Modifying the sole of a block plane

[Prashun Patel]

I'm looking for a (cheap) way to make a compass plane. I have a Stanley 102 that is the perfect size for smoothing the inside of a chair seat. Has anyone ever ground the sole of a plane to be convex for such an application?

If there is a better (read, less idiotic...;)) way to do this, please advise.

I've used a variety of wooden planes, and I prefer the ease of adjustment of my iron planes.

[Mike Henderson]

I made a wooden one. While it's easier to adjust a metal plane, it's MUCH easier to make a wooden plane. And wooden planes aren't that hard to adjust with a small hammer - it's just another woodworking skill.

Mike

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I feel like you wouldn't have enough "meat" in the sole to do this unless you want a very shallow curvature. However, seems like if it was firmly attached, and you had enough blade length left to extend the blade a little farther (shouldn't be a problem on a 102, I'd think), you could add a supplementary sole, shaped to whatever you needed. Might be easier to modify a cheap junker wooden plane.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks guys. Mike. Do you have any info on how you made yours?

[Jim Koepke]

Joshua expressed the same concern I have, not enough metal in the sole to get much of a curvature.

Have you looked at the #101-1/2?

The interesting thing about this is Lie Nielsen makes a modern copy. If my memory is correct, the LN version is slightly different in curvature than the original Stanley.

I am not sure if there are many variations among all the versions from the different makers or not, but they are a handy little tool.

jtk

[george wilson]

Just make a cheap Krenov type. Glue it up,round the bottom. Cross pin to hold the wedge. I made one in the 70's. Still use it.

[Mike Henderson]

Thanks guys. Mike. Do you have any info on how you made yours?
I don't have any pictures or notes, but as George Wilson said, you just make a Krenov type plane then scribe an arc on the body. Make sure your arc just meets the mouth of the plane (that is, don't cut into the mouth). Then cut the arc on a bandsaw and smooth the sole with sandpaper.

If you want to make sure you don't cut too much, cut a shallow arc and then try the plane. If you need more arc, use a rasp and increase the arc.

Maybe George can make some additional suggestions.

Mike

[Mike Henderson]

One more note - St James Bay tool company used to make a chairmaker's plane (double curverature in the sole). It's bigger than the Stanley version.

Note on terms: I call a plane which has curverature in one direction on the sole - front to back - a compass plane. I call a plane which has double curverature - front to back and side to side - a chairmaker's plane. The chairmaker's plane is used to hog out wood on a wooden chair seat

Mike

[If you make a chairmaker's plane, remember that the iron has to be rounded to match the shape of the sole.]

[Andrew Nemeth]

I made a plane with curvature in two directions out of a cheap stanley plane I bought at a box store. I just used a grinder and old belt sander belts to do a majority of the shaping. I don't recall the exact curvature but I made it to clean up the inside of a strip built kayak I was working on. It was tight enough to get at 80% or so of the inside if the hull. There was not a lot of meat left in the plane after I was done with it but I never had a problem with cracking. I will try to see if I can dig it up if pictures intrest you. Truth be known, I wish I would have used a nicer plane to start with. I remember putting a good deal of time into shaping it and never really feeling like I was in danger of overworking the tool.


-Andrew

[Eric Dritsas]

Bob Smalser has a thread on making a spar plane. It is the inverse of what you want, but I think it will give you an idea of how to make a wooden plane with a custom profile.

Making Spar planes

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=11233

Eric