Corrugated sole or not?

Re: Corrugated sole or not?

Richard Gillespie

>As I understand it, the corrugated sole was designed to reduce friction. It also makes it easier to flatten the sole.

I find that they are unnecessary and a waxed sole works great.

Re: Corrugated sole or not?

SteveC

>I have both types in various planes and don't find any difference between them in use. Now I just find the nicest plane I can and will buy either type.

Edge jointing? Internet myth?

Dave (Arlington, VA)

>I have a corrogated smoother - and it works fine. I can tell no difference between it and my flat-bottomed smoothers on the face of a wide board.

But this issue has come up before here and some have argued that corrogated soles aren't good for edge jointing narrow edges because the plane can wander along the corrogations, and that has an adverse effect on the jointing effort.

However, I don't have any personal experience with this and only mention it in case it might stimulate someone with experience to share their experience. Could be this is just an "internet myth."

Regards -

Dave

Re: Edge jointing? Internet myth?

Bruce, a MN galoot

>I think it's a bunch of hooey, myself. I edge jointed six-foot boards for a dining table, using my #7 (regular sole) and #8 (corrugated), depending on which was sharp at the time. There were no problems at all and the results speak for themselves.

Bruce

Go corrugated

jim_reed@marietta

>I have both and like the corrugated better. The planes seem to move with less friction. Watch out on the #8--it is pretty heavy.

makes no differance

Ernie Miller Topeka

>Look at them all and buy the best one you can at the cheapest price possable. I use my #7 more than the 8 it is a weight factor. it is just plane easier to use a #7 and for most projects it is plenty of plane. if you don't have a #7 or unless you are jointing some long boards I would get one of them first. If you meed a long jointer I would be looking for a loong woodie in good shape. they are dirt cheap some times compaired to the metal ones.

Re: makes no differance

Tom MacGregor, Vermont

>I agree with Ernie. I first picked up a #8 Type 4, but grabbed an 8C Type 11 when I saw it four years later because of the lateral and frog adjusters. I don't think the corrugations make a difference. I also use my #7 more often. Transitionals can be fun to rehab., too. If you cut pieces for both the front and back and then apply flat pieces for the sides they are not too hard to make. I have a dozen beater transitionals to play with, including 5 #35's and didn't pay more than $15 for any of them. Got a #29 with good metal and bad wood this weekend for two bucks at a garage sale.

Re: Corrugated sole or not?

David Hay @ Denver

>I have a #8 with a corregated sole and other planes with a non-corregated sole. It doesn't seem to make any difference. The only thing I can think of that might give a corregated sole the edge is if you need to flaten it...less material to remove.

David

Don't like 'em

Steve Kubien

>I have a #7 with a corrugated sole and I do not like it for edge jointing narrower stock (1" and less). It could be my technique (a likely source of problems, in many cases) but I have had troubles keeping the plane from wandering. I am awaiting the arrival of a Knight jointer to largely replace my #7. As others have suggested, pick up the longest woodie you can find (or buy a new one from Steve Knight or Clark and Williams) and rehab it. Wooden planes are a treat to use IMHO.

On the plus side, the mass of the #7 is nice when you are flattening a large surface.

My 2 cents,

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ontario

remove the _9 to email

Not by preference, but no big deal

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Given the choice, don't get the corrugated sole. I have experienced "steering" of the plane by the corrugations on narrow edges. It's relatively minor, but can be irritating; if you can get a smooth sole and, as Richard Gillespie suggests, wax it, you'll be fine.

On the other hand, if you find a plane otherwise perfectly matched to your needs and wallet that happens to be corrugated, buy it.

Re: Corrugated sole or not?

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>I like a metal plane in lieu of a woodie for edge jointing. With a metal plane you can hook your left thumb around the sidewall and use your other four fingers as a fence. I never place my hand on the front knob as it is to hard to stear the plane accurately this way.

