Replies

1. 
   roc | Aug 17, 2012 10:29pm | #1

   These Planes are Cool Stuff

   Sounds like yours are pretty far gone though.  Usually the tuning of one is almost invisible amounts of correction.

   Here is one source for info

   http://japanwoodworker.com/page.asp?content_id=2659

   Here is one heck of a great source but you have to go out and buy it or wait for it to be delivered to your door.  One of my all time favorite books though.

   http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Woodworking-Tools-Tradition-Spirit/dp/0941936465/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345256540&sr=1-2&keywords=toshio+odate

   The sole flattening scraper plane may be missing a "chip breaker" plate.  I don't have a scraper plane.  The Odate book will show you what you need to know there.

   PS: the body of the plane is called a dai.

2. 
   davidweaver | Sep 24, 2012 11:04am | #2

   Working with what you've got is a good place to start.

   mjonrichards83 wrote:

   I recent came accross four used Japanese hand planes, a chamfer plane, sole flattening plane, smoothing plane and and smaller (i am guessing herer) smoothing plane.  I do not know the maker, but will publish some pics later.  All the blades were in great condition, show little wear and had little to no rust.  I bought each plane for about $40 excepet for the sole flattening plane I got for $35.  So the two smoothing planes have little twist in the sole and just need to be flattend.  The chamfer plane is in perfect condition.  The sole flattening plane's has a flat sole, but the seart for the blade is to loose.  I can actually push the blade with my hand to the point where its about 1/8 is prodruding from the sole.  I am not sure if the orginal owner kept the blade fully seated all the time and the wood slowly expanded around the blade or they tried to make some adjustments and removed to much material. 

   So I am unsure what I should do next.  Can I modify the cradle or will i need to purchase a whole new base?  If I can not fix it, maybe I try to build a new base for it?

   If the blade is protruding an eighth, you may be able to build up the bed of the scraper plane dai to get a snug fit for now. It doesn't matter what you use, as long as it's reasonably uniform. For small corrections, tape and paper can be found in older japanese planes, but you'll probably need more help.

   Whatever you do, keep your efforts focused on what's *under* the blade and leave the abutments (that snug on the opposite side) alone. As you progress, you can make a replacement dai for the scraper iron.

   When the bodies dry, they usually make the iron more snug, especially laterally, but in general.

   It may be that the iron that's placed in the dai isn't an original match, and it may be that a job of tuning the plane was botched.

   Maybe you can try a few business cards between the iron and the bed to get an idea of how much of a correction is needed. it is not a plane you're going to use often, probably only on the soles of the other planes.