Record 073 Shoulder Plane

[keithkarl2007]

Can anyone tell me why the blade in this plane is wider than the plane itself?

 

[marcros]

so that t gets right into a corner of a rebate. should only be a fraction wider.

 

[keithkarl2007]

It's about a mm wider than the plane, 0.5mm each side. Would the sole need flattening similar to other planes?

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

.5mm either side is too much. The easiest whey to get the right amount of protrusion is to stick a strip of150 wet and dry to something flat and tape some paper to the side of the plane, either side of the blade. With the blade centred in the body, rub the blade on the abrasive (so the paper straddles the wet and dry) until no more metal can be removed from the side of the blade. Do this on both sides so it is equal and you will be set.

Yes, the sole does need to be flat, but since your plane is a used one it may well have been done already. If it needs doing, it won't take long as the sole is very small, but do be sure the blade is installed and the clamp is tightened as it would be in use (blade retracted above the sole, obviously) clamping the blade does have a distorting effect on the sole as the wedge it rests on is quite thin at the end, so setting the blade and then flattening will correct this.

Mike.

 

[GazPal]

It's about a mm wider than the plane, 0.5mm each side. Would the sole need flattening similar to other planes?

Blade width is perfectly fine as it is and for the reasons given earlier, but I'd definitely hesitate before thinking of attempting to flatten the sole, unless it is damaged or out of true with it's sides. These planes were made to more exacting tolerances in comparison to ordinary bench planes and the sole should be 90 degrees to each side of the plane.

On shoulder planes, the toe section of the sole (Ahead of the mouth) is often a fraction higher than the sole behind the mouth and toward the heel. It's function serves primarily as a cutter pre-set, as with the blade edge at the sole you obtain an extremely fine shaving, but many mistakenly think the plane is in error and attempt to flatten/remove this built-in setting.

 

[keithkarl2007]

Thanks guys. That makes a lot of sense. It is a nice tidy plane and doesn't need much work only blade sharpening.