can plane blades slip?

Reggie · 14 Aug 2013

Hi All, whilst I've been practising planing, it sometimes feels like the plane blade might be slipping back upwards, I realise that there's backlash in a plane could that affect this? so to that end I'm thinking that I should make my final adjustment by retracting the blade but this seems counter-intuitive to how you'd approach working with a plane by slacking the blade right off and creeping up on your desired depth carefully.

If it's nothing to do with backlash, is there something else that could be causing it? the lever cap/frog adjustment perhaps? I noticed that when I was originally adjusting the frog, that it affected how easy or hard it was to push the lever back properly, with the frog set too far back and it was impossible to lock the lever, could that cause it? if so it seems like I might need to adjust the lever cap screw but it doesn't appear to want to budge.

Regards,
Reggie.

Dangermouse · 14 Aug 2013

After adjusting the blade, make sure you run the yoke back up against the cap iron to hold it in place.

David C · 14 Aug 2013

Blade setting should always be done in the "out" direction, to avoid losing cut as one works.

Lever cap screw tight enough to hold, without making adjustments too stiff.

David

bugbear · 14 Aug 2013

Reggie":2i5q09h7 said:
Hi All, whilst I've been practising planing, it sometimes feels like the plane blade might be slipping back upwards, I realise that there's backlash in a plane could that affect this? so to that end I'm thinking that I should make my final adjustment by retracting the blade but this seems counter-intuitive to how you'd approach working with a plane by slacking the blade right off and creeping up on your desired depth carefully.

Your intuition is correct - the "gear" needs to be fully engaged in pushing (and holding) the blade. Thee final adjustment should always be in the "deeper" direction if at all possible.

BugBear