Flattening the sole of a wood plane

[Brian Hale]

I recently aquired a 21" wood hand plane and the sole needs flattening. Is there a Best Way to do this?

BTW, it's marked with SCLOTO WORKS 21 on the front edge and i can't find anything on the 'net about it. Ever heard of them?

Brian :)

[Steve Wargo]

Brian,
Scioto Works were the Ohio Tool Company's 2nds. But still a pretty good tool.

[Brian Hale]

Thanks Steve...... It's a little beat up and the "I" looked loke an "L". The blade is stamped Ohio Tool and seems to be laminated steel.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Brian,

I've been told to do it on a joiner or with another plane. The mouth will open up doing this. It is usually suggested inlaying a piece to close the mouth.

I have a book I think Grahm Blackburn is the author that deals extensively with woodies. I''lpost the title when I find it.

[Dick Latshaw]

I recently aquired a 21" wood hand plane and the sole needs flattening. Is there a Best Way to do this?
As indicated above, if the plane needs a lot of flattening, pass it over a jointer or hand plane. If it just needs a little, tape a 4x36 or 6x48 100 grit sanding belt to a flat surface (top of a table saw) and sand until flat. Cut open the belt first, of course.

[Brian Hale]

Thanks guys!!

The jointer was my first thought but something said to ask first. As for the mouth opening up, the plane already has a triangular piece set into it the width of the mouth and about 2" forward. I'll need to make a new one as it's cracked in a couple places and held in place with 2 brads, bad for the jointer.

Brian :)

[Zahid Naqvi]

Hey Brian, Bob Smalser posted detailed step by step instructions on resoling a wooden plane some time ago. I am sure if you search "resoling wooden plane" you will find it. There is a section about fitling with the mouth.

[Pete Beewood]

There's also a little bit of info at http://www.handplane.com/archives/57

[Bob Smalser]

Jointing a badly out-of-true sole will only open up the mouth. In these days of modern glues and power jointers, inlaying graving pieces is a waste of time. Joint the sole, laminate on a new, thick sole, chisel out the throat, then simply joint the new sole until you have the mouth you like, finishing it and the throat with files. Fast, easy, and a better, longer-lasting job than chopping a mortise for fragile graving piece.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=8351&highlight=rehabbing+woodies

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4029780/49867301.jpg

[Brian Hale]

Well, i removed the broken diamond shaped piece (Graving Piece??) in the sole and jointed it flat. Since the piece i removed was ~1/4" thick, i may just put a new one in and see how it goes. I considered making up a few different sizes out of aluminum and setting a threaded insert into the body to hold them in place. It's Real Real slow at work and i could knock out several in a couple hours.

Bob, i like your idea about resoling it. I'll give that some thought.

Brian :)

[Bob Smalser]

Bob, i like your idea about resoling it. I'll give that some thought.



Hardly my idea, but it makes so much more sense in time and quality than chopping a mortise, I don't understand why folks continue to do throat pieces at all any more on bench planes.

But on a molding or spar plane where a graving piece does make more sense, by all means use the Forstner bit and lathe to make an efficient repair so you can quit fooling around with your tools and get back to work. ;)

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4959362/77727094.jpg

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4959362/66063398.jpg

[Tim Leo]

For a guy who professes to not have very many tools, Bob sure has has a lot of tools to take photos of...

(Bob said,'I don’t believe in owning tools I don’t use regularly, although I probably own more than twice as many hand tools as the men who taught me. How few tools those old professionals owned would shock today’s woodworkers. But I don’t need much.')

:rolleyes: