Silicon carbide power on metal plate

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1/10/04, 12:46 AM #1

Sanford Levy
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Silicon carbide power on metal plate

Sanford Levy

>I decided to try flattening planes on metal plates from Japan Woodworker using silicon carbide. Can rough grits be washed off well enough to allow me to use one plate for all the grits? I know with diamond paste, you often need several flattening surfaces, one for each grit, especially if you use a soft surface like maple. I have no idea how likely it is that bits of silicon carbide will stay stuck in the mild steel of the plate after it is washed. Thanks. Sanford

Re: Silicon carbide power on metal plate

1/10/04, 3:39 PM #2

Bill Tindall, E.TN.
Master Craftsman
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18,137 posts

Registered: 9/28/04

Re: Silicon carbide power on metal plate

Bill Tindall, E. TN

>I speculate that you can use the same plate for your task because:

Silicon carbide is very friable, so much so that it is not an ideal material for tool steel, but will work better on cast iron. Hence, after just a bit of grinding the particle size will become much smaller than what it started out. So, I would speculate that carryover of large grit is unlikely.

Second, unlike for sharpening, a rouge scratch might annoy you but it will have no practical consequence on a plane bottom.

I suspect that the steel plate will wear as fast or faster than the cast iron, so while one surface is flatening, the other will be hollowing. How significance this might be on the task will have to be determined.

If you want a sole really flat hire someone to surface grind it.