Hello All!
About a month ago, I decided to use the machine shop at school to rehab a hand plane handed down to me through 4 generations.
The plane is a Sargent, but I am not sure which specific one it is. The blade is 1.75 inches wide. The sole is 2.125 x 9.125 inches. The lever cap says SARGENT with VBM below it. If you know what this is, please tell me.
It is a miracle that this plane survived my childhood. My brother and I did anything and everything that you are not supposed to do with a plane. Also, two generations were never into woodworking and it might as well have ended in the garbage for them.
To rehab the plane, I started by leveling the sole on a surface grinder. The sole was about 0.005 out of flat and was not concave at any point as if by design. I took just enough off to smooth the sole (0.006).
Plane Rehab 1.jpgPlane Rehab 2.jpg
The next step was to square up the sides to the sole. I used an angle plate to secure to properly square the sole to the table. The side was not as out of flatness as the base, but still needed work at 0.003.
Plane Rehab 3.jpg
The opposite side cleaned up as easily as the first. It was out of flat at about 0.003 too.
Plane Rehab 4.jpg
Once all three sides were flat and square, I used a stone to break all of the edges. I then used a CMM to check how well my efforts worked out. The sole was now flat to within 0.0005 inches and the sides were perpendicular to within 0.0003 inches and parallel to each other within 0.001. I'm guessing that the "considerable" error on the parallelism is due to a stray burr on the magnetic clamp.
I also went ahead and tried to flatten the blade. The issue that presenteded itself here was the blade quickly heated up and deformed under the heat. I decided to only flatten the last 1/2 inche of the blade that did not come in contact with the frog or the chip breaker. I then sharpened the blade on my stones at home.
The plane began to rust within a few days of me flattening it. I used a rust remover to get rid of the oxidation and then applied a coat of wax to all bare metal surfaces. This seems to have stopped the rust.
Plane Rehab 5.jpg
The result is a plane that will make hard maple shavings 0.0003 thick! I am thoroughly satisfied with the result of my efforts. Prior to taking this project on, I attempted to tune this plane with a sheet of sandpaper on glass, but my effort seemed futile.
Total time invested: 5 hours
Result: A tool that will hold its own against a Lee Valley and Lie Neilsen.
Other Conclusions: When will Woodcraft start selling surface grinders?
Reply With Quote
