Paraffin on plane sole

[Aaron Liebling]

For other relative newbies - I just bought some paraffin and tried it on the sole of a plane for the first time. For those who have never tried this, the effect is simply amazing. If anything, the plane sole is now *too* slippery. It pushes along effortlessly. I highly recommend this for anyone who hasn't tried it yet. It has certainly made planing even more of a joy!

[Clifford McGuire]

I agree. I keep sticks of paraffin and beeswax nearby. Both work well. Just a quick 'scribble' and the plane will glide across the wood.

[Frederick Skelly]

Yup! Well worth doing.
You can rub it on saws too.

[glenn bradley]

It is one of those things you wonder why you didn't try sooner.

[Rob Luter]

I snagged a box of Gulf Wax canning wax (paraffin) at the grocery store years ago and use it on planes, saws, etc.. as Aaron states, the effect is remarkable. It is super cheap and goes a long way. After at least 10 years I’m still on the first slab in the box (out of several).

[Jim Koepke]

There is usually a hunk of old candle wax on my bench for use on planes and saws.

jtk

[Bob Jones 5443]

Spokeshaves and the No. 80 like the waxy bottom, too.

I also like to run the wax lightly across band saw and hand saw teeth before an important cut.

[ken hatch]

Or you can just buy a wood stock plane for much the same effect but at a few more dollars :D.

I have to keep mine in one of those "no stick" glue tubs because during the desert summer it melts.

ken

[roger wiegand]

Does the wax not create finishing problems downstream? I was always warned against doing this to avoid surface contamination. I've never done the experiment to see if it's an actual problem.

[Jim Matthews]

Does the wax not create finishing problems downstream? I was always warned against doing this to avoid surface contamination. I've never done the experiment to see if it's an actual problem.

Each shaving lifts off with wax on top.

I've never had a board that wouldn't take finish, after using Canning wax this way. I suspect most of the wax stays on the plane sole.

[chris carter]

I mostly use wood soled planes, which have about 1/10th of the friction of a metal sole plane. And even a freshly waxed metal sole plane will have more friction than a wooden sole. That said, I still wax my wooden soled planes and they almost push themselves at that point. Additionally, waxing their soles periodically will reduce the wear and tear on the soles. It's not every five minutes like a metal plane, but I'll still do it once a week if the plane is getting a lot of use. The wax stays on a wood sole considerably longer than a metal one for obvious reasons.

[Charles Murray Ohio]

I have been using it for years on planes (both Iron and Wood) with no problems. Another is the tilt and blade raising gears on your table saw as it will not load up with sawdust like grease.

[Philip Glover]

I use paraffin most of the time.
Sometimes I will use crumpled wax paper. It is coated with carnauba wax.
I have never had a problem with either wax interfering with finishes.

Regards,

Phil

[lowell holmes]

I apply Johnsons wax to my plane soles. I makes them slick and prevents rust as well.

[steven c newman]

No, because the plane's iron comes along and scrapes the wood surface clean....

Only need a few squiggley lines across the sole...NOT the entire block of wax.

[Tom M King]

I tried it once, decades ago, but quickly forgot about it. I don't use it, and see no need for it. If you're pushing down hard enough for it to matter, you're pushing down too hard. The plane sole doesn't need to be pushed down on the surface-only in contact.

This from someone who is in the top, small percentage point of workers in total square feet planed.

[Lee Schierer]

Does the wax not create finishing problems downstream? I was always warned against doing this to avoid surface contamination. I've never done the experiment to see if it's an actual problem.

If you use solvent based finishes there is no problem. Any residual wax is dissolved. With water based stains there could possibly be a problem. A couple of passes with sand paper should remove any residual wax.

[Warren Mickley]

I used paraffin for a few years in the 1970's but then I read that oil gives a better feel. It does, and have not used wax since. I actually hardly use oil either. Some woods do not need oil at all, but some woods seem to need it, and will make noise even, without it. If I just touch the tip of an oil can and rub the sole of the plane, that solves the problem for thousands of feet. If you are away from the shop, you can touch the skin between your nose and eye and get enough oil for the sole. You really don't want the plane skidding around the way it does with wax.

I have never used any lubricant on a wooden plane sole. I have also never sanded a wooden plane sole, always using a plane to true the sole. Maybe a sanded sole is rough enough that wax is helpful.

Grease and oil and wax are all sometimes helpful for a saw or an auger bit, but most times are unnecessary. For working away, a piece of wax is most handy to have in your pocket or box.

I use water stains, and I never sand, but I think using a lubricant with restraint will keep you out of trouble.

[Tom Bender]

[QUOTE= from Tom King
This from someone who is in the top, small percentage point of workers in total square feet planed.[/QUOTE]

That's a bold statement. I don't question it, but am impressed. Would you share a bit of wisdom? Like, what planes get the most use? How do you secure the work? What do you make? How do you sharpen? Do you listen to music? Stuff like that

[Tom M King]

Many planes. From old molding planes, to mostly Stanley's for bench planes. I restore old 18th, and early 19th Century museum houses. Work is secured all sorts of ways, from on a sawhorse outside, held by helpers, to more normal benches, and for long pieces, sometimes just on top of something butting against a wall.

Sharpen with anything from oil stones I bought new in 1974, to an array of waterstones on a dedicated sharpening bench, under a small stream of running water (water runs out of the ground around here, every few hundred yards, and electricity generated by water running downhill). Any really, sometimes, whatever is available, like bricks on a chimney when up on a roof working on replacing a window sill.

One example, on an early 19th Century house, several thousand square feet of floor space on four levels, all the replacement siding was handplaned to match other work on that house. That's just one example.

No. I don't listen to music when working. I'm not a hobbyist. I get paid to produce work. I'm sure there may be someone, somewhere that planes more square feet than I do, but I haven't met that person yet.

An old quote comes to mind: "Those that can, do. Those that can't do, teach. Those that can't teach, preach. Those that can't preach, become politicians."

edited to add: I forgot the "what do I make" question. Look at my website. All that work was done with my hands, with one, or two helpers.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I use either mineral oil soaked in a number of shop towels within a cup, or paraffin wax. Both are close by.

[Scott Winners]

What I have been doing is keeping the white candle my church hands out Christmas Eve and using that on the iron surfaces in my shop like plane soles and band saw table.

I did get a bottle of jojoba oil for chisels and plane irons at the local hippie store for much less than L-N charges.

[David Bassett]

... I did get a bottle of jojoba oil for chisels and plane irons at the local hippie store for much less than L-N charges.

I need to find me some hippies. The large Jojoba Oil bottle from L-N is about 1/2, per oz, the best price I've found around here. (It's always in the organic beauty product section in tiny bottles for $$$.)