I have a wooden plane, with an angled body. (I'm not sure of the exact
name.) It uses a wedge and blade with cap iron. The wedge is supported
by the outsides of the body. The wedge is similar to this one:
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/b...od_mitre_C.jpg

(Photo from: https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...og/145/Wooden%
20Mitre%20Planes%20-%20John%20Green%20c.%201800 )

The plane itself looks more like this one:
http://5.forums.drupal.assets.taunto...inewoodworking
..com/files/attach_images/104263/Appleton_AS536-1_Sm_3.jpg

(Photo from: http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-
knots/hand-tools/american-wooden-plane-maker )

It appears the wedge would reduce the effective cutting width of the
iron. If I tried to take a full width of the iron shaving, it appears
the sides of the wedge would get in the way. Is this correct?

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To get
the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020" styrene and the
wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it handy and figured it
wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be better off with a single .040"
shim between the cap iron and wedge?

When using the plane, I get a mix of crunched shavings that clog it
quickly and when I press down harder and go faster I get a single shaving
that goes out reasonably straight. Obviously, I want to stop the
crunched shavings. How? (Do I need to take a deeper cut?) My test
piece was a piece of PT 5/4 decking that was handy. It's had several
months to dry out.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
web.com...

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To get
the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020" styrene and the
wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it handy and figured it
wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be better off with a single .040"
shim between the cap iron and wedge?

It sounds like your wedge needs to be replaced if it has crushed/thinned
down so much that it sticks down below the iron when seated to hold the iron
in place...

The use issues are likely a combination of sharpening, adjustment and
technique... and I wouldn't leave out inadequate iron support due to the
wedge issue. Assuming a well sharpened iron, I'd try making a new wedge as a
first step. Then adjust the iron so it would take a fine cut... it is a
smoother after all. Regarding technique, wax the sole and slightly skew the
plane...

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
web.com...

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To
get the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020" styrene
and the wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it handy and
figured it wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be better off with a
single .040" shim between the cap iron and wedge?

It sounds like your wedge needs to be replaced if it has
crushed/thinned down so much that it sticks down below the iron when
seated to hold the iron in place...

I agree the wedge shouldn't protrude below the sole of the
plane, but I'm not sure that's where the problem lies. The
blades of wooden planes were often tapered, much thicker at
the cutting end. It may be the blade has been sharpened so
often (or suffered a cluesless grinding) that the wedge is
now bearing on a part too thin to properly support it.

If that's the case, shimming between the iron and the plane
body is probably a better idea, since it will close the
mouth back to where it's intended to be.

John

"John McCoy" wrote in message
. ..

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
web.com...

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To
get the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020" styrene
and the wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it handy and
figured it wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be better off with a
single .040" shim between the cap iron and wedge?

It sounds like your wedge needs to be replaced if it has
crushed/thinned down so much that it sticks down below the iron when
seated to hold the iron in place...

I agree the wedge shouldn't protrude below the sole of the
plane, but I'm not sure that's where the problem lies. The
blades of wooden planes were often tapered, much thicker at
the cutting end. It may be the blade has been sharpened so
often (or suffered a cluesless grinding) that the wedge is
now bearing on a part too thin to properly support it.

If that's the case, shimming between the iron and the plane
body is probably a better idea, since it will close the
mouth back to where it's intended to be.

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it in our
hands we're all taking our best guess based on the descriptions.

John

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"John McCoy" wrote in message
. ..

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
web.com...

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To
get the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020"
styrene and the wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it
handy and figured it wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be
better off with a single .040" shim between the cap iron and wedge?

It sounds like your wedge needs to be replaced if it has
crushed/thinned down so much that it sticks down below the iron when
seated to hold the iron in place...

I agree the wedge shouldn't protrude below the sole of the
plane, but I'm not sure that's where the problem lies. The
blades of wooden planes were often tapered, much thicker at
the cutting end. It may be the blade has been sharpened so
often (or suffered a cluesless grinding) that the wedge is
now bearing on a part too thin to properly support it.

If that's the case, shimming between the iron and the plane
body is probably a better idea, since it will close the
mouth back to where it's intended to be.

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it
in our hands we're all taking our best guess based on the
descriptions.

To be sure.

Another thing that occurs to me - I have heard of planes
shrinking if they're allowed to dry out excessively (like
being stuck in a hot attic for 50 years), which would
shrink both the wedge and the plane body, killing any
hope of a proper fit. If I remember correctly, soaking
the plane (and wedge) in linseed oil is suggested as a
way to restore the wood to it's proper dimensions.

