Two, non essential questions.

[Sam_Jack]

1) Burnishing rod – do I really need one? I have for a while now managed to get good results from my scrapers (recycled saw blades) using Grandads system – file – oil stone then, the haft of a quality screwdriver. But I note some guru’s touting ‘burnishing rods’ as the only way to get a good edge on a scraper. Happy to toddle off and buy one – which one is another question – but I wonder; is this a ‘nice to have’ or a must have item?

2) I have an old-ish Stanley #4 (circa 1938) which works beautifully except for one small ‘kink’ which I cannot seem to correct; maybe one of the wise owls can help. I have carefully ‘fettled’ this plane; it is straight, true, tuned and in good, if not showroom condition. I can work with it all day and it is a pleasure until for no apparent reason – the set changes. Suddenly a great scrape appears on one side of the work-piece or ‘tuther. All I do is grab the blade end, set it back to ‘square’, the set lever re centres and with a small depth adjustment – work resumes as normal. The blade is ‘flat’, the frog is ‘flat’, the seats are flat, I cannot fault any part of this plane; yet once in a while it goes off the reservation. It does this with and without a new lever cap; it is one of seven working planes which I have fettled; they all work just fine. But this little trick of my second oldest drives me nuts.

Any advice welcome to my non essential questions. Cheers

 

[monkeybiter]

Sounds to me like one of the threads is worn and at some point that tightened up component jumps a thread. Maybe you could try new machine screws, see if it holds.

 

[galleywood]

Does the set change while you are actually using the plane or after putting it down for a while and then using it again?
Could it be that it gets 'bumped' and that is when the set changes?
You said that the blade, frog etc are flat - have you tried bluing the surfaces to see if there is a high spot that the blade is swivelling on?

 

[AndyT]

1) No, you don't need a special burnisher - you've proved that yourself. However, if you want to see if it's easier with a bit of harder steel, you still don't need to spend a lot. I use an old solid tungsten carbide router cutter, mounted back to front in a handle, so the shaft is exposed, and that works fine for me. Other people use engine valve pins, which are apparently available for very little cash.

2) Sounds like the lever cap is a bit loose. Unlatch it, turn the holding screw a quarter of a turn inwards and try again. If you think it is tight enough, the back of your iron may be too smooth and polished, up on the bit that rests on the frog, away from the cutting edge. Roughen it up a bit with coarse abrasive paper or rub it with some rosin - like violinists use - this is good at preventing steel from sliding on steel.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you feel you need a burnisher, you could make one easily (e.g.) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/10mmx200mm-Spe ... ds=hss+bar
Put a handle on it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Andy, seeing how that cutter shank bent the other day I wonder how hard many of the shafts are.

 

[memzey]

Andy mentions using a solid carbide bit which would definitely be hard enough. I do wonder whether a polished edge to the burnisher would make a difference though?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Point taken, although the solid carbide bits I've used have had steel shafts. Only the cutting end has been solid. Get a piece like I linked to and some buffing soap?

 

[custard]

1) Burnishing rod – do I really need one? I have for a while now managed to get good results from my scrapers (recycled saw blades) using Grandads system – file – oil stone then, the haft of a quality screwdriver. But I note some guru’s touting ‘burnishing rods’ as the only way to get a good edge on a scraper. Happy to toddle off and buy one – which one is another question – but I wonder; is this a ‘nice to have’ or a must have item?

The key thing in your post is that you're using recycled saw blades (I presume that's old hand saw blades by the way, rather than say bi-metallic hacksaw or bandsaw blades!). Traditional handsaws had some of the softest tool steel you'll come across to facilitate easy sharpening, and that virtue carries across into card scraper or scratch stock use. It's an easy metal to shape and sharpen. But if you decided to get one of the super hard scrapers that are for sale today then you wouldn't get away with a screwdriver for burnishing.

Personally I prefer a slightly softer card scarper like yours for furniture making purposes, but for something more heavy duty like scraping the varnish on a wooden boat, then I prefer a harder and thicker scraper or even disposable carbide scraper blades.

Incidentally, for anyone thinking about re-purposing an old hand saw, it's perfectly do-able, but if your metal working skills and kit aren't up to snuff then you may well end up with something that has a wavy edge like a lettuce leaf, if so you'll then be faced with a great deal of work to flatten it. Personally I prefer to buy card scrapers (a few quid yields a lifetime supply) but I've never found a better substitute for old saw plates for making scratch stock cutters, where the smaller dimensions make flattening an easier prospect even for a metal working incompetent like myself!

 

[AndyT]

Phil, the one I have is a world away from the bent bearing guided trimmer. I assume it was tc, but maybe it's actually HSS - there's plenty I don't know about wood machining!
Either way it's hard enough for the (bought) card scrapers that I have and feels harder than the old screwdriver I was using before. The burnisher polishes the edge of the scraper, rather than getting scratched by it.
I take your point though - if you don't happen across something with a bit of hard steel on it, it's not difficult to buy a few inches of the real thing.

