Cracked rebate plane

[beech1948]

hi,
I just bought a wooden rebate plane from ebay (1.99 + postage). Looked great. Blade is 1.5 inches wide.

BUT when placed on a flat surface the plane roccked slightly from front to back. Further investigation revealed a tiny almost invisible crack from the mouth running back about 30 mm. This seems to let one cheek of the mouth drop a small amount.

I could send it back but its a phaff to do that.

Is there any way to repair such a crack or has anyone experience of doing this...maybe a dowel. Would it work or is it a scapper.

regards
alan

 

[Philly]

Alan
I'd try running some superglue into the crack to seal it. That should help.
To sort out the rocking you need to flatten the sole - a common problem with wooden rebate planes. Put some sandpaper on a flat surface and (with the plane iron withdrawn about 1/4 of an inch but fully tensioned) rub the plane firmly back and forth. You should be able to see where the plane is warped by where the fresh timber is exposed. Once the sole is flat you should be sorted!
Also, check the sides of the plane are flat - I've found a lot of them are also slightly warped. This is a much bigger problem to sort :roll:
Do let us know how you get on,
Philly

 

[beech1948]

Philly,
Thanks for message.
The crack is just too narrow to get a sheet of paper in so "running" glue in is a bit of a problem..and its about 6 mm deep. I might be able to sacrifice one of my wifes sable art brushes ...but if she ever found out I will be dead....

I did wonder if I could drill a small hole (1/4 inch) down the side from the top and insert a dowel and glue and clamp it up...then as you say sand the bottom flat.

its a lot of work for a plane thats so cheap.
alan

 

[MikeW]

Hi Alan,

The thin superglue will seep all the way down into the crack. Done it many times. Keep adding until it is sealed. Lightly sand it off the surface, flatten the sole.

From now on, do pay attention to how tightly you are setting the wedge. In all likelihood it is over tightening of the wedge which made it split. Either that or it was tight and the wood shrank.

Oh--make sure your fingers are well out of the way of the glue...

Take care, Mike

 

[Woody Alan]

Alan

You need to get yourself off to a model shop (radio control plane type) where they stock real super glue, not the mickey mouse rubbish the DIY stores have. Trust me once you have used it you'll know what I mean. You can buy it in all viscosities (is that a word?) the thinnest is thinner than petrol or similar and will definately penetrate the crack. ZAP is one trade name. It doesn't have a great shelf life, can be prolonged marginally by storing in fridge. I also recommend buying a piece of capillary tubing for application,..squeeze bottle whilst upright, when tilting to apply glue release pressure to stop glue dripping then apply as neccessary. When you have finished put a pin in the end of capillary tube. If next time you want to use it and it's blocked cut a couple of mil off the tube and you should be good to go again.

Alan

 

[bugbear]

hi,
I just bought a wooden rebate plane from ebay (1.99 + postage). Looked great. Blade is 1.5 inches wide.

BUT when placed on a flat surface the plane roccked slightly from front to back. Further investigation revealed a tiny almost invisible crack from the mouth running back about 30 mm. This seems to let one cheek of the mouth drop a small amount.

Any pictures or references? I'm struggling to visualise...

BugBear

 

[Benchwayze]

I might be able to sacrifice one of my wifes sable art brushes ...but if she ever found out I will be dead....


its a lot of work for a plane thats so cheap.
alan

Alan,

Re the sable brush.... I am a painter too. So, you would deserve all you get! [-X

How would you feel if you caught your wife using a Lie-Nielsen plane iron to scrape paint from a chest of drawers? Like I did! (Actually, it wasn't a Lie-Nielsen, but it was a good one!)

As to the practical aspect, isn't it possible to open the split carefully and work glue inside with a shaving, then cramp it?

John

 

[beech1948]

Hi,
I will try to post a photo later this week.

I agree about sable brush...what I really meant was that I would steal a few "hairs" from the brush...or is that bristles ? not ruin the whole brush...she would'nt speak to me for weeks if I did that.

So the crack is about one sable brush hair wide...so very narrow hence the need to get something to push glue into it.
regards
alan

 

[aldel]

Do as WoodyAlan says. The high quality super glues are superb and very different to the utility DIY stuff. The thin viscosity one will run all the way up the crack by capilliary action if you close the break first. Use the glue out in the open as the fumes can be quite punget (and toxic).
Whilst at the model shop buy a very small bottle of super glue setting spray for an instant cure.
For gap filling with super glue don't forget the old trick of sprinkling on baking powder (sodium bicarbonate) onto the glue.

I can recommend the ZAP brand.

aldel

 

[Benchwayze]

Ahh Okay Alan...
Would still ruin the brush though.

Might have donated one of my finest grey highlights, but I don't have much hair left at all now! :lol:

I think the idea of the liquid super-glue sounds about the best option though

Cheers
John

 

[aldel]

Brush?!

No, you don't need a brush. The glue normally comes with a fine nozzle. Use directly from that. If you do glue yourself to the plane then acetone will dissolve it ( after awhile!)

aldel

 

[beech1948]

Hi,
Interesting responses.

First, and probably most important...SWMBO sable painting brush has survived without molestation. For those of a nervous disposition I feel deep regret at the trauma you have suffered over this mistaken thought.

I have now managed to buy some very thin super glue from a local model shop plus a spray accelerator and using a very thin piece of nylon I was able to get glue into the crack: the glue bottle nozzle was still a bit large for the task. I was not even aware of this type of thin glue before so a learning was made.

Glued up, cranked it together with a cramp, applied spray accelerant, waited 2 hrs and wow, seems to have worked. I will flatten the base tonight but most of the initial slight rocking has already disappeared.

Thanks all.

regards

alan

 

[bugbear]

Glued up, cranked it together with a cramp, applied spray accelerant, waited 2 hrs and wow, seems to have worked. I will flatten the base tonight but most of the initial slight rocking has already disappeared.

Be careful with "rubbing on sandpaper"; there are (ahem) tendancies for such a procedure to generate convexity on both wooden and metal workpieces, instead of the desired flatness.

Try a piece of scrap to experiment.

BugBear (obsessed)

 

[Woody Alan]

the glue bottle nozzle was still a bit large for the task.

I also recommend buying a piece of capillary tubing for application,

This tubing is less than one mm in diameter it's internal diameter is probably about a 1/4mm put a hole in the top of the bottle so the tube is a tight fit leave about 2 inches of tubing protruding. When you've finished applying the glue use a pin to stop the end of the tube. Using this method will prolong the life of the glue to some extent, and definately prevent the nozzle lid clogging scenario. The model shop should have the capillary tubing too. Although given the variables of the hobby they may not, and shrug when quizzed.

P.S sorry for the mixed measurements a child of the 60's

Alan

 

[beech1948]

Bugbear,
I was thinking that I would use some 320 grit wet and dry on a granite plate to get flatness. But the real problem is to get the side at 90 degrees to the base. So if I put a fence using a square piece of wood across the granite plate the side of the plane will be held at 90 degrees to the plate and the rebate plane would rub along this and the base should be square.

Does that sound OK.

This is a first plane repair so its all a leaning experience but I am going to start making planes soon.

regards

alan