float glass

[Anonymous]

I hear a lot of people talk about using float glass to tune the sole of their planes, what exactly is float glass and where can you get it from - i have a stanley # 5 that needs some attention

Thanks

 

[Jake]

It is just glass. Glass used to be rolled flat, then Pilkington had the bright idea of floating molten glass on a bed of molten tin. The glass floats on top as it is lighter.

This was revolutionary in the 1960s and "float glass would have been remarkably flat glass at that time. As it is now the bog-standard way of making glass you don't need to seek out anything special. Ask a glazier for a off-cut or two of thick glass, I'd go for 12mm or thicker.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks very much

 

[Anonymous]

Griggs

If you struggle to get hold of float glass, then a thick piece of MDF will be fine.

I actually used to use a thin piece of glass (a mirror) place on MDF to flatten planes and this was more than adequate

 

[bugbear]

Griggs

If you struggle to get hold of float glass, then a thick piece of MDF will be fine.

I actually used to use a thin piece of glass (a mirror) placed on MDF to flatten planes and this was more than adequate

Out of interest (mine - call it an obsession) how flat did these planes end up when worked in this way?

I note that you may sometimes be in a position to really know the answer.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5969

BugBear

 

[Anonymous]

Griggs

If you struggle to get hold of float glass, then a thick piece of MDF will be fine.

I actually used to use a thin piece of glass (a mirror) placed on MDF to flatten planes and this was more than adequate

Out of interest (mine - call it an obsession) how flat did these planes end up when worked in this way?

I note that you may sometimes be in a position to really know the answer.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5969

BugBear

:lol:

Afraid I never ran the CMM machine over them - only the test plane from Veritas.
I now use a very flat engineers surface plate and find no discernable improvement over the MDF solution.

I will try and rig up a little test with a DTI when I next get into the workshop and report on flatness for an MDF flattened plane sole.

 

[bugbear]

I now use a very flat engineers surface plate and find no discernable improvement over the MDF solution.

Do you use the plate as an abrasive support or as a spotting reference?

BugBear

 

[Anonymous]

Abrasive support. Start at 80 grit and move through them to about 320 or so as I don't really see much need to go finer.

Must admit to running a surface grinder over one at work though Very flat :wink:

What process do you use BB?

 

[bugbear]

What process do you use BB?

I'm surprised Alf hasn't jumped in.

Anyway.

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/flatten.html

(read the links as well, especially the Stephen Thomas "how to" and the testimonials)

As an addenda, I've also used 1" wide AlZi paper strips wrapped round slightly convex sanding blocks as the metal removal aspect of the process.

BugBear

 

[Alf]

I'm surprised Alf hasn't jumped in.

Sorry, someone said "flat sole" and my eyes just naturally glazed over.

 

[engineer one]

what about a dover sole alf!!!!!
:lol: :lol: :wink:
paul

 

[bugbear]

Sorry, someone said "flat sole" and my eyes just naturally glazed over.

Just because most of your planes were supplied with a flat sole already fitted :lol:

BugBear (who starts from a lower quality position)

 

[Alf]

what about a dover sole alf!!!!!
:lol: :lol: :wink:

That'd work even faster!

Just because most of your planes were supplied with a flat sole already fitted :lol:

I thought the Flat Sole Society encouraged flattening of everything, even unto the L-Ns! Not sure, but I assume you can get away with using a Holtey straight from the box without getting out the wet'n'dry... :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Shady]

Slightly naughty, but this always reminds me of the advantage of the Japanese approach: go for a deliberately 'ever so slightly' hollowed base. The only four areas that have to be in a flat plane for success (yeah, yeah, deliberate pun.. :roll: ) are the toe, either side of the mouth and the heel. A sort of samurai equivalent of DC's ruler sharpening trick... :wink:

 

[bugbear]

Slightly naughty, but this always reminds me of the advantage of the Japanese approach: go for a deliberately 'ever so slightly' hollowed base

Indeed. But this approach is not a substitute for accuracy - in fact, the technique is performed very accurately indeed.

Here are some thoughts from a post to OLDTOOLS:

http://nika.frontier.iarc.uaf.edu/~cswi ... =1#message

BugBear