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254479 Mark Jefferis <mark.tango@i...> 2015‑04‑22 rehab 2 wooden body planes
I have picked up a wooden body jack plane and a smoother. They have small'ish
checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is the best method?

I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some degree. Dry
clamping does not completely close them up. 

These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to using them.

Mark
254481 Thomas Johnson <drthjo@g...> 2015‑04‑22 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
For smaller cracks I use thin CA glue and an accelerant.  Works GR-8!  Some
cracks are still OK to use a thicker version that will wick into the crack
,,,  and some cracks mean stuffing thin saving into the crack with glue cuz
no clamp in the world will close drying cracks permanently. Splits OTH
often can be split open completely and reglued happily rather than trying
to wick glue into a crack. With the CA ... remember to keep the ventilation
going ... not good to get a snoot full.

Tom

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 4:42 PM, Mark Jefferis 
wrote:

> I have picked up a wooden body jack plane and a smoother. They have
> small'ish checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is the
> best method?
>
> I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some
> degree. Dry clamping does not completely close them up. 
>
> These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to using
> them.
>
> Mark
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
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254489 Spike Cornelius <spikethebike@c...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
I'd soak em in BLO.

Sent from the seat of my pants

> On Apr 22, 2015, at 2:42 PM, Mark Jefferis  wrote:
> 
> I have picked up a wooden body jack plane and a smoother. They have small'ish
checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is the best method?
> 
> I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some degree.
Dry clamping does not completely close them up. 
> 
> These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to using them.
> 
> Mark
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
> 
> To change your subscription options:
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
> 
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
> 
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/ot/">http://swingleydev.com/ot/
> 
> OldTools@s...
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
254494 Darrell & Kathy <larchmont@s...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
On 22/04/2015 5:42 PM, Mark Jefferis wrote:
> I have picked up a wooden body  jack plane and a smoother. They have
 > small'ish checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is
 > the best method?
 >
 > I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some
 > degree. Dry clamping does not completely close them up. 
 >
 > These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to
 > using them.
 >

Hi Mark,

I gotta be the Skeptic here.
What behaviour does your plane exhibit that makes you think it needs fixing?
If it's just cosmetic, then it doesn't really matter until you get them working.
Make the irons as sharp as you can and try them out.  Then you can try
to diagnose any issues you encounter.  In my experience a working
tool needs to be made to work before expending effort on cosmetic flaws.
I got too much time invested in tools that look nice but do nothing.


Darrell
just trying to keep you out of the hole I dug myself into...

-- 
Darrell LaRue
Oakville ON
Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User
254498 Mark Jefferis <mark.tango@i...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
On the jack plane, I am concerned that the number, placement, length and width
of the checks/cracks imply that the checks/cracks could lengthen and break the
body a part. I am imagining that stabilizing these cracks could prevent them
from growing. I am not worried about appearance. I just don't want it to fall a
part while I'm using it.

Of most concern, the smoother has length wise cracks/splits on each side of the
body top where the wedge terminates in the throat against the iron. These cracks
in front of the wedge are directly affected by the wedge's pressure. The cracks
follow the grain. I am able to close these two splits with a pliers.

Is there agreement that CA glue is an effective and easy approach to preventing
the two wooden planes from falling a part? Initially I was going to use yellow
wood glue.

I will also take up the suggestion about soaking them in BLO.

Mark

On Apr 23, 2015, at 07:35 AM, Darrell & Kathy  wrote:

> On 22/04/2015 5:42 PM, Mark Jefferis wrote:
>> I have picked up a wooden body jack plane and a smoother. They have
> > small'ish checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is
> > the best method?
> >
> > I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some
> > degree. Dry clamping does not completely close them up. 
> >
> > These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to
> > using them.
> >
>
> Hi Mark,
>
> I gotta be the Skeptic here.
> What behaviour does your plane exhibit that makes you think it needs fixing?
> If it's just cosmetic, then it doesn't really matter until you get them
working.
> Make the irons as sharp as you can and try them out. Then you can try
> to diagnose any issues you encounter. In my experience a working
> tool needs to be made to work before expending effort on cosmetic flaws.
> I got too much time invested in tools that look nice but do nothing.
> 
>
> Darrell
> just trying to keep you out of the hole I dug myself into...
>
> -- 
> Darrell LaRue
> Oakville ON
> Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User
>
254499 Ben <benbelzer@h...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
I'll second Spike's suggestion.  They may just be dry.  Apply your favorite oil
and the cracks may close on their own.  -Ben Belzer

