What to do with this plane?

Some weeks ago I got this plane quite cheap at e-bay, as it is of unknown brand and has some severe pitting or holes the bids where low.

It seems to have been repaired with not much fortune, the tote is cracked and I think that the previous owner dismantled it and inserted a screw from the bottom.
The sides are more or less OK but the sole has these big holes.

So here is my dilemma:

Should I try to fix and restore it or leave it like that.
What do I do with the holes, braze them, fill them with metal expoxy filler or I try to fill them by welding?

As I have acces to a lapping machine I can leave the surfaces completely flat but the holes will remain.

And if make new rivets I will need to protect the wood somehow if I have to lap the sides to leave the rivets flush, because the lapping machine uses drilling oil.

Any hint clues or suggestions are welcome.

It looks like a very nice plane. I don't think the holes will cause you any problems in use - none are close to the mouth. I'd flatten the sole and if you really don't like the holes, fill them with JB Weld.

Of course, if you can take the plane apart you can have someone weld metal into the holes but I think that's way overkill.

Mike

Mike Henderson said:

It looks like a very nice plane. I don't think the holes will cause you any problems in use - none are close to the mouth. I'd flatten the sole and if you really don't like the holes, fill them with JB Weld.

Of course, if you can take the plane apart you can have someone weld metal into the holes but I think that's way overkill.

Mike

Click to expand...

Hi Mike, what is JB weld?

Toni, JB Weld is an epoxy. Probably what you were referring to as "metal epoxy filler".

http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php

Yep, sorry for not explaining what JB Weld is. When cured it's gray so it'll show in the holes because the metal will be shiny. But it works pretty good.

Mike

hey mike, after while yu will learn that we have to watch how we say things for toni, he is a spainish fellar and our english isnt translated as well as it could be..

I agree with Mike, I'd not bother with any filler Toni, I'd just make sure the bottom was flat, and use it, as it does look like a good "user plane".

Nice going!

Not in favor of epoxy

Toni Ciuraneta said:

<snip>So here is my dilemma:

Should I try to fix and restore it or leave it like that.
What do I do with the holes, braze them, fill them with metal epoxy filler or I try to fill them by welding?

As I have acces to a lapping machine I can leave the surfaces completely flat but the holes will remain.

And if make new rivets I will need to protect the wood somehow if I have to lap the sides to leave the rivets flush, because the lapping machine uses drilling oil.<snip>

Click to expand...

Personally I think that filling the holes with JB Weld or epoxy of any type would be a waste of time. It would just be a cosmetic finish and could "theoretically" introduce contaminants into the wood your working on. I mean, you'd be abrading/wearing against the epoxy every time you use it. As long as the holes are not near the mouth (which they don't look to be) I'd leave them as is and consider them "wax repositories"

And as far as protecting the wood while it's on the lapping machine and exposed to oil, I'd give all the wooden surfaces coat of wax and then cover them with blue painter's tape.

HOWEVER, (depending how much material needed to be removed) I'd be inclined to NOT use a machine and lap this plane by hand on a sheet of glass using adhesive backed sandpaper. I've cleaned up several dozen hand planes this way and while it's a good deal of work, the results are worth it.

toni,
that's a nice lookin` infill.....check the sole for flat (i'll bet it's close) slather some wax on it, sharpen the iron, adjust the chipbreaker and make shavings.
if after using it for a while you feel pretty is important then start making improvements..
i`ll bet you end up liking it and using it frequently.

tod evans said:

toni,
that's a nice lookin` infill.....check the sole for flat (i'll bet it's close) slather some wax on it, sharpen the iron, adjust the chipbreaker and make shavings.
if after using it for a while you feel pretty is important then start making improvements..
i`ll bet you end up liking it and using it frequently.

Click to expand...

Toni,
What Tod said! It looks to be perfectly usable 'as is,' with just a bit of cleaning.

I would probably shorten the knurled screw on the cap iron, though. With it that long, it looks to be a 'knuckle buster.'

Toni,
i can never seem to resist jumping in on the hand plane discussions - i apologize in advance.

I think the way you "fix" this plane depends on what you expect from it. I'm guessing you won't leave it parked on a shelf, but will actually use this plane? If that's the case, I'd be tempted to do only what's necessary to tune it up properly to make it a good user. I usually like to acknowlege a tool's battle scars - recognize the testaments to its history, as long as it's still usable.

The holes in the sole won't effect it's performance at all as long as the sole registers relatively flat. Later, iron plane makers began corrugating their soles to reduce the drag resistance during use. This was maybe only an issue on larger, fore (#6) or jointer planes (#7 or #8) during long planing sessions. The idea was to make the tool less fatiguing to use. Corrugated soles probably don't offer any practical advantage on smaller smoothing planes, such as yours. However, the holes or rust pitting in your plane could, at a scientific level, actually improve your plane's performace by reducing the sole's friction drag against the wood - the same theory that drove the development of corrugated soles a hundred years later.

I don't know if i'd lap the sole unless it was off by quite a bit in the wrong places. For a plane to work properly, the sole must register flat at only three places along its length - the leading edge (the "toe), the slot where the blade protrudes (the "throat") and the back edge (the "heel). The areas in between can be slightly recessed and it will not effect the plane's performance. Of course, lapping the sole flat certainly wouldn't hurt anything either, but it's often done when it's not necessary.

The tote - that's the kind of scar that you not only see, but may feel as well. Small edges on the tote can rub blisters during long planing sessions. And, if the repair is not tight - if the pieces wiggle - i'd address this with a better repair or even a new tote. That may only be a good idea if you plan to use this plane. Replacing an original tote, even a cracked / previously repaired one like yours, can potentially reduce the value of your plane. With all of its other problems, that may not be an issue in this case.

I'd also make sure the plane / cap iron seat perfectly flat to the plane body. There may be some file or chisel work here. That cutting iron looks like it's got a lot of life left in it. Is it one of the old English or Scottish irons?

Toni, that looks like a sweet plane. I'm a bit envious. I've kept my eyes peeled for a sade case infill smoother to no avail. I wish you luck with yours. Let us know what you decide on and how it all turns out.

Paul Hubbman