First experience with a plough plane

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>I had similar troubles with my 45 when I first got it. As with so many other hand tools, practice improves use.

Are you starting the cut at the far end and slowly moving back until you get a full length cut? I still don't understand why this works, but it does.

Use as much, or almost as much, pressure holding the fence against the work as you use to push it, and keeping the cutter square is easier.

I understand that drill rod comes in 64ths and can be purchased from machinists' supply houses or steel merchants. Call around. Drill rod has the advantage of being higher in carbon content, so it should make a good plough arm.

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Paul Kierstead

>Bill totally nails it. It gets much easier (and, IMO, a total pleasure) to use with a little practice (not even that much). You do have to pay attention to how upright it is, but that is made easier with a larger wooden fence, and even easier still once you get the hang of it; like all hand tools, it is a skill. Starting at the end makes a huge difference. As does setting it for a relatively rank cut; not so much that it is very hard to push, but as much as you can get away with. Less strokes == easier to get the groove plowed without incident.

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.

>Thanks Bill snd Paul, how about tearout? the piece I practiced on last night was a pretty tame beech board, and I had no tearout, but what about cranky wood? These planes basically have an infinite mouth, so that seems to be a concern...

Thanks again,

DC

You can always score the line

Jim in Burlington On

>You can always score the line with a razor knife. IMO it's a huge PITA to buy planes that aren't in perfect conidition and try to make them work. It's a mistake I wouldn't ever make again.

Re: First experience with a plough plane

wilbur

>I've found that for more difficult wood, knifing or sawing a line along the sides of the groove I plan on cutting helps a lot. Once you get the groove established, tearout becomes less of an issue since the board that fits into the groove will hide any sins.

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Rob Lee

>Hi Denis...

September 8th you can try a better one... :)

Cheers -

Rob

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.

>Rob, you need to create an "evil smile" ASCII emoticon...

There's a couple upcoming planes that have me salivating more than this one, but you never know, after using it...

September 8th? What's so special about that date? :-)

DC

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Ed Mulligan, Cape Cod

>Denis -

Try your plough on a softer piece of wood: pine, poplar, mahogany etc.

Ed

Re: You can always score the line

wilbur

>Jim types faster than me. :@)

Check out the time stamps on our posts.

Re: You can always score the line

Norman (Ottawa, Ont.)

>Doesn't the 44 have nickers specifically for scoring?

The 45 has a adjustable nicker on each of the skates on either side

of the blade.

Norman

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Paul Kierstead

>Tear-out can be an issue. There are 2 area's of concern; along the edge of the groove, and the bottom. Generally, the bottom won't be seen, so it is no biggie. In addition, as you hit the depth-stop, usually the last shaving or two are pretty light and can clean things up some or completely.

The edge can be icky, especially if you have had a pass or two with less-then perfect control, vertically or if the wood is kind of stringy. You can get these wisps coming off. Really good corners on the blade (they are easy to dub on any blade and even easier on those narrow ones) seems to help. Keeping good vertical control helps too; it takes a bit of a knack, but isn't that hard. The first cuts can cause trouble too, so you want to go careful (but still confidently...) until you get the groove going.

I find usually even if there is a string or two, I clean it up a little with a knife or chisel, put things together and it is invisible unless I really banged it up.

In the spirit of cooperation ...

Paul Kierstead

>I'd be willing to try one out before Sept. 8th, just as a favour, ya know?

Re: First experience with a plough plane

MikeW

>Just to tag a thought onto Paul's message re the very edge being rough.

I usually save the final smoothing of a board receiving a groove until after it is grooved. This minimizes or eliminates the slightly ragged edges of the groove.

As mentioned, remaining vertical is a practice issue. Alf has added a rod sticking straight up to keep a sense of vertical--I think there's even a YouTube video of hers showing it in action.

Also as mentioned, a sub fence of a taller nature helps as does keeping pressure against the fence to maintain contact.

Light cuts, beginning at the far end and working back is a good way to practice--just not practical for actual work.

If scoring is an option you would want to pursue, make sure the edge is prepared to its final condition and use a mortise gauge set to the width of the cutter for the plow. Score the line and go to it. Fastest way to make two parallel lines.

Have fun--I love my plows...Take care, Mike

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Somewhere around here, probably on Badger Pond, are instructions for making longer rods. My 043 came with long and short rods. I always found it curious that the 044, which was touted as the 043's big brother, did not.

Pam

Re: First experience with a plough plane *LINK*

MikeW

>The 044 did have two sets of rods, one set long the other short.

Denis,

I forgot to put a linky for Alf's Combi Central compilation of all things combo plane.

Mike


Alf's CombiCentral

Too bad my seller is now out of business. (:

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Paul Kierstead

>I usually save the final smoothing of a board receiving a groove until after it is grooved. This minimizes or eliminates the slightly ragged edges of the groove.

Yeah, I should have mentioned that. I probably didn't because I find it so hard to do. There is something about it when you got that board all flattened, jointed up and cut to size that makes me quite excited and then I just have to reach for the smoother. Then I go, doh, I still had some joinery to do. Not to mention, parts tend to get dinged up and stuff (though gradually I am getting a lot better at that), especially when you make things slowly like I do. But boy is it nice to see that grain come up when you smooth it real nice. I don't hate sandpaper, but you never get excited about a board enough to dig out the sand paper...

(PS. Okok, I give in, I'll pass on the carving .... )

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Rob Lee

>Well.... if it is there on the 8th, you'll be among the first to see it, let alone use it...

While it's on the back cover of the catalogue - there'll be an "available after" date noted (end of September)...

No worries... there's lots in the tickle trunk ;)

Cheers -

Rob

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Denis Ch�nard, Orl�ans, Ont.

>LOL! People must be wondering what the dickens we're talking about! :-)

Time to post a message, I think...

DC

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Paul Kierstead

>You may have to be taking away our camera's :)

I was slow to realize the date. I look forward to trying it out!!! Maybe I'll bring my 044 along so people can compare the old and the new.

Re: First experience with a plough plane

MikeW

>Hi Paul--I don't always do the groove before final surfaces...but it does help. The marking gauge, especially one of the wheel types, will score a nice shoulder, though.

Take care, Mike

who's madly behind on our Northern friend's order...but has practiced the chip carving...

Well, you had *better* be sending one to the party

Paul Kierstead

>

Re: First experience with a plough plane

Paul Kierstead

>Well, in that case, since you have been practicing :)

Ok, I can use my POS saw for a while longer.

Back on topic; the near end of the groove can sometimes be a wee bit icky (or the far end too if you run off the board badly), so it doesn't hurt to plow the groove before the ends of the board are cut to final dimension and trued up. Of course you'll want the edge jointed. Heh. DAMHIKT.

Mike is more experienced than I

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>but I have not found starting at the far end and working back to establish the groove to be that hard in actual practice. Granted, it takes a wee bit longer - but then, we're not talking Normite routahs, are we? 30 seconds or so to do that (I think - never timed myself), and then I can wail on the groove.