Transitional Bliss

[Alex Carrera]

I just got my first transitional, a #29. After adding a new sole I made from purpleheart and fettling it, I unexpectedly find it to be my favorite plane. The way it glides across the wood is fantastic. Am I in a minority on this one? I couldn't believe how much better it felt to use!

[Marcus Ward]

I haven't bought any transitionals yet but after this post I think I will pick one (or ten) up.

[James Davis]

Could you send along some pictures? I have seen several in shops around and stayed clear because of the condition of the sole.

Thanks,

James Davis

[Bob Smalser]

Could you send along some pictures? I have seen several in shops around and stayed clear because of the condition of the sole.



Resoling transitionals, the best kept secret in hand planes:

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

[Alex Carrera]

I carefully jointed the bottom of the original sole, till I got a clean mouth. Then, I took a piece of purpleheart that was a bit thicker than I wanted, cut a 45 degree notch on the table saw and then glued it to the bottom of the body, being careful to align my notch with the body of the plane. I then jointed it until I got a mouth opening that I liked. I made this one a bit on the larger side, as it's a foreplane and I'm taking thicker shavings. After that I cut two rabbets on either side of the bottom and laid two strips of purpleheart to close the sides of the mouth. I smoothed it after that.

Additionally, I finally picked up a hock blade today for one of my #4s, and it really makes a tremendous difference. I didn't realize how much better it would be. I've included a poor photo of a purpleheart shaving I would never have been able to get with the stock blade.

[James Davis]

Alex and Bob, these pics and descriptions will probably send me off in another money consuming direction. But, like someone else said on another thread, the wife will get some nice stuff out of this deal.

James Davis

[Alex Carrera]

That plane cost me about five bucks. The difference in friction is amazing between that and the metal planes (the longest that I have is a #5). And, it's easy to fix if it ever gets messed up again.

BTW - sorry for the cellphone pictures.

[Marcus Ward]

Do you wax the soles of your metal planes? I've found that makes a HUGE difference in friction. Not that I am saying wood doesn't slide better. I'm going to buy some transitionals and full woodies to play with soon, your post and Bob's are great motivators.

[harry strasil]

LOL, I use all Woodies for demo work, in the basement shop is another set of tools a bit more modern, with all transitionals except for a few specialty metal ones. get a box of emergency candles for a buck at dollar stores, keep it handy, just use the bottom of the candle and make a light wavy line from side to side on the sole and hang on to the plane so it doesn't fly out of your hands at the end of the stroke, works good on hand saws as an antifriction agent, as well as on mortice chisels and ordinary knife blades when cutting cardboard and such. works on table saw tops, bandsaw tables. any place you need antifriction, drawer slides etc. Bees wax works too but is a little stickier when its hot do to its lower melting point.

Oh yeah, I do have a K8 and a sargent jack but never use them, an assortment of other metal planes relatives and people have given me, but they in a storage box somewhere.

Next time you want to improve the sole of a woody or a transitional, remove the iron, run thru your tailed jointer till the bottom is good,(within reason), then using a guide, run your tailed router across the mouth area side to side, and make a suitable dovetailed key of appropriate wood and glue it in place, easy to redo the mouth with a sharp chisel to your specs.

[Marcus Ward]

Does the wax have any effect on finishing?

[harry strasil]

it would leave a residue if you used it on the plane for the final cut, but you don't need it for the final cut, just when hogging off material.

[Alex Carrera]

I have a can of minwax finishing paste that I use on practically everything. My metal planes are all sanded to 400 grit and waxed, and it's just not as smooth as the woodie. I think that the purple heart helps. I lightly scraped it and waxed it, and it's slick as hell.

[Chuck Hamman]

...make a light wavy line from side to side on the sole and hang on to the plane so it doesn't fly out of your hands...

No kidding Harry! Tonight I was working up a sweat sizing some rough cut cherry and I remembered your tip. I almost torpedoed the 608 across the garage! Sure made that work a lot easier. Thanks.

-Chuck

[Bob Smalser]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4029780/274572643.jpg

Just don't let it get out that Blood and Gore couldn't have been more wrong, or the prices will rise above the price of lunch and postage. ;)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4029780/49877202.jpg

Need a tighter mouth? Run the sole over the power jointer, add a sole lamination to the fresh surface, run it back over the power jointer until the new mouth barely shows, then file out a mouth you like.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Stop this thread! Stop the promoting of transitionals! Consider what we may be doing to the price of these!

Seriously, the Merchant of Ashby has done us all a favor by disparaging the transitionals. I have even contacted Patrick to send them to me and I would PAY him for his effort.

I've got at least two dozen transitionals in the shop, ranging from smoothers to jointers. Total I paid for ALL, was less than the what one would pay today for one of the "in vogue" BU smoothers. This means my average cost is less than $10.00 each, with a few bought in the past month! Only one of the ones I have bought is not capable of doing the job it was originally made for.

T.Z.