High Angle Frog vs Higher Degree Hone for BU Blade

[Michael Gabbay]

My wife bought me the LN Low Angel Jack for Hanukkah. (Yes this is a stealth gloat). I love the plane. I've been using it for trimming dovetails and it works great! I'm trying to decide how to handle difficult grain for some curly maple and walnut that I have. I could either get the HA Frog for my 4 1/2 or get a second blade for the LA Jack and grind it to 30 or 35 degrees.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Mike

[Dan Forman]

For the price of a frog, you could get two baldes, grind them at different angles, and be set for anything.

Dan

[Mike Henderson]

Personally, I'd prefer to get a 'high angle' blade for the low angle plane rather than use a high angle frog. The reason is that with a high angle frog the blade is more vertical so the force on the blade is a strong bending force. You’re more likely to get blade movement and 'chatter'.

The low angle blade is bedded at 12 degrees (I think it's 12 degrees) and stays that way. So even when you put a high angle on the blade, the force into the blade is still at 12 degrees, rather than 50 to 60 degrees, which greatly reduces the bending force.
</O:p
Furthermore, the low angle blade is much thicker than the standard blade (the one used with the high angle frog) so the blade is much stronger.
</O:p
Mike

[Brad Olson]

High angle blades. Reworking a new frog onto a plane is not all that fun, and interchanging frogs isn't much fun either.

LN will custom grind the blades for you if you call them up.

I would consider two effective cutting angles....

52-55

and 58-60

I personally use 60 degrees on curly maple (for final smoothing) and have no problems with tear out at all, I have also had success with 55 degrees, but since I work with some crazy grained woods, I keep my blades at 60 instead. If you do go with a high angle be forewarned that you must only take super thin shavings off, otherwise you will have a heck of a time pushing the plane.

[Michael Gabbay]

Thanks guys. I talked to LN on Friday. They also recommended the extra blade and said they had some in stock that were ground to 35 degrees. I might try that first.

Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Michael

Don't fuss what the bevel angle is on the blade LN sends you. It matters not if it is 30 or 35 degrees since you are only going to add a microbevel anyway, NOT regrind the entire face.

I recommend a final bevel of 50 degrees (= cutting angle of 62 degrees) for really difficult grain. There is minimal difference in pushing a 62 verses 50 degree cutting angled plane. But there is a huge difference in planing ability for difficult grain.

Regards from Perth

Derek