Cause of handplane skip/chatter?

[Robert Hazelwood]

This is a common problem when learning to plane, especially when using short planes like a #4, which don't have much sole ahead of the blade to register.

Definitely sharpen it, that's the biggest thing. The next thing is to set an appropriate shaving thickness...you can get away with a thicker shaving while planing edges, but you have to dial it back sometimes for faces. But if you aren't very sharp, then it will be difficult to engage in the cut because a dull edge likes to skip over the wood when set for a light shaving. So it comes back to sharpness.

With a freshly sharpened plane set for a light cut you should find this pretty easy, but as the plane dulls some in use you may start having trouble again. You can keep working with a few tricks-

Wax the sole- reduces friction and makes the plane easier to control.

Skew the plane a bit as you start the cut - reduces the sudden shock of the entire blade engaging at once, makes it easier to control.

Focus pressure on the front knob. As I start the cut basically all of the downward and forward pressure is coming from my left hand on the knob, and I am essentially pulling the plane into the cut by the knob.

[David Eisenhauer]

FYI Billy: Old saying, "sharp fixes everything". While not completely true, many of us re sharpen a tool as the first step in trouble shooting a problem. Me? I would sharpen the iron, back the iron off so that it is not cutting at all, then slowly advance it so that it starts cutting. I also wax the sole, skew the plane some when having trouble starting and look for some indication that I may be planning against the grain. Probably just try planning the other direction fairly early in the situation.

[Billy Trinh]

Thanks all. I'll sharpen the blade and try again with your suggestions. Waxing the sole and skewing the plane helped but I couldn't get the plane to go straight to the end of the board (even when going with the grain). I saw hairline mark left behind by the plane edge where it's not cutting full board--Maybe I'm trying to cut too deep? So 1/16" for chipbreaker to blade edge (had mine set for about 2 hairline), what's proper spacing between the blade edge to the front sole?

[Tom Trees]

<p>
Hello Billy The frog should be all the way back, open as possible, flush with the casting, as nowadays it is widely accepted that setting the cap iron tight is the ultimate method of stopping tearout, as Warren Mickley has been saying for donkeys years....Look up David W on youtube for proof of the infulence of the cap iron, he has gone to much trouble to show this technique in video format and the afformentioned wood central document, anyone who disagrees has been in a cave. You cant push the plane if the cap is set tight and the mouth is closed up. And YES your blade is most definatly dull, as youve said you have to skew the plane for it to cut. Thats when you know youve been slugging it out for way too long. Trying this plane out again with a sharp iron will be very pleasing, no need to set the cap tight until the last few passes. I actually have a slight camber on my jack plane 5 1/2, and a lesser camber, bearly noticable for the cap iron effect on the other 5 1/2 Have fun Happy Christmas Tomas</p>

[David Eisenhauer]

Billy, if I understand this - "I saw a hairline mark left behind by the plane edge...........", do you mean the outer edge of the plane iron left a faint track in the wood where the wood you are working on is wider than the plane iron? If so, this is called "railroad tracks" by some (can be/usually both sides leave the track) and can be mitigated by slightly "rounding off" the corners of the plane iron when you sharpen the plane iron. It is a common occurrence on a finishing plane that needs the plane iron corners relieved. Does the area between the plane iron and the cap iron become jammed up with shavings? If so, the plane quits cutting when there is no place for the shaving to go and the plane will just skate over the wood. Did you try and back the iron off to the point where it stops cutting and then bring it back out for a very shallow cut? Does the end of the board (where you cannot plane through) include any knots? Again, a sharp iron and a light cut should do it. I cannot go back to your original post to see if you already provided this info, so sorry if you did, but do you have any experience with sharpening chisels and/or plane irons? Lots of times new woodworkers do not know what "sharp" really is until someone shows them and this may still be the problem. "Dusty" plane shavings are scrapped shavings rather than cut plane shavings.

[Billy Trinh]

Thanks for the tips. I can make shaving now! Sharpened the blade until it shaved some hair (original didn't), waxed sole, skew angle, paper thin setting and I can take full width shaving on soft and hard wood (a bit harder). Checked the plane manual and it can adjust .003 per quarter turn of the knob--very nice. I poked around with restoring old plane & sharpening few years back but can never adjust it right. I can take a few swipes if I feel the itch to make shaving now . Marry Christmas everyone. IMG_4980.JPG

[David Eisenhauer]

Outstanding Billy and away you go. Merry Christmas to you as well.

[Patrick Chase]

Thanks all. I'll sharpen the blade and try again with your suggestions. Waxing the sole and skewing the plane helped but I couldn't get the plane to go straight to the end of the board (even when going with the grain). I saw hairline mark left behind by the plane edge where it's not cutting full board--Maybe I'm trying to cut too deep? So 1/16" for chipbreaker to blade edge (had mine set for about 2 hairline), what's proper spacing between the blade edge to the front sole?

1/16" for the cap iron for now, while you're debugging basic cutting mechanics issues.

At some point as you develop you'll get your basic mechanics all sorted out and you'll find that tearout has become a significant issue. That (and not before) is when you will want to start playing with ultra-tight cap iron sets. You'll also want to research cap iron leading edge profiles when you do that, as that's at least as important as the setback. The cap iron in your LV "classic" #4 actually provides a very good starting point (better out of the box than the "solid-style" cap irons in the newer LV custom planes and most other new planes on the market) but it can still benefit from some tweaks.

"Two hairlines" actually isn't far off the mark for difficult wood. Here's one of mine that's right about at that level: https://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthr...0-Cap-iron-set.

[glenn bradley]

Well done Billy. Merry Christmas.