Quickest tune up of a hand plane

Anonymous · 6 Mar 2005

Hi all

Today I spoke with someone who didn't relaise that the following is a good tip and so I thought I would pass it on in case others had not heard it.

Appologies for the egg sucking but some may not have tried this

After tuning your handplane, simply rub a wax candle across the sole in a zig-zag pattern about 1" between sections along the entire length.

Now plane with it and feel the incredible difference it makes :wink:

Probably should take final cut without wax :wink: (although I have doen this for absolutely ages and never had a problem as a result of wax being left on the wood)

Midnight · 6 Mar 2005

only prob I've found with the wax trick is that it lasts just a couple of seconds....

<le sigh..

fun while it lasts though.....

Anonymous · 7 Mar 2005

That's the case with paraffin wax, as found in common candles.

However, beeswax, which is harder (as in church candles) and, much harder still, carnauba wax, last lots longer.

--
batty.
P.S. If you are into extreme polishing of motorcars, then a small 226g pot of 'Zymol' brand 60% Brazilian No.1 White (not Yellow) Carnauba, at £700, is not the most economic way to fettle your plane's sole — not even a Karl Holtey.

Scott · 7 Mar 2005

Mike

I find that depends on the temperature in the workshop. 1.8 degrees in mine yesterday and the wax was lasting a wee while! :wink:

Cheers
Scott

Anonymous · 7 Mar 2005

I find that the wax spreads over the sole of the plane in the first few seconds and then helps the planing for quite a while afterwards

Argus · 7 Mar 2005

I started using a candle ..... even better, in my opinion, is an oil wick in a small box.

You buy a length of oil heater wick that is about 15mm wide, coil it in a spiral and contain it in a shallow circular tin lid. You can embed it in a block or make a little box for it.
Soak or rub in a small quantity of raw linseed or vaseline. You only need enough to provide a tiny smear, not a great lick of the stuff. It sits on your bench face upwards.
Every few strokes of the plane you wipe the sole of the plane on it once.
You don't have to interrupt your planing strokes to use two hands to rub on the candle.
No, it doesn't leave oily streaks on your work because it planes them off.
When the wick gets too grungy, chuck it out and make a new one.

Jim Kingshott used one in some of his videos.