I have Stanley smooth plane I'm trying to repair. I don't know much about
planing yet.
The sole is roughly ground, and has a few small rust spots. I can see
light shining through in a few spots if I hold a straightedge against it.
I would like to true it.
I was told I could tape a sheet of waterproof sandpaper to a plate of
tempered glass and sand the sole down using water as a luricant and a
rinse. I tried this method, starting with 400 grit paper and taping it as
flat to the glass as I could. After a few minutes I discovered that the
sole was being polished shiny, but mostly in areas at the nose and the
sides at the rear. It was as if the paper was curling up or the plane was
rocking as I rubbed it. Not wanting to round off the corners of my plane,
I stopped immediately.
What's the best way for me to continue? Is there a better or easier way
for me to true this plane at home? Is there a better way to stick the
sandpaper to the plate of glass? Is it just a matter of technique? What
would be the best paper grit size to start with?
Thanks guys,
Adam
"Jacobe Hazzard" <[email protected]> wrote
:I have Stanley smooth plane I'm trying to repair. I don't know much about
: planing yet.
:
: The sole is roughly ground, and has a few small rust spots.
Jacobe might like to look at my web site - Planing Notes - Fettling a Cast
Iron Plane.
Jeff G
--
Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK
Email: username is amgron
ISP is clara.co.uk
www.amgron.clara.net
Jacobe Hazzard wrote:
> I have Stanley smooth plane I'm trying to repair. I don't know much about
> planing yet.
>
> The sole is roughly ground, and has a few small rust spots. I can see
> light shining through in a few spots if I hold a straightedge against it.
> I would like to true it.
>
>
...
> After a few minutes I discovered that the
> sole was being polished shiny, but mostly in areas at the nose and the
> sides at the rear.
...
> What's the best way for me to continue?
http://www.geocities.com/plybench/flatten.html
BugBear
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 04:33:33 -0400, "Jacobe Hazzard"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>What's the best way for me to continue?
Put the kettle on, make a brew.
Then stop worrying about ultra-flat plane soles.
Jeff Gorman wrote:
> Jacobe might like to look at my web site - Planing Notes - Fettling a
> Cast Iron Plane.
>
> Jeff G
Thanks Jeff! I haven't had a chance to read all the relevant sections in
detail, but I can tell your site is a winner. I learned about five
important things at first glance. I'm going to read all the sections when
I have time.
On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:21:21 -0400, "Jacobe Hazzard"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Sticky-up rust is rust that protrudes from the surface?
Yes. If it's going to scratch or to leave dirt behind, that's a bad
thing.
If it's a small hole, it doesn't cause any problem at all.
If the sole is non-level on the macroscopic level, then the jury's
still out on that one.
"Flattening the sole" isn't about making it flat (no pits) it's about
making it level (no hills from end to end). Apart from cosmetic
reasons (if you care) there's no need to remove the small pits.
Whether a plane also needs to be a surface plate is another question.
--
Smert' spamionam
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 22:56:49 -0400, "Jacobe Hazzard"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>it sure would be nice to get rid of those rust spots and make the tool
>look a bit nicer.
Sticky-up rust is a bad thing, so you should blast it with
electrolysis. If you still have recessed shiny pits afterwards, claim
it's the new "fractal corrugation" process for extra-low friction and
better wax retention.
Mainly though, woodworkers should remember which way up the plane
goes. Sharp side down, cutting some wood. Doesn't matter how shrp and
shiny it is, if it doesn't leave you time to use it.
Thanks again guys. I have yet to be disappointed by the helpful readers of
this group.
Here are my thoughts now:
Andy, you're probably right. I'm sure I don't *need* an ultra flat sole,
but it sure would be nice to get rid of those rust spots and make the tool
look a bit nicer. And I realized that the glass was flexing before I read
your post bridger, you're quite right. I used the bottom of my plastic
basement sink (NOT flat) because of the access to running water and the
ease of cleanup. I'll try it again, on a flatter surface and with a
coarser grit paper (I thought 400 would probably be too fine, but I
reasoned that too fine would be a whole hellofalot better that too coarse,
am I right?). We'll see how it goes.
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 04:33:33 -0400, "Jacobe Hazzard"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have Stanley smooth plane I'm trying to repair. I don't know much about
>planing yet.
>
>The sole is roughly ground, and has a few small rust spots. I can see
>light shining through in a few spots if I hold a straightedge against it.
>I would like to true it.
>
>I was told I could tape a sheet of waterproof sandpaper to a plate of
>tempered glass and sand the sole down using water as a luricant and a
>rinse. I tried this method, starting with 400 grit paper and taping it as
>flat to the glass as I could. After a few minutes I discovered that the
>sole was being polished shiny, but mostly in areas at the nose and the
>sides at the rear. It was as if the paper was curling up or the plane was
>rocking as I rubbed it. Not wanting to round off the corners of my plane,
>I stopped immediately.
>
>What's the best way for me to continue? Is there a better or easier way
>for me to true this plane at home? Is there a better way to stick the
>sandpaper to the plate of glass? Is it just a matter of technique? What
>would be the best paper grit size to start with?
>
>Thanks guys,
>Adam
>
Adam-
make sure the glass stays flat.
set it on a good flat work surface- a formica countertop is about
right. make sure nothing is lifting the edges, like the raised drip
edge on a lot of formica counters or a piece of the tape holding the
paper down. glass is more flexible than you might realize. it has to
be well supported...
Tuning a plane is more than just flattening the sole. In fact, that is the
last step.
Scary sharp is the term you need to search on, there is lots of info about
it. Try:
<http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=scary+sharp&meta=> to get you
started.
400 grit is too fine for starting, I suggest 250 then double grits from
there on.
Make sure that the plane is fully assembled and the blade backed off during
the flattening or you will have problems when you try to use the plane.
--
Greg
"Jacobe Hazzard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have Stanley smooth plane I'm trying to repair. I don't know much about
> planing yet.
>
> The sole is roughly ground, and has a few small rust spots. I can see
> light shining through in a few spots if I hold a straightedge against it.
> I would like to true it.
>