Resoling planes?

[Michael J Evans]

I have a couple transitionals and maybe a wooden jack I would like to resole. What I'm about to ask is probably the dumbest question, but I just can't wrap my mind around it. I've even read a few different posts / tutorials on it and still don't get it. So as I understand it.

1) joint bottom flat

2) make new sole slightly longer than deepest iron can project.

3) glue

4) chop/pare new mouth opening.

This is where I'm really stumped. The front of the throat is easy straight down. My mind just doesn't understand how if I pare the rear of the throat following the existing bed angle how come the mouth won't just be the same size as it currently is? I mean I would be chopping to the exact dimensions which are already there, so why wouldn't the finished new mouth end up wide like it currently is?

Oh and I guess I have a second question regarding step 2, how much thicker should the new sole be, than the deepest the iron can project 1/8"?

So what am I missing?
Thanks,
Michael

[Kees Heiden]

You don't chop straight down, you follow the bed line. And because that is at an angle, the mouth tightens up. Like in this picture.

365760

Regaring your second question. i f you can meassure the existing mouth and the thickness of the iron, I'm sure one of us could calculate something. You can also make a drawing and work it out yourself. Best is to make the new sole slightly too thick and then plane it until it is just good enough.

Of course, you can also inlet a patch in front of the mouth. That's usually easier.

[Terry Beadle]

Also, make the new sole out of lignum vitae. I've a transitional that I did that to and it's excellent.
The lignum is naturally oily so it whispers on top of the work piece. No wax or oil well required.

Enjoy the shavings!

[lowell holmes]

Mike,

If I were faced with the issue you describe, I would pick one and use it to work the problem.
I fixed my old transitional plane by planing the bottom back to good wood.
See the link below for information on old wooden planes. I would not be adverse to gluing a new bottom section on.
I would attempt to find some basswood however, I don't disagree with Terry.

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan4.htm

I have four modern wooden planes as well as an old Jack. They were made by Steve Knight.

I don't use them much, but maybe I will. I like the feel of the planes.

Also, Kees gave you good advice.

[Jim Koepke]

I have a couple transitionals and maybe a wooden jack I would like to resole. What I'm about to ask is probably the dumbest question, but I just can't wrap my mind around it. I've even read a few different posts / tutorials on it and still don't get it. So as I understand it.

1) joint bottom flat

2) make new sole slightly longer than deepest iron can project.

3) glue

4) chop/pare new mouth opening.

This is where I'm really stumped. The front of the throat is easy straight down. My mind just doesn't understand how if I pare the rear of the throat following the existing bed angle how come the mouth won't just be the same size as it currently is? I mean I would be chopping to the exact dimensions which are already there, so why wouldn't the finished new mouth end up wide like it currently is?

Oh and I guess I have a second question regarding step 2, how much thicker should the new sole be, than the deepest the iron can project 1/8"?

So what am I missing?
Thanks,
Michael

Hi Michael,

Have you looked in the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

In section 9 are a couple of old posts by Bob Smalser on rehabing old wooden planes.

The images are still good in the first post. It seems some are missing from the second.

jtk

[Pat Barry]

I tend to think basswood is too soft and lignum vitae is too hard for this purpose. I would go with beech if I could find it or hard maple. Maybe in the endit don't matter all that much for this but it is a wear surface.

[steven c newman]

365828
Note the sole on this Stanley jack plane? This was how much it had worn down. Added a wedge shaped slab to get the thickness of the body the same all the way along the length.
365829
I glued on a piece, a bit oversized, then planed it all flush.

I used just old Barn wood fir as the wear layer....100 year old fir will wear a long time...
365830
Seemed to work nicely as a Jack plane...

[Stewie Simpson]

I tend to think basswood is too soft and lignum vitae is too hard for this purpose. I would go with beech if I could find it or hard maple. Maybe in the endit don't matter all that much for this but it is a wear surface.

As Pat mentioned, both Basswood and Lignum Vitae are suspect choices. Basswood is too soft, and Lignum is not only an overkill in hardness, its oily nature is best dealt with by the addition of a machined interlocking joint. http://www.wood-database.com/lignum-vitae/

Note the following as a good example of a laminated Lignum Vitae sole.
http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/graphics/ece_701p.jpg
Moving onto the subject of including a Wear angle at the front mouth opening, I recommend you read the following article by Bob Rozaieski. http://brfinewoodworking.com/wooden-plane-throat-geometry/

To avoid raising the grain, the underside of the wooden sole should have its grain direction favouring toe to heel.

regards Stewie;

[Michael J Evans]

You don't chop straight down, you follow the bed line. And because that is at an angle, the mouth tightens up. Like in this picture.

365760

Regaring your second question. i f you can meassure the existing mouth and the thickness of the iron, I'm sure one of us could calculate something. You can also make a drawing and work it out yourself. Best is to make the new sole slightly too thick and then plane it until it is just good enough.

Of course, you can also inlet a patch in front of the mouth. That's usually easier.

Thank kees, your drawing made the light bulb turn on.

[Michael J Evans]

I went to my local hardwoods supplier today and picked up some beech. I read up on lignum vitae and to me it sounds way over kill. Not saying it wouldnt make a badass sole, but they didn't carry it and I figured if beech was good enough way back when then it works for me. I believe I got flat sawn, just picked a piece that had all vertical grain, with no change of direction or anything.

Speaking of which, since I bought it rough, I was trueing a piece for a sole today and wow does it plane well. I've never worked beech before, but compared to some white oak I was planing the other day, it's a dream.

[Michael J Evans]

Hi Michael,

Have you looked in the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

In section 9 are a couple of old posts by Bob Smalser on rehabing old wooden planes.

The images are still good in the first post. It seems some are missing from the second.

jtk

Jim,
I've read through the stickies multiple times and looked quite a few of Bob's post about it. It just wasnt clicking in my head for some reason. Kees post cleared it right up.
Thanks

[Michael J Evans]

I tend to think basswood is too soft and lignum vitae is too hard for this purpose. I would go with beech if I could find it or hard maple. Maybe in the endit don't matter all that much for this but it is a wear surface.

Pat,
When I asked the supplier I went to about beech, he went on about all the good qualitys it has and was suprised more people don't use it.

[Michael J Evans]

Stewie,

Thanks for that article. I have never examined my wooden jack (fore)? Enough To know there was a wear angle. I just sharpened the blade and flattened the sole and it preforms beautifully for rough hogging off material.

[lowell holmes]

IMO, beech is preferable, but hard maple will work also.

[Brian Holcombe]

Beech is great for this application.