Plane question

[Curtis Niedermier]

What can I do to keep my plane iron from shifting excessively in use? I've had this issue with my Stanley 607. I get it set parallel to the mouth taking an equal cut but it shifts eventually.

Should I tighten the cap iron screw? Check that the iron is bedding evenly on the frog?

[Kim Malmberg]

Curtis
seems like your cap iron screw us too loose. This will cause the cutter to move when it hits a hard spot. I set my screws based on how it feels to move the lateral adjuster. There should be some tension in the lateral adjustment but not so heavy it becomes difficult to adjust the iron.

[Jim Koepke]

Should I tighten the cap iron screw? Check that the iron is bedding evenly on the frog?

There shouldn't be a gap between the blade and the frog surface.

Tighten the lever cap screw about a 1/16 of a turn at a time to see if this corrects the problem if the blade is mating flat to the frog.

jtk

[don wilwol]

I agree with the above and will add part of tuning the plane is to make sure the frog is flat. Some think it best to polish it to so it looks bright and shiny. If that's the case, rough it up a bit, and keep the wax and oil between the mating surface to a minimum.

[Curtis Niedermier]

I will check the frog. Honestly, I'm always nervous about touching a file, stone or sandpaper to the frog, for fear I might cause it to be out of flat or make it worse.

Here's another question for you guys. How long will you try to flatten the back of a vintage iron before you give up and replace it? I've got several that I've worked for a long time on and just can't seem to get the back flat, even on a coarse stone. I usually end up creating a back bevel instead because it's faster.

[david charlesworth]

Many of my blades show wear marks where the blade contacts the frog. These usually correspond to top and bottom of frog.

The chipbreakers bend the blade slightly and tightening lever cap screw generally does not straighten the blade.

The small gap can be demonstrated with a thin cigarette paper or feeler gauge.

Just adjust lever cap screw till movement stops and adjusters work sweetly, as has been said already.

best wishes,
David

[Dave Parkis]

Here's another question for you guys. How long will you try to flatten the back of a vintage iron before you give up and replace it? I've got several that I've worked for a long time on and just can't seem to get the back flat, even on a coarse stone. I usually end up creating a back bevel instead because it's faster.

What grit is the coarse stone you're using? I gave up on trying to flatten with stones and switched to sandpaper. The stones were too slow and required too much maintenance for me. I start with 80 or 120 grit and work up through the grits.

[Richard Hutchings]

I just flatten somewhere near the cutting edge and call it a day. Even that, I do with my belt sander first if it's pitted.

[don wilwol]

I just flatten somewhere near the cutting edge and call it a day. Even that, I do with my belt sander first if it's pitted.

ditto.........

[george wilson]

Put a little chalk on the back side of your iron,or on the frog. A bit of powdered rosin would be even better,but can be a bit sticky while you are sharpening. Glue a layer of thin,CLAY FREE paper,like news print to your frog. Glue it all the way down to the bottom of the frog. Paper is great stuff for stopping steel or brass from shifting in the smooth steel jaws of my milling machine vise. Holds like crazy,even under a big cut.