Blade adjustment on Wooden Planes

[Richard Gillespie]

While doing a search for previous posts on blade adjustments for wooden planes I ran across an excellent thread on the subject. It was titled "Wooden Planes anyone?!?", posted by Mark Kelly on March 18, 2004. It goes to the heart of the problem I've been having. Adjusting blades, with a hammer, gives me fits. Either the blade is too shallow or too deep.

To go over the technique I've been using (or lack there of), I'm using a very small iron ball peen hammer weighing about 10 oz.s. In this case I'm talking smoothers with blades, chip breakers and wedges. Initially, I set the wedge and blades loose in the the plane on a flat wood surface (work bench). I then secure the wedge. This tends to drive the blade deeper than I want it. After tapping the back end of the plane the blade becomes too loose or too shallow. I then start tapping the end of the blade and or the wedge to start engaging the wood and correcting any mis-alignment. Just as the blade starts touching the wood and cutting fluff, I hit it too hard and now the blade is too deep.

By now, I'm once again very frustrated. I'd like to hear in detail how some of the wood plane experts set their irons. Maybe I'm just using the wrong hammer.

With the problems I've had, with wood plane blade adjustments, I've stayed working with my metal body planes which I understand much better.

[Steve Wargo]

I use a wooden mallet to set my plane irons. Also set your iron so that it is just shy of the sole after you tighten the wedge. Then after the wedge is set, just give the iron a few light taps. I think that a 10 oz hammer may be O.K. for a smotther or jointer plane, but I think it is way too heavy for adjusting a wooden molding plane. I'm aware that this is not the traditional method for setting plane irons which involves, tapping the front, and back and blah, blah, blah. But this is the method that I use and never spend much time setting the iron. Hope this helps.

[Mark Singer]

Starting with the iron and wedge loose, place on a board.....let the iron just contact the board. Tighten the wedge a small amount by tapping the wedge. Now lift up the plane and visually check it....carefully run your thumb over it...Fine tune the adjustment by tapping the heel , the iron or the toe of the plane. When you set the wedge it will drive the iron deeper a bit so go a little less. Try it on a board and repeat adjusting. If you are not gettiing a full width shaving, tap the iron to the side lightly. A small plastic or brass mallet works very well. Check your thumb for blood;)

[Tim Sproul]

try not to set the wedge too tightly.

Too tight a wedge can lead to difficulties adjusting......I start with the iron recessed and gently move it into position after tapping the wedge snug.

[Richard Gillespie]

Tim, Mark and Steve;

Thanks for the helpful hints. This morning before the rest of the house woke up, I was able to slip out in the shop and work with the two planes that were giving me fits. By the time I had to quit one was giving great results, the other was showing improvement. I'll get it yet. I'm a stubborn old blankly blank and hate to give up on anything.

Again, thanks very much!

[Pam Niedermayer]

Assuming you're using a western plane, whenever I don't feel like putzing about, I use a hardwood plane setting block. This is just a piece of flat hardwood on which I place the plane, insert iron (just let it drop to the block), insert wedge, tap in the wedge. This will most likely be the perfect position for planing.

Pam