It’s about time for me to re-read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I rarely read a book more than once, but I’ve read Robert Persig’s profound treatise on the search for the meaning of...
Type: Posts; User: Ron Hock; Keyword(s):
It’s about time for me to re-read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I rarely read a book more than once, but I’ve read Robert Persig’s profound treatise on the search for the meaning of...
Richard, we've sold hundreds (thousands?) of plane kits, and I've built many planes, all with a simple 1/2" dowel for the cross pin. Works fine, not one complaint from a user after all these years....
I had a long telephone call with Rob. He and Kristy are doing well, living with her parents and figuring out what to do and where to go next. She works for the county so her job is ongoing. He's...
All that may be true for Apple and Google. But I'm talking about a small tool-maker -- a full-time one-man shop that has introduced a wide variety of excellent tools, each one developed with a new...
The one being sold by Taylor Tools is a cheap Chinese knock off of Glen-Drake's Tite-Mark. Please don't encourage such a blatant rip-off.
A couple of issues in this thread that I'd like to elaborate upon: One is that thicker irons in Stanley-style planes often render the depth-of-cut adjuster inoperable or semi-operable. The adjuster...
http://www.hocktools.com/tech-info/diyht.html
I agree with the response that advised shooting for too-hard and re-tempering if needed. For the high-temp hardening part, use a magnet to determine...
These are hands down the best plane hammers I've ever seen or used: http://www.glen-drake.com/Plane-Adjusting-Hammers/
Has anyone tried this: http://www.castaloy.com/castironrepair.htm? I have not but I am curious:
"The relatively low, safe temperatures of the Castaloy rod allow it to flow freely at just 500...
Silicon carbide is very hard and very sharp buy also very brittle. That's why it cuts so well when fresh but poops out so quickly. Search for "honing film" or "lapping film" (same thing) with...
Frogs are adjustable so you can set the mouth to suit the planing task at hand. The "heel" of the bevel rests on the frog, not the sole: http://www.hocktools.com/temp/Frog1.jpg By moving the frog to...
I don't know how thick the LV blade is that you have. Ours are 3/32" which is about as much thicker as they can be and still allow the plane to adjust properly. (The adjuster tang reaches through the...
It's almost that simple. More here: http://www.hocktools.com/diyht.htm
I've found that most steels are really just "vertical files" and that the teeth are way too coarse for my knives and my taste. I don't like how much knife they file away and I hate the ragged edge...
You can try to anneal: heat to "just starting to glow" then pack it in ashes or sand and let it cool Very Slowly. Then reheat to 1450F (non-magnetic), quench and temper to 325F. I'd say it can't hurt...
It may be that the steel was overheated during heat treatment. If steel is allowed to exceed its critical temperature before quenching it will grow large grains and, while testing as fully hardened,...
Be aware that newer blades, ones that have adjuster slots cut by laser, may not work well with the knuckle cap. The "foot" of the knuckle cap tends to hang up in the little slots making adjustment...
Nice work, Paul!
BTW, the mentioned video is available at http://www.hocktools.com/videos.htm
I agree with the others who think you should seek remedy with Woodcraft first. That, after trying a steeper bevel angle or two. I didn't see mention of a brand but if the steel is not "up to it"...
Hi Tony,
Sounds like you got pretty close. I find the magnet the most reliable temperature sign for the "shade tree" heat-treater. I use the magnetic end of a carbide scribe but any magnetic parts...
I've never heard any "wide spread agreement against it" at all. In fact, when this came up a while ago, I asked David Welter at the CR shop (Krenov's school) if he had heard of any failures in the...
Re: *Bay item #120740967934
These are NOT Hock Blades in spite of the title. And at 3-1/2" wide, I have no idea what they'd fit anyway. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations.
I've contacted the...
I'm glad you and your kids had a good time, Andy. Linda and I did, too. I've known David and Victoria for a long time but we'd never met face-to-face. Their hospitality and generosity was greatly...
I've often recommended these instructions from the "Krenov Shop" for making the basic, laminated Krenov-style plane. I called David Welter recently when a comment was made about the inadvisability of...
Picked this one up dumpster diving in Pompeii. It's in the de-rust tank now and we're making a new blade for it.
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Happy Holidays, everyone!