Fine crack in side of plane

[sebinho]

Hello,

Today I received a very old Stanley #3 plane in the post - it's aparently from the late 20s. While I haven't tested it yet on wood, it seems to have all its parts and everything that should move, does so, pretty smoothly. It was covered with a lot of paint including the sole. I planed the sole on 100 git sandpaper on a flat surface and it came up well. No cracks and very flat except for a bit of a rise near the toe. I decided to sand the sides as well and when I did I exposed a diagonal hairline crack. This one here:

It looks like it runs almost to the end of the abraded region and perhaps beyond. Do I need to worry about this? If so, what technique/treatment should I seek for the old thing?

What a pain. Received quite a few other tools today too, fortunately all in good nick.

Thanks

 

[D_W]

Use it until it actually breaks. Keep your eyes open for another one in the meantime.

 

[Jacob]

If you get attached to it it can be broken and brazed back together (not welded).

 

[ED65]

It was covered with a lot of paint including the sole.

Was it all the same colour we can see on the cheek? If so isn't that patina?

I planed the sole on 100 git sandpaper on a flat surface and it came up well. No cracks and very flat except for a bit of a rise near the toe.

Nice luck! The one I bought a couple of weeks ago had obviously been used for jointing a lot of edges and is worn down significantly along the centreline. I'd read this was possible but I'd never actually seen it with my own eyes before.

Do I need to worry about this?

The crack is possibly nothing to worry about. It may have been started by an impact and not from stresses on the casting in use in which case using it may not do anything to make it progress.

Looking at the image more closely it's 3, 3.5cm in length which is a fair crack so you will want to monitor it closely. You'll need to photographically record the exact position of the end of the crack so you're not relying on your memory of where it was, six months from now you might be convinced it was shorter Highlight the crack with ink or thinned paint so you're sure you're seeing all of it. Might be worth taking the photo in raking light too. If it does start to lengthen you need to do something to halt it before it meets the mouth because it looks like it's heading that way.

Brazing is the traditional fix for cracks in planes*, however the cost will usually run to many times the value of the plane so it's rarely worth doing. There are posts out there where guys describe repairs that cost a couple of hundred on planes that are worth maybe 40 bucks on a good day :? But even if you did want to get it brazed there's a good chance you won't be able to find someone with the requisite experience or skill as brazing cast iron is a specialist operation and requires the entire casting be heated to a high temperature.

*There are I think three other old techniques for fixing cracks in cast iron although from what I've seen they were never been used on planes. We do live in the modern world however and we now have epoxy But you might be able to just halt the crack by "stop drilling", which takes a bit of guts because you have to drill a hole through the cheek.

 

[AndyT]

I've shown these pictures several times over the years so apologies to those who have seen them before. This is as the plane came to me - an old tool with an old repair. Note that part of one side is missing entirely and that the other has been splinted together.

I reckon that a mend like this would be easy to do yourself (unlike brazing!) - but only if the crack is really a problem. You just need some drills, screws and a tap.

If the crack in your plane is old, I would not be surprised if it stays as it is and is no problem in use.

 

[Corneel]

I have a block plane with a crack like that. I use it with crack and all.

 

[sebinho]

Thanks for the comments. I'll keep an eye on it and hopefully the grime will cover it over again soon so I can forget about it!

 

[dickm]

+1 for drilling a (small!) hole where the crack appears to end. This should prevent any further cracking.
It MIGHT also help to try and infiltrate some runny epoxy into the crack?

 

[Tony Zaffuto]

Welding/brazing forms of attachment can be done successfully, but there is work required afterwards to true the sole, and said work can be significant. Fortnately, I employ several capable of knowing how to re-attach to minimize warping, and also machinists and tool makers to re-grind the sole and sides to true. To have both done professionally, find a small one or two man shop, but still expect a bill of around $50 to $75 US.

I would personally just use the plane. The see if there is any flex on the cracked area, clean/degrease well and bbrush a thin cost of paint over the crack, let dry and use the plane. If there is any flex, the paint will telegraph the crack to the surface. Now, after determining there is flex, drill a tiny hole at the end of the crack.

 

[Rorschach]

I'd pop a small hole at the end of the crack and then just carry on as normal.

 

[Graham Orm]

I'd pop a small hole at the end of the crack and then just carry on as normal.

You took the post out of my mouth! A small hole drilled at the very end of the crack will stop it going further.

 

[sebinho]

Thanks. How small is a small hole? Something I can do with a normal hand drill, or a dental drill sort of thing? I like the idea of painting over the side.

 

[Graham Orm]

Thanks. How small is a small hole? Something I can do with a normal hand drill, or a dental drill sort of thing? I like the idea of painting over the side.

1/8" it will take a while with a hand drill. A cordless or mains drill would be better. Make sure you find the end of the crack or it won't work.

 

[Rorschach]

Clean the crack with meths, let it dry, put a drop of ALCOHOL based stain in a nice bright colour on the crack and you will soon see the extent of the crack. I would drill approx 2mm.