How flat is flat?

[Inspector]

If it's that bad then go to a machine shop that grind heads for cars. Explain to them that you only want them to remove the minimum to clean up the surface. They can shave the heads of your engine to within a thousandth of an inch of flat over it's length, so a plane shouldn't be any different. Same goes for the backs of chisels.

 

[engineer one]

only difference is the time it takes to set up the special holding jigs for the
tools

they all have a kind of universal jig for cylinder heads, whereas they may need to make special tools for the plane and chisel.

paul :wink:

 

[bugbear]

only difference is the time it takes to set up the special holding jigs for the
tools

they all have a kind of universal jig for cylinder heads, whereas they may need to make special tools for the plane and chisel.

paul :wink:

Yes, that gels with what I've heard.

I have a dim memory of a metal working expert saying that correctly jigging a plane so that it's not under stress, but is held firmly enough for this process, is quite tricky.

If the plane is under stress (and thus distorted), the flat surface made while the plane was held will become non-flat when the stress is removed!!

BugBear

 

[engineer one]

bb you are right, you need to use a magnetic type jig, and then the problem involves how you de magnetise afterwards, to ensure that you have not made a tool collector of a different type :?

paul :wink:

 

[bugbear]

Since it appears that at least one person hasn't yet had my full lecture on sole flattening, here (yet again for the regulars) is a link to my pages on the topic.

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

BugBear

 

[engineer one]

bb perhaps you should ask it to become a sticky :twisted: :roll:

paul :wink:

 

[mudman]

bb perhaps you should ask it to become a sticky :twisted: :roll:

paul :wink:

Or perhaps Charley could include it in the list of 'how tos' ?