Is it possible to make the mouth smaller?

[ali27]

Hi guys,

I have a QS plane no6. I think it was from the first batch. The plane had all kind of problems. I tuned
it a few times, but I messed up the mouth by filing away too much.I think I filed it because it wasn't square
and probably filed at a wrong angle causing the front edge of the mouth being hollow. Then I had to correct that
and now the mouth is about 5,5 mm wide.Anyway the mouth is too big now. Moving the frog all the way forward still leaves quite a gap.

A solution could be to use a thicker blade. I need a blade about 3.8 mm thick. I'd prefer to use a thinner blade
for ease of sharpening. Is there a way to make the mouth smaller again? Is it possible to glue a piece of square steel
about 2-3 mm to the front of the mouth. I have never brazed or welded anything.

Thanks

 

[JohnPW]

One way is to put something between the frog and blade, like a thin sheet of metal, which in effect makes the blade thicker.

 

[AndyT]

I once had a close look at a Norris smoother which had belonged to a skilled joiner. There was a carefully cut piece of sandpaper behind the iron.

Sometimes simple things work!

 

[baldpate]

I think you may have a problem with an iron that is 3.8mm thick : the cap iron screw may not be long enough to engage, nor the tongue of the depth adjuster Y-yoke (this is the main problem I have encountered when fitting a thicker blade, and it's not easily overcome). The latter problem may also arise if you try to put too thick a shim between the blade and the frog face.

 

[Peter Sefton]

You could place shimms under the frog between it and the planes body.

Cheers Peter

 

[bugbear]

I need a blade about 3.8 mm thick. I'd prefer to use a thinner blade
for ease of sharpening.

Not a problem. Good old double bevel, use a coarse (or powered) grinding method on the primary. In effect
you grind a thick blade, but hone a thin one.

BugBear

 

[Racers]

With a very close chip breaker the size of the mouth isn't important.

Philly planes make blades he could make you a thicker one but you might have problems with the yoke.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

TBH, a wide mouth in a #6 isn't the end of the world; many woods are fairly well behaved, and a #6 isn't a final smoother anyway.

BugBear