Please direct me to Basic Plane Setup and Restoration

[Doug Hobkirk]

I dug out some planes and realized I had some questions, but mostly they were "standard" questions:

Do I install the frog so it's surface and the back edge of the mouth are as perfectly aligned as possible on both sides? Use the edge of the blade or a straight edge? (In other words, it doesn't have to protrude through the mouth)
Should I leave the frog hold-down screws loose enough that the frog can be adjusted after assembly?
How close to the end of the blade should the chipbreaker be set?

I have since found a variety of answers, but mostly around 1/16"
But I find sometimes I need it to be more or less for a particular plane because the adjuster cannot effect full blade retraction (or extension).


Should I wax or oil surfaces like the frog base or ramp?
After I clean and remove rust, what paint works best for user planes? Or is Bob Smasler's gun bluing the way to go.
And so on, and so on...


It seems like most of you probably know all the answers. But I seem to remember there used to be "Stickies" or some other method where someone here had done a nice job an answering questions like this. If so, WHERE IN THE CREEK IS IT?

And if not here, is there SOMEPLACE ELSE?

Thaanks

[Jim Matthews]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?114373-Fettling-A-Plane-from-Junker-to-Jointer

The process is called fettling.
Go figure.

If you lubricate the mating surfaces where the metal parts meets, apply it sparingly.
I use a paper towel with a little machine oil.

If it's shiny, but dry to the touch - that's enough.

If you're repairing a plane for use, concentrate finishing steps on the part you handle.
(The rear handle, front tote and sides should be smooth, with no rough edges or protruding repairs.)

[Pat Barry]

You may want to contact steven newman. He has done lots of plane restorations over the past year or so. He should have some very good tips for you.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Oh no, you asked about chip breaker settings, here we go again... ;)

Seriously though, don't worry that you'll mess something out. The best learning comes from figuring out what you just screwed up. Nothing you are working on there is irreversible, so don't be afraid to just put it together how you think it ought to be. Odds are, you'll be right, and will have learned something about how a plane works. One secret, there is no one right way.

[steven c newman]

I dug out some planes and realized I had some questions, but mostly they were "standard" questions:

Do I install the frog so it's surface and the back edge of the mouth are as perfectly aligned as possible on both sides? Use the edge of the blade or a straight edge? (In other words, it doesn't have to protrude through the mouth)
Should I leave the frog hold-down screws loose enough that the frog can be adjusted after assembly?
How close to the end of the blade should the chipbreaker be set?

I have since found a variety of answers, but mostly around 1/16"
But I find sometimes I need it to be more or less for a particular plane because the adjuster cannot effect full blade retraction (or extension).


Should I wax or oil surfaces like the frog base or ramp?
After I clean and remove rust, what paint works best for user planes? Or is Bob Smasler's gun bluing the way to go.
And so on, and so on...


It seems like most of you probably know all the answers. But I seem to remember there used to be "Stickies" or some other method where someone here had done a nice job an answering questions like this. If so, WHERE IN THE CREEK IS IT?

And if not here, is there SOMEPLACE ELSE?

Thaanks

When i install the frog, I line it up with that little ramp coming up from the mouth opening. At least to start. That way, the iron has support all the way through.
Once the frog is where you want it to be, tighten the two bolts down tight.
For a smoother type of plane, i want to just see a sliver of light between the edge of the iron and the chipbreaker. For a Jack type plane, the same, BUT only at the corners, don't worry about the middle section of the iron. Most Jack plane irons will have a slight "camber' to them. All that amounts to is a slight curve to the edge.
Very little oil, if any. Oil up a rag, wipe on, wipe off. Done. Until the next tune up. Then repeat.

Paint: IF you can find the "Japaning" type, there are two kinds used. Some use a duplicolour Ford Engine Black. I hapen to use Rustoleum Black. Haven't used a gun blue.

Wood works: Wax and BLO mix onto the bare wood, then buff out.

Anything else?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Dang computer posted that last before I finished the post, so here is a bit more.

Yes on the frog, no, tighten the frog screws, chipbreaker setting depends on what you are doing, smoother setup is more like 1/32 or 1/64. I like to oil the surfaces to prevent rust, lightly. If it's a collector grade plane, don't paint it. If you want a good user paint, rustoleum or krylon is ok. Japaning is what the correct stuff is, I don't remember the mix off the top of my head, it requires baking on. It's thicker than the rattlecan, but on a user, it's irrelevant.

Couple other things, you'll hear all sorts of noise about lapping, perfectly flat. Ignore most of it. A properly set plane isn't even touching the wood with most of the surface that these nervous nellys are addressing, it's honestly the most irrelevant "step" you'll hear, IMHO. The only plane that really needs to be lapped perfectly square is a shoot board plane. None need to be perfectly flat. All that being said, you don't want a plane that is 1/8" out, if you have that, get a different plane to start with.

