Don, I Just found this...
Jonathan Peck - N.Y.
>...way down the bottom of the page.
Don Thompson asked:
Would you be so kind as to outline what steps you took to fettle your Lie-Nielsen smoother?
I have not been brave enough to work on anything other than the blade.
Don
I felt the same way. I used to feel that way about fettling a common Stanley plane too. Really it's the same. I go slow with the idea that you can always take more off, but you can't put some back approach. I also check things with a straightedge before, during and after I am working on any particular part of the plane.
First I take the frog to the lapping table and work on the bottom. Kinda weird when the *sandpaper turns brass colored. I start with 220 grit and rub lightly in a figure eight motion and rotate the frog 90 degrees every 10-15 seconds or so. I do this until the frog is flat all the way to the corners and in the middle. I also check progress with a straight edge periodically. I finish with 320 grit which leaves a smooth polished finish. With the top of the frog where the blade beds, I just take a mill bastard file and knock the burrs off and then briefly finish at the lapping table with 320 grit working around the lateral adjuster.
For the bed on the plane body, I first knock the milling marks down with a small mill bastard file with a safe edge. Then I use a Hock chipbreaker. What?? For the #4 smoother I take a 2" Hock chipbreaker and wrap the sandpaper around it, carefully folding it over with a nice crease on the sides but any thick flat piece of metal the appropriate width should due. I work the bed until flat, smooth and polished with 220 and then 320 grit paper.
The sole on the L-N smoother is already pretty flat from the factory so I go right to 320 grit to lap it. You can go higher if you like, but I stop there.
I haven't found that the L-N chipbreakers have needed any work other than a little wax. So there you have it, reassemble and go make some gossimer shavings.
I have planes that will take a gossimer thin shaving if set up to do so. The real test for me is when I run my fingers over the wood surface. The L-N leaves the surface silky smooth to the touch, and the appearance is glassy. Purty sweet.
I think I'm going to get a few "what are you nuts!" responses to this, but this is what works for me.
*I use Silicon Carbide sandpaper and lubricate with turpentine
** I use a lectric' jointer bed for lapping planes. Heck..it's gotta be used for something right?