. Repeat the process (without card stock shims) on your highest grit stone to polish the bevel, and to keep your cambered edge.

I recently tuned my LN 62 blade and have found that I have a wee bit of track still. I plan to use the card stock strategy to establish just a bit more camber.

That said, this can all be done by hand too; just got to get some camber on those blades!

[Edward P. Surowiec]

Thanks Ananda I just bought David's DVD in which he demonstrates this technique. I plan to try out his method on an old junk plane that I own and than hone my LN 7.
What type of material did you use for the shims?

[Ananda Dorje]

It was just manila folder-like card stock. The friend that showed me how to do it had the materials cut up and ready to go. I believe the card stock measured at about .008" thick. Good luck with it. I was really surprised how easy and effective the method was to use.

[Steve Hamlin]

When I'm working stuff for a vacuum fit, for my final passes (with a jointer) I use a straight blade (with sharp corners - I want any ridges to stand out) with minimum projection and a tight mouth (aiming for smoother style fly away shavings) and fine adjust to square by looking and feeling the results in the wood. If I still find some stepping, meaning the blade isn't quite square, I change my overlapping passes to start from the opposite edge of board to check which way is worse, and adjust the amount of overlap between passes. I think of it like ironing out the creases.

Cheers
Steve
(Just to be contrary and point out that you don't need to camber finishing plane blades - depends on the final surface texture you want, and most importantly what works for you)
(O - and I might well be weird doing it this way )

[Edward P. Surowiec]

Steve and Ananda thank you for taking the time to provide me with your recommendations. I'm just now planning two new projects. Both of them come from David Charlesworth's "Furniture-Making Techniques" so I will be able to apply your recommendation on some actual work. My first project will be to replicate David's "winding sticks" as soon as I find suitable stock. Next I plan to make a unique kneeling stool shown in David's book.
Ed