[Adam Cruea]

When I restore a plane for myself, I don't worry about japanning. I just make sure to knock off any surface rust and old gunk. Steel wool is a good jumping off point to knock off surface rust, and WD-40/rust penetrater to get the rust out of screw/bolt holes. After I run steel wool over anything with surface rust, I'll use a drop of pneumatic oil in each hole, run the corresponding screw in until it bottoms out, wait for oil to weep out, then soak up extra oil.

For the bottom/sides, I use a piece of glass with 120 - 320 sandpaper (depending on how bad the plane looks) superglued to the glass. Once the rust is gone (and teh sole/sides are flat), I make sure to flatten the frog/blade mating surface, and if it's a Bedrock, the frog/sole mating surface on the frog. If you have surface rust on the blade/chip breaker, use the sandpaper left over from the sole/side job (hopefully you contact glued it right on the edge of the glass) and get the surface rust off the blade/breaker.

Sharpen blade, proceed to use plane. :) Once I take a few shavings and get it set up, I scribble paraffin wax on the sole and then spread it out with a shop towel all over the sole and sides to keep rust at bay.

[Doug Hobkirk]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?114373-Fettling-A-Plane-from-Junker-to-Jointer

EXCELLENT! This thread should be a sticky IMO.

The process is called fettling.
Go figure.

I searched for "fettle" in the title. No useful results. I should have tried the gerund form.

If you lubricate the mating surfaces where the metal parts meets, apply it sparingly.
I use a paper towel with a little machine oil.

If it's shiny, but dry to the touch - that's enough.

If you're repairing a plane for use, concentrate finishing steps on the part you handle.
(The rear handle, front tote and sides should be smooth, with no rough edges or protruding repairs.)

And thanks for the additional input.

[Jim Koepke]

But I seem to remember there used to be "Stickies" or some other method where someone here had done a nice job an answering questions like this. If so, WHERE IN THE CREEK IS IT?

Many of the old "Stickies" were placed in a new section of "Neanderthal Haven Announcements." The list has one labeled "Sticky: Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs." As the label says there is a lot of the saved wisdom from over the years.

It is important to remember that new information may have changed the perception or even reality of things posted a few years ago.

jtk

[Adam Cruea]

Many of the old "Stickies" were placed in a new section of "Neanderthal Haven Announcements." The list has one labeled "Sticky: Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs." As the label says there is a lot of the saved wisdom from over the years.

It is important to remember that new information may have changed the perception or even reality of things posted a few years ago.

jtk

You forgot your tagline, Jim.

YMMV? :P

[Doug Hobkirk]

Many of the old "Stickies" were placed in a new section of "Neanderthal Haven Announcements." The list has one labeled "Sticky: Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs." As the label says there is a lot of the saved wisdom from over the years.

It is important to remember that new information may have changed the perception or even reality of things posted a few years ago.

jtk
Ah, Jim Koepke himself!

First, thanks for taking the time to make such a useful posting. You consciously included info to expand the relevance to other types of planes. It's no wonder it took you quite a while to post it all. I have read through it twice and it seems to answer all my questions. And I've never seen such a beautiful description of removing the pin from the frog. So thanks. And thanks for your other special effort posts - your auger post increased my knowledge by a factor of about ten (I have several pounds of them that I've collected [plus a couple of braces], not quite sure if I will ever use them).*

Second, this particular post is probably one of the posts LEAST affected by the passage of time. I love LN and LV planes, I am fascinated by strange planes like Gary Blum's (http://www.blumtool.com/pages/benchplanes.html), I love the look and feel of wooden planes and hope someday to learn how to comfortably use them. But I find it incredible that one basic design (by Leonard Bailey, I believe) has been so universal and long-lasting - 150 years a with virtually no change? Impossible!

Third, thanks for directing me to the sticky. I knew I had found it in the past. There certainly is lots and lots of useful info in there, including Bob Smalser's amazing posts (his focus on practicality always makes me wonder that he's willing to slow down enough to take pictures) and Derek Cohen's (how many hours are there in a day in Perth?).**

------------
* I love the Neanderthal forum, but I definitely use my power tools a lot - even for removing and driving screws.
** There are lots of other Neanderthals that grab my attention with their contributions. To all the rest of you, please don't take offense at my ADD brain failing to cite you. I want to encourage all of you to continue.

[Jim Koepke]

You forgot your tagline, Jim.

YMMV? :P

When you get older you will forget things too. :eek:

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

There's a very expensive, but worthwhile course offerings at the North Bennet street school in Boston's North end this Summer.
You'll shorten your trip to competence by investing in something like this. I think a weekend is barely adequate.

If you can take the MBTA in, you'll save on the hidden expense of Boston hotels.

There will be two one-week fundamentals of Fine Woodworking taught by Ryan Messier.
There are also offerings by the inestimable Phil Lowe, out in Beverly.

Phil's the real deal.