Router plane cutting edge isn't parallel with base
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- This topic has 10 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 7 months ago by Harvey Kimsey.
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I’ve acquired a vintage Stanley 71 1/2 Type 4 (1911-1924, according to hyperkitten). It’s in pretty decent shape, especially after a minor cleanup.
However, the flat 1/2″ iron’s bevel is skewed due to a past sharpening. Because the bottom of the iron isn’t in a parallel plane with the base of the router, a skewed bevel means an uneven cutting edge. In other words, one corner of the cutting edge is lower than the other.
Is there a tried and true method of fixing the blade? I have already ordered a replacement from Lee Valley (their blades fit Stanley routers), but I would love to fix this one up into working condition.
The angled blade is also very wonky, but i’m less worried about that one (and i’ve also included one of these in my LV order anyway).
- This topic was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by tgkendall.
15 September 2017 at 4:29 am #315927I have had some success honing a back bevel on the cutter such that it is now co-planar with the base of the plane. Just set the whetstone under the plane with two side supports of the same thickness. Lower the cutter and hone a slight back bevel. Shouldn’t require very much honing. It’s worked for me!
15 September 2017 at 3:08 pm #315936And to add to Ed’s comment, might check this blog entry https://paulsellers.com/2014/10/questions-answered-router-bevels-reversed/
as to why that’s an issue.
Edit: huh, just noticed the original question of that blog, same Ed ?
- This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by James Robnett.
Bear in mind these tools were often roughly cast and sent out the factory with minimal refinement. Most owners were never aware of the need to fettle tools. The chances are you’re doing this for the first time in 100 years and you’ll need to address several issues to get it just right:
1) Flatten the Sole
2) Square the Channels (front and rear) to 90 degrees with sole
3) Check inside Collar for burrs / edge round-overs
4) Check Clamping-Screw for Centre (turn clamp over)
5) Check Irons for square
6) Sharpen IronsFlatten the sole as you would with any other plane.
Is the Channel holding the Iron square at 90 degrees to the Sole? Some of them aren’t too accurate in their casting/milling. In Mitch’s YouTube video on the Stanley 71, he files his roughly-cast Channel slightly on one side to get his Irons sitting square with the Sole of the Router before sharpening the iron. It’s quite likely your irons aren’t the originals of 1911. Maybe yours were originally used on another Router, or fitted in the Rear Channel. All Channels differ slightly.
Ensure the Collar is as low as possible at the bottom of the Iron without losing a level orientation – avoid clamping any of the flared portion of the housing at the base of the screwed-post. On later designs, Stanley addressed this issue by adding protrusions to castings which limit how low the Collar can travel – on these earlier models we need to ensure the collar sits level and square before tightening.
Check the inside edges of your Collar. Some have burrs or a slightly rounded-inwards edge that hinders mating against the Iron, pulling it askew as it tightens.
Check also the Clamping-Screw for alignment with the CENTRE of the Channel. It may be that yours is pulling to one side as it bites. Turn the Collar over and see if that’s a better alignment. Some are not symmetrical and have a ‘right-way-up’. If there’s slop in the Clamping-Screw thread (and there usually is) make sure it’s holding the iron tight-enough so it doesn’t move at all.
Check the iron for square. Flatten the base so that the post sits vertical when viewed from the front or back. From the side of course it will have a definite rearward slope. I don’t have a belt sander or grinding wheel, I’d clamp the iron to a block and use sandpaper/diamond plates. You could try a honing guide like the Record 161 or Eclipse 36. Awkward I guess, but you’ll only have to do this once.
Angled Blade wonky? I assume you’ve tried tightening the screw, so I’ll suggest a tube of Thread-Lock.
Sharpen/Hone as normal – Paul’s / Mitch’s videos.
While refurbishing my routers, I discovered; none were flat, most Channels aren’t square with the sole, Collars are usually lop-sided (some have a ‘right-way-up’) or had a pronounced burr, Clamping-Screws rarely align with the Channel centre before tightening, Stanley screws fit Record, Record screws don’t fit Stanley… and that’s before addressing the Depth-Gauge, Shoe, Fence, cosmetics, or sharpening issues!
Anyone refurbishing a more-recent Stanley 71 (with black knobs) might want to consider an alternative to black paint. Black Leather Shoe-Dye in Shellac looks and feels much better than a painted finish.
Try these videos on YouTube and let us know how you get on.
19 September 2017 at 7:10 am #316733I had to do this also.
I first ground ( filed, actually. The steel wasn’t highly tempered) the cutter square, then used the backbevel technique to establish what parallel to the sole was. The final step was to remove the backbevel on a stone until I got a wire edge evenly across the cutter. This has to be done by hand and checked often that you are parallel to the edge you established.
Get a good polish on it.
Final and future sharpening happens on the upper side of the cutter – i.e. Holding the cutter upside-down.I’m not sure this would work so well on a two piece cutter. You might grind the screw.
19 September 2017 at 1:39 pm #316881That sounds like a very good approach. I noticed Lee Valley makes two piece router cutters. They also sell an accessory to hold the cutter while sharpening, so I think it’s meant to come apart for sharpening.
If you go on to modify your router with a wood base, a la Paul Sellers, make sure the wood base is dead flat and that the same thickness all the way around. The new base becomes the reference surface and you’ll want your cutter parallel to it.
- This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by Harvey Kimsey.
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