Source for replacement yoke..?

[Eric Schubert]

I recently purchased some LV PM-V11 blades and chip breakers for my planes. However, the thicker blades mean the yoke no longer properly engages with the slot in the blade for depth adjustment. (I'm not sure it ever really did a great job with it to begin with. Even using thinner blades but the LV chip breaker the lever has poor engagement.) This may also be a reason some of my planes just don't function that well, despite efforts to rehab them.

The couple planes I tend to use most are older Craftsman-branded models, a #4 and a corrugated #7, but I'm guessing they're similar to other common planes of that era, such as Stanleys. I can give more specifics, if anyone feels they'd be relevant.

Does anyone have recommendations or sources for replacing the yoke with a longer one?

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Eric,

Are your planes ones with cast iron yokes or do they have stamped steel yokes?

You may need to find someone who can do some welding to extend your yoke.

In the past others have soldered or welded a piece of metal above and below the slot where the yoke engages the chip breaker. This may be something that can be done with some small pieces of metal and something like JB weld. Whatever adhesive you use other than welding, let it cure for a day or two. You want a bump that isn't quite as tall as the blade is thick. Take care to not interfere with the blade and chip breaker mating. Also make sure it is not going to interfere with the lateral lever's engagement.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Maybe LV should start selling replacement yokes....

[Eric Schubert]

I'll have to check them, but I know at least some of them are two-piece stamped yokes.

I'd prefer to avoid modifying blades, if possible, even if it's more expensive. If I just correct the issue with the short yoke, I can avoid problems in the future if I need a new blade again.

[Joe Bailey]

I'd prefer to avoid modifying blades, if possible ...

I don't think anyone's advocating modifying the blade.
The slot in question is in the chipbreaker.

[Stewie Simpson]

Eric; Paul Sellers wrote an article on this very subject. https://paulsellers.com/2015/02/thick-irons-beware-the-unequal-yoke/

Within the articles feedback was the following recommendation;




I’ve heard of this problem before and a few options are available to resolve the situation. Certainly replacement yokes can be bought (CHT) which are longer and designed to extend further into these thicker blades…I think they are actually made by Clifton specifically to retro fit their thicker blades into older planes.



And here is a link to the Clifton Y -Lever; https://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/acatalog/Clifton-Y-Lever-501.html

[steven c newman]

Have to watch out, though....as all yokes do not use the same diameter pins.....some are larger than others. may result in a sloppy yoke, or a yoke you need to drill out.

[William Fretwell]

Great link Stewie,
Wonderful that someone makes those. The page reminded me that my fairy god mother made both those planes appear in my toolbox after my low angle jack vanished!

[david charlesworth]

I think you could also get a Wood River yoke from some Woodcraft supplier.

The Wood River yoke has been redesigned, (I believe by Rob Cosman) .

The outstandingly clever change is that the top end has a part disc, instead of a tapering peg. This can reduce backlash, as the diameter stays the same as the yoke tilts forward and backward.

Best wishes,
David

[Eric Schubert]

Thanks, everyone! Sorry I didn't respond sooner, been really busy lately. I'll look into the suggestions and see if either of those will work. If so, I'll likely post back with an update showing the new yoke. :)

[Eric Schubert]

I don't think anyone's advocating modifying the blade.
The slot in question is in the chipbreaker.

My bad. Meant modifying the chipbreaker, not the blade. Here's an example of what I meant:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?99429-Plane-Iron-Experiment/page2

[Eric Schubert]

I was able to call up the folks at the Wood River tech department and special order a couple brass yokes for use with the Wood River planes. Supposedly, the WR planes all use the same yokes, so no worries about "wrong" sizes. I just hope they fit the planes I want to use them on. I'll follow up on this once they arrive and I have a chance to install them.

I completely forgot about the pins used to hold the yokes in place. Hopefully I can just drift the existing ones out and reuse them. (I read somewhere they're usually tapered pins held in by friction.)