scary sharp sharpening and flattening

[halken]

Ive just got a record 9 1/2 block plane and 3 new chisels and i have smoothed the back of the blades and sharpenend the bevels using the scary sharp method with wet and dry sandpaper and i am really impressed with the results but i wonder should the base of the plane and the ajustable toe be smoothed as well or is the factory finish ok

 

[Woody]

You will probably find that the sole of the plane is not flat so flattening it will improve it. On a small plane it should be possible to get it reasonably flat without too much work. Don't go too mad though, if there is a shallow area in the centre it may not be worth the effort required to flatten it completely. The important areas are around the mouth, along the sides and the toe and heal.

Woody

 

[DarrenW]

Hi Kenny,

Just a word of caution....

I went through the same process on my first block (stanley) plane. Used a sheet of glass and 80grit paper. Didn't have a straight edge at the time so used a 30cm metal ruler to judge flatness (I would recommend you get yourself a decent straight edge). After flattening the sole the ruler was flat on the plane. Job done..

But 3 months later, and re-check against the same ruler and it was convex! :evil:

I think the reason for this is that some of the new castings for planes have not fully settled and still have some internal tensions/stress. Someone may correct me on that though

You may already know all this, but I would hate for someone to make the same mistake I did. I also did this to my No5 stanley, which I 'flattened' before spotting the problem with the block.

Maybe flattening it in stages over a long period of time will reduce the chance of this happening (?)

Or maybe it was just me

Cheers

Darren

 

[ByronBlack]

2 ways to avoid that, firstly buy an old plane where the iron is settled, or secondly with a new plane artificially age and settle the iron by using your wifes/girlfriends/mums oven. By gently heating and cooling the casting a number of times over the course of a week, you'll age/settle the iron. And before anyone tells me i'm talking BS I learned this from a very well regarded and experienced cabinet maker.

 

[engineer one]

concept is right byron, but not sure about the time scale :?

the most powerful racing engines of the 80's the bmw 4 cylinder turbo's were used built from the oldest most worn engines they could find, so regular heating and cooling has some value, but to think it will only take a week is optimistic.

mind you if you do it like cooking a meringue, ie at the end of a cooking session it will certainly help.

paul :wink:

 

[Lee Brubaker]

Iron for use in hand or power tools such a table saw should be allowed to cure at least 6 months before fabricating & machining. Manufacturers sometimes cut short the curing time & the result is some settling in or movement such as flat surfaces cupping after machining. About the only thing the end user can do is not be too eager to make a newly purchased tool perfect. Namely own the new tool for 4 - 6 mos. before doing any tuning that involves grinding or sanding.

Lee