 

[lurker]

Steel rod in a car boot lid gas strut works
Do Aussies call these car trunks like the other large colonial country? :wink:

 

[knockknock]

Steel rod in a car boot lid gas strut works
Do Aussies call these car trunks like the other large colonial country? :wink:

I can imagine at the beginning of cars:

1) Strapping a trunk on the back, to carry things in.

2) Strapping a pair of boots on the back, to wear when getting out in the mud to push.

3) Strapping a single boot on the back, to ... :?

 

[Racers]

I use broken tungsten carbide drill bits like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tungsten-Carb ... 1438.l2649
But I managed to buy only 10 last time for a lot less.

I made three gave two away and the rest of the drill bits.

Burnishers_zpse01da61d by pete maddex, on Flickr


I find the small diameter turns the bur very easily, suspect the hardness helps as well.


Pete

 

[Sam_Jack]

Whoa: I need to learn how to phrase my questions. I worked out how to use the ‘thankyou’ button; which, perforce, will get some use.

MB – I checked the ‘adjuster’ drive, but did not take it out. Bad mistake – it ain’t straight, just a whisker bent; so I shall replace it - More to Follow (MTF) and; there is a slight wearing in the thread. Not being much of a metal worker, I can’t tell, but a replacement rod will, no doubt, tell the tale.

GW – It changes mid stroke – usually at exactly the wrong time – on that final, probably not required final stroke; the whisper quiet one which says –job done. Too many years of setting things down ‘tidy’ on a bench precludes clumsiness; but I may have done it once or twice, but not as a habit. That blade is dead flat.

Andy T – Tried brand new cap; no joy, however. The blade is original and now that I think on it; was ‘polished’ to a fare-thee-well. Mea Culpa – should have spotted that. I cleaned off the ‘crap’, after sharpening it, I polished the first inch of the back and left the rest as was. I shall ‘rough it up a bit’ first job. But – it does need a new lever cap and, that slight, previously unnoticed bend in the adjustment rod seem to point in the right direction.

Custard – I do try to preserve my ‘old’ saw blades; and, I can manage to sharpen ‘em, so not many get ‘dogged’ to scrapers. I mostly recycle the more modern blades, those from ‘throw-away’ hard points, which I use for rough work. They don’t make great scrapers but serve well enough as and when required. My ‘good’ scrapers are ancient; they are treated with care as the steel is top quality and; they work very well on the hardwoods I use (when I can get ‘em) beautiful chocolate shavings from the Rosewood rebate plane I’ve just finished. I realise horses is for courses; and I have an old Diston blade which has provided many a scratch tool blade (fit the Stanley ‘Scratch’ perfectly). I agree, for furniture and the like, the ‘softer’ metal is great and the ‘driver’ works well to task. Must try one of the new fangled scrapers though, until I must buy a burnishing tool to sharpen it. Or, just go back to my tried and true.

Lurker “Do Aussies call these car trunks like the other large colonial country?” I’ve no idea what ‘Aussie’s call a ‘trunk’ except for the obvious; but, I do know Geordies call a boot a boot. Being of North country stock, born and bred, from generations of craftsmen; I don’t think I care a fig what Australians call anything, especially timber. But I do love the sunshine. Perhaps I can use your ‘strut’ as part of a sunshade; or do they call ‘em parasols in Leicestershire?.. :lol:

 

[ED65]

1) Burnishing rod – do I really need one?

Your existing good results suggest that, for you, no. For saw-temper scrapers many a good screwdriver, or the back of a gouge, is perfectly adequate as a burnisher/ticketer.

But I note some guru’s touting ‘burnishing rods’ as the only way to get a good edge on a scraper. Happy to toddle off and buy one – which one is another question – but I wonder; is this a ‘nice to have’ or a must have item?

One, their scrapers may be quite a bit harder than saw temper. Two, they may just like having a nice shiny bit of kit to add to the tool collection, Three, they're sometimes shilling for someone (even if they don't say so).

I can work with it all day and it is a pleasure until for no apparent reason – the set changes.

Is the face of the frog or the bevel side of the iron lubricated a bit much? It seems unlikely given your other planes don't have this problem but that is one cause of this issue.

Another possible is that the lever-cap screw needs an eighth or a quarter of a turn clockwise, but again your other planes working well make this seem less likely.

Two others are that the frog's upper face isn't completely flat, or the iron assembly crowns slightly or distorts when the screw is fully tightened. This leads to contact points top and bottom and less friction to hold the iron stable.

The only time I've ever had this issue the irons being bent was the cause and I had to brute force them back to reasonably straight and true to resolve it.

 

[Ttrees]

I found no difference between my two cherries/Kirschen burnisher and a hss steel drill bit.
make-yer-own-cabinet-card-scraper-the-cheapest-way-t103164.html

Can you switch the cap iron from another plane and see if it makes any difference ?
Are you sure the grind/edge on the plane iron is not concave ?
Tom