referbishing a 608

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for showing the process, Tom. I appreciate the pictures and enjoy watching the progress. Keep 'em coming.

Same here.

I spent just under 4 hours grinding this plane. I also had about 40 minutes travel tine and I wouldn't have spent the time to use a machine that is designed to do one thing which is to remove metal if I thought I could use sandpaper and a piece of glass to flatten it. I know every body thinks they can flatten a plane but iron doesn't sand like wood

A machine can do the work with precision controlled by the operator. In your case it gives the added benefit of 90º sides.

Using sandpaper on a flat surface takes a different knowledge and skill set.

A plane with a slight convexity can end up worse when worked on by someone pushing it over sandpaper like a rocking chair.

In my limited experience I've seen a few planes with badly flawed soles brought into useable condition with a calculated use of sandpaper.

To tell the truth, if I had the machinery it would be my preferred method.

jtk

[Doug Trembath]

Tom, I have purchased Bedrocks from you, and enjoyed every one, but I have to disagree a bit, and hope we remain friends...

I now have all Bedrocks except the fractional ones, which became so expensive I couldn't compete. I don't have #1, #2, 4-1/2, 5-1/4... I have found that I can refit one of these planes to work absolutely as well as the ones I purchased from you. Each of them, according to their pretty much accepted job definition, will take sub- thousandth shavings, and leave an immaculate surface.

Again, it's not my aim to discredit your efforts, but the cast iron from the manufacturer, in these planes, in my humble opinion, generally don't need to be reground.

[Doug Trembath]

Extremely well said...

[Jim Koepke]

I now have all Bedrocks except the fractional ones, which became so expensive I couldn't compete. I don't have #1, #2, 4-1/2, 5-1/4...
…
Again, it's not my aim to discredit your efforts, but the cast iron from the manufacturer, in these planes, in my humble opinion, generally don't need to be reground.

To the best of my knowledge Stanley never made a #1 Bedrock.

Patrick Leach offers a #1 Bedrock > http://www.supertool.com/601.htm

These days the LN #1 is out of range for me. Good for me one was bought years ago at less than half of what they go for today.

jtk

[Doug Trembath]

Yeah, Jim, I agree. I love to collect, so I wish I could have the ultimate listing... So, sue me... Collecting is more than acquiring, the needs are different... The justification of the expense, again, is much different from need, it is governed by want...
It doesn't matter what is available, more so it is what is desired...

[Jim Koepke]

Yeah, Jim, I agree. I love to collect, so I wish I could have the ultimate listing... So, sue me... Collecting is more than acquiring, the needs are different... The justification of the expense, again, is much different from need, it is governed by want...
It doesn't matter what is available, more so it is what is desired...

I understand. I'm possibly a collector in denial. When asked, my excess of tools is only an accumulation. My accumulation includes all of the bench planes except a #9, 10 & 10-1/4. It is enjoyable to have the right size plane for the job at hand.

jtk

[Tom Bussey]

Doug,

Your statement, in my humble opinion, generally don't need to be reground, I agree with you. I have said all along that to make a plane work properly all it needs is to be sharp.

From Jim, Using sandpaper on a flat surface takes a different knowledge and skill set. No it doesn't. it my opinion it is just stupidity to believe in the false information. It exists only because people want to believe it, but the world is not flat Cast iron resists abrasion That is why is is used on machinery, great wear characteristics. From 60 years of working iron and steel I can assure you that just because you are getting scratches on a plane doesn't mean you are getting anything off. And 99.99% of the people that do it, have no way of verifying any removal.

If you want to take 1000 grit wet- dry and using something like water to lubricate it shine up the bottom and take the patina off so it is smoother it can't hurt you any. Put some wax on and sharpen, sharpen, and sharpen.

But, Why are lie- Nielsen plane so highly thought of and highly prized? Both Veritas, Lie-Nielsen, as well as Woodriver and the new ones from Rockler are all surfaced ground and their prices keep going up. Please do not bring the steel in the blade or the new chip breaker into it because they can be updated. But the only difference that I can possibly find in the 608 and the LN 8 is a little less clearance is the blade adjusting wheel. LN has a little finer control on blade adjustment.

The LN weighs more, it is an advantage for a few cuts, but a disadvantage it one had to use it all day.

[Jim Koepke]

…

A machine can do the work with precision controlled by the operator. In your case it gives the added benefit of 90º sides.

Using sandpaper on a flat surface takes a different knowledge and skill set.
…
jtk

…
From Jim, Using sandpaper on a flat surface takes a different knowledge and skill set. No it doesn't. it my opinion it is just stupidity to believe in the false information. It exists only because people want to believe it, but the world is not flat Cast iron resists abrasion That is why is is used on machinery, great wear characteristics. From 60 years of working iron and steel I can assure you that just because you are getting scratches on a plane doesn't mean you are getting anything off. And 99.99% of the people that do it, have no way of verifying any removal.

I don't think my abilities with sandpaper on cast iron would translate to being able to use a milling machine to acquire the same result. (Therefore my statement that the knowledge and skill sets of machine versus human labor are different.)

If one doesn't know what they are doing, they can make a decent plane worse. (Therefore it takes some knowledge of what one is doing and some skill to do it properly.)

Otherwise, there must be some magic taking place in my shop. There have been accumulations of iron filings whilst concave or convex soles have somehow become flat.

Whatever…

jtk

[Jim R Edwards]

A few years ago I sent Tom a flat side 605 1/2 bedrock plane to be resurfaced. It was pitted, rusted, and had been abused and wasn't sure if it could be saved. When I received the plane back from Tom it was like it came from the factory. I was amazed that he was able to save that hand plane. I put a Hock blade in it and it performed beautifully. I appreciate what you do and hopefully you will continue to do so. If you ever decide to start grinding planes again for others please let me know, I have a flat side 605 bedrock and a old Ohio Tool company 4 1/4 inch plane that could really use a resurfacing.
Jim

[John Lanciani]

Later I used a marking gauge (wooden, not machined) to lay out a line 1/32 inch from the edge of a board, on both sides of the board and planed down to the line. I used the plane I had flattened. It took over 600 full shavings to remove 1/32 inch. Try that with one of your planes.

Wow, planing shavings at 0.000052" thickness must be amazingly satisfying...