Sometimes when I’m using my molding planes, the bottom of planes will heat up and put off a horrible odor. It smells like musty old burning wood….it smells terrible! I try not to plane too fast so that the wood won’t heat up but sometimes I can’t prevent it, especially when the profile of the blade is finishing the cut. Is there anything I can put on the bottom of the plane (like an oil or wax) to prevent the smell?
Replies
I have never experienced this but after some consideration I think perhaps these steps would help:
To save time maybe work with one plane until you achieve success.
• Disassemble the planes, then wash the parts with soap and water then dry them immediately.
• Rub some bees wax all over the planes because it is nice smelling and may seal in further emissions to some small degree.
• Lubricate the bottoms of the planes with candle wax or carnauba paste wax ( bees wax works but candle etc. is slicker, harder and will last longer.
If these do not help then you may want to disassemble again and wash the planes down with paint thinner which will dissolve more of the old build up on the planes. It may be a shame to remove too much of the patina right off because of aesthetic reasons.
A final thought. If that doesn't take care of it maybe you are smelling burning bug spit, ( shellac ), and a thorough wash down with denatured alcohol where the blades get hot is in order.
Any way, sounds good doesn't it ? Good luck.
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Thanks roc, I'll give it a shot.http://www.mvflaim.com
One of my sources for how to clean old fine furniture, not for a highly valuable antique (in that case want to keep all the crud/patina ), is this guyhttp://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Wood-Finishing-Charonne-woodworking/dp/091880406X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260163164&sr=1-1rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Roc,
Pricey book, a few cents under $69.00. It must be out of print? But it does find 23 used copies for starting at about $5.00. I've never tried the used books from Amazon. I've found a lot of good deals at Half Price Book though.
What if you pick out one of those aroma therapy candles, it could produce one of those Zen like moments, while cutting a nice sharp profile.
Taigert
I've bought several books used on amazon. I've been happy each time. Sometimes the condition is in line with what I expect, other times they have drastically exceeded my expectations. I've yet to be disappointed. Delivery takes a bit longer...it they say three weeks it will probably be every bit of that. Try it and don't bother buying 'excellent'.
MattNo representation without taxation
The book I was looking at is close to $70 new vs. $6 used. I think I'll try it
Taigert
You can also try Half.com. They are a part of Ebay and have really good deals on new and used books. I've sold dozens of books on Half over the years.
The trick with Half is if you buy a book from somebody who has low but good feedback (200 Positive), you're buying a book from a fellow woodworker and not a book store. People will generally ship faster than businesses.
http://www.mvflaim.com
Edited 12/8/2009 6:46 pm ET by mvflaim
Mike,
It sounds like something to check out
Thanks
Taigert
The book shipping on Amazon via the cheapest way is humorous. Especially from the East Coast.For instance the e-mail indicating the book has shipped says something close to this for estimated delivery date:It may take five to seven days for delivery but can be fourteen days unless it is twenty one days or longer.That is not much of an exaggeration. Once I called and asked them how can it take more than fourteen days from the East Coast to Colorado when I regularly get packages like clock work from California in three days.UPS regular ground but still. I mean do they tape the package to the back of a lame turtle and point him towards the Atlantic ocean or just how do they achieve this miraculous extra week and a half or more ?Once the turtle died ( I suppose ) and I never received the book but I had to wait past the twenty one days to be sure. The seller took care of me and all was satisfactory in the end.Over all I have had very good results ordering second hand books from Amazon/their affiliated suppliers. One thing I try to do now, but takes more time before I order, is to watch for a copy in the state I am in rather than East Coast. Saves energy any way.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Roc,
There is a theory about books. When you read a book, you take the knowledge out of it. The next person who reads is can't remember what they read, because the knowledge has been extracted. Therefore, the only thing to do is to buy new books. Libraries are useless.Hope that helps.
Mel
PS I love theories.Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
>useless.<As in resistance is useless?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj_kwq-q3dghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENgdM87Cqjg&feature=relatedI really must be more careful when traveling near Libraries. I never realized what danger I was in.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Taigert:Search by title at Abe Books, http://www.abebooks.com -- it's a consortium of book dealers. They have it listed from about $5.40 and up, plus shipping.Leon
Leon,
Same price as Amazon for used
Thanks, I gotta give it a try,
Taigert
Michael,
I would add one to Roc's list:
- Check underarm deodorant.
I might be the planer and not the planees.
