Cap tightness

[Richard Hutchings]

I was working some hard maple with an old Stanley #4 the other day and was trying to keep the cap iron close, 1/32", for smoothing. I had done everything to insure there was no gaps between the blade and breaker but I was still getting shavings stuck between the irons. I came to the conclusion that the cap iron wasn't tight enough. Things started going better after tightening it much tighter than I usually do. Is this normal?

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Perhaps the cap is too torqued down and is deforming? More likely, though, may be that the iron - cap mating surface is not optimal. There are many tutorials on this site for setting up a cap iron and I'm no expert so I'm not giving any advice.

[Richard Hutchings]

I think I should have said the lever cap as I see some calling the breaker iron a cap iron. Guess I need to study up my terminology.

[Jim Koepke]

I think I should have said the lever cap as I see some calling the breaker iron a cap iron. Guess I need to study up my terminology.

The lever cap presses down on the chip breaker (cap iron). Tightening up the screw holding the lever cap down will cause it to press harder on the chip breaker. This may correct the problem for a while but could introduce other problems.

You may have a perfectly mating chip breaker with a crevice at the leading edge catching shavings. The shaving needs to be able to flow, without obstruction, up the blade to be forced forward, being 'broken' by the cap iron (chip breaker). If there is a place where a shaving or even a large piece of wood dust can catch, it will. This will then clog the whole works.

jtk

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I think I should have said the lever cap as I see some calling the breaker iron a cap iron. Guess I need to study up my terminology.

I have that problem all the time :-)

The most important thing is that they figure out what you are talking about I think.

And do not forget about the definition of a synonym : the word that you use when you do not know how to spell the word that you wanted to use.

[Tom Trees]

Hello, you don't want to go overboard with the lever cap, if yours is set too tight, it might make one think there are better designed planes out there.
Adjustments are easy if the lever cap is snug, but a pain when too tight.

As said, it sounds like there is a gap in-between the cap iron and the iron.
Whilst remedying the cap iron...
You may find that it's rather easy to end up with a convex surface if working on a large abrasive area.
Simulating the same scenario as a belly on the cutter iron.

I've not heard anyone else mention this, maybe obvious to some, but think its worth noting...
To rectify a convex underside on the cap iron, I suggest that you need to concentrate on taking off material from the middle only, to bring it back to flat.
You could use the corner of a hone, or if you have a lapping plate, maybe less faffery to stick a "quite shorter than the width of the iron" wee strip of abrasive,
and it will make the job easy peasy..
Finish off with a lick the way you've seen it, make sure there's a good bit of undercut and hone the top side past 50 degrees.
All the best
Tom

[Jim Matthews]

The cap iron needs to be "relieved" behind the leading edge such that only the tip touches.

I follow the approach demonstrated in the video by Richard McGuire. Note around 4:00 the position of tge cap iron is not flat - much of it is below the stone surface.

https://youtu.be/fVfJxDFNinc

[steven c newman]

I usually try for a knife edge....enough the the very edge will snuggle down onto the back of the iron..

[Derek Cohen]

The closer you set the chipbreaker to the back of the blade, the greater the importance in mating the two. If you set the chipbreaker back at a non-involved distance - for example, more than 1mm or 1/16”, as Steven does - then the mating is far less relevant.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

Thank you Derek. I just went through this with an old Stanley. Some dust/chips catching when set very close. Although no light is showing between the two, there must be something that isn’t smooth. Move it back to 1/16”, and all is good.

[James Pallas]

It’s been my experience that some older planes have been distorted by the cap screw too tight and left that way. I was taught to release the cap when work was completed with a plane. I still release the lever cap as a habit. Planes that I have found have the screw so tight you can’t easily release it. If that tight it will distort the cap iron and the whole plane.

[Richard Hutchings]

On another forum it was suggested to bend the breaker iron which makes sense to me. I imagine over time they get a little bent in the wrong direction not allowing the screw to do It's work.

[Rafael Herrera]

It's simpler to use a sharpening stone to create a bevel where the chip breaker mates with the flat side of the iron. Preferably a diamond stone since you are assured the stone is flat. See the method shown in the Richard Mcguire video above.

[Richard Hutchings]

I'm not having any problem sharpening or flattening. I'ts working fine now with just a tighter cap. I think a little bending would allow me to loosen the lever cap a little more although it works pretty good the way it is now.

[Derek Cohen]

On another forum it was suggested to bend the breaker iron which makes sense to me. I imagine over time they get a little bent in the wrong direction not allowing the screw to do It's work.

That was my comment on WoodCentral. A tiny bend between the screw and the toe adds a little spring. But be careful if you do this to ensure you keep all square - I do this in a vise.

Regards from Perth

Derek