Plane Help Needed

[Byron Trantham]

I have three Stanley planes, a #4, a standard and low angle block plane. How do you adjust them? First the #4; do you turn the brass knurled knob when the "pressure lever" is tight or loose? How close to the edge of the blade is the chip breaker supposed to be? Second, the two block planes seems to be the same as far as adjustment is concerned and for me more problematic. I see two adjustments, the front can be moved forward and backward opening/closing the gap between it and the blade and the second one (brass knob) seems to move the blade forward/backward [depth of cut?]. Again, do I make "depth adjustments" while the blade is tightened? How much gap should there be? I have been using these planes for a while now and am getting more enthralled with heir ability. Adjustment has been haphazard at best. I would like to know what causes what and when to do it - blade tightened or loosened, narrow or wide gap.

[Michael Gabbay]

Byron - I'll jump in and give you my 2 cents of advice...

"First the #4; do you turn the brass knurled knob when the "pressure lever" is tight or loose?" You want to make the cap lever tight enough to hold the blade from moving but not so tight it is hard to release the lever. That way you can adjust the blade without having to release the lever.

"How close to the edge of the blade is the chip breaker supposed to be?" Usually on my smoothing planes I set the chipbreaker to about 1/16 of an inch.

"Second, the two block planes seems to be the same as far as adjustment is concerned and for me more problematic. I see two adjustments, the front can be moved forward and backward opening/closing the gap between it and the blade and the second one (brass knob) seems to move the blade forward/backward [depth of cut?]. Again, do I make "depth adjustments" while the blade is tightened? "
For block planes you need to ease off the cap by loosening the spin wheel. Just enough so you can move the blade but not too much to release the blade.

"How much gap should there be? I have been using these planes for a while now and am getting more enthralled with heir ability. Adjustment has been haphazard at best."
The mouth opening should be set based on the amount of cut you are making. The deeper the cuts the wider the mouth. I would start with a narrower opening so that there is about 1/16 or less clearance with the blade. The shavings will pass through and minimize tearout.


Also when you set up the plane a little trick I learned (probably the most common trick) is to take a 1/2 inch wide piece of hardwood and plane on the left side of the blade. Then do the same on the right side of the blade. What you want to get are equal thickness in the shavings. It's best to start this with a very shallow cut. You just want whisper thin shavings. Adjust the lateral adjustment on the blade to make the shavings equal thickness.

There are some good books in the library that you might want to read. One is by Garret Hack - The Hand Plane Book.

Finally make sure the blade is very sharp. Either the scary sharp method (uses sand paper) or stones are a good choice. Leonard Lee has a good book on sharpening.

Hope this helps. Once you use a nicely tuned plane there is no turning back!

Mike

[Byron Trantham]

Michael,
Thanks for your response. I was big help. I have been in the shop playing with them. Trying different adjustments and have determined that when they are set right they really work well. As for sharpening, I will use a Tormek system. Again thanks for your input.

[Richard Gillespie]

Byron;

Welcome to the slope. It's all down hill from here. By that, I mean one hand tool leads to another.

Hand planes are a favorite of mine. Yet, what I don't know about them would fill books. However, there are a few things I'd like to suggest. The #4 plane is intended as a smother. The cut for a smother is usually very fine. You therefore want the distance from the leading edge of the mouth to the blade to be just large enough to allow the shavings to pass, let's say .010" or so. In addition, the opening should square across the plane and the leading edge of the mouth be perpendicular or slightly greater the 90 degrees to the sole. All of these assist in having the shaving break as it comes off the blade and chip breaker. The breaking of the shaving is needed to lessen or eliminate tear out on the surface.


There is a school of thought that feels there should be a slight convex shape to the leading edge of your blade. I agree with that but you'll have to work that out for your self. I will say, I've seen some comparisons of edges produced by the Tormek grinder to edges produced by water stones and scary sharp and the Tormek leaves a more ragged edge.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Michael,
Thanks for your response. I was big help. I have been in the shop playing with them. Trying different adjustments and have determined that when they are set right they really work well. As for sharpening, I will use a Tormek system. Again thanks for your input.

Byron, you don't want to use the Tormek for the final sharpening. After the Tormek you will still need a water stone or scary sharp for final honing/polishing.