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Thread: ECE Plane Woes

  1. #1
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    ECE Plane Woes

    A few years ago I picked up an ECE smoother similar to the one depicted below. It was at a yard sale for cheap and I couldn't pass it up. Mine is an older version without the plastic part to secure the wedge. It's more "old school" construction. Recently I decided to tune it up and put it to work. I can't get this thing to function for the life of me. The iron is razor sharp, the sole is flat, the chipbreaker is adjusted properly and in full contact with the iron, but I can't seem to take a fine shaving. It's either nothing or a thick cut. I have observed that the mouth opening is huge on this plane, over 1/8". Would that make all the difference?

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  2. #2
    Rob,

    I doubt it is the mouth opening, I have a ECE coffin smoother with a 10mm mouth opening, 5mm, almost a 1/4", from iron to front of mouth and it is a great smoother.

    I suspect a bump in the sole.

    ken

  3. #3
    I don’t think it’s the mouth opening either. Do you have other woodies? The reason I ask is that there is a learning curve to tapping an iron in a wooden plane. In the beginning I had a hard time trying to nail the exact cutting depth and it was always too little or way too much. It takes a little practice to learn how to finesse it a half a thousandth of an inch.

    Also check the bed to make sure it’s flat. If it’s convex the iron would rock when it catches the wood which would yield a nothing or way too much cut. If a previous owner tried to widen the mouth and didn’t know which side to file, I could see that happening. And just generally check for anomalies with the bed, both sides of the iron, and the back of the wedge.

    If it's none of the above, recheck the sole to make sure it's really flat.

  4. #4
    You could have some problems related to sharpening: a convex bevel with the angle over 40 degrees at the edge would give problems of this sort. But I think like others that the iron just is not carefully positioned.

    Any plane that is not used regularly will be more difficult to adjust at first. The iron needs a heavy hit to move and then overshoots. And it is sluggish when you try to retract it a tiny amount also. Make sure that you don't overdo the wedge when you tighten it up. A lot of back and forth will get the action working better and improve your skills as well.

  5. #5
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    Another thing that can cause this problem is a concave sole. The blade has to be extended further to start cutting. When it starts cutting, it causes the plane to be pulled into making a thicker shaving.

    As Warren suggests it could also be your sharpening method. If you are using the Sellers convex bevel, try regrinding your blade for a flat or hollow grind bevel.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #6
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    I made a few wood planes a few years ago.

    I found forming the wedge, that holds the blade in place, was very difficult to get exactly right. Much like the bottom of the plane, a wege has to fit precisely to hold the blade precisely. A wedge is often tapered at one end....wood can move and different environments are more or less moist.

  7. #7
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    Thanks to all for the replies. The iron is sharpened with a concave bevel on my grinder, then honed to the final edge with honing guides and a series of abrasives. It's extremely sharp. I've had other woodies, and I'm able to do a passable job adjusting them with a tiny hammer. I'll recheck the sole and make sure it's dead flat. I flattened it when I got it, but that was years ago. That said, it hasn't been used at all. The quest continues.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    Thanks to all for the replies. The iron is sharpened with a concave bevel on my grinder, then honed to the final edge with honing guides and a series of abrasives. It's extremely sharp. I've had other woodies, and I'm able to do a passable job adjusting them with a tiny hammer. I'll recheck the sole and make sure it's dead flat. I flattened it when I got it, but that was years ago. That said, it hasn't been used at all. The quest continues.
    Rob,

    I agree with the Chris about the bed. After insuring a flat sole check the bed to make sure the cutter doesn't rock. Woodies are pretty simple, most of their problems can be traced to fit of the wedge or a bump somewhere where there shouldn't be a bump.

    ken

  9. #9
    I mean no disrespect to your skills but is the blade bevel up or down?

  10. #10
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    Bevel?



    Seriously though, it's down with cap iron on top. No disrespect taken. Sometime you just gotta ask.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Rob,

    I agree with the Chris about the bed. After insuring a flat sole check the bed to make sure the cutter doesn't rock. Woodies are pretty simple, most of their problems can be traced to fit of the wedge or a bump somewhere where there shouldn't be a bump.

    ken
    I'll check the blade bed out again too. Everything seems pretty solid but the results I'm getting tell me all is not right.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  12. #12
    I still think that the iron is just going too far when you tap it, that you are just not getting fine control by this method. It is difficult to get good control with a plane that has not been used regularly.

    Try this. Put a sheet of white paper on the bench and sight along the sole of the plane so you can see the projection. You should have the nose of the plane toward you. Then you can see how much the iron jumps when you tap it. And with some planes there is more sensitivity in the retraction mode. Compare what you see with a plane that is adjusted with a screw and nut.

  13. #13
    Rob,

    Did you get it working?

    ken

  14. #14
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    While certainly not impossible to get to work, I'm reminded that Stanley set the world on fire with iron metallic bodied planes for a very good reason...

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Rob,

    Did you get it working?

    ken
    I'll have a chance to look at it this weekend.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

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