LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Dave Thompson

>Hi Marc, that is an adjustable mouth plane. Just turn the bronze knob (where you would put your index finger). This loosens the mouth lock. The lever below it then opens and closes the adjustable mouth. Push to the right to open, left to close.

enjoy

60 1/2 R Sorry

Marc Broussard in Ma.

>Sorry Dave. This is a 60 1/2 R. I forgot to add the 'R' to the original post. Marc in Mass

Re: 60 1/2 R Sorry

Dave Thompson - Champaign IL

>Ah, yes a 60 1/2R doesn't have an adjustable mouth. My bevel is set to 25 degrees, and while it is a nice tight opening, I don't have any problems.

I would guess that the wood you are trying this on may not be very flat and that you have the blade extended further to engage the dips, but that's just a guess.

Ofcourse you could, file the mouth open wider, but personally that's sacrilege for such a fine tool to me. I'd rather get a cheapo block plane for rough hogging.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Dale Stansbery

>Do you have the bevel up?

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Marc Broussard in Ma.

>Hi Dale and Dave. The bevel is up and no I don't want to hog a lot with it I do have a lesser block plane for that. I remember a tip or part of an article that explained how it was done but I didn't own the plane then and don't remember where I read it. Actually I have not experienced any 'problems' with the tool other than these whispy shavings I get. I somehow thought that fetteling this planes throat opening was part of the set-up. Thanks for the info. Marc in Mass who thought wrong I guess. Glad I didn't start filing away.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

John Hoffman

>Hold on! Don't file anything. I recommend calling LN factory if you ever feel like modifying one of their planes. There should be no need to ever modify one of their tools. I am glad you stopped before you did anything. They have a first rate customer service department and have been a great help in answering questions and fixing my 60 1/2R after I ran it into my vise and dented the front.

Glad you got some good advice on this site.

Regards

JH

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

ydb1md

>It's strange that the mouth on your plane is that tight. I have the same plane and I had to shim the blade to tighten the mouth up. Has the plane been dropped?

It just doesn't sound quite right.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Marc Broussard in Ma.

>Ok, let's look at it this way. I adjusted the iron through it's entire shaving producing range and the loosest I measured the blade to throat opening was .0025". A post-it note paper is thicker than that. The plane works fine. When sharp it will make that nice whispy shaving that is desired and thats all it will do. Any adjustment past that and the blade contacts the throat and no shaving is possible. Is this normal? I really don't know. My knowledge of planes is only now starting to gain some weight. Marc in Mass. who practiced for two days learning how to correctly sharpen 1 plane iron.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

John Hoffman

>Got this from the LN web site "The mouth is fixed, and set to take a maximum .005"-.008" shaving. If this is too tight for the work you want to do, file a small chamfer on the leading edge of the mouth to increase chip clearance." I may have mispoke about filing the mouth. I checked my plane and can get 4 post-its into the mouth gap when I have the iron set for a fine shaving. I use the plane for fitting tennons and for adjusting end grain that only needs very minor adjustments. I have the regular 60 1/2 with the adjustable mouth for all other block plane work. If you want to use the plane to fit tennons and adjust rabbets then a fine shaving should be great. I would still call the factory before I did anything with a file.

Regards

JH

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

ydb1md

>No Marc, that really doesn't sound right. If I extended the blade on my 60-1/2R until the throat was closed, the blade would be extended about 3/32nds below the planes sole. Here's a pic of my setup. Sorry for the crummy image. The blade is set to take an "average" shaving. Not fluffy, not a thick "chip." This after I shimmed it to make the mouth smaller

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

John Hoffman

>Here is a pic, hope it comes out clear.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

John Clifford in Chicago

>John it looks like the mouth is the right size to me (I have one also). The notch in the iron may not have been put exactly in the right place causing the mouth to be too tight. The mouth on mine is .025 wide, that's without the blade. The notch on the back of the iron is .082 form the back end of the iron. Hope this helps.

Re: LN 60 1/2 block plane question.

Marc Broussard in Ma.

>If I retracted my iron as far as you did to get a gap that big the iron wouldn,t be anywhere near the sole. When my iron is in contact with the shoulder there is almost no edge protruding through the mouth and will not plane because there is no opening. There was never any real threat that I would file on my $150 plane. My original question was if anyone knew anything about it because I had heard that some people had filed the throat. I don't mind the fine shavings I get now and I do have a Stanley adjustable mouth block for rougher work. It appears that there may be a slight discrepency between some of the 60 1/2R's. I really thank all of you knowledgable guys for the good information. I know a lot more about the tool now that your input has caused me to ask the right questions. Marc in Mass who does like that plane!