:-)
I think you're on to something Chuck. Only after I vigorously plane and produce body sweat, does the smell start. I think I now know why my wife doesn't want to be around me when I come out of my shop.
http://www.mvflaim.com
A little too much garlic in your diet, perhaps? ;-)
probably too much Taco Bell
http://www.mvflaim.com
I, too, was going to suggest careful cleaning and waxing, Michael. But, it might be necessary to store the planes for a couple of years in the clean, sweet-smelling New Mexico air, where my shop is located. ;-)
Now there's an idea! The musty, humid, smog filled air of Cincinnati is probably the reason for their stench. Thank you for the kind offering for my abused planes. Just don't blame me when your friends stop coming over because your house stinks. : )
http://www.mvflaim.com
I haven't heard of this before. Can you tell what finish might have been on the planes? Are they all from one source or are you finding this on planes from a variety of locations? I'd like to see a photo of both the toe and sole of one of the worst offending planes if that's possible. Linseed oil does support fungal growth and I'm wondering if you're not smelling toasting fungi from a linseed oil finish? If so, the fungi growing in the oil will be pretty deep in the wood.It is easy to cause scorching of a molding plane's sole, especially when the iron isn't uniformly matching the profile. I've smelled scorching wood and scorching shellac in the past it's been when I didn't have an iron properly shaped--well there was the time in a workshop where a guy tried to use my smooth plane as a rabbet plane and I'm surprised he didn't set a fire with rubbing sticks of wood together. Still, that was definitely more of a burning wood smell.
The only thing I can think of what it could be is; every time I buy an old molding plane, I protect it by wiping a coat of Kramer's Antique Improver onto it. I don't what exactly is in Kramer's (otherwise I'd make it myself) but maybe there is an ingredient in it that when heated, puts off an odor???
Also sometimes when I get to the end of cutting the profile, the plane will leave a brown streak onto the wood. The streak doesn't come from the where the cutter is cutting the profile but rather where the bed of plane acts as a stop for the cutter. It'll be a brown residue streak onto the wood underneath the profile. What creates that streak is beyond me. I'm not sure if it's leftover oil residue from the plane or the wood fibers being compressed that they leave a streak for some reason.
If I get some time I'll upload some pics of the streak so that you can see what I'm talking about.
http://www.mvflaim.com
You might need to do a nano-biopsy and subject it to a mass spectrometer analysis to be sure. ;-)My guess would be that, over time, you may be getting some oil transfer from the iron to the base of the plane, perhaps softening the preservative you applied (Kramer's). Over the years, it's also possible that all sorts of atmospheric contaminants (smog, cigar smoke, who knows what) have either absorbed into the wood, or attached themselves to the surface. Cleaning (re-surfacing) back to bare wood may ultimately be the only sure solution.
If you would fly your planes in fresh air only and on sun shiny days, they shouldn't mold or stink any more.
Edited 12/12/2009 11:38 pm ET by Tinkerer3
I only have two very old molding planes. I have never experienced a smell of any kind when using them.
Tallo.. as in Mutton fat or just spray on some vegetable oil as a Lub.. Could it be the wood you are using? I doubt it is your plane causing it.
I just watched a Roy Underhill episode - he made a grease box to hold Mutton fat or tallo for tool lubrication. He states in Europe - this fat is always saturated into the planes from constant application during years of use. I guess this is the odor
SA
>Mutton fat<
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Is this necessary ? Who would want that in their shop over a little candle wax ? I used to coat concrete forms with lard and diesel. Makes me gag thinking about it. I was a vegetarian then too. I'm talkin' fifty five gallon drum full of lard. The things a young guy will do to move out the parents house and be on his own!
PS: just keep'in the thread going. I want to learn what was causing/what fixes the plane odor.
roc,
Mutton fat. Not yuuuuuk (that would be for yak fat). Rather, EEEEEEWE.
Ray
Mutton fat. I for one will not like the taste of Lamb FOREVER..
As a child, I was forced to eat my best friend! I never got along with my family after that experience. We little children REMEMBER many things adults know nothing about!
NO, my parents were kind to me.. I do not ever remember being hit.. They just never understood what I had to do...
I guess I was at supper and we had to eat what was on the table..
Maybe so.. I think you are onto something.
I use common bees wax but very expensive these days. Anybody know how the common Honey Bee is doing these days.. We loose the friendly honey Bee and no more plants!
“[Deleted]”
Yes, I agree, there is no way to do without the spectrometer, we only managed to solve it. Usually there are just difficulties with the selection of the spectrometer, here you need to be extremely careful and understand that the quality of measurement may depend on it. We personally took the portable spectrometer from Elvatech and so far I have no complaints about its quality, because I often had to find some applications for it, especially it was very suitable for work. Measuring, for example, the amount of lead in paint is important to avoid buying harmful and poor quality paint. We always scrutinize this point in the company.
Wow, ten years after the original post. The smell must really linger.
Might be the mold on the moulding plane heating up and Letting off fumes.
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