On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 00:39:58 -0700, wrote:

consider making a replacement body.

I thought this sounded a little odd (that's a lot of work), until I
realised it's a transitional.

Just what's in the body of a transitional ? There's no iron clamping
slots or wedge to worry about, but how much work to make the mouth ?
If it's a carve-from-solid rather than a laminated body, then that's
not the easiest job around.

There's also the problem of finding timber to make the body. A
suitable block isn't an easy thing to get hold of either, suitably
sized and stable. I've made several of my small planes by cutting down
the bodies of old broken jointers. It's a good source for the right
source of timber, and it ought to be just about seasoned by now !


It's impossible to say best how to repair it without seeing the plane.
But I'd be wary of gluing that split. If it's a drying split, then it
split for a reason - that's the shape that piece of timber wants to
be. Go around clamping it back together and there's a risk you'll
have a convex sole afterwards. I'd probably stabilise it with a
crosswise dowel (if needed) and then either ignore the gap, or fill it
with a gap-filling adhesive (I use filled epoxies).
--
Smert' spamionam