Old Molding Planes and the Rehab Enthusiast

[Jim Koepke]

The molding plane refurbished in this thread was used in making a couple of pieces to be used on a small side/display table. In all four planes are used to make the molding.

Why not make a video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apLzrpsdcK0

My orange handle brush disappears at about 8:00 minutes.

jtk

[Normand Leblanc]

That's a very interesting thread Jim.
I own a few of those wooden moulding plane but I've never been able to rehab one properly and they were store away.
I really need to do something about those planes...mouldings are so nice to have on furniture.
Thanks for sharing your know-how.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for the kind words Normand.

Most of what I am sharing isn't so much 'know-how' as it is watching and reading a lot of what others have done and posting how it is working for me. Hopefully it will help others to use some and find enjoyment with their dormant tools from the past.

One example of seeing something somewhere else is a point about the runners (skates) on the Stanley 45 needing to be 'shadowed' by the blades. In other words there needs to be blade visible all around the skates when using a beading blade. This used to give me fits until it stuck. It may actually be in the Stanley 45 instruction booklet. I had a #45 along time before finding a manual.

There used to be a member here from Australia who posted a lot about using a Stanley 45. I think he still posts on the Australia woodworking site. I think it was his comment about the edges of the blades needing a slight bevel that finally clicked for me.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Jim,

I have an Ariou rasp, but I don't have the foggiest notion about what grain 15 means. Please enlighten me.

Never mind, I figured it out.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

I have an Ariou rasp, but I don't have the foggiest notion about what grain 15 means. Please enlighten me.

Never mind, I figured it out.

15 grain = smooth surface.

jtk

[Don Emmerling]

I just love this thread. The first time I saw a molding plane in use it was love. Since then I have acquired about 20 or so. I do very little to them other than sharpening the iron and cleaning them up and some wax. I marvel at their simplicity. I did not know there were so many people that collected and used them.

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

I just got around to watching the video. It is much appreciated, nice job of illustrating what the old woodies will do with a little help from a 45.

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Jim,

I just got around to watching the video. It is much appreciated, nice job of illustrating what the old woodies will do with a little help from a 45.

Stew

This table doesn't have any Neanderthal joinery, it is held together with screws:

Tile Top Side Table.jpg

This is what the material made in the video was used to make.

The piece of tile used for the top is 16" square.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Well, not really a plane a day. I was rounding over some 1X fir strips with a large hollow plane. Then I realized there was a big side bead plane waiting for some attention. It just seemed natural to fix up another plane for the job.

After a quick clean up of the blade a few problems presented themselves.

The shavings had a propensity to jam:

Shavings Jamming.jpg

The wedge seemed to be okay so it was mostly just cleaned up and given a rub down of an oil & wax mix. The geometry was changed slightly to help guide shavings out.

The blade was uneven and would take thick shavings at the edges when making a minimum shaving in the center. So the high spots on the blade were marked:

Marked High Areas.jpg

The high areas were honed down.

A few shavings were made while watching the shaving.

The front of the escapement was a bit tight in places and this is where the shavings would curl and then turn into accordions.

A chisel was used to remove some wood:

Trimming the Escapement.jpg

Care was taken to smooth this area as much as possible. Afterward a bit of wax was forced into the area in hopes of making the shavings slip out better.

It seems to have helped:

Working Much Better.jpg

I was able to round over some rather uncooperative fir. There was still a bit of jamming, mostly in the gnarly areas around knots, it didn't have much effect on the work.

The wedge may be in need of replacement:

Gap Under Wedge.jpg

There is a small piece of fir visible at the tip of the wedge. The wedge isn't fully seating against the closed side of the escapement. Most likely this plane would benefit from a new wedge.

One of these days I will have the time to make one and document the process.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Worked on another plane today. It is a 3/16" hollow I wanted to use to round over some edges.

Most of the time I tend to allow for tool maintenance while working in the shop. Molding planes are usually cleaned before they are placed on a shelf in wait of being used. They usually get a preliminary sharpening when first inspected. Many of my hollows & rounds are ready to go. Occasionally when there is time I will grab one that hasn't been put into service of yet.

This plane had a sticky wedge and needed quite a bit of blade work. I recalled something that came in an ebay lot purchase that came in handy, a radius gage:

Blade & Radius Gauge.jpg

This gauge only measures up to 1/4". For larger sizes I have a radius template from my days as a drafter. They are likely available at art or engineering supply retailers.

