Don and all:

There is pretty good evidence that oil-soaked wood loses strength.  Oil as a
surface protector may be OK, and may not, depending, but soaking seems nuts
to me.

Joe

Joseph Sullivan

 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: oldtools-bounces@r...
[mailto:oldtools-bounces@r...] On Behalf Of Don McConnell
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 1:20 PM
To: oldtools List
Subject: Re: [OldTools] finishes for beech planes

Thomas Ellis wrote:

> Anyone have any idea how long it would take a
> plane treated like this with raw oil to dry well
> enough to use?

Almost exactly thirty years ago, I tried this very treatment on a plane
I'd just made. Never again! To this day, if it hasn't been used for a
short period of time, the wedge/iron assembly still tends to stick in
place. And, it has always been harder to adjust than it needs to be
because of the "stickiness" in the escapement.

As to adding weight, as one who has done long planing sessions over
a number of years, any extra and unnecessary weight just adds to the
work load. Consider that many of the 19th century patents for metallic
planes included claims regarding lessening the weight of the planes.
Also, consider that the small amount of weight added by the oil is
completely inconsequential when compared with the downward pressure we
can, and do, apply to the plane during the stroke.

There may be some slight lubricating advantage to this practice, but
keeping some means of lubricating the sole of your planes at the ready
on your bench obviates this.

Finally, as to claims for stabilizing the wood body of wooden planes -
again, I think there is no clear evidence for this. One contemporary
wooden plane maker habitually soaked all of his planes in oil and made
very strong claims about the stability this engendered. After a couple
of years of feedback from his customers, he completely reversed himself
regarding any such claims - and ... quit soaking them in oil. In line
with this, it's been my observation that very few of the antique wooden
planes I've encountered over the years show evidence of this kind of
treatment.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR
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