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I believe what you are talking about are the notches in the bench top beside the vice? It just gives a bit of clearance for the saw. It’s a little birds-mouth type notch on the edge of the bench. It will end up there anyway if you aren’t careful, but will be tidier if you do it on purpose. I just cut it out with a chisel.
Thank-you for the advice!
I think my strop needs to be redesigned at any rate. I stretched it over a block of wood that I can clamp in my vice, but it’s loosened up a bit and mushrooms around the blade. I can’t feel any left over burr, but my fingers are pretty insensitive anyway. Currently I am using the 3 plates mentioned previously then spraying some water over the extra fine plate and sticking some 2000g wet/dry sandpaper on it. I don’t go higher than that. I still plan on buying a finer stone eventually, either diamond or wet stone, haven’t decided yet. I like the ease of use from the diamonds, but if it will really improve my game I will buy a stone.
Philipp I sure hope the stones are flat, they are DMT plates. If I had an actual stone I imagine I would be using the plates to flatten it. I Did have to send one back because the coating flaked off, but the guy at lee valley said it was the first time he ever saw that happen, and replaced it without question.Regarding the thicknesser, if it doesn’t fit you can build a sled and use a straight bit on a router. Just wedge up the bottom to get it flat, router one side, flip it over and get the other side. Of you can just cut your stuff to 12″ wide strips and laminate. Sure there is a chance it might not line up perfectly but the hand planer should be able to take care of that. Unless it’s thick I would worry about using really wide panels anyway, they are probably going to be through and through and prone to warping.
Just a little update, Still didn’t have much luck skipping the strop and using 2000 grit wet/dry. (no guide though), but I had great success with the Japanese dovetail chisel. I didn’t think it would make much difference, but there it is. Must be the steel can hold a finer edge, or maybe just the steep angle, but I’ll take it.
I might also be getting a bit better at finessing it, but I don’t really see the need to go back to the western chisels. On my third drawer I did make the pins narrower, I felt it was a bit too chunky before. Unforeseen result of that, (there always is at least one), the Japanese chisel barely fits into the shoulder, but that works out fine, I am using a 1/8 bevel edge to waste it out, since it’s a much gentler action then chiseling straight across the grain I’m not having any problems there. Then I went in and cleaned it up with the Japanese chisel up to the knife line.Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.Thanks Ed. Maybe I can skip the strop and see if that makes a difference. I might have to pull the leather off the board and wet it down to stretch it back out again. It’s getting a bit loose and mushrooms up around the chisel a bit. I do have some 3000 wet/dry paper, I will try that out.
Great advice Philipp! Thank you. Joeuu, It’s as close as I can make it, but the crushing/tear-out is happening all the way through. The outside edges are not so bad, except for the tear-out on the inside weakening the edge.
I will keep plugging away at it. Finished one drawer today, and if you crossed your eyes you could call it vintage farmhouse, haha. (I bet Generation Z hipsters will love it after I am long gone.)
I sharpened as carefully as I could using the guide and going from coarse—>fine–>extra fine then stropping. Maybe just for fun I will try a different species and see if it improves. Doubt it but can’t hurt to try. Haven’t found my rubber deadblow, (like what paul uses) but I was as gentle as I could be with the wooden mallet.
Thank-you for all your kind advice everyone.Thank-you Gentlemen.
When I sharpen I did the first couple by hand, the last one using a honing guide set to 30deg with no improvement in results. I use a coarse and fine diamond plate (DMT) then strop on a piece of leather attached to a board with some polishing compound on it. I may be rounding it over again on the strop, I will watch for that next time.
I did sharpen my knife but will try using a razor with a fresh blade on the walls and see if that helps.
One thing that may be contributing, when I started this kitchen project I put 1/2″ plywood over the top of the bench to cover over the well and give me a flat surface to work on, but the plywood had warped a bit and has a bit of spring to it. I will try clamping the piece down with a caul and eliminate the bounce. Also the hammer I am using is a wooden one I made and is a bit heavy, so I will switch to a lighter rubber mallet. I do suspect it’s my poor sharpening job though so I will go back again, use the guide, and take care when stropping.
Thank-you very much for your tips. I will keep at it and report back if I see any improvement :)Thank-you for your encouraging words.As it is I need to make 40 drawers for my kitchen, this is my 2nd or 3rd attempt at dovetails, so maybe I will get better, but I can tell this is going to be a real slog. I even borrowed a dovetail jig from my Dad but really don’t like the look of them. Plus it’s a pain in the butt to set up right. Even when I nibble away a bunch of the waster with a bandsaw it still tears out, you can see the lines of tearout right where the bandsaw didn’t cut. That actually looked worse than just using the chisel.
I’m really struggling with this. Even with sharpening right before I chop, taking my time, chopping at an angle. I mean it might be the wood, but I doubt it. Sometimes the tearout will happen right at the edge of the wood so that I can’t get a clean line. It’s pretty frustrating.
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.Very nice!
I work in a factory where we make those cardboard and hardboard doors 🙂
No nails or staples though. Sadly, if all doors were built solid wood stile and rail not only would no-one be able to afford a door, but wood would be a lot more scarce.
Having said that, I prefer a real door as much an anyone here 🙂This is something I really struggle with myself. In the beginning I was using a dozuki I picked up in Japan to cut tenons, and I thought it might be that the blade was too flexible, so I bought a tenon saw from Lee Valley, (ouch$) and it didn’t help at all, so at least I know where the problem is. haha.
I found the tenon saw binds quite easily, not sure if it’s the lacquer on the blade or if I just need to wax or oil it, but it’s a real chore to push through a cut, and I know it shouldn’t be. That and my saw line goes off on an angle, especially on the far side.
Thanks for all the advice. It’s a lot to take in, and tough when you don’t know if you are doing things right or not. -
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