John

On 6/24/2015 12:02 AM, Puckdropper wrote:
I have a wooden plane, with an angled body. (I'm not sure of the exact
name.) It uses a wedge and blade with cap iron. The wedge is supported
by the outsides of the body. The wedge is similar to this one:
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/b...od_mitre_C.jpg

(Photo from: https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...og/145/Wooden%
20Mitre%20Planes%20-%20John%20Green%20c.%201800 )

The plane itself looks more like this one:
http://5.forums.drupal.assets.taunto...inewoodworking
.com/files/attach_images/104263/Appleton_AS536-1_Sm_3.jpg

(Photo from: http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-
knots/hand-tools/american-wooden-plane-maker )

It appears the wedge would reduce the effective cutting width of the
iron. If I tried to take a full width of the iron shaving, it appears
the sides of the wedge would get in the way. Is this correct?

The wedge looks like it's been compressed or worn down from use. To get
the plane to work, I shimmed the iron assembly with .020" styrene and the
wedge with another piece of .020" styrene. (I had it handy and figured it
wouldn't compress too badly.) Would I be better off with a single .040"
shim between the cap iron and wedge?

When using the plane, I get a mix of crunched shavings that clog it
quickly and when I press down harder and go faster I get a single shaving
that goes out reasonably straight. Obviously, I want to stop the
crunched shavings. How? (Do I need to take a deeper cut?) My test
piece was a piece of PT 5/4 decking that was handy. It's had several
months to dry out.

Puckdropper


Not really the edge of that iron should be cambered so the edges won't
touch the wood. I

--
Jeff

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it
in our hands we're all taking our best guess based on the
descriptions.

John


I'm uploading pictures to ABPW.

The blade assembly is not tapered, it's the same design that's used in my
Stanley #5C plane: An iron and a cap iron/chip breaker.

Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
eb.com...

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it
in our hands we're all taking our best guess based on the
descriptions.

John


I'm uploading pictures to ABPW.

The blade assembly is not tapered, it's the same design that's used in my
Stanley #5C plane: An iron and a cap iron/chip breaker.


That explains it... that iron is not original to the plane... it is from a
steel body plane that uses a chip breaker. The original would have had a
heavier iron with no chip breaker.

John

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
eb.com...

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it
in our hands we're all taking our best guess based on the
descriptions.

John


I'm uploading pictures to ABPW.

The blade assembly is not tapered, it's the same design that's used in
my Stanley #5C plane: An iron and a cap iron/chip breaker.


That explains it... that iron is not original to the plane... it is
from a steel body plane that uses a chip breaker. The original would
have had a heavier iron with no chip breaker.

Yes, I think John G is correct. While there are wooden planes
that use a chip breaker, they would have a different style wedge
(and generally different construction) than the picture posted
the other day.

If you wanted a correct (more or less) iron, you could likely
get one from Ron Hock.

John

"John McCoy" wrote in message
. ..

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

"Puckdropper" wrote in message
eb.com...

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

Could be... without having pictures of the actual plane or having it
in our hands we're all taking our best guess based on the
descriptions.

John

The blade assembly is not tapered, it's the same design that's used in
my Stanley #5C plane: An iron and a cap iron/chip breaker.


That explains it... that iron is not original to the plane... it is
from a steel body plane that uses a chip breaker. The original would
have had a heavier iron with no chip breaker.

Yes, I think John G is correct. While there are wooden planes
that use a chip breaker, they would have a different style wedge
(and generally different construction) than the picture posted
the other day.

If you wanted a correct (more or less) iron, you could likely
get one from Ron Hock.

There were transition planes that had a wooden body and a metal top
assembly. The top assembly had an adjuster and used a chip breaker that is
similar to a typical "modern" Stanley steel plane. That was a short lived
variant. I've got one sitting on my office desk at work. I've never seen an
original wooden body plane with a wedge and a chip breaker... except those
of the Frankenstein variety. ;~)

John

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
:

I've never seen an original wooden body plane with a wedge and a chip
breaker... except those of the Frankenstein variety. ;~)

I've seen two variations in wooden plane construction. The
most common one (for older planes) has the wedge fitting into
recesses in the side of the plane (I beleive the portion of
the body it fits under is called the "buttress"). In those
the wedge is shaped like the one Puckdropper has.

The other variation has a rod across the body, and the wedge
fits under and bears against the rod. That design can and
often does have a blade assembly like a metal plane. In
those the wedge is a simple triangular shape.

John