Incorrect size Irons

[Possumpoint]

After receiving a number of wood body planes as birthday gifts and winning a new one in a drawing, I'm looking at my wooden planes in a new light.

However, two of them have the wrong irons and the 16 inch Jack the wedge is so small it won't engage the body to lock down the iron. The Jack has a two inch mouth and the coffin smoother has a 2-1/4" mouth. When looking for replacement irons should I be looking for some that are just slightly smaller than the mouth opening?

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

the wedge is so small it won't engage the body to lock down the iron.

You may have the wrong wedge, or you may have a missing cap iron, or you may have the wrong blade (some woodies will use tapered blades - thicker at the bevel end) - all causing the combination to be too "thin" for the plane.

When looking for replacement irons should I be looking for some that are just slightly smaller than the mouth opening?

If this was for a smoothing plane, i would prefer to look for a blade that is fractionally too large (thicker not wider, that is), so that the mouth is a little too tight. Then I would adjust the mouth of the plane to fit the blade (not the other way around). A smoothing plane requires a very tight mouth. A jack plane can be wider.

If the blade is too wide, you can grind this down to fit the plane body. Better too tight to begin with than being too loose/small.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Possumpoint]

the wedge is so small it won't engage the body to lock down the iron.

You may have the wrong wedge, or you may have a missing cap iron, or you may have the wrong blade (some woodies will use tapered blades - thicker at the bevel end) - all causing the combination to be too "thin" for the plane.

When looking for replacement irons should I be looking for some that are just slightly smaller than the mouth opening?

If this was for a smoothing plane, i would prefer to look for a blade that is fractionally too large (thicker not wider, that is), so that the mouth is a little too tight. Then I would adjust the mouth of the plane to fit the blade (not the other way around). A smoothing plane requires a very tight mouth. A jack plane can be wider.

If the blade is too wide, you can grind this down to fit the plane body. Better too tight to begin with than being too loose/small.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek;

Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't put enough information in my post. The iron in the Jack Plane is 1-3/4" wide and the wedge is slightly narrower. With the mouth being 2" wide, the problem is width not thickness. The smoother was sold to me with a toothing blade used for veneer work and I want a straight blade for it. I hadn't considered thickness of blade in my post. You're right in that a smoother should have the iron tight (close) to the front of the mouth.

You mention some woodies irons come with cap irons. How do I tell if my plane was designed for that style iron? Maybe a groove in the wood for the screw?

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

How do I tell if my plane was designed for that style iron?

The frog (and often the wedge as well) is rebated for the screw that attached the cap iron to the blade. And, of course, the blade has provision for a screw, in the manner of Stanley blades. If the blade is solid (i.e. grooveless), then it is unlikely that it was intended to have a cap iron.

Regards from Perth

Derek