Old no.4?? Stanley plane clean
- Thread starter mgk1285
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CaptainBudget
Established Member
Paul Sellers has a really good guide to doing this:
Bench Planes
Key bit really after cleaning it up is learning how to put a decent edge on it, digging on the internet for this is a proper rabbit hole as everyone seems to have their own way of doing it, some of whom will defend their method to the death!
To get you started on that you basically need to flatten the back of the blade and then restore the bevel. I personally use a 400 grit/1000 grit double sided diamond stone for all my sharpening (Axminster and Trend make these) and then finish with a leather strop.
As a quick way to get the worst of the rust off, you could try WD-40 and a foam sanding block...
Bench Planes
Key bit really after cleaning it up is learning how to put a decent edge on it, digging on the internet for this is a proper rabbit hole as everyone seems to have their own way of doing it, some of whom will defend their method to the death!
To get you started on that you basically need to flatten the back of the blade and then restore the bevel. I personally use a 400 grit/1000 grit double sided diamond stone for all my sharpening (Axminster and Trend make these) and then finish with a leather strop.
As a quick way to get the worst of the rust off, you could try WD-40 and a foam sanding block...
Jacob
New Luddism. Awake and resist!
I like to do as little as possible (ask my wife!)
I'd sharpen it and make any necessary adjustments until it cuts. Then lightly clean it up with a bit of a brush or wire wool. Then brush linseed oil over everything but wipe it off after a bit to leave the thinnest possible coating.
Then if you use it at all it will slowly polish itself.
I'd sharpen it and make any necessary adjustments until it cuts. Then lightly clean it up with a bit of a brush or wire wool. Then brush linseed oil over everything but wipe it off after a bit to leave the thinnest possible coating.
Then if you use it at all it will slowly polish itself.
If you're going to use it as a smoother, I would do the following:
* make sure that ever screw that can be tight actually does tighten what it's holding (including the handle - make sure the handle hasn't shrunk below the threaded portion of the handle rod)
* light cleaning of rust, no need to go overboard
* sharpen the iron, fit the front lip of the cap iron, round over the front edge of the cap iron more or less tracing or restoring the profile of the hump if someone has made the front bit of it very blunt
* I flatten every smoother. I know some don't. Smoothers generally work better if they're flattened if you intend to use them for fine work. If you're not using them for fine work, then it won't matter. If a smoother confirms it's flat with initial flattening or ever so slightly convex, then confirmation is as far as flattening goes (no further work just for cosmetics).
That's it. No frog lapping, etc, or any of that nonsense (performance of the plane has nothing to do with any of that - coarsely made stanley planes work as well as the earlier more finely machined planes, sometimes better - the mating surfaces aren't intended to be rigid and flat as far as iron to bed, etc). It generally takes me about 20 minutes to do all of the above and address everything, but I have a long run of sandpaper on glass (42") and a machinists straight edge to confirm flatness.
* make sure that ever screw that can be tight actually does tighten what it's holding (including the handle - make sure the handle hasn't shrunk below the threaded portion of the handle rod)
* light cleaning of rust, no need to go overboard
* sharpen the iron, fit the front lip of the cap iron, round over the front edge of the cap iron more or less tracing or restoring the profile of the hump if someone has made the front bit of it very blunt
* I flatten every smoother. I know some don't. Smoothers generally work better if they're flattened if you intend to use them for fine work. If you're not using them for fine work, then it won't matter. If a smoother confirms it's flat with initial flattening or ever so slightly convex, then confirmation is as far as flattening goes (no further work just for cosmetics).
That's it. No frog lapping, etc, or any of that nonsense (performance of the plane has nothing to do with any of that - coarsely made stanley planes work as well as the earlier more finely machined planes, sometimes better - the mating surfaces aren't intended to be rigid and flat as far as iron to bed, etc). It generally takes me about 20 minutes to do all of the above and address everything, but I have a long run of sandpaper on glass (42") and a machinists straight edge to confirm flatness.
Cabinetman
Established Member
Early on, I thought I would re-flatten the sole on my number 4 so I stripped it all down and then flattened it and rebuilt it, I was amazed to find that when I screwed it all back together the cast iron was deformed purely by the screws being tightened up, seems impossible but true, and no I hadn’t taken off so much material that the sole was reduced in thickness. So basically don’t dismantle it when you want to flatten your sole. Ian
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
If its very convex, then spot work the middle out, or you will just be copying the profile with a flat lap, no matter how meticulous and careful one is.
More of an issue with a no.5 and longer.
Best just clean the sole if you don't have a good straight edge for reference,
Id be more concerned about the iron lapped and cap iron fitting than working the rest to an extremely high standard.
If you want to smooth with it, then follow David's advice (youtube David W)
about the most through instruction you will find, plenty of bad advice out there by some of the most popular gurus.
(if you don't want to scrape flat work that is, why ever one would want to)
A long reach angle poise or handy lamp with a good large shade 7.1/2" will give sufficient light, the shade on a normal wee bedside lamp is not good enough.
A hone whatever you like, and a bench or something suitable to plane on is what you need,
Can't do much without those things, and it's a frequent occurrence for many to blame the tool and go fiddling with it, when the problem turns out to be the B&D workmate they're working on.
