The last 1/4"!

[Andrew Fleck]

Hey guys,
I normally hang out in the general woodworking section, but I do read the posts here fairly often. I use both power and hand tools. Recently I began a quest to eliminate as much sanding as I can, well because I dislike it. My solution is to become better with hand planing. I'm taking the route that a lot of people do by rehabbing old Stanley's. My question concerns flattening the sole of a plane rather than planing techniques.

I have been flattening the sole of a #5 1/2 for quite a while now. The sole was pretty bad when I started so I decided to flatten it. 6 hours of rubbing that plane on sandpaper and it is nearly as flat as I can possibly make it minus the last 1/4" in the heel. That is between .001 and .002 lower than the rest of the plane. I checked this with my Starrett straight edge and feeler gauges. Will this adversely affect the planes operation if I leave it as is? To be quite honest I'm tired of sanding this sole, but I will continue if it is necessary.

My goal at least at first is to use the #5 1/2 to remove machine marks and my #4 to smooth the wood. My #4 works great, but the sole is flat through the heel on it.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

[Gordon Eyre]

You have gone above and beyond with your sole flattening. There is no way this last 1/4" could affect the use of this plane.

[Joe Bailey]

You have gone above and beyond with your sole flattening. There is no way this last 1/4" could affect the use of this plane.

I must agree

[Steve Voigt]

Agree with everyone else--you were done a long time ago.
By the way, if you are just removing machine marks from boards that are functionally flat, there's no need for you to use both those planes. You are just making extra work for yourself. Use one or the other, doesn't matter much which one.

[John Coloccia]

If you think the last 1/4" is bad, wait until you get to the last 1/16"

The only ill effect is that the plane is effectively 1/4" shorter than it could be. I'd call it a day too.

[Sean Hughto]

More power to you if you like this flattening stuff. I write for those that might be considering duplicating your effort and might value another opinion. This is the kind of thing that gives fettling a bad name. And is completely unnecessary. These old bench planes are not rare. If you really get one that won't take a shaving because it has some wacky sole warp - and I've seen and own a lot of old Stanley's and never come across one yet - buy another one. If you want to rub your plane on sandpaper, whatever you accomplish in 15 minutes will be fine. And mind you, the whole sole does not have to be a perfect gleaming surface in a single geometric plane for the plane to function; as long as there is no hollow in front of the mouth or some crazy high spot somewhere else, you're good.

Old Stanley's are great. The aren't LNs and won't be with fettling (no matter how many hours you do) but they will do a good job with anything you need.

[Andrew Fleck]

Thanks for the replies. That's a relief knowing that I can finally stop. I can think of more exciting things to do other than flatten a plane. I plan on picking up a #8 soon and plan on scaling back the flattening if it needs it.

[Andrew Fleck]

If you think the last 1/4" is bad, wait until you get to the last 1/16"

The only ill effect is that the plane is effectively 1/4" shorter than it could be. I'd call it a day too.

I don't even want to think about the last 1/16". It would be about 2 hours away!

[george wilson]

The last bit takes hugely longer because you are having to remove metal from an increasingly larger area as you go along. I just can't stand it unless I get it all,though. Too much OCD. But,OCD makes for the best craftsmanship.

[Sean Hughto]

At what point might you do more harm than good - widening mouths or thinning soles? I've heard of people overdoing it with machines. I wonder how many hours to get there by hand? Also, what do you think is the practical size limts on the plane the average woodworker, as opposed an expert like yourself, could do by hand and hope to actually achieve a flat sole?

[maximillian arango]

I guess it's time to take the planes off sand paper lol. Wish I started this thread my self, I haven't put that much time into one plane but in three planes I've got maybe 10 hours. Now I have to figure out how to get it so shiny.

[Jim Koepke]

Too bad you didn't ask before you put all that time into it.

My planes have to have a lot more than just a bit of rounding at the toe and heel before they get their soles lapped.

jtk

[Roy Lindberry]

Hey guys,
I normally hang out in the general woodworking section, but I do read the posts here fairly often. I use both power and hand tools. Recently I began a quest to eliminate as much sanding as I can, well because I dislike it. My solution is to become better with hand planing. I'm taking the route that a lot of people do by rehabbing old Stanley's. My question concerns flattening the sole of a plane rather than planing techniques.

I have been flattening the sole of a #5 1/2 for quite a while now. The sole was pretty bad when I started so I decided to flatten it. 6 hours of rubbing that plane on sandpaper and it is nearly as flat as I can possibly make it minus the last 1/4" in the heel. That is between .001 and .002 lower than the rest of the plane. I checked this with my Starrett straight edge and feeler gauges. Will this adversely affect the planes operation if I leave it as is? To be quite honest I'm tired of sanding this sole, but I will continue if it is necessary.

My goal at least at first is to use the #5 1/2 to remove machine marks and my #4 to smooth the wood. My #4 works great, but the sole is flat through the heel on it.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

After spending hours flattening my first two planes, I've come up with a rule: don't bother flattening the sole unless the plane isn't performing its designated task. I've since acquired eight more Stanleys and have yet to flatten a sole. And they are all performing beautifully.

[Winton Applegate]

I know, I know,
you want to wrestle this pig and pin him to the mat.
But
six hours times fifty dollars an hour shop time (cheep) . . .
. . . now let me see . . . that's . . . don't tell me . . .
Well any way it is more than buying one of these that will make you smile every time you use it.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...56&cat=1,41182

[Winton Applegate]

The last 6.35 mm
why didn't I think of this before !
(when I was lapping my planes ha,ha,ha)
Are you ready ?
The simpest solutions are the hardest to arrive at.

SAW OFF THE LAST 6.35 mm