Hand plane issues

[maximillian arango]

Problem one

I picked up this number 3 about 2 years ago and today I finally had the chase to put this one to wood, still needs a little more cleaning up but the strangest(most annoying) thing, the blade doesn't get pass the sole of the plane. By the time it gets close the depth adjuster either binds up from it pinching down on the lever cap or the depth adjustment screw runs out of threads. After much frustration I had the idea of taking the blade and cap iron out of my other #3 and dropping it into this body, it worked! After closer inspection I noticed the slot for the depth adjuster is lower on the cap that came with the blade, is this not the original cap? Aside for filling and putting in a new slot any way to fix this or should I begin my search on ebay?

Problem blade on the left (https://photos.app.goo.gl/Iho1E3SjBPpeoAF93)

Problem B

I moved about a year ago and during the move the cap iron(these cap irons will be the death of me) came loose from the plane and bent the tip where it mates with the blade; now the plane keeps having shavings getting wedged between the cap iron and the blade making it unusable. Any suggestions on how to fix it?

Thanks!

FYI cap iron is chip breaker for me

[Jim Koepke]

Maximillian, in an old thread of mine there are a few things that can be done. A little is covered in an early post and more is covered starting with post #27 if my memory is working.

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

In your case it looks like it may be too short. It is hard to add metal to something that is too short. It could be used for a breaker on a scrub plane with the edge of the cap iron further back from the blades edge.

Your best bet might be to find a raplacement cap iron. For your side of the continent Patrick Leach comes to mind. Probably many other places one could be found.

One the other side of the rainbow if you ever come across a #2 that needs a cap iron you might be able to file this one down to size without much trouble.

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

Your best bet might be to find a raplacement cap iron. For your side of the continent Patrick Leach comes to mind. Probably many other places one could be found.

As a rule Patrick Leach only deals in tools, not replacement parts.

The last time I needed something like that I worked with 'nhplaneparts' and had good luck. Obviously you can get a "premium replacement" cap iron from the usual suspects, but that shouldn't be necessary and IMO isn't of much real benefit (and Warren would argue with considerable justification that it's a step backwards).

[Pat Barry]

Regarding problem B - you should be able to straighten that bend back to where it belongs without too much difficulty using a metal vise. You can work it a bit with hammering to get it closer and then file a straight edge back so it mates properly with the blade.

[steven c newman]

Have had a few cap irons come through the shop, some with double slots. Where someone had taken the cap iron from a transitional style of plane, and adapted it to an iron bodied plane. OP's might have come from a Stanley #22, or a Liberty Bell #122.

[Brian Holcombe]

You may need to adjust the frog if the chip breaker is seating correctly.

[steven c newman]

One other option....cap iron MIGHT have been from an old Pexto/ Worth plane? The ones with the steel frogs..
373152
Worth on the left, Fulton on the right.

[maximillian arango]

Frog is seated correctly, if I put another blade from my 5 1\4 or other #3 they fit just fine well within the adjusters limits. I'm going to put a tight diameter profile and use it as a scrub for the time bro while I look for a replacement cap.

[maximillian arango]

I'm going to guess you are correct with it being from another another plane, I'm going to use this as a scrub and once I find a new cap i will chip the cap up for a new marking knife or something.

[lowell holmes]

https://www.google.com/search?q=lee+valley+cap+iron&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS772US772&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj8-I3-pPnXAhVj7IMKHVzbDcQQ_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=974#imgrc=8Y4rE6bujBHxYM:

check this.

[maximillian arango]

Its so hard to spend so much on a cap and blade when I'm in 10 bucks for the plane(9 dollars for the sole and 1 dollar for a cracked plane), I was mulling those over or Hock's stuff. We'll see if I get desperate, but being I have a good working 3 already I will be more then able to wait it out.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm going to guess you are correct with it being from another another plane, I'm going to use this as a scrub and once I find a new cap i will chip the cap up for a new marking knife or something.

The cap iron is made of soft steel and will not make a very good marking knife. Save it for use with the scrub blade. For the longest time it seemed my work wouldn't have any need for a scrub plane. Then just for the heck of it converting a #5-1/4 with cracks at the mouth in to a scrub plane converted me.

jtk