Comments on: More controversy and myth busting – vibration causes chatter?

By: Ryan Meeks

Ryan Meeks — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:35:00 +0000

I had been somewhat concerned about the spontaneous combustion issue as well. I’m drying the rag as we speak. What I ended up doing was lapping the bottom of the planes and then finishing them out with BLO. I hadn’t applied any sort of finish to the bottom, which I’m sure wasn’t doing much to help the cutting issue. I will switch to the machine oil for the lubrication.

Just in trying the plane while the oil was wet, without putting anything under the blade, there was a huge difference both in the quality and ease of the cut. Before I had the tell tale scalloped appearance of chatter. Just in this brief test, the cut was appreciably smoother, such that I couldn’t see it by eye, though I could feel it by touch. I will give the silicone a try and see how it goes. Thanks again!

I think you should submit this to Fine Woodworking. Those prizes that they give away for the “Methods of Work” always seem to be pretty awesome.

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Hello Ryan,
First of all – GO INTO YOUR WORK AREA AND TAKE THE RAG FROM THE CAN, TAKE iT OUTSIDE, OPEN IT OUT AND LEAVE UNTIL COMPLETELY DRY!!!!!
3-1 light machine oil is not spontaneously combustable and Boiled and Raw linseed oil is. Wadded rags soaked in linseed oil are the source of fires as they ignite spontaneously according to certain conditions existing such as warmth, atmospheric content and so on. Even cloths laid out with no folds have been known to set on fire. This is the same with Danish oils and many more.
I think that tapping on the silicone shelf liner would most likely work and is worth the test.
Re dampening planes
I think perhaps felt and leather may be too thick and cushioning for what we want here, unless you have some super thin material for this. The silicone shelf liner compresses markedly and is barely detectable when the lever cam (bench planes) or cap iron (spokeshaves) is installed.

By: Ryan Meeks

Ryan Meeks — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Mr. Sellers,

I have something of a novel situation that I would love to hear your thoughts on. As a woodworker, for whatever reason, I have developed something of an addiction to building wooden handplanes. At present, I have two smoothing planes I just finished with full-size Hock irons bedded at 50 and 55 degrees respectively. I am presently soaking a rag to try the oil method you suggest (I used boiled linseed instead of machine as it is a wooden plane) however, I like your solution of inserting vibration dampening material. On a wood plane, the blade needs a very slight ability to slip to change the depth without removing the wedge entirely. What would you suggest to accomplish this? I think the silicone will probably prove to be a grip that is a tad too effective. Felt? Leather? Thanks for your help and I appreciate you posting this article.

I’m bookmarking your blog right now so I can read over it!

By: MTMan

MTMan — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 01:01:00 +0000

Thank you for the clarification.

By: Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:53:00 +0000

I am saying that the plane iron chatter is a rare phenomenon and misdiagnosed condition by most woodworkers. Their poor planing technique produces multiple possibilities resulting in a surface pattern that many call chatter and attribute to the iron itself. I am saying that the plane body can cause chatter and more likely does, so, do one or the other or both things, ie, the dampener and/or the oil on the sole, and the body chatter usually disappears, proving that it is not the iron itself but sole friction on the wood. A plane iron can of course chatter too. It is more the rarity than the norm and is almost always caused by poor plane management, dullness, incorrect setting, over aggression, diffidence and two dozen other possibilities.

By: MTMan

MTMan — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:21:00 +0000

No disrespect intended, Paul, but I don’t follow you. On the one hand, you say the plane iron is not the source of chatter, but then in the last couple paragraphs, you give a solution that has nothing to do with the sole of the plane? Are you suggesting that the sole still chatters (or causes chatter) but the plane iron is not affected because it is riding on a “shock absorber” of sorts?

By: dickster2112

dickster2112 — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:11:00 +0000

Paul
I have always used candle wax rubbed on the sole.
Most times it feels that you have sharpened the cutter it moves so effortlessly again.
Ric