Frog adjustments on Stanley Bailey 4 and larger planes
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I’ve been rehabbing a number of Stanley planes and the videos from Paul and a few others have cleared up almost everything except for one setting. When using the Frog Adjusting Screw what is a good initial setting? I’m starting off with about 1/8″ between the front edge of the frog to the rear of the mouth but honestly I have no idea if this is anywhere close to optimal. There’s such a huge range of adjustment possible I assume there’s some variable I’m not aware of that calls for a larger or smaller gap.
Any tips? Anyone know what that “unknown variable” is that I’m missing that explains WHY this adjustment exists and how to use it?
Thanks,
John
John Purser
Hubert, NCEveryone will tell you something different John.
Some good info………http://logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/2009/12/quick-tip-3/
http://lumberjocks.com/davidmicraig/blog/18799
http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tools/archive/2009/08/17/troubleshoot-your-plane.aspx
Ken has showed some great tutorial’s here, study these and you will be good to go. I have been using Hand Tools now for about 4 years and learned how to fettle my tools, for me this is half the fun of this great hobby.
Steve
Steve Massie, I live in the great State of Florida, US
Hi Ken
Great set of notes, In the Trouble shoot your plane notes it says about removing the corners of the blade to remove possible tracks, do you know what you should do with the corners of the chip breaker to stop it protruding beyond the blade at the corners?Wigan, Lancs. England :
Hi David,
Removing the corners is only a very light rounding with a file. I would not use a grinder as suggested. The chip breaker will be fine as it is.
Hope this helps buddy. 😉On a smoother only corners to be rounded like Ken says use a fine file use your diamond plates to polish corners up a bit. You barley nick the corners the cap iron should not protrude you still will get cap Iorn 1/32″ from cutting edge.
I find if cap Iron too close to cutting edge plane dose not perform as well.
@ken
Some great finds Ken I liked the masking tape method so simple. 😉Dagenham, Essex, England
Mark I wonder if putting the tape in the front of the mouth would work the same.
@ken
Perhaps but I would think it would be difficult to make tape to stay in place. Maybe just cut 2″ or 2 3/8″ x 2″ long strip of paper and fold round front of mouth?Dagenham, Essex, England
Mark Ken
i think i may have put too big a rads on corner but I did have the chip breaker closer than 1/32″ I will have a look later to see how far back I need the chip breaker so it does not overlap the blade at the corners , Thanks for your commentsWigan, Lancs. England :
Many thanks to all, especially Ken. Those links made me rethink how I was setting up the planes, mostly because now I have a little understanding of WHY I was moving the frog back and forth.
I got the first of the top laminations for my Seller’s style workbench planed and glued up yesterday. Not too pretty but since I’m making a 6′ bench from 8′ studs it’s workable. Now that I know what I’m doing I’ll pick better studs for the next section Certainly my planes will work better.
John
John Purser
Hubert, NCThis is when it’s nice to have several planes. A #4 can do everything but you need to adjust it for each task. Having several planes with different settings is a nice luxury that helps to speed up projects.
Dallas, Texas
Agreed Johan but I think I went a little overboard there. While waiting for the weather to clear up here (Near Seattle WA. UGLY winters) I kind of got hooked on looking for old tools on craigslist and ebay. I now have 8 number 5s, about 4 4s, 1 4 1/2, and a couple of threes. And a 6 and a 7 I really can’t explain. But I had great fun fettling them when it was too wet and cold out there to get any work done.
I settled on two of the 4s and the 4 1/2 for the bench job mostly for consistency’s sake. I’ve finally gotten to the point where I can put a decent edge on them (mostly) freehand with Paul’s method and I’m kicking out shavings at a rate guaranteed to offend the neighbors if I don’t stop them from blowing down the alley.
John Purser
Hubert, NCI think you need more than a N04 I would be lost without my longer planes, and they must have had a good reason to make them me thinks. 😉
Nice job John 🙂
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