I purchased a Stanley 4 1/2 smoothing plane on ebay for about $100.00. The plane arrived in decent condition pretty much as advertised, but the sole of the plane was more beat up that I thought it would be. The bottom is not perfectly flat and has an area about an inch behind the blade that is actually depressed. I think this was probably how the plan left the factory years ago. So, I decided to try to flatten the sole of the plane using various grits of sandpaper on a granite block. After hours of work and dozens of sheets of sandpaper, I’ve improved the sole but it is still not perfect and I can still see the depression.
I do not consider myself an expert in planes but understand that one of the keys to a properly tuned plan is a dead flat sole. So, my question is: can anyone suggest a better way to flatten the sole than what I’m doing. At this rate, I will be too old to use the plane by the time I’m finally done.
Perhaps I should have just spent the money on a new Lie Nielson!
Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Larry Ciesla
http://www.larryciesla.com
Replies
How large an area are we talking about for the depression?
Luckily, the area 1" behind the blade is not crucial for the performance of the plane. You want the area in fron the blade and at the toe and heel to all be co-planar, but other areas - especially small areas can be depressed (concave). If they stuck out (convex) that would be a different story.
The "dead flat" chanters are a bit possessed. Absolute perfection is not required.
So how the plane performs, and let us know. A good sharp blade and decent set up, are much more important thatn having a super machined sole.
Larry,
On another forum, folks were talking about thsi approach being more harm than good. One has to be carfeul with sand paper. Precision surface grinding they felt, was best.
Samson is right- the real performance problem area on plane soles is the "wear" the spot just in front of the mouth. This region can actually wear from use. If you are getting good contact there, count yorself lucky and save your elbow grease for woodworking.
Adam
There are several threads here in the past few months where this has been really well hashed out.
Just search under hand plane flattening, fettling plane soles etc. I am not getting into all that again.
If you want to go "affordable" and " inexpensive" you could try this guy
http://www.marcouplanes.co.nz/index.php/home
And if you get an inheritance, heck just sell that second car and ride your bike to work ( I do ), then try this guy:
http://www.holteyplanes.com/index.htm
I had to fettle my Lie-Nielsens so if you want a real hand plane talk to the above gentlemen. Cheeper than a piano. About as much as a real bicycle. Hey the good stuff costs and always has.
roc
Hi Larry
Just to repeat and reinforce what others have said: a depression behind the mouth is inconsequential. The area (even just a 1/4") immediately in front of the mouth is important in a smoother since this holds the wood fibres flat for those important cuts. Then you also want the plane to be coplanar between the toe, mouth and heel. In fact, between these areas you can have a depression - that is how Japanese planes are designed.
In my opinion it is quite OK to lap a sole on sandpaper - as long as you use the correct technique. It is essential that you hold the plane flat and push down over the mouth area, and not along as if planing. The latter may cause rocking, which will leave the sole looking like a banana.
However, before you do any lapping, first try the plane - if may just perform as you hope it would. A good sharp blade is the most vital ingredient in a plane, especially a smoother.
Regards from Perth
Derek
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled