How to Use a Planer With Rubber

Plane rubber with an adjustable mouth block planer.

Planing is just one method used to carve rubber sculptures and rubber blocks used for printing projects. A large block of rubber must be planed to flatten the surface, prior to carving it for a stamping or printing project. A general-purpose block plane is suitable for use on natural rubber or synthetic rubber. Planing is a method used to flatten a surface and remove layers of rubber from a mostly flat surface. Rubber is naturally tacky and, if the surface is untreated, the plane does not move smoothly over its surface. The plane "sticks" and "hops," resulting in gouges and an uneven surface. The key to planing rubber is to keep the surface smooth and friction-free.

Things You'll Need

• Talcum powder
• Adjustable mouth block planer

Instructions

1. Coat the rubber's surface with a thin, even coat of talcum powder. Sprinkle talcum onto the surface and distribute it evenly with the palms of your hands.

2. Place the plane surface at the edge of the rubber block, with the cutting edge at the very edge of the rubber. The flat surface should face the floor. Firmly grasp the knobs or handles on the top of the plane. One is positioned at the front of the plane, and one at the rear.

3. Apply moderate, even pressure to the plane, and slide the planer across the rubber's surface with a swift motion. Do not hesitate or stop mid-way across the rubber. Move the plane at a steady pace until it slides off the opposite side of the rubber block.

4. Plane off the entire surface of the rubber. Remove the rubber in parallel strips. Remove one thin strip with each pass. Apply additional talcum powder if you need to remove an additional layer from an area that is already planed.

5. Eliminate slight irregularities by planing the rubber's surface using strokes perpendicular to the first round of strokes. If you planed in a north-south pattern to remove the first layer, use an east-west stroke pattern to remove the next layer.

Tips & Warnings

• When planing a surface, be conservative with the amount of rubber that's removed with each pass. You can always remove additional rubber with a second or third pass.

• To remove thin slices of rubber, adjust the plane mouth so the cutting edge is at a tight angle, relative to the flat surface of the plane. There should be a small gap between the edge of the cutting edge and the plane's flat surface. The adjustment method varies, depending on the precise plane model. Some use a lever that fits into notches. Raise the lever to increase the angle, and lower it to decrease the angle. Others have interchangeable wedges. If you use a wedge model, select a 5-degree-angle wedge or smaller.

• Always grasp the handle or knob when using the planer. The knob is positioned in a manner that enables you to apply even pressure to the cutting edge. If you grasp the plane frame or other components, the planer's surface does not remain horizontal. This causes the cutting edge to travel deeper and deeper into the rubber, or it may skip out of the rubber, resulting in irregularities.

• Use caution when handling the plane. The cutting edge is sharp.