> To: oldtools@s...
> From: mark.tango@i...
> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2015 21:42:48 +0000
> Subject: [OldTools] rehab 2 wooden body planes
> 
> I have picked up a wooden body jack plane and a smoother. They have small'ish
checks/cracks in them that I'd like to stabilize. What is the best method?
> 
> I assume I should inject glue into the checks and then clamp to some degree.
Dry clamping does not completely close them up. 
> 
> These are my first wooden planes and I'm really looking forward to using them.
> 
> Mark
254502 Don Schwartz <dks@t...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
I would suggest you apply CA wherever you suspect the integrity of the 
plane has been compromised by wedge/iron and hammering - splits 
resulting from normal use or abuse. That includes the splitting you 
describe on the smoother. Those splits can sometimes be helped with 
screws or, more radically, by planing the side(s) off to remove the 
splits, attaching new wood, and shaping as required.  Only do one side 
at a time! ;-)

Any splits resulting simply from wood movement should be considered 
individually. Are they resulting in defomation of the plane body? Can 
they be readily closed by clamping without causing deformation? Are they 
new cracks or old? Have you observed their elongation since you've owned 
the planes? If left alone, are they likely to extend to the mouth or 
affect the wedging action?

I would only apply BLO after finishing with any gluing, and likely then 
only to close up end grain checking visible in the mouth or ends of the 
body. It's mostly cosmetic IMO.

FWIW
Don

On 2015-04-23 1:01 PM, Mark Jefferis wrote:
> On the jack plane, I am concerned that the number, placement, length 
> and width of the checks/cracks imply that the checks/cracks could 
> lengthen and break the body a part. I am imagining that stabilizing 
> these cracks could prevent them from growing. I am not worried about 
> appearance. I just don't want it to fall a part while I'm using it.
>
> Of most concern, the smoother has length wise cracks/splits on each 
> side of the body top where the wedge terminates in the throat against 
> the iron. These cracks in front of the wedge are directly affected by 
> the wedge's pressure. The cracks follow the grain. I am able to close 
> these two splits with a pliers.
> Is there agreement that CA glue is an effective and easy approach to 
> preventing the two wooden planes from falling a part? Initially I was 
> going to use yellow wood glue.
>
> I will also take up the suggestion about soaking them in BLO.
254505 Mark Jefferis <mark.tango@i...> 2015‑04‑23 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
Don,

The planes are brand new to me so I can't respond to the question regarding how
old the cracks are although my guess is that they are not at all new. Also, I
have not used the smoothing plane as is to have noticed whether the two cracks
in front of the wedge have grown.

The smoothing plane body is not deformed. The jack plane body has noticable
twist along the sole and it isn't at all flat. I will be taking out the twist
and will flatten the sole.

Of the two, left as is, I worry most about the jack plane cracking apart length
wise.

I'm really happy to have obtained both planes and I'm very motivated to rehab
and use them. Aside from honing and sharpening the irons, the irons and chip
breakers are in great condition.

Mark

On Apr 23, 2015, at 05:00 PM, Don Schwartz  wrote:

