Has anyone modified one of their old planes, by adding the set screws either side of the blade at the mouth as is found on the Veritas planes. It would seem to me this would be an easy modification. Just drill a couple of holes, tap them and add the set screws. I tend to think that limiting the blade travel at the mouth end makes pivoting the blade, the lateral adjustment easier to accomplish and more precise. I bet there are those who think I’m all wrong on this, as I say Lee and some say Lie.
Peter
Replies
Sounds good to me
Peter,
That would be a simple improvement, and effective too. As someone who learned with Veritas planes, I immediately noticed the difference without the set screws. Cast iron is easy to drill, and presumably as easy to tap. Make sure to use cutting lubricant. I think the hardest part would be to find the set screws, which can't be that hard with the internet.
Not sure about the thickness of the IRON to hold the setscrews but I would suggest brass point, setscrews for the job. But then again what do I know?
A tool you buy is just a blank. Make something useful for you
Yes do it. That is what is missing from my Lie-Nielsen bevel up jack. I just have not made the mod yet.
The screws you want are called grub screws. Can get at a well stocked ACE hardware or a Lowes. Or a bicycle shop for the brake spring "centering" adjustment. They come in flat blade screw driver head or in hex , allen, socket head.
Cast iron really doesn't require cutting fluid especially for shallow holes/tap like this. There can be hard spots in cheep cast iron that dulls the bits (sand inclusions ? ) but these planes are high quality so probably no hard spots.
Be sure to use the exact size tap drill recommended. May be a letter or number ( other than fraction of an inch ) or if metric some weird sounding thing like 3.2 mm. I get the tap dirlll bit at a machine shop tool supply.
Yes a person can fudge but you risk breaking the fragile little tap off in the hole; cutting fluid or no cutting fluid.
Let us know how you do it..
I've avoided trying this - as I wasn't sure I'd get the holes coming out in the right spots drilling from the outside. (Though I did see a picture somewhere where a pair of tong-calipers was used to transfer the inside location to the outside when making an infill plane out of a dud #4 Stanley).
Please post how you do it - and pictures always help..:>)
Chris
Hi Chris
You were most likely referring to an artcile on my website where I demonstrated making and installing set screws ...
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/GalootSmootherII.html
Can I paste a picture from my website? Not sure how to do so anymore (I have mentioned this to Gina, who is looking into it) ..
<img src="http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/GalootSmootherII_html_m26d32203.jpg">
Attempting another format ..
<img>http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/GalootSmootherII_html_m26d32203.jpg</img>
Regards from Perth
Derek
Galoot Infill
Hi Derek,
Yes - that is it! Beautiful plane.
I was impressed, and when I next ordered some Lee Valley Veritas stuff I threw in a couple Mujingfang HSS irons (48mm x 3mm - 07P1041) @ $12) to try something similar..
Still on the 'to do' list at this point though..:>)
Thanks for sharing with us!
Regards,
Chris
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