Ask Smitty



	Ask Smitty
	MAY/JUN 2004 Volume 47/Issue 3 *IN THIS ISSUE* Project Articles • Hanging Glass Door Cabinets • Outdoor Duckboards • Adjustable Plant Shelf *DEPARTMENTS* • Ask Smitty • Owner’s Gallery • Letters from Owners • New Baby Workshop Calendar Academy Notes The Ins and Outs of Using Woodturning Chisels Service Pointers Shopsmith Jigsaw Troubleshooting Safety Tips All about Respirators and Dust Masks What's New Check out our New Online Accessory Catalog *EDUCATION* • Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You • National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH *ONLINE CATALOGS* • Online Accessory Catalog • Request Printed Accessory Catalog • Online Replacement Parts Catalog *MARK V INFORMATION* • Find A Shopsmith MARK V Demo Near You • Request MARK V Information Package *LINKS* • Links Worth Visiting • Free Woodworking Tips *FEEDBACK* Contacting Shopsmith Copyright 2004. Shopsmith, Inc. All Rights Reserved
				ASK SMITTY! Here are the questions . . . and SMITTY’S answers for this issue!
				Using a tapered India slip stone to hone lathe chisels From J.P. via email: I recently honed my lathe chisels for the first time (I'm new to woodworking). After using the Shopsmith Sharpening Kit, I then proceeded to hone all of the flat chisels with a flat stone. In the past, I had purchased a tapered India slip stone, part number 731029...but no “how-to” literature was included with the stone. I searched the Sharpening Chapter in the Power Tool Woodworking textbook and also website honing tips but have found nothing on the proper use of tapered slip stones. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated, including the possibility of a fixture to secure the tapered slip stone for safe use. There really is no “secret” to using these stones (which are for use ONLY with curved-edge chisels such as Gouges and Roundnoses). Just lubricate the stone with a good quality honing oil, hold it in your (non-dominant) hand, concave side up and go to work, as you would with a flat stone. Lay the convex edge of your chisel onto the stone's concave surface, while doing your best to maintain the proper edge angle. Push the chisel slowly forward across the stone's surface, while rotating it to be sure you hone the entire edge equally. Turn the stone over (convex side up), and repeat the process on the opposite (concave) edge of your chisel. Unfortunately, because of their tapered shape, there really is no “guiding” device that can be used with these stones. *Thickness Planer is burning* the workpiece** From Judy L. via email: I enjoy using my new Shopsmith Thickness Planer and am actually saving money by purchasing rough lumber and sizing it myself - just as you said I would. A few times, burn marks have appeared on my workpieces from using the Planer. Any suggestions? There are two primary causes for this problem: 1): The feed rate you're using is too slow for the stock ---- or 2): Your planer knives are dull. Solutions: 1): Increase your Planer's feed rate setting ---- or 2): Check your Planer Knives for sharpness and sharpen them if necessary. Your burn marks should stop appearing. Life of re-ground Thickness Planer Knives From M.S., via email: How many times can my Shopsmith Thickness Planer Knives be re-ground before they should be replaced? Thickness Planer Knives are a lot like auto brake shoes and drums. In this case, they should NEVER be re-ground to less than 11/16" wide. Using Knives narrower than this can be dangerous and narrower Knives should be discarded immediately. Keep this limit in mind if you're sharpening your own Knives with Shopsmith's Planer/Jointer Knife Sharpener. If you're sending them out to be re-ground, be sure to tell your professional re-grinder about these limits and advise him to remove as little material as possible each time he grinds them. Mixing white and red oak on the same project From Paul Leech, via email: My question is about finishing. If I build a table using both white and red oak...and a mixture of flat-sawn and quarter-sawn...then stain it with a medium to dark finish...will it look OK? I have been told that white and red oak finish about the same. I'm looking forwasrd to your answer. I have seen hardwood floors with both mixed red and white oak and they look OK. Actually, your question is less about finishing and more about aesthetics. I believe that mixing both White and Red oak, quarter sawn and flat sawn, and staining it in a medium to dark finish, is a mistake...unless you're really wanting a truly “mixed-up” look. However, it is OK to mix quarter-sawn and flat-sawn boards of the same species in a project... just don't mix the red oak with the white oak because the white and red oak will not stain to the same color. The red oak will have more of an open grain and a pinker color than the white oak, while the white oak will have a closed grain and be lighter in color, since its closed pores won't absorb the stain as well as the red oak. It's also important to note that there are some species of white oak that are actually brown in color and will be darker than the red oak. Generally, mixing the two oaks In furniture is not advisable. Sorry I don't have better news for you.