New (to me) #7 Jointer

Brent Dowell

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So, Got it in the mail today. Seems like it's been a workhorse in a past life! :thumb:

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The question I have is about sharpening the blade. This looks like it has a bit of camber to it ? Slightly rounded at the edges.

Is that normal for a jointer?

Can anyone point me to a good tutorial on sharpening a plane iron with a slight camber?

Thanks!
 
I don't think I'd tolerate a camber on a jointer iron - it'd be impossible to get a well-jointed surface. A jointer's leavings SHOULD be entirely flat, something suitable for a rubbed joint. A cambered iron can't do that - at best it'd leave a concave surface behind, and two concave surface don't join to each other very well - especially if you're using a glue that's not known for its gap-filling properties.

Now, for a SCRUB plane, yeah - that'd make sense. Even for a smoother. Not for a jointer, though.
 
Tim, That's kind of what I thought. I'm pretty new to handplanes. I mean, sure I've got a couple and I use them for the common uses, trimming, chamfering, but nothing serious.

I kind of just bought this plane on a whim, thinking it'd be nice to have a big snow show. If I was really going to joint something, I'd most likely use my powered jointer.

But now that I've got it, and I see how it was setup, I'm wondering if somebody didn't use it as a big long smoother?

I'll have to see how I want to use it, but it sure is a big ole son of a gun..
 
Feels good in the hand, though, doesn't it? Years ago a fella gave me a #8 with one corner chipped. Lemme tell ya, after a while that gets to feeling like a LOT of iron to be pushing around. There've been times I've wished for a #7 instead.
 
It's definitely a big ole chunk of Iron! :thumb:

I turned an old shelf into a project cart this last weekend. It seems so handy, I think I'm going to make a laminated 2x4 top and use the new plane to flatten it. Seems like a good way to get the tool tuned up, learn how to use it, and create a useful piece of shop furniture in the process!
 
Pretty much what Tim said...

I sharpen mine straight across, and just knock maybe 1/64" off the corners at an angle. You want as straight and flat a cut as possible from your jointing plane - that's why it's called a jointer.
 
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