I think I'm TURNING JAPANESE!

[iNewbie]

I personally find all the frou-frou, fretting, pampering, petting, and most of all the trumped-up mystique of Japanese tools irksome as ****. I really do. Maybe if you start at age 12 by the time you're forty you can be 'at one' with the wood and finally able to plane it effectively without throwing off its balance of yin and yang or some cr*p like that.

Its people whining about it that irks me - get on with it. Get a life. Mow the lawn or something. Sheesh.

 

[Racers]

The bigger your foe list the happier you are.

Pete

 

[jimi43]

Wow! That'll teach me to pop out to the workshop and make a plane iron to send to Pete!! :mrgreen:

Yes...probably best to read threads from the beginning...it does tend to prevent confusion...and yes...my blog is mostly Western stuff...though I do have a Russian telescope in there somewhere! :wink:

Actually the blog is about a year out of date so i must get around to adding a few things...a panel infill...an observatory...oh...and a review on a Japanese plane too!

The problem is...both me and ALFIE are fair weather toolies...so we work while the sun shines (28 degrees out there today in tropical Kent!)...and when it gets cold...ALFIE curls up on the couch and I hit the updates on the blog and other places....seems like a plan to me! 8)

I have always been interested in tools from other climes, alas...until now I have had little time to explore. So now is the time to investigate these things and I shall post my findings here from an empirical standpoint if that's ok? I tend not to voice an opinion on a subject I have not researched or experienced.

With respect to Relative Humidity...I think I might be fighting a losing battle...here are the trends just for today....

HUMBLE BASE TELESCOPE - OBSERVATORY WEATHER STATION

...so pick a figure! Last night was closing in on 100% and this afternoon...dipping to 40%....but that's all hypothetical anyway...my planes are like my children...they all live inside the house! :mrgreen:

The kanna is sitting here looking at me whilst I eat dinner and admire this strange and wonderful wood. I think he's going to be quite fun to test out...I'll post my findings when I get time.

Cheers.

Jimi

 

[lanemaux]

Hi Jimi , what a lovely looking kanna that is!. I'm no expert as I have but one kanna and a cheap new one at that . That said I have found it a joy to use and not overly sensitive to humidity that I've noticed. Mine is of white wood probably some type of maple , quite hard with a cross pin and metal wedge construction. It adjusts well and easily and holds adjustments beautifully. But I do find myself very envious of your lovely model with its dark body and signed blade. If you get half as much fun out of yours as I have from mine , you'll soon be hooked on the pull not push lifestyle.

 

[Corneel]

Don't worry too much about the actual weather. Wood is rather slow and averages the weather extremes. In my home I can see a distinct patern in wood movement regarding furniture. When the heating is on, it slowly but surely dries out. Then when spring comes along and the heater is off, everything tends to expand again.

In my workshop, outside, I haven't yet found such a simple pattern.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I think it's affected by humidity, AND temperature and pressure. You can't win!

[Michael Caine]Hang on a minute, I've got an idea...[/Caine]

Got any old-fashioned carbon paper? Press the plane down hard onto a piece of printer paper through the carbon, and see what pattern you get. Try the same trick in a week - if the pattern isn't significantly different then it's not moving around much, and at least you know that.

I'd only be worried because of the flight time: although cargo holds are pressurised, I believe it's at quite a bit less than 1 atmosphere. That might have an effect, otherwise isn't Japanese weather much like ours?

E.

PS: Just been fighting a lump of Colonial red oak that's become sentient (and I think has now hired a lawyer, they all do that over there). It just won't do what it's told! The weather isn't helping, I fear.

 

[jimi43]

Hi Jimi , what a lovely looking kanna that is!. I'm no expert as I have but one kanna and a cheap new one at that . That said I have found it a joy to use and not overly sensitive to humidity that I've noticed. Mine is of white wood probably some type of maple , quite hard with a cross pin and metal wedge construction. It adjusts well and easily and holds adjustments beautifully. But I do find myself very envious of your lovely model with its dark body and signed blade. If you get half as much fun out of yours as I have from mine , you'll soon be hooked on the pull not push lifestyle.

