Forgot the cap screw slot

[Richard Hutchings]

I'm building a wooden jack and in my haste to get something done last nigh, I forgot to cut the slot for the cap iron screw. I think I can cut it after the fact with a little swearing and hating myself. Being a Krenov style plane, I had also thought to make the cross bar with one flat side, that won't be happening either. Oh well, plane number one is almost done. Next time I get in the shop, I'll get some pics of this baby.

[Dennis Droege]

Hang in there. I can't speak for you, but stuff like this is part of how I learn--

[Jason Buresh]

One of the marks of a true craftsman is not that he doesn't make mistakes, but how well he fixes them.

Looking forward to pictures!

[Derek Cohen]

I had also thought to make the cross bar with one flat side, that won't be happening either.

Why? And what did you do instead?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Richard Hutchings]

It's further along then this but I worked right up to the buzzer this morning and didn't take more pics. I planed the exterior, cut the slot, made a wedge and stated laying out for the pin. I'll take more pics tonight. The dark looking wood is just the dirty bowling lane wood that hasn't been planed in this picture. Everything will be maple except maybe the pin.


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[Richard Hutchings]

Why? And what did you do instead?

Regards from Perth

Derek

I had seen a pin somewhere that was square with round ends to fit in the cheeks. I thought it was a good idea. Hopefully I'll make more planes and experiment some more. This one is going to be a round wooden pin.

[Richard Hutchings]

I keep trying to do the hand tool thing only but I guess I'm not quite there yet. My saws aren't sharp enough to crosscut in a reasonable amount of time, hence I need a saw vise. I can't plane end grain on this plane for the life of me. I sharpened up my cheap block plane and set it for the lightest cut I could make and just wore myself out trying to get it flat. I squared it up on the TS. It may be because the I have 4 pieces of wood with grain going in every direction. My next plane will be made from one solid block.

[Rob Luter]

One of the marks of a true craftsman is not that he doesn't make mistakes, but how well he fixes them.

i guess that makes me a true craftsman. I’ve had a lot of practice fixing mistakes and have gotten pretty good at it.

[Derek Cohen]

I had seen a pin somewhere that was square with round ends to fit in the cheeks. I thought it was a good idea. Hopefully I'll make more planes and experiment some more. This one is going to be a round wooden pin.

Don't.

You cannot jamb a wedge against a round pin. The wedge will eventually develop a groove, and you will then struggle to tighten it sufficiently.

The Krenov plane is famous for laminated sides, but the true genius of Kenov was his pin, when was shaped into a triangle, with a flat side which trapped the wedge. Here is one I made ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/BuildingaKrenovSmoother_html_4d0ead90.jpg

Instructions to make this is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/BuildingaKrenovSmoother.html

If you cannot do this, the next best method is to file a flat on a round steel rod - perhaps not a wooden dowel, since this could be weakened by the removal of thickness.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Richard Hutchings]

Don't.

You cannot jamb a wedge against a round pin. The wedge will eventually develop a groove, and you will then struggle to tighten it sufficiently.

The Krenov plane is famous for laminated sides, but the true genius of Kenov was his pin, when was shaped into a triangle, with a flat side which trapped the wedge. Here is one I made ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/BuildingaKrenovSmoother_html_4d0ead90.jpg

Instructions to make this is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/BuildingaKrenovSmoother.html

If you cannot do this, the next best method is to file a flat on a round steel rod - perhaps not a wooden dowel, since this could be weakened by the removal of thickness.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I've been considering this and I think I'll just remove one side and make it right. It's only wood and glue. Thanx

[chris carter]

I have a jack and jointer with the cross-pin & wedge system. Both of them have round cross-pins. Neither one has developed any sign of a groove in the wedge (red oak) and they are my two most used planes. If, after 10 years, they do develop a groove, that is easily rectified with a few swipes of a smoothing plane. In other words, I would not worry about it.

[Richard Hutchings]

That's encouraging. I think I'll just go ahead with this plane. My next one will have this feature.

[Winston Chang]

You don't need to file away much of the cross pin -- even a small flat will give you much more contact area than a completely round pin, and won't compromise strength too much.

An aside: I'm currently making a plane out of a single block, and I can say that it is much more difficult than making a laminated plane. You still need to cut out the mortise for the cap iron screw -- but on top of that, you have to cut out the entire mortise for the blade.

[Richard Hutchings]

I was going to cut the sides from the same block. That would at least maintain grain direction.

[Ron Hock]

Richard, we've sold hundreds (thousands?) of plane kits, and I've built many planes, all with a simple 1/2" dowel for the cross pin. Works fine, not one complaint from a user after all these years. Even with a relatively soft maple wedge and no flat on the pin (it does flatten a wee bit with use). I also advise making the whole plane from a sole-worthy wood (jatoba, jarrah, bubinga if you can get it) to eliminate the need for a separate sole plate. The sole plate and the pivoting cross pin add a quantum level of difficulty to what is a fairly simple build otherwise. Good luck!

[Richard Hutchings]

I'm glad to be making this one from scrap as the mistakes are piling up. I bored the hole too low and I'll have to make new longer wedge which I wanted to do anyway. The drawing I followed didn't give a dimension for the pins location so I decided it would be best down low near the action.

The blade and cap I'm using are from an #4 Dunlop and the cap screw protrudes through the back a little. I can't decide if I should grind it flat or make a groove in the wedge.

I went to make the pin on my lathe which I just got back from my SIL and I couldn't find the spur drive. Amazon says I'll have it tomorrow. I guess I could stop at the big box and get a 1/2" dowel but what's the fun in that.

When all is said and done, I don't think this plane is going to give me any feelings of pride so I'm just considering it a prototype and learning experience. I have learned a lot from this simple project and my next one should go together in a couple of evenings or mornings before work or honey do's get in the way.

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[Winston Chang]

The blade and cap I'm using are from an #4 Dunlop and the cap screw protrudes through the back a little. I can't decide if I should grind it flat or make a groove in the wedge.


A screw sticking up is pretty common -- many blades have a screw that sticks up a little bit. I suggest just cutting a bit of relief area on the back of the wedge.

Here's the back of a wedge for a plane that I'm currently building.

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