Fettling Video of #9-1/2 Block Plane

[Jim Koepke]

This guy takes it to a whole different level:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvZFOyo63Ks

There is an index in the poster's information to allow jumping in at different points of the video.

Oops! I think this may actually be a Sargent plane of the same size.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Seeings how I have a pair of these, I might have to give it a try. Maybe the Stanley made Great Neck one, or the Cordovan 9-1/2? Other than the colours, they are the same planes.

[Jim Koepke]

Steven,

I think this is a Craftsman by Sargent plane.

They are all pretty much the same thing.

This one looks like the adjuster is at a tilt.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Had one of those Sargent #306s. Like the Stanley style better. The mouth adjuster never seemed to be as smooth on the sargent one.

He spent way too much time on the sole, without the sliding part installed. I usually have both in place when doing the soles. You'd want both to match each other.

People get on me for wanting to refurb these old planes, but I do not go to this much trouble with a block plane. Rarely need to, anyway.

Hint: A 9-1/2 sized block plane is about the same size as the flat area on a beltsander's sole. Keep the sole spinning, and it will come out flat. With the adjustable mouth piece in place, too. Just back the iron out enough to clear the sanding.

[Pat Barry]

Interesting video but I didn't catch the xplanation for why the filing kinda flat, then scraping? Why not just file it flat? The part about tweaking the open for the blade and the bearing points was good.

[David Weaver]

It looks like he's a luthier. I think the guy is way out there for going to that kind of trouble, but he made that guitar thing he's playing, it's confirmed.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Good grief, someone needs to tell that guy its just a plane. They don't need to be perfect.

[Kees Heiden]

Yes that was a serious case of overkill. Fun to watch though, in the old times they did precision metal work like that. I also kind of like the textured looks of the scraped surfaces.

But in the end the finest shavings he got where 1 to 1.5 thou thick. That's not spectaulair. There are much easier ways to achieve that kind of precision. And as always, it is more interesting to see how thick a shaving you can get without chattering.

[David Weaver]

I think the scraped surfaces look great, too.

[Pat Barry]

I do think this video actually does demonstrate the proper definition of fettling though. Now when I hear someone say fettling I'll know exactly what they are talking about.

[Derek Cohen]

I enjoyed watching the scraping process. Lots of useful information there. However, the gains he made appear negligible for the effort and, especially, for the areas he targeted (some of which left me a little puzzled). The shavings he achieved, as Kees noted, are not spectacular. Hell, I did as well with the Orange Block Plane! :) In the end I think that he was just enjoying himself bringing a plane to a level of perfection in terms of squareness and coplanarity.

Were the woods he used a test of the plane at all?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Daniel Rode]

His goal was apparently to make the plane as "geometrically perfect" as possible. Judged against that intention, it looks to me like he was successful. Is the block plane a better woodworking tool, as a result? Probably so but I think it could have been made to work as just well with much less effort. Still, it was interesting to watch.

[David Weaver]

He was definitely successful with the geometric issue. I'd assumed given that huge thing he's playing at the beginning that he was hoping to turn the plane into some ultra geometrically perfect jig cutter. But then we didn't see that.

The iron could've covered more territory (in terms of thinness of shavings), but I've noticed the newere CrV irons that come with those block planes have just a bit of hardness lacking (probably so they can be maintained out of a toolbox) and taking 3 ten thousandths of an inch with them for any period of time isn't going to occur.

It does, as I mentioned in another thread, protect the user from wittling away all of their time taking 1/2 thousandth shavings, though.

[Jim Koepke]

And as always, it is more interesting to see how thick a shaving you can get without chattering.

Thick shavings are great for getting the job done.

Thin shavings are useful for accessing blade sharpness and evenness of cut across the width when adjusting the lateral lever.

Usually after dimensioning or squaring a piece I will take a few passes either with a different plane or with the same plane and the blade dialed back a bit.

jtk

[Matthew N. Masail]

I doubt he made a better block plane than any other good one. my LV apron or LN 'copy' are perfect as far as I'm concerned. especially the copy with the mouth opening can take super fine cut off end grain. all I did was flatten the sole and polish\deburr the mouth opening. oh and a good sharp blade.

not that it's not cool, but I think it's more about OCD than anything else. nice music and calm talking make it nice to watch.

[Jim Koepke]

but I think it's more about OCD than anything else. nice music and calm talking make it nice to watch.

Maybe, but there were a few new things in there for me.

I do think making a new eccentric for the mouth adjustment was the OCD clencher, but still fun.

jtk

[Charles Bjorgen]

After watching the video I had to check my Stanley 9 1/2 with a square and straight edge and found it to be pretty much on. Not 100 % but certainly not as bad as the block plane he worked on. The work with files and a scraper was interesting though, something I will store away for future use if needed. The video gave me some ideas for correcting a too large mouth opening on a Stanley knuckle joint 65. Either the movable shoe was replaced or it was shortened during the flattening of the sole. Even if I obtain a replacement shoe it will need metal removed to make it line up with the sole of the plane.