That said, my first 22" jointer was a dogmeat Bedrock type 4. I picked it up dirt cheap and had a heck of a time lapping the sole. Needless to say, my next jointer was a #8 type 11C in excellent condition. Lapping the sole was, shall I say, much easier. It helps to start out with a plane in good condition as even lapping a 22" corrugated sole is work. Not sure if corrugated is easier to push or not, I can't tell. But since it has been said that corrugated soles excell in pine, I keep it set-up for softwoods (25 deg. bevel). The Bedrock is setup for hardwoods (30 deg. bevel). I also have the 22" Knight jointer (which I just got...Thanks Steve), and a 22" craftsman made walnut jointer with a nicely done strike button. I haven't used it yet because the blade beds bevel up. I don't know what the advantage is, so it sits until I figure out what to do with it..ie. make a new wedge and use it bevel down.

As far as jointing narrow stock, I have a question. Wouldn't this be easier with a shorter plane/lighter plane? I mean, how accurate is it to push the battleship balanced on a narrow surface?

I have also had conversations, off list, with another galoot concerning the usefulness of corrugated soles in planes shorter than the #5 size. I mean, how hard is it to push a smoother anyway?

Later

Jonathan

Wrong again...ooopsa

Jonathan Peck -N.Y.

>Sorry to follow my own post, but I need to make the following corrections

I just remembered Don McConnell's article in the February 2004 issue of PWW titled Edge-jointing by hand. OK...big picture of Don's hand wrapping around the front of his wooden try plane (22") in exactly this manner - Thumb on top with four fingers wrapped around and acting as a fence against the workpiece. I like the maker stamp on the front of his big ole' woodie - D. McConnell - nice!

He mentions shooting thin stock. Don suggests that you can use a...wait for it....shooting board.

Don also discusses some basic plane geometry, in short - "The shorter the plane and deeper the cut, the more pronounced the arc. Conversely, the longer the plane and finer the set of the iron, the more closely its cutting action will approximate a straight line. That's why longer bench planes (20-24" try planes, 26-30" jointers) are typically used for final truing of surfaces and edges"

I was very fortunate to get this advice before the article came out and am indebted to Don for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope that this helps you as much as it helped me.

Regards

Jonathan

Where I say 22" jointer..please read 24"

Jonathan Peck -N.Y.

>

FWIW.....

Mike L. (SoCal)

>For what it's worth, I see many more #8-size jointers (including Stanley and Sargent) with corrugated soles than without them, suggesting that there was a preferene among old timers for the corrugated version in the BIG iron planes. But my exposure is pretty small compared to others around here so I'd like to hear others' experiences in this area.

Cheers,

Mike

Re: FWIW.....

AD

>Thanks all.

After just finishing lapping a 4 1/2, 6 and 5 1/2 - I could see the benefits of a corrugated sole to reduce lapping time but in the end it will be a user not a "lapper" (thank god you really only have to give it a good lapping once). I use parafin wax on the other planes with normal soles and have good results re friction.

I guess my question arose because as someone else already stated that there seems to be more 8C's than standard 8's on the market so I thought there was some deal with the 8C being better. Maybe I am just seeing more C's than usual at the moment.

Why do I want an 8 as well as a 7? Well I really enjoy using my old type 11 #7 a lot but sometimes in aussie hardwoods, I have wanted a little more grunt (read mass) to keep the plane moving.

Thanks all again.

AD

Narrow Edges?

Don Thompson, Cutler Ridge, South of Miami FL

>Dave's supposition was for the case of edge jointing narrow edged boards. Would you classify the boards that you used for your table as narrow-edged?

(My 7's and 8's are not corregated, so I cannot test this thesis)

Internet myth & urban legend

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I to have heard this, also it's been said to happen with shooting board applications as well.

I say hooey too! I have seen no evdince that this it true. I use a 607C for jointing thin boards all the time never had a problem. Use to shoot with a 605C and it never wanted to wander.

Re: Edge jointing? Internet myth?

L. Hanson - N. Idaho

>I've had an issue with jointing narrow wood with a corrugated jointer - the wood was only about 1/8" thick... but I did have to switch to a smooth bottom plane to get the job done. So in that respect it isn't hooey. It would never be an issue on jointing wood 1/4" and thicker.

L. Hanson

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com