Wooden body plane restoration

Depending on what’s wrong (why is it wobbling?) there might be a number of possible avenues.

If the handle base (the “tenon” which goes into the mortise) has lost material, say from rot, you could make a new base / tenon, mount the old handle onto the new base (or just make a new handle as well), and glue it into the existing mortise.

If there’s damage to the walls of the mortise, and even a perfect fit won’t do because the mortise walls are no longer strong enough for the job, you could position the handle in the mortise, keeping it in position with something as simple as masking tape, then pour in epoxy to surround the tenon. The epoxy will reinforce the mortise walls, fill all gaps and permanently anchor the handle in whatever position you set.

There are probably many other options, too.

Tony Lenge,

I hear what you’re saying. The handle is loose and won’t come out. I have that problem on my wooden jointer.

Solutions for repair aren’t useful until you can get the handle out, right?

I don’t have your answer. My impression is that usually, the mortise is undercut on one end and the handle fits under this. I’m guessing that usually its the rear of the mortise where this occurs because the rear of the handle is where there is most upward force.

Regardless, I can’t get vertical movement (or longitudinal either) at either end of the handle.

My plane does have, however, several large checks. These don’t overall hinder the use of the plane, but at least one of them has a role in the lateral handle movement.

It has been suggested to me that that the following will often close (by how much I don’t know) checks:
1) remove the iron and wedge.
2) securely tape over the mouth of the plane and any open cracks on the sole.
3) set the plane somewhere flat and level (I’d put it in some sort of container just to avoid a mess).
4) fill the mouth with natural linseed oil.
5) let things sit until the linseed oil seeps out of the ends (I suspect this takes more than overnight).

At this point, you can pour out the remaining linseed oil. You’ll probably have to let it set for a while (week? more? IDK) to stop sweating linseed oil. But, the checks will supposedly be shrunk at this time, and the plane should be closer to its original (or last) square and dimensions. And, sometimes, the handle will have tightened up.

Let me be clear. I haven’t tried this (yet). I’m just passing on something I read.

If you try this, let us know how it goes. Likewise, if you learn of another way to free the handle, please pass that on too.

Thanks and good luck,

Rick G.

@dperrott David, is Hide Glue the same as Pearl Glue?

Titebond liquid hide glue is good stuff and is the wood glue that I use the most. Make sure to check the date on the bottle. It’s supposed to have a shelf life of one year, which might be conservative but why take chances?

Dave