I bought one of the Lee-Valley low angle block planes a year or so back.
In general, I'm very happy with it but lately I've started to have an
interesting problem with it.
I generally keep it set for a very small cut, with the blade just barely
sticking out and the mouth closed down to a sliver. What I've started
noticing lately is that after I've used it for a while, the mouth tends
to close down until there's no slot left at all (at which point it stops
cutting). I tighten up the mouth adjuster knob as tight as I can (by
hand), but it keeps slipping closed slowly.
Anybody seen this before?
Roy Smith <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Conan the Librarian <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I've had a similar problem with block planes before, but I finally
> > realized that I was causing the problem with how I gripped the plane.
> > If you put your index finger on the knob, it's possible in use to
> > actually loosen the knob.
>
> Hmmm. Interesting thought, and that may indeed be exactly what I'm
> doing. But, isn't that what the knob is there for? It's even got a
> nice index-finger-tip-sized depression machined into the top of it to
> encourage such use.
Yes, it is the best pace for your index finger to go (and I assume
it is intended that way). You just need to be aware of the fact that
you can wind up torquing it enough to loosen it. Play around with
your grip and notice what your finger does when it's in position.
Chuck Vance
On Thu, 13 May 2004 08:45:03 -0400, Roy Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
> Conan the Librarian <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I've had a similar problem with block planes before, but I finally
>> realized that I was causing the problem with how I gripped the plane.
>> If you put your index finger on the knob, it's possible in use to
>> actually loosen the knob.
>
>Hmmm. Interesting thought, and that may indeed be exactly what I'm
>doing. But, isn't that what the knob is there for? It's even got a
>nice index-finger-tip-sized depression machined into the top of it to
>encourage such use.
If you haven't already put a slight bevel on the leading edge of the bottom of
the mouth, that might help.
JP
Take off the sliding mouthpiece and make sure that there is no crud in there
or file off any burs on the mouth puiece or the mating surface.
Idunno, but that is the first place I would look.
-Steve
"Roy Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I bought one of the Lee-Valley low angle block planes a year or so back.
> In general, I'm very happy with it but lately I've started to have an
> interesting problem with it.
>
> I generally keep it set for a very small cut, with the blade just barely
> sticking out and the mouth closed down to a sliver. What I've started
> noticing lately is that after I've used it for a while, the mouth tends
> to close down until there's no slot left at all (at which point it stops
> cutting). I tighten up the mouth adjuster knob as tight as I can (by
> hand), but it keeps slipping closed slowly.
>
> Anybody seen this before?
Roy Smith wrote:
> I bought one of the Lee-Valley low angle block planes a year or so back.
> In general, I'm very happy with it but lately I've started to have an
> interesting problem with it.
>
> I generally keep it set for a very small cut, with the blade just barely
> sticking out and the mouth closed down to a sliver. What I've started
> noticing lately is that after I've used it for a while, the mouth tends
> to close down until there's no slot left at all (at which point it stops
> cutting). I tighten up the mouth adjuster knob as tight as I can (by
> hand), but it keeps slipping closed slowly.
>
> Anybody seen this before?
I've had a similar problem with block planes before, but I finally
realized that I was causing the problem with how I gripped the plane.
If you put your index finger on the knob, it's possible in use to
actually loosen the knob.
If that's not the case, you should contact Lee Valley. They have
such oustanding customer service that I'm sure they can figure out a way
to help.
Chuck Vance
"Conan The Librarian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Play around with
> your grip and notice what your finger does when it's in position.
>
Good advice in many circumstances ;)
In article <[email protected]>,
Conan the Librarian <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've had a similar problem with block planes before, but I finally
> realized that I was causing the problem with how I gripped the plane.
> If you put your index finger on the knob, it's possible in use to
> actually loosen the knob.
Hmmm. Interesting thought, and that may indeed be exactly what I'm
doing. But, isn't that what the knob is there for? It's even got a
nice index-finger-tip-sized depression machined into the top of it to
encourage such use.