That question depends a lot on your material. Is it: green or dry? hard or soft? end grain or long?

I'm sure you know, but secondary bevels can be great. They quicken your sharpening, add strength to the edge, and allow one to more easily change the bevel.

My low angle block plane is about 23 deg + 2 deg secondary bevel = 25 deg, and my slick is sharpened the same. My framing chisels are around 30 deg.

If you want good scientific information on sharpening, I suggest you purchase Ron Hock's book, "The Perfect Edge."
http://www.hocktools.com/perfectedge.htm

I'm using the chisels at 30 with a 2 degree micro, and my slick and low-angle block at 25 with a 2 degree micro-bevel. I'm working old white pine and some super mean black ash at the moment. I can pare old black ash end grain like butter.

I don't know what the angle is on my chisel. I do know I like the primary angle to be hollow ground and shallow, not steep, and with a micro bevel, a little less than 1/8" All this comes and goes, like the tide.

Tim

I've been avoiding the grinder,, but maybe it's time. It just seems to take so long to hollow out. I work all kinds of wood,,in all situations,, alot of the time. dry and wet. end grain and with the grain. It's the with the grain thing that I get stuck on. I'm spending alot of time looking at grain these days,, and am getting some results. I just wish the analysis was faster, but I guess that will come with time!

Thanks all!
dave

Understanding wood and the tools takes time, continually educating yourself and experimenting is the quickest way. There are can be many variables to the problems that you are having, if you could give a full description of the problem it would be easier for someone to help you.

Do you use a 2" chisel when working with the grain? I do not. I use my deformed slick, the edges don't dig in and usually the surface left is nice and pleasant to look at. It is not the look I am concerned with, it is that I can attain that point quickly and easily, efficiently.

Tim

Dave,

I understand your frustration when it comes to working the wood and understanding the grain. I started out as a rough frame carpenter who worked for a pole barn company where time was money and we always had to get it done so we could go to the next job. We produced a very nice product, but it was definitely a "production construction enviroment". After I started collecting tools, I did some finer custom furniture and cabinets for my home and a few clients. It was a slower pace and process, but with only making one unit at a time, and then changing over to make something completely different, it was harder to make a profit.

I see timberframing as a process that is smack dab in the middle between making a Windsor chair, and stick framing a 3500 sqft house. Finding the balance between production and craftsmanship is key. And it is ok to slow down a bit...you will be replacing quantity with quality.

Good luck,

Rooster

P.S. What kind of draft horses do you have?

Hi Craig,

What is a "Rough" frame carpenter ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Ken,

He is a carpenter that only builds the stud frame of a house or building, and then a finish carpenter takes it from there. The company that I worked for never drywalled, trimmed, or layed flooring, only stick framing.

Rooster

Hi Craig,

This is the term that the TFG are using to describe their apprenticeship programme and I thought that it sounded a little demeaning of the craft but in the strict light that you describe above maybe not ?

Thanks for that clarification

Regards

Ken Hume