I did think it was rather special when I saw it on FleaBay but I had never bought something from Japan before...I fully expected it to be months and it came in 7 days which was amazing! And at $31 it was a bargain.

Don't worry too much about the actual weather. Wood is rather slow and averages the weather extremes. In my home I can see a distinct patern in wood movement regarding furniture. When the heating is on, it slowly but surely dries out. Then when spring comes along and the heater is off, everything tends to expand again.

In my workshop, outside, I haven't yet found such a simple pattern.

Hi Corneel

I don't think it's moved much over the days I've had it..but I will keep checking it.

I think it's affected by humidity, AND temperature and pressure. You can't win!

[Michael Caine]Hang on a minute, I've got an idea...[/Caine]

Got any old-fashioned carbon paper? Press the plane down hard onto a piece of printer paper through the carbon, and see what pattern you get. Try the same trick in a week - if the pattern isn't significantly different then it's not moving around much, and at least you know that.

I'd only be worried because of the flight time: although cargo holds are pressurised, I believe it's at quite a bit less than 1 atmosphere. That might have an effect, otherwise isn't Japanese weather much like ours?

E.

PS: Just been fighting a lump of Colonial red oak that's become sentient (and I think has now hired a lawyer, they all do that over there). It just won't do what it's told! The weather isn't helping, I fear.

I would probably get two dots Eric...as it has a distinct wobble corner to corner....indicating a twist. Apparently, this is fairly common with dais....must be living in Wales that does it! :mrgreen:

Quite a variation in opinion on this humidity thing...but I think I will let it settle a while as I probably need to do the chute too as the iron is a tiny bit tight...the Liogier float will come in handy again there!

Jimi

 

[swagman]

Hi Jimi. These should help you with your Japanese plane. Part 1 is a basic just intro. Worthwhile to skip and start your viewing from Part 2 which deals with bedding the iron to the plane. Part 3 covers fettling the sole.

regards Stewie;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQytHrqMsug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rLfvCri7do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CheZ4s4YA

 

[jimi43]

Hi Jimi. These should help you with your Japanese plane. Part 1 is a basic just intro. Worthwhile to skip and start your viewing from Part 2 which deals with bedding the iron to the plane. Part 3 covers fettling the sole.

regards Stewie;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQytHrqMsug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rLfvCri7do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CheZ4s4YA

Thanks Stewie...much appreciated

Jimi

 

[swagman]

Hi Jimi. These should help you with your Japanese plane. Part 1 is a basic just intro. Worthwhile to skip and start your viewing from Part 2 which deals with bedding the iron to the plane. Part 3 covers fettling the sole.

regards Stewie;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQytHrqMsug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rLfvCri7do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_CheZ4s4YA

Thanks Stewie...much appreciated

Jimi

Your welcome Jimi. That should help steer you in the right direction. As you will see, the iron should remain a tight fit within the bed, contrary to the western approach.

Stewie;

 

[MIGNAL]

Well the facts are what they are. Wood responds to changes in Humidity. That's why the wooden Hygrometers work!
The sole of any wooden Plane is going to alter from day to day unless it is kept at a constant humidity. It's the amount of humidity swing (and time) where the detail becomes important. A 10% humidity change is unlikely to alter the sole geometry enough to be a problem. 20 % and above and you will certainly start to notice changes to the sole. Whether they are enough to upset it's working depends exactly on how that sole moves and the amount of time the wood has been subject to the new humidity level. If it results in a hollow just in front of the blade then you most certainly will notice that the Plane is no longer functioning as it should. It's also probably why the Japanese deliberately introduce the two relief areas to the sole of their Planes, it has the effect of lessening the one known problem suffered by all wooden planes - wood movement responding to changes in humidity.
If you can flatten the Plane when the RH is at 45 - 50% (stood over a period of a few days) that will also lessen the need to keep altering the sole. 45% is given as an 'average' for many parts of the world. It's a Goldilocks humidity. It's also why the vast majority of wooden musical instruments are constructed at this level. That level would be hopeless if one lived in South West Colorado but thankfully these kind of places are something of an extreme. They have their own Goldilocks humidity level.

 

[swagman]

Average humidity in central Japan during this time of year (July) ranges from 72% to 89%.