Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Wooden Plane Repair
Mike MacDonald
>I have two wooden planes (jointer and coffin smoother) that need to have the mouths closed up some. I've decided on the block in front of the mouth method and Adam C. has given me some valuable information about it, but how thick should the blocks be?
1/2" 3/8" ?
thanks mike
Answer from insufficient knowledge
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>I've never done this particular repair, but I've done others, and I wouldn't think you'd need much thicker than 1/4-3/8". Remember, the thicker you make it, the more wood you'll have to excavate.
Re: Wooden Plane Repair
paul womack
>IIRC Dunbar states 5/16"
BugBear
Re: Wooden Plane Repair
Adam Cherubini, NJ
>I wouldn't try to let the patch in flush. Leave it proud and plane it flush. Make sure you make the patch thick enough so that a future woodworker doesn't plane it too thin when flattening the sole (yes it will outlast you). I think you want to let at least 1/4" in, so start with at least a 3/8" thick patch. If you start with a 1/4" patch, it will be too thin.
Keep in mind there are two ways to adjust the mouth opening. Method I: You can chisel it open carefully. You'll have to do this no matter what. But the question is can you do it precisely enough. That brings you to method II. planing the sole will enlarge the mouth by degrees. Keep this in mind when you are choosing stock for the patch.
Adam