Just saying don't go mad lapping anything but the iron, until you at least have a suitable thing to plane on, be it a big sleeper or a countertop against a wall,
It needs to be rigid enough or able to be shimmed flat if you want to have an easy life learning how to use a hand plane.
No need for vices or anything, just something that also butts against the wall
to act as a stop, clamped down batton if preferred.
All the best
Tom
More of an issue with a no.5 and longer.
Best just clean the sole if you don't have a good straight edge for reference,
Id be more concerned about the iron lapped and cap iron fitting than working the rest to an extremely high standard.
If you want to smooth with it, then follow David's advice (youtube David W)
about the most through instruction you will find, plenty of bad advice out there by some of the most popular gurus.
(if you don't want to scrape flat work that is, why ever one would want to)
A long reach angle poise or handy lamp with a good large shade 7.1/2" will give sufficient light, the shade on a normal wee bedside lamp is not good enough.
A hone whatever you like, and a bench or something suitable to plane on is what you need,
Can't do much without those things, and it's a frequent occurrence for many to blame the tool and go fiddling with it, when the problem turns out to be the B&D workmate they're working on.
Just saying don't go mad lapping anything but the iron, until you at least have a suitable thing to plane on, be it a big sleeper or a countertop against a wall,
It needs to be rigid enough or able to be shimmed flat if you want to have an easy life learning how to use a hand plane.
No need for vices or anything, just something that also butts against the wall
to act as a stop, clamped down batton if preferred.
All the best
Tom
Looks like a nice plane, wooden tote and knob, long iron with lots of life left. Only additional advice to that above is to steer clear of chicken and mushroom, sweet and sour is the only pot noodle worth eating!
billw
The Tattooed One
60 degree wash, full spin cycle. Make sure it's a non-bio detergent though.
Jameshow
Established Member
I'd clean using washing up liquid / wd40 /gt 85
Then flatten the sole using 120 240 400 600 grit paper on a known flat surface. Table saw, band saw p/t comes to mind.
Finally sharpen the blade to suit as described above.
Cheers James
Then flatten the sole using 120 240 400 600 grit paper on a known flat surface. Table saw, band saw p/t comes to mind.
Finally sharpen the blade to suit as described above.
Cheers James
If the above is too much work with abrasive paper, a quick true up with 80 grit is fine, and the "teeth" can be knocked off of the grooves with a cushioned block and 220 grit. It would take eons to do enough over a cast surface with 220 to change the trueness of the sole.
When I took up wood bashing a couple of years ago I remembered I had my old Dad's plane, and he'd been dead twenty years, so I just stripped it down, taking off both handles, blade and frog. Cleaned the rust of sides of body with flapper wheel. Cleaned the bit of rust of sole with some emery laid flat on table saw (I think it must have had some 3 in 1 oil on when originally put away (my Dad's go to oil for everything) as it cleaned up easily. Cleaned nooks and crannies with white spirit and toothbrush. Bit of wood stain on handles. Sharpened blade the way my Dad showed me 50 years ago - two grades of whetstone, slate, leather strop. Put back together. Hopefully last me my lifetime. I did buy a new blade but never had to fit it.
Lons
Established Member
Hi MGK
You don't need to do too much apart from a clean and sharpen to make it useable but it all depends on your own motivation and what you want to get from the plane. Possibly it means something to you because it belonged to your father and likely if used regularly he kept it in decent condition.
Personally I wouldn't enjoy using a plane I haven't at least partially restored properly and as woodwork is a hobby I want to enjoy it. I'm right in the middle of a no 3 and 4 1/2 in worse condition than yours and a couple of hours work will completely transform them. I don't actively look for planes but over time have aquired a number of "scrappers" from which I've turned 4 into nice planes to add to the ones I've had for 50 years.
If it was me I'd strip it down, it's not rocket science, a wire brush, in a drill or Dremel if possible clean with WD40 and turps dry off and use abrasives through the grades, I always flatten the soles within reason and try to get a good fit to all mating surfaces, I don't bother too much getting exact sharpening angles as long as it's really sharp it works for me, some boiled linseed oil on the handles, reassemble and try it out.
I'm not arguing or disagreeing with anyone else as we all have preferred methods and this is mine, I get pleasure turning a rusty but well made tool back into something that resembles what it once was.
You don't need to do too much apart from a clean and sharpen to make it useable but it all depends on your own motivation and what you want to get from the plane. Possibly it means something to you because it belonged to your father and likely if used regularly he kept it in decent condition.
Personally I wouldn't enjoy using a plane I haven't at least partially restored properly and as woodwork is a hobby I want to enjoy it. I'm right in the middle of a no 3 and 4 1/2 in worse condition than yours and a couple of hours work will completely transform them. I don't actively look for planes but over time have aquired a number of "scrappers" from which I've turned 4 into nice planes to add to the ones I've had for 50 years.
If it was me I'd strip it down, it's not rocket science, a wire brush, in a drill or Dremel if possible clean with WD40 and turps dry off and use abrasives through the grades, I always flatten the soles within reason and try to get a good fit to all mating surfaces, I don't bother too much getting exact sharpening angles as long as it's really sharp it works for me, some boiled linseed oil on the handles, reassemble and try it out.
I'm not arguing or disagreeing with anyone else as we all have preferred methods and this is mine, I get pleasure turning a rusty but well made tool back into something that resembles what it once was.