This also illustrates an answer to an oft asked question, why does a plane need to take super thin shavings? Well every plane doesn't, but it is nice to have a way to remove a few thousandths from a wedge against a bench dog. A couple of very fine shavings and the wedge moves free. Added a little furniture wax to help.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

As things get better and restrictions on activity are lifted I have been dying to get into the shop and do something, anything.

Today a couple of wooden rabbet or rebate planes were wanting my attention. One of them is an Ohio Tool company 1" model that has been sitting around for quite a while. The other is a 1-1/8" with a mark that looks to be Wm Marples & Sons.

Marples Mark.jpg

It might be possible to date this plane by the mark, maybe not.

The mark on the Ohio plane was too faint to photograph. Here it is in an 'after' picture:

Ohio After.jpg

It didn't need much work. Though maybe in the future it will get a new wedge with a touch further reach. The blade bed and wedge mortise had a slight step and the edges were not well finished. A 1/4" skew chisel was able to take care of that. It was having a difficult time taking an even shaving. Turns out the sole wasn't square to the sides. With a plane set to take very fine shavings it was soon corrected and cutting well. There is still a bit of trouble getting the blade set easily. That may be the wedge's fault. It will need just a bit more work over time.

The Marples plane will be a bit more work:

Marples Before.jpg

That will be another day. It looks like it will need a new wedge, the sole needs to be planed and the iron will need some work.

Just for fun the Ohio plane was put to work. First a line was scribed for the rabbet/rebate:

Marking for Rabbet:Rebate.jpg

This is a Stanley pin gauge with one side of the pin ground flat. It is best to mark this line a few times to make a well described slot for the plane to start . To begin, tilt the plane to use the corner of the sole to make the gauged line a bit more pronounced:

Starting a Rabbet:Rebate.jpg

This is where it is important to have the blade's side projection set. Too much and your rabbet will drift in toward the center of the wood. To little and it will drift toward the edge with a slanted wall. Go slow and be careful to keep the plane straight. My lead hand is often curled under the plane so my fingernails can act like a fence. Well at least when the plane is being held right handed.

As the wall of the rabbet becomes better defined lift the plane towards the vertical to continue:

Ohio Cutting Rabbet:Rebate.jpg

When the work continues on the Marples plane, pictures will be taken and posted if there is any interest.

jtk

[Glen Canaday]

I'm interested. I have an old Ohio with a deep stamp that needs rehab. I was able to get a small 3/4 or so ogee rehabbed enough to use, but would like to learn to make and use woodies well.

Do you have any tips as to what to watch out for when planing the sole of a skew rabbet? That's what that Ohio needs and is the whole reason why it's in a drawer and not in the till.

[Stewie Simpson]

Jim; I am a little surprised at the height the wedge ends on both your wooden rebate planes. Here is a comparison;

http://kapeldesigns.blogspot.com.au/...ane-plans.html

[Mike Holbrook]

Great thread Jim,

Now I have a place to turn when I refurbish a wood round plane. Wedges seem to me to be the key to good performance with wood planes, particularly the ornamental\special contour planes which always seem to use wedges. I spent a great deal of time trying to make wedges for the wood planes I made. I probably wasted a great deal of time trying to come up with good designs. Some of the many questions being: do I cut out a portion in the bottom middle, how do I shape the top so it is easier to grip, strike with a hammer/mallet, how far below or above the iron should the wedge extend....

I have been using Iwasaki rasps to form many of the parts for my wood planes. I suspect I need to get more of my chisel collection involved in the process as well, although the cut Iwasaki's make is closer to a chisel cut than the rasps with hand made teeth. I just happen to have a couple new Japanese paring chisels....

My only issue is this probably means I have to spend more time on "fleabag". I have some hope that the new location I plan to be living in soon will present more flea market opportunities.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Stewie,

Thanks for posting the drawing and the link. I have a 2" rabbet/rebate plane that is worn along the edge in need of some boxing to bring it back to its full function.

It appears both of my plane's wedges have been broken in the past. The one on the Ohio plane looks like the end was cleaned up with a gouge.

That is why I mentioned making a new wedge with a further reach in the future.

Looking back over this thread it appears a few wedges have been fettled, but none made.

Maybe a new wedge for the Marples plane should be made and documented.

jtk