sharpening planer blades in situ?

[mpooley]

I have just purchased my first planer with HSS blades a Jet which i am very pleased with fantastic finish ! but i have noticed the blades have already lost a bit of their edge.


I vaguely rememeber reading about someone who touched up his planer blades in situ - is this possible?

how would you do it?


thanks

Mike

 

[Loz_S]

Yep it is possible. The easiest thing for me to do is simply quote John Bullar from F&C:

If a resharpenable knife edge isn't too dull or damaged, it can be honed on the machine, saving a good deal of time. This is best done with a thick, flat, diamond whetstone laid on the infeed table. Lower the infeed table and rotate the cutterblock so the bevel angle of a knife passes just above it. Wedge the cutterblock in place with an offcut and lay a piece of paper on the infeed table to protect it. The knife edge is then lightly honed by repeatedly pulling the stone over the bevel edge into the infeed table. Lift the stone and move further along the knife with each stroke. Do not push the stone into the edge as it will dig in or scrape off the surface.

You can't do this too often though before the blades need a regrinding and keep the secondary bevel narrow to avoid burnishing.

 

[mpooley]

Cheers!

all i got to do is save up for a thick diamond stone now! LOL

i wonder how big a stone you would need?

Mike

 

[cumbrian]

Anyone used this diamond hone, or similar? Any good?

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Anyone used this diamond hone, or similar? Any good?

Yes I use one if I've planed any teak, but only to brighten up the edge, It would be next to useless for any nicks in the blades.

 

[Alf]

Wot his lordship sed.

 

[orangetlh]

Doesnt have to be a diamond stone, I alwasy use a normal oil slip stone to touch up our blades. they dont tend to cost much, although you will get through a few if you drop them!

 

[woodbloke]

Anyone used this diamond hone, or similar? Any good?

Yes I use one if I've planed any teak, but only to brighten up the edge, It would be next to useless for any nicks in the blades.

.......a timber that I would never, ever run thru' the P/T - Rob

 

[mpooley]

Thanks all!

I will be ordering one of those from axminster asap

Mike

 

[Loz_S]

I can see a problem with the Axminster special posted by cumbrian. It will be difficult to hone the bevel at the same angle along the full length of the blade as you have to hand hold it and run it down the edge without any support.

A simpler, and cheaper, flat rectangular stone can be run along the table surface, ensuring the same angle and width of bevel is honed on all three cutters.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

It will be difficult to hone the bevel at the same angle along the full length of the blade as you have to hand hold it and run it down the edge without any support.

Not so, one side of the tool has a diamond blade set at 90deg the other side is set to 45deg. You use one side for doing the front of the blades and the other side to the backs, doing it this way enables you to use the handle as a guide against the rotor, or sort of.

 

[mpooley]

It will be difficult to hone the bevel at the same angle along the full length of the blade as you have to hand hold it and run it down the edge without any support.

Not so, one side of the tool has a diamond blade set at 90deg the other side is set to 45deg. You use one side for doing the front of the blades and the other side to the backs, doing it this way enables you to use the handle as a guide against the rotor, or sort of.

does it come with instructions?

:shock:

 

[David C]

I describe a method for honing traditional blades in situ in my first book, pages 39, 40 & 41.

Also how a small back bevel will produce a better finish on interlocked hardwoods.

This only works if you have an adjustable 'out' table.

In extreme conditions I could hone three times a day and sometimes was able to keep a set of blades running for six months, before regrinding became necessary.

NB this is a teaching workshop so we did not do the volume of machining that a production workshop would.

David Charlesworth

 

[Lord Nibbo]

It will be difficult to hone the bevel at the same angle along the full length of the blade as you have to hand hold it and run it down the edge without any support.

Not so, one side of the tool has a diamond blade set at 90deg the other side is set to 45deg. You use one side for doing the front of the blades and the other side to the backs, doing it this way enables you to use the handle as a guide against the rotor, or sort of.

does it come with instructions?

:shock:

Short answer is no.

So I've done a crude pic as how to use it using the rotor as a guide for the tool.

The pic is a bit out of scale but I hope this clears up any doubt of how to use it. :lol:

 

[Loz_S]

Ahh, now I understand what that Axminster thingy is!

I still think the David Charlesworth/John Bullar method is an easier and more controllable method of honing, but each to their own.

I had forgotten Mr C had written about this as well. His explanation in Book 1 is very clear with diagrams and photos.

 

[mpooley]

Thankyou!

Thats great!!

very helpfull

I wont have to buy the book now :shock: LOL

mike