> I would suggest you apply CA wherever you suspect the integrity of the
> plane has been compromised by wedge/iron and hammering - splits
> resulting from normal use or abuse. That includes the splitting you
> describe on the smoother. Those splits can sometimes be helped with
> screws or, more radically, by planing the side(s) off to remove the
> splits, attaching new wood, and shaping as required. Only do one side
> at a time! ;-)
>
> Any splits resulting simply from wood movement should be considered
> individually. Are they resulting in defomation of the plane body? Can
> they be readily closed by clamping without causing deformation? Are they
> new cracks or old? Have you observed their elongation since you've owned
> the planes? If left alone, are they likely to extend to the mouth or
> affect the wedging action?
>
> I would only apply BLO after finishing with any gluing, and likely then
> only to close up end grain checking visible in the mouth or ends of the
> body. It's mostly cosmetic IMO.
>
> FWIW
> Don
>
> On 2015-04-23 1:01 PM, Mark Jefferis wrote:
>> On the jack plane, I am concerned that the number, placement, length
>> and width of the checks/cracks imply that the checks/cracks could
>> lengthen and break the body a part. I am imagining that stabilizing
>> these cracks could prevent them from growing. I am not worried about
>> appearance. I just don't want it to fall a part while I'm using it.
>>
>> Of most concern, the smoother has length wise cracks/splits on each
>> side of the body top where the wedge terminates in the throat against
>> the iron. These cracks in front of the wedge are directly affected by
>> the wedge's pressure. The cracks follow the grain. I am able to close
>> these two splits with a pliers.
>> Is there agreement that CA glue is an effective and easy approach to
>> preventing the two wooden planes from falling a part? Initially I was
>> going to use yellow wood glue.
>>
>> I will also take up the suggestion about soaking them in BLO.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archi
ve/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/ot/">http://swingleydev.com/ot/
>
> OldTools@s...
> http://old
tools.swingleydev.com/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
254511 "Adam R. Maxwell" <amaxwell@m...> 2015‑04‑24 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
> On Apr 23, 2015, at 12:01 , Mark Jefferis  wrote:
> 
> On the jack plane, I am concerned that the number, placement, length and width
of the checks/cracks imply that the checks/cracks could lengthen and break the
body a part. I am imagining that stabilizing these cracks could prevent them
from growing. I am not worried about appearance. I just don't want it to fall a
part while I'm using it.

Meh. I have a wooden jointer that’s cracked from heel to
mouth, and the gap in the sole is probably as wide as a
penny. It’s perfectly fine to use, and isn’t growing. Same
with an ugly old Mathieson jointer I have; a few big
checks in the ends, but whacking it on the bench to
loosen the iron isn’t making them grow.

Pictures of yours might change my mind, but beech is
a _lot_ harder to split than it looks (I took an axe to
a plane once, and don’t want to talk about that).

> 
> Of most concern, the smoother has length wise cracks/splits on each side of
the body top where the wedge terminates in the throat against the iron. These
cracks in front of the wedge are directly affected by the wedge's pressure. The
cracks follow the grain. I am able to close these two splits with a pliers.

Is this a coffin smoother? Most of them split near the
abutments where the grain runs out. Ignore that; it’ll
be fine. If you must, blow some hide glue in there.

> Is there agreement that CA glue is an effective and easy approach to
preventing the two wooden planes from falling a part? Initially I was going to
use yellow wood glue.

No. It’s a wooden plane, and filling it with plastic is
only going to cause you more grief, in my opinion; you’ll
be changing moisture pathways and compressibility of it.

> 
> I will also take up the suggestion about soaking them in BLO.

I’m not going to touch this one :). John Manners suggests
plugging the mouth with putty and filling it with linseed
oil, but there’s enough fighting over that in the archives!

Whatever you end up doing, let them sit in your shop for a
while before correcting any wind in the body or flattening
the sole, and don’t store them with the wedges set hard!

Adam
254512 Ed Minch <ruby@m...> 2015‑04‑24 Re: rehab 2 wooden body planes
If the blade is hard to get in and out - like the slot is not wide enough and
the blade is too wide - it may be that things have shrunk a bit and caused these
side cracks as the blade tried to keep the body from shrinking.  If that is the
case, get the blade out, then widen the slot just a bit.


Ed Minch




On Apr 24, 2015, at 12:27 AM, Adam R. Maxwell  wrote:

>> 
>> Of most concern, the smoother has length wise cracks/splits on each side of
the body top where the wedge terminates in the throat against the iron. These
cracks in front of the wedge are directly affected by the wedge's pressure. The
cracks follow the grain. I am able to close these two splits with a pliers.
> 
> Is this a coffin smoother? Most of them split near the
> abutments where the grain runs out. Ignore that; it’ll
> be fine. If you must, blow some hide glue in there.

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