How pitted is too pitted

[Water-Mark]

I bought a job lot of planes recently and whilst some are useable as they are one or two are really rusty
http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=10331831836
It's cleaned up but has rather a lot of pitting on the sole, the worst sections are just over half a mm deep
http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=10331765274
http://m.flickr.com/lightbox?id=10331789945
Apart from this it's flat along and across it's base and the rest of it has come out nicley.

I've restored cars in the past but woodwork is new to me so is this servicable?
How much metal can safely be removed from the casting before i risk flexing of some kind.
It doesn't owe me anything and was by a mile the worst of the bunch but at the same time it was the only record 5 1/2 in the lot.
Thanks.

 

[Racers]

Wow that does look bad, You will be able to lap it out on some coarse grit paper, but it will take a while.
Do you know any body with a mill who can skim them?

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Think how "pitted" a corrugated soled plane is...
It doesn't seem to matter on them - in fact it's a plus, some would argue.

 

[AndyT]

You've got nothing to lose. There are plenty of better examples around but you could try taking off the rust and see what you get left with. Planes need to be flat but don't have to be smooth. (There are plenty of 'corrugated' options with deliberate grooves in the sole. )

 

[Water-Mark]

The second set of pictures is with all the rust gone, this is how it came out.
http://m.flickr.com/photos/99806403@N02/10332369086/
http://m.flickr.com/photos/99806403@N02/10332384315/

In reality it's likely to see very little use as i'm not planning on making any thing large except a bench so it's more to complete a set. Well up to a 5 1/2 anyway.

Good to know it'll be of some use still, i hate scraping stuff.

 

[Vann]

I think, if you want it to look pretty, you'll need to get it surface-ground.

If you intend to use itas a uber-smoother or panel plane, some work on some coarse grit would probably be necessary.

If you intend to use it as a jack plane, it's probably okay with just the rust removed (my jack plane is a Record 05 with similar pitting - maybe a bit less).

I assume it's a 2⅜" wide version, not the earlier (rarer) 2¼" size?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I agree with Vann that for a top-quality job, surface grinding would be the best bet. However, as always, there is a 'home-brew' alternative.

Using a smooth cut flat file, drawfile off most of the pitting, checking with a good straightedge. Once the worst has gone, glue a piece of 60 grit wet-and-dry to a flat surface, and work the sole over it (with the iron, cap-iron and lever cap assembled but the iron withdrawn well inside the mouth). Once you've got an even surface, work down through progressively finer grits until you've got a finish you're happy with. You can do the same with the sides, too - check that they're square to the sole with a small engineer's square.

(Drawfiling, for those not familiar with it, is the use of a file held across the work, and tight to it using finger pressure on top of the file and over the workpiece. Then move the file 'wrong way' up and down the job; use the file to cut across it's long axis, not parallel to it as you'd expect a file to be worked. Try looking up 'drawfiling' on Youtube if you're confused.)

 

[Water-Mark]

Thanks for the replys everyone.
It's a 5 1/2 so well over those widths.

I suspect it'll only ever see use for the bench top I'm planning so I think I'll stick with it.
I may try and take a bit off but I think taking it flat maybe over kill at this time.

 

[Jacob]

Pitting may be no prob as long as the sole is mostly co planar (think of corrugated soles) and any sharp edges are taken off. It may only take a quick pass over a fine grit (say 240 wet n dry) to reduce friction enough. No need to work through the grit sizes.

 

[Vann]

Thanks for the replys everyone.
It's a 5 1/2 so well over those widths.

Sorry - I meant the cutting iron width.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

This one crops up regularly - "make sure the sides are square to the sole."
Can anyone tell me why? If using on a shooting board, the iron might not be parallel to the sole anyway - so squareness should be checked every time the iron is put back after honing. I can't imagine the side and the sole being so far out of square that the difference can't be made up by adjustment of the iron. I can't think of any other case where the squareness makes any difference.

 

[Water-Mark]

My mistake, sorry. I'm a plane newby.
It's 1 3/8.

It seems to cut ok and is a straight as i can tell so it's looking good so far.

 

[Vann]

It's 1 3/8.

I guess you mean 2⅜"?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[AndyT]

This one crops up regularly - "make sure the sides are square to the sole."
Can anyone tell me why? If using on a shooting board, the iron might not be parallel to the sole anyway - so squareness should be checked every time the iron is put back after honing. I can't imagine the side and the sole being so far out of square that the difference can't be made up by adjustment of the iron. I can't think of any other case where the squareness makes any difference.

That seems logical to me.

 

[Water-Mark]

It's 1 3/8.

I guess you mean 2⅜"?

Cheers, Vann.

Doh!

 

[Dangermouse]

These planes are as cheap as chips at most boot sales and on e-Bay and frankly I wouldn't waste my time restoring those two in the first place, straight in the parts bin or scrap.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

This one crops up regularly - "make sure the sides are square to the sole."
Can anyone tell me why? If using on a shooting board, the iron might not be parallel to the sole anyway - so squareness should be checked every time the iron is put back after honing. I can't imagine the side and the sole being so far out of square that the difference can't be made up by adjustment of the iron. I can't think of any other case where the squareness makes any difference.

One might argue that if a plane iron is skew to the sole, the plane is set up wrong. As to sides square to sole, it's not a life-or-death thing - a plane will work if the sides aren't quite square to the sole. I suppose it's whether you take the 'it works so it'll do' approach, or the 'I know it's right so it'll work' approach. Neither approach is wrong.

 

[Water-Mark]

Too late, it's been stripped cleaned and sharpened.
It was almost free and cost nothing to clean up so for what little use it'll see i'm happy with it.

On the issue of square sides i suppose the question is if it makes no practical day to day difference then why is it considered right?
I mean if it works and it's ok then surely it's ok.
As it happens this one is as near as square as i can tell.

 

[Dangermouse]

Unless your using a plane as a shooting plane a little bit out of square does not matter one jot .

 

[Vann]

...straight in the parts bin or scrap.

:shock: :shock:

The No.4 sure, but a lovely old Record No.05½ :!: :?: :!: Nooooooooooooooo

Cheers, Vann