Handplanes - and set up (woes)

[Henry W]

I am a relative novice when it comes to hand planes, but find myself reaching for the few I do have more often. Several are inherited from my Dad, one a gift from him long ago, and a few others (shoulder plane, block plane, and a mini-block plane). LV shoulder plane has been the most used, and the only one I actually purchased. It has been used as delivered.

I do not know or understand the numbering system, but I do know
- one is a Footprint brand, made in England, and is a No 4.
- The other is a 14" long Stanley Handyman - which is both stamped on the top area of the blade and cast into the lever cap. No idea what 'number' equivalent that makes it.
The construction of these two is completely identical, except of course the length of the body of the plane. The blade, cap iron, cap iron screw, lever cap, etc are all interchangeable. I imagine the res of the parts are too.

I have one set of blade and cap iron that works well in either plane body. Using the other set, the shavings jam between the cap iron and the blade. I have the cap iron set as close to the blade edge as I can, while still seeing a sliver of the blade. My near vision is not good enough to see a gap between the two, but clearly it is there.

So how do I remedy this?

I have just sharpened both blades (one was badly nicked) using abrasives on glass, and a LV Mk ii guide. It's not perfect but serviceable results (on the blades).

Thanks

 

[Mike Davis]

Usually all that is needed is to hone the cap iron at the tip with the edge on the stone and the body angled down a bit lower than the surface of the stone (maybe 1/2 inch lower?).

Hone until the flat is equal across the inside end of the curved part and there is no gap when you hold the two parts up to a light and look between the two parts from the inside edge..

If there is still a wide gap on one end of the edge then you may have to bend the cap iron slightly on one side of the edge to bring it into contact with the blade.

If this is too difficult or you can't see the gap I would be happy to fix it for you.
You could mail it or you can visit on the weekend and learn a little more.

 

[Henry W]

Usually all that is needed is to hone the cap iron at the tip with the edge on the stone and the body angled down a bit lower than the surface of the stone (maybe 1/2 inch lower?).

Hone until the flat is equal across the inside end of the curved part and there is no gap when you hold the two parts up to a light and look between the two parts from the inside edge..

If there is still a wide gap on one end of the edge then you may have to bend the cap iron slightly on one side of the edge to bring it into contact with the blade.

If this is too difficult or you can't see the gap I would be happy to fix it for you.
You could mail it or you can visit on the weekend and learn a little more.

Thanks Mike.
I have indeed honed that side with some success, but not totally. I wanted to be sure that I was on the right track before I substantially modified that cap iron. You have confirmed my approach at least.
I KNOW I need better lighting and/or magnification there to better inspect the results - as it is it 'looks' fine to me, but the results prove otherwise.
I will pursue what you suggest, and will only send you a package once I totally screw it up!

 

[Mike Davis]

Also try setting the cap about 1/16 inch from the sharp edge of the blade. Give the chip a chance to curl up and away from the cap (chip breaker). I have one plane that I keep set very close, all the rest have a little more room.

 

[Hmerkle]

Henry,
Mike has shown me this process in person, but it is a little hard to describe in words.

Here is a video where David Charlesworth sets-up a new chipbreaker. It is a Lie-Nielson, but all the same tasks apply when you are using a standard "hump-style" chip-breaker...

You see what Mike suggested, David shows at ~1:30, "if we can arrange a tilt in this surface..."

Here is (maybe) a better video on a Q&A session with Paul Sellers.
The chip-breaker question starts at 7 minutes...

In this video Paul is talking abou twist, but at 10:39 he shows how the chip-breaker is supposed to meet the flat side of the plane blade.

 

[mdbuntyn]

The particular Handyman that you have would be equivalent to a #5

 

[Henry W]

OK thanks Matt. Knowing that is helpful for my being able to communicate descriptively.
And thanls Hank - those videos were helpful too. I could listen to David Charlesworth all day.