It’s Open Wire today, where you can ask Chris about his awkward woodworking gang signs (see above), and any other woodworking questions you might have. (I’ll chime in as time and necessity allow – but I’m teaching a Dutch tool chest class in our shop today, so my internet time is limited.)
Open Wire runs from now until 5 p.m. Eastern. Just type your questions in a comment, and one of us will answer – and you’re welcome to share your knowledge with answers, too! If we don’t get to your question right away, give us a little while, please. Chris is busy building another chair, surprise, and I am busy showing folks how to cut dados and rabbets today.
The Open Wire dates for 2026 are:
February 28
April 18
June 20
August 8
October 19
December 12
– Fitz
How wide of a shaving should I be getting out of a number 4 plane cambered correctly? I’ve been struggling with getting rid of plane tracks while also keeping a wide shaving.
I found an old pop wood article where I believe you mentioned an inch wide shaving but wanted to confirm
Smoothing planes should give an almost full width shaving that tapers at the edge to nothing!
Give your blade about 10-20 light pressure strokes on each corner as you’re sharpening the blade. This should do the trick! Also, a very light cut should be used when smoothing!
The resulting cuts should be wispy thin as you are trying to get a smooth/glistening surface and not introduce any tear out!
Light cuts will also help eliminate those little stutter cuts when you first start your plane into the board!
Should you still get those little stutter marks at the start, try skewing your plane to start the cut and then straighten into the pass!
Lastly, use wax on the sole or make yourself an “oil in the can wipe” (see Paul Sellers) to help smooth the passes of your plane on wood!
Best of luck to you!
What Don says is good advice. Personally I don’t shoot for a full-width shaving because I generally use that plane with two settings:
So my blade just a little bit more curve. On the finishing setting, it’s probably 1-1/4″ wide.
This past year I completed my first piece of stick furniture that had arms, the Curved-Back Armchair from the first edition of your book. I was asked if I could build one for a fellow woodworker club member’s brother. He’s a diabetic and 300lbs. We’re looking at adding 2 inches in seat width. Question(s): 1) Should I keep the original placement of the leg mortises or move each out 1 inch? (back sticks would be adjusted accordingly); 2) Your latest revision increased the size of the legs to 1 3/4 and switched from tapered to conical tenons. Current plan is to increase to 1 3/4 but retain tapered tenons. I’m using red oak strain grain blanks from Alexander Brothers. Is there a need to increase the size of the back sticks by an 1/8?
Happy holidays! For linseed oil paint do you still mix in 10% of mineral spirits?
I haven’t used it for a while – I’d probably have to experiment before getting back into it. Perhaps someone who has used it more recently and often can comment here.
Yes. But we recommend you read Mattias Hallin’s longform story on linseed oil paint.
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2024/02/11/linseed-oil-paint-notes-from-overseas-from-an-experienced-user/
We are also working on a forthcoming book on linseed paint that focuses on what woodworkers (as opposed to house painters) need to know.
Thanks for everything you do, the information and inspiration are all super valuable!
I believe you have mentioned that you sometimes use a Veritas PMV-11 blade in your Lie-Nielsen #4. Does the L-N chipbreaker fit the Veritas blade, or did you get a Veritas chipbreaker with your blade as well? Thanks!
We both now have PMV-11 blades in our LN No. 3s – with the LN chipbreaker
I’m about to build my first full chair, inspired by your Irish-American armchair from the Stick Chair Book (already glued up the seat blank).
I thought I remembered reading in a Open Wire earlier this year that you planned to add Gibson chair drawings to the newest version of the book, but I may have just dreamt it. Didn’t see any in the latest copy; am I crazy? If so, any plans to release them in the near future? I might be convinced to pivot to a Gibson if you do, or maybe I’ll just add it to the list of future projects and stick to the current plan.
Either way, thanks for all you do for the craft!
I was going to add the Gibson to the book, but it was getting out of hand and the book would never be done. So I skipped it.
I’m revisiting the Gibson this year with some simplified techniques from my video on the chair. But probably not until April or May.
Happy Holidays!
In using the Auriou rasps (9 and 13 grain) for shaping chair parts, I have build up clogging the teeth. What’s the best way to keep the tools working at optimal condition?
Thank you.
You need to keep the teeth clean. As I work, I knock the rasp against the bench every 10 strokes or so to knock off the loose stuff. When the rasp seems to slow down a bit, I brush out the teeth with a stiff-bristle brush (basically a VERY stiff fingernail brush). When things are really packed in there, I’ll use a brass bristle brush (no it’s won’t hurt the teeth; they are much harder). And if that won’t do the trick (this has only happened once), I soak the teeth in mineral spirits for a few hours and then brush them out.
You’ve written previously about the “shop finish” (varnish, BLO, mineral spirits). Do you still use this for anything or has it been superseded by the buck naked finishes? If it still gets pressed into duty, when do you reach for it?
I just used it on a piece that’s in the next issue of Fine Woodworking, because we wanted a little more protection on it. So yes!
struggle getting a perfectly straight edge when I grind a blade, especially wide ones. I usually end up with small indents here and there when I hold up to a straight edge.
Any tips to grind a little straighter or “joint” the edge once it’s close as I can get it?
There are jigs, of course, that can guide you.
When I have to remove damage on the edge. I scribe a square line across the back of the blade (behind the damage). Then I hold the blade 90° to the wheel and grind the tip until I get to the line (all this with photos is in “Sharpen This,” a free download here: https://lostartpress.com/collections/books/products/sharpen-this). Then I put the blade flat on the tool rest and grind the bevel until I have a thin thin thin thin flat at the tip. Then I remove that thin tip on the sharpening stones. The honing guide keeps/makes the edge straight.
When I grind to simply reduce the primary bevel (because the secondary is too big), I grind the bevel until the secondary shrinks to almost nothing. Then I stop and go back to the stones.
So really, the honing guide does all the “straightening” work. If this doesn’t make sense, check the images in the book.
Followup rasp question. After using it to you tap it the the oil woobie to protect from corrosion?
Nope. The teeth would rip the cloth. And the cloth would get tangled in the teeth.
I use my Lie Nielsen 7 as my jointer and my shooting plane. Ive decided to get a second blade for it, one to camber for jointing and the other to keep straight for shooting and match planing.
The PMV11 blades are actually cheaper (plus free shipping) than the LN blades. Do you think I’ll irritate the hell out of myself swapping between two blades of different thicknesses?
Probably, yes. But swapping out blades of identical thickness would irritate me….
Can you freeze fresh milk paint?
Thanks
No clue. Ask Nick Kroll. https://www.instagram.com/thehobojournals/
And I’m betting that spraying the rasp with any sort of oil like jojoba would just cause sawdust and chips to stick in the teeth anyway. So how do you keep them from any sort of corrosion?
Hi Chris, Megan and others:
I would like to make craftsman style trim for windows and doors in my house. I haven’t narrowed down a design primarily because most examples I see on the internet likely require use of a shaper. As a hobbyist, I only have access to a table saw, a miter saw and a small router table. Can you recommend any sources where I can look up designs accessible to hobbyists? Do any LAP books discuss these designs and methods to achieve them?
Have a splendid holiday season!
I built a 10 ft dining table last year for our home from walnut. I have nearly finished a stick side chair from poplar and maple that I intend to paint black. I am building it similar to a chair that was my grandmothers. It also will be painted black. I want to build the rest of the chairs from walnut, how do you think it will look mixing painted and natural chairs, also any tips for batching out the parts to build multiple chairs at one time?