Flattening a wooden plane

[Dan McGonigle]

Hey guys, a while back I bought a 22” wooden jointer plane at a swap meet. I’ve read up on flattening the sole and the possible need to repair the throat if it becomes too wide. I was just going to run it over the jointer a few times. However, the sole appears twisted. Should I just joint it flat as planned? Or would it be smart to register the side of the plane against the jointers fence to flatten it 90 degrees to the side. I don’t plan on using this to shoot with but also don’t want to alter the geometry or feel of the plane.

[Jim Koepke]

One advantage to having the sides at right angles to the sole is when using planes for a while one tends to know as they go if they are square to the work. If all your planes are kittywampus you never get a feel for what is right.

If you can get good and square with your power jointer, then that may be the best way for you. For me if the sole is twisted an already tuned plane would be used to knock down the high spots and then it or another plane would be used to flatten the sole.

Depending on how open the mouth is it would either be left as is or some method of closing it would be considered. A jointer is a plane that usually isn't in need of a tight mouth.

jtk

[Warren Mickley]

I use a smoothing plane to true the sole, only planing the high spots. You want to remove as little material as possible. Using a jointer would remove way too much material. Even a long hand plane taking full length passes will remove a lot more than just a smoother on the high spots.

Before planing the sole, survey the surface with a straight edge and winding sticks to form a map of the high spots. If there is wind and say the front left and back right need to be worked, you have choices. 1) plane diagonally 2) plane mostly the front left 3) plane mostly the back right. In this case I would check the squareness to the sides to help pick the best option. Otherwise don't worry about squareness.

If the sole is convex in length, whatever you do, don't plane the ends; those places are already low so you want to preserve them. If the sole is concave, you have some leeway as to whether to plane mostly the front or mostly the back, so check the height at both places. Use restraint.

We usually call a 22 inch wooden plane a try plane; a jointer is longer yet.

[Roy Turbett]

I'd consider using the jointer for the right side but I'd mount sandpaper to the jointer bed and flatten the sole the same way you'd flatten the sole on a metal plane. Easier to guard against taking too much off and you could still use the fence to keep things square. Plus the bed on your jointer is probably flatter than the set of the knives.

[steven c newman]

371328
Flattened the sole....I did have to file the opening a bit
371331
As it was a bit crooked...
371333
Rasp to file the bed of the iron, until the opening was square..
371334
Checking for any high spots.....not much of a level, but a decent enough straightedge.
371335
Test drive.

[Mike Holbrook]

I made several planes from Purple Heart. I bought multiple sticky sand paper coarsnesses from Higland Wooworking. I attach them to my table saw top or other flat surfafe and sand away. Easy way to ease edges too. I believe Steve Knight suggested the idea.