Plunges

[Boatbuilder]

I know there has been many thread where guys are having problems with their plunge cut. I usually can do a decent job on this but yesterday I was having issues. I had just changed the glass on my platen radiused the edges quite well. I use a Bruce Bump carbide guide for my plunges and one side went real good and the other side wouldn't quite get right to the file guide. What happened is the glass slid over about 1/16" inch when I installed it and was not square with platen. So when I tried to get in the corner the file guide was hitting the metal platen and not allowing the belt to get right up to file guide. I took the platen off and trued up both sides on the surface grinder and re-radiused the corners of glass platen and all is better now.
Jim

 

[Willie71]

I had the same problem earlier this year.

 

[Jason Fry]

Me too, I had to cut out part of the platen arm to get the file guide to fit in on the left side. Every solution creates a new problem

 

[Bruce Bump]

Me too, I had to cut out part of the platen arm to get the file guide to fit in on the left side. Every solution creates a new problem

Don't feel bad, I had to machine the left platen mount on my Burr King to use a file guide. I've used most all the file guides out there and none of them worked on it including mine.

 

[Grayzer86]

I also had to grind out some of my platen holder to allow me to get clearance with the guide that came with my bubble jig. That said, it was totally worth it to have my plunges be consistent on every knife.

 

[ate1675]

i like to use a piece of tape for lining things up and those paperclips that are like a springy triangle with the handles flung out sort of like "curb feelers" I,m using a 1x30 with no speed control, not sure if this would hold up on a bigger machine.

 

[HallHandmade]

You know, the funny thing is that the less attention I pay to my plunges, the better they come out. Lately I've been using a piece of scrap steel superglued on at the plunge line (more compact than a file guide, gets in the way less), and just concentrating on keeping the top of the grind line straight as well as the edge thickness. As long as you do that, the plunge seems to just resolve itself.

I don't always use a file guide, depends on my mood and how good everything is going that day. Even when I don't, I still find that any specific attempt to modify the plunge just makes it worse. I find myself better off with concentrating on my overall smoothness and alignment on the grind overall, and then just work my way back towards the plunge every once in a while to keep it moving along nicely.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

The scrap steel + super glue worked really well for me. I'm also using a 1x30. The belt jumps around a little on (what passes in China for) a platen so it's all still iffy, but far better than freehand without a work rest.

I need to clean it up, but having more pressing issues atm.

Making a knife seems to be a series of problems that need fixed as you move along. I guess it's how you solve them that makes or breaks it.