Plane iron grinding - to width

[Bluekingfisher]

I would appreciate your thoughts please folks on the following.

I have a Stanley #5 1/2 jack plane, it is of the older 2 1/4" iron width model rather than the now more common 2 3/8" version.

I have a spare Ray Iles 2 3/8" iron which I am considering grinding to width to fit the plane, obviously gentle and equal amounts of around 1/16" from either side is required to be taken off. Is this a feasible & realistic operation.

I know you can buy the 2 1/4" irons new but they are thicker which requires altering the mouth of the plane, which I don't want to do as I'd rather keep the plane in original condition.

Thanks

David

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I think the Ray Iles 'thicker' irons are only about 50% thicker than the standard Stanley/Record offerings, which is thicker enough to give a significant improvement in stiffness, but not so thick as to require substantial plane modifications. From memory, he does offer a 2 1/4" iron, and that may be the easy way to solve the problem. If any filing of the mouth were needed, it would only be a lick or two.

If anybody does need to reduce the width of a plane iron, it might be worth testing the sides with a file. Many irons are only hardened from about the end of the slot to the cutting edge, and the bit above that could be filed fairly straightforwardly. I've never tried it, but if I did have to, I'd coat the iron with marking blue or magic marker, scribe lines on the sides to define the width needed, then file the softer steel to the line. That would leave about 1 1/2" or so at the business end to take off carefully to the line on an offhand grinder. Work with a medium to coarse wheel, and check frequently for warming. You'd probably have to take two or three bites at it, allowing the iron to cool between bites, but with only 1/16" to come off each side, progress wouldn't be unduly slow. The last job would be to dress the resulting edges with a diamond file or oilstone to take off any burrs and the sharp arrises.

 

[D_W]

Those irons come up fairly often on ebay here (the original stanley 2 1/4. I'd spend the money on the right iron).

1/8th doesn't seem like a lot, but it's still a lot of material to remove, and I wouldn't want to do it without something like a CBN wheel.

You can make an iron from bar stock, too, but that and grinding an already hardened iron are about equally difficult if you have the tooling and heat source and oil to do the hardening and tempering and cutting, etc.

I guess the maker of the iron begs the question of whether it's O1 or D2.

 

[AndyT]

A while back I renovated a non-standard, user-built shoulder plane, and fitted a better iron to it. The one I bought needed maybe 1/16" to be removed. I clamped it in a metalwork vice and used an angle grinder. Not a nice job but it didn't take an impossible amount of time. I think it was probably the same hardness all the way along.

If you try that method, I suggest you do it in half hour sessions. It will help the work and the worker cool down!

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I have done this, removing about 1/8" from each side of a blade. Do not attempt to grind it away - too much steel and it will overheat. Use a Dremel with a thin blade and take long sweeps rather than remain in one spot for long. You can grind the sides smooth at the end.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Alan Smith]

Yup, what Derek says. I've just done this. Didn't use a Dremel but 4.5" angle grinder with 1mm cut off disc. Mark off with a sharpie pen, follow the pen line and cut 2-3mm at a time and allow cooling time between bites. I kept one finger resting on the blade near to the cut so I could feel its temperature. Surprisingly easy and no visible alteration of temper.

Alan

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks gents for your advice.

I had not thought of cutting the steel with a Dremel or such like, it certainly seems a logical method.

I have a couple of old 'trashed' irons which I may use as a practice run. At least I now know it can be done.

David

 

[Mr_P]

I wouldn't waste your time practising, if a muppet like me can do it first time anyone can.

topic89930.html

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Thanks for the link Mr P, very interesting and useful.

david