I'm with Charlie. Why on Earth do people need precision measuring equipment for woodworking?
I'm with Charlie. Why on Earth do people need precision measuring equipment for woodworking?
Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.
I'll take this one step further... I need a few good squares = a 3" and a 6" maybe. I'm considering using wood. what do you think about that?
Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.
Guys, not to throw cold water on a good discussion (that I don't disagree with), but the OP was asking about measuring his plane iron's thickness to determine if that was why it was looking out of square. I don't think he - or anyone else in this thread - has suggested using a micrometer for working wood. Given that he has a brand new plane iron from LV that looks out of square to him, I think it's fair for him to try to determine as carefully as possible why this is before saying anything that could be disparaging to LV or anyone/thing else.
daniel
Not all chemicals are bad. Without hydrogen or oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.
Really, can you imagine someone looking at a book shelf and thinking, "that top shelf is about 0.0003" low on the left side?"
It amazes me at times how long a thread like this runs. Checking a square is a very simple matter. Most of the time my blades are sharpened without the use of a square. If it isn't out enough to see by eye, it isn't out enough to affect my work. This is why most planes have lateral adjusters.
Many planes have enough out of alignment machining to make even a square blade need lateral adjustment. A few planes have come my way that could not be saved with just a lateral adjustment. Some of these errors are more prevalent during different eras of production.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
He got all the suggestion he need, I think. Check the blade with a reagular caliper should be more than enough to let him know if the thickness is off.
Maybe it's a problem with the way he's using the MKII honing guide???? I stuck some high friction tape to the inside of the moving jaw on mine.
Doing the "flip test" to check your square has been covered by others.
Since you're using a MKII you need to make very sure you tighten both side screws an equal amount. Unequal tightening will cause the problem you are having.
If the primary bevel is square and it's the secondary that is out of square it is probably the roller. My MKII was fine (after I figured out I needed to pay attention to keeping both screws equal) but as soon as I turned the roller knob for a micro-bevel the second bevel was out of square. LV replaced the roller and it's fine now.
- Mike
Si vis pacem, para bellum
What's a #4 jointer?
In any case, if the iron really is 1/32" out of square across that width (and I really doubt that it is straight from LV), you will be able to measure that with a tape measure ... forget the machinist's tools.
The simplest tests are always the best. The flip test as mentioned should give you the answer in moments. Reference off the left side of the blade, then repeat the test referencing off the right side. If the answer changes when you change sides, then the sides aren't parallel.
If it is off, it should be easy enough to correct the edge and then get back to work.
I'm going to start doing that just so I can answer you in the affirmative!
I hope I didn't offend, I was just trying to point out that nobody wanted micrometer (or really caliper) precision in actual woodworking. I suppose 'as carefully as possible' left lots of room, I just didn't want the OP getting beat up for something he wasn't doing. Let's beat people up for what they are doing!
I've only used a square to check a plane iron before I first-ever sharpened it to make sure I don't need to do any corrections. Frankly, most of my planes are LV or LN, so I assume they are square and sharpen based on the initial "macro-" bevel. The ol' Mark I Eyeball is pretty good keeping parallel to that, so I don't worry much. That said, I was recently working with a new-to-me vintage Stanley plane and noticed the lateral adjustment was very far to one side to keep the blade parallel to the sole, so your comments, Jim, definitely ring true.
daniel
Not all chemicals are bad. Without hydrogen or oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.