Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

Re: Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

paul womack

>I bought a new (LV) thicker cutter for my Stanley 5 1/2 bench plane. When it is installed, there is very little throat clearance (even with the frog adjsued as far back as practical). The new combination is almost workable, but not great.

Is this a common problem?

Hmm (surf, surf)

Veritas A2 are 0.094" (3/32")

Hock are the same

LN after market are the same, but their "own" blades are 0.125" (1/8)

Clifton are 2.8mm = 0.110" (7/64)

Shepherd are 3/32

Ray Isles only specifies that his are 50% thicker than the originals.

It sounds as if going thicker would be easy, but thinner might be tricky.

I suspect Hock might do a custom blade, for "some amount" of money, and the same might go for LN.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Sadly, older better planes are more prone to this, since newer models have gaping mouths!

BugBear

Re: Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

mikew

>Hi Fritz,

I usually use Hock blades/chip breakers so the blade isn't an 1/8" thick.

I do have a couple planes where I put the LN blades in them (an Ohio #8 and a Sargent #6) and there was enough clearance. On a bedrock #5 I put the Hock combo into vs. the thicker blades due to this problem.

Due to the bevel, one can usually move the frog back far enough, though, even with the thick blades. You could always judiciously file the mouth open.

Mike

Re: Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

Jim in Burlington On

>2 seconds worth of filing with a fairly smooth file will solve the problem. Chances are the throat isn't nice and straight anyways. I've found most planes are slightly clogged around the sides of the throat. I've read several articles about using a marker and scribing a line but find that's totally overboard.

Re: Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

Fritz In Mi

>I bought a blade from Lee Valley. I thought that thicker would be better....

Thanks, Fritz

The issues

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>are complex. Stanley blades are thin and not so hard. Hardening adds some stiffness, but the 1/16 blades are still prone to chatter, especially on a 5 1/2. Thicker blade, at least 3/32, adds much stiffness and mades a superior blade. I guess 1/8 is better still, but I have found that 3/32 is pretty chatter free if the blade is hardened appropriately. The solution is to open up the mouth with a file. Don't try to do it all at once. Square it up first and try. Keep filing and testing. It may take some time, but it is a one time affair. Going slow will keep you from opening up the mouth too much. Good luck.

Re: The issues

paul womack

>Square it[the mouth] up first and try.

If you have double, combination, or other adjustable square, set the blade to com just short of the far side of the mouth - then you drop the blade just behind the trailing edge of the mouth, and get a line-contact.

This is much easier to eyeball-judge than running the blade all the way across the mouth to the far side of the plane.

BugBear

Re: Stanely 5 1/2 New Blade Issue

Mark Nowicki

>"Maybe I should just leave well enough alone and use the old blade."

Yes.

Regards Mark Nowicki

You may not be happy

jim reed @ Tallahassee

>with the performance. A plane is merely a holder for the blade, which does all the work. Poor quality blade means dullness, chatter and poor results. Better quality blades really improve performance.

Thanks For All Of Your Ideas.

Fritz In Mi

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