Putting them planes to work

i had a beam to dress down one side. I had used an axe to get rid of most of the buggy wood. just stood to one side and swung the axe down until most of the "bad" wood was laying on the ground. Brought the beam into the shop, and started a scrubbing down. i had a H-F 33 that was converted into a scrub plane. then i grabbed the jack plane from Worth.Attachment 231049and then the wood bodied #129. I was trying to remove just enough wood to make this side flat. I even ran the #8c down it a few times. then, finally, the smooth planes showed upAttachment 231050 Most of the planes i used on this were from my Rust Hunting. Hey, I buy users..Attachment 231051Looks like an Angry beaver was here, don't it?:D

What was the beam for?

It will be made into two bottom stretchers for a workbench build. I also had to remove a few 16d spikes. Will resaw down the middle to yield two decent sized stretchers. After the resaw, back to the planes, again. Trying to build a nicholson style "planing bench". Nothing real Fine Furniture about it, just some beams, and a top. Old barn Wood.....

Besides the job of flattening the face of that old beam, I use this to check out HOW each plane will work out. Some did need a little adjustments, others work real nice from the start. A "good" #5 needed a LOT of work, just to raise a shaving, the other "crappy" #5 worked real nice as a scrubbing Jack plane. The #8c needed an adjustment in where the frog was sitting, after that, it worked great. The smoothers? The Union #3c worked great, as is. The handyman #1204, also great. The other two will need a bit of work yet. The old #129, worked like a charm, no adjusting needed. 12 planes worked at this 4 x 5 x 56" beam. grade cards will come out later......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steven c newman

The #8c needed an adjustment in where the frog was sitting, after that, it worked great.

---

When I pick up a "new to me" junker plane, I've taken to putting a bit of valve grinding compound on the mating surfaces between the frog and sole casting, and rubbing the two parts together a bit - so far it's worked well to make those parts seat well against each other, but I haven't had anything terribly off, either. Maybe I'm not doing anything worthwhile, but it makes me feel better. I usually use a little soot or something to see if things are mating well to begin with.

I rely more on the "Rocker' method. If the part tends to rock, I look at why it is rocking. Besides, it is more fun just to grab an old chunk of hardwood, set up some planes, and have them show me just what they can ( or can't) do. I can adjust if needed, and try again. The "regular" #5 needed some adjusting, just to start to raise a shaving. The #8c needed a "frog adjust" so that the frog was all the way to the rear, and the iron just a hair ( Blond or red?) showing to the wood. made VERY nice shavings after that, for a Jointer plane. The old #129, depth adjust, and away we went! However, that little #33 ( H-F #) that was reground into a Stanley #40 like scrub? That plane is wicked! Chews acroos the grain as fast as I can push it, chucking big flakes (Can't call those shavings, unless me name is Sweeney Todd) as it went. It even caught a knuckle on one of MY fingers, the little brute! So, I put all those Thrift store finds to work, AND prepped a timber to be resawn for my a-building bench, ala Nicholson. Even dragged out a handsaw, to square off one end. Hey, i was trying out the new, made from scratch ( Sycamore) tote I made for the saw. Seems to work nicely.