Making a Wooden Plane
Troubleshooting
After you've shaped the body, fit the iron and put a board in the vise. Don't pick anything too difficult to start with. Something soft like poplar is a good choice, and you can then move to hard maple, etc.
If you're not making shavings, there are a couple of things to consider. Double check the iron and the chipbreaker. They have to meet perfectly, or the shavings will jam. If there isn't enough clearance between the chipbreaker and the mouth area, shavings will also jam. Without widening the mouth too much, widen the area above the mouth (ie. mouth ramp) to compensate.
If the iron is not keeping it's depth setting, or it's lateral setting, check the wedge. It should be providing even pressure on the chipbreaker across it's width, not just on one side. File or plane it so that the pressure is distributed across the width of the chipbreaker.
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Steve Spodaryk
Medford, MA
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article
12.10.2008
- Making a Wooden Plane
Introduction
Tools
The Iron
The Chipbreaker
Wood
Marking Out the Blank 1
Marking Out the Blank 2
Forming the Plane Bed
Drilling the Pin Holes
Making the Pin
Test Fit
Glue Up
Post Glue Cleanup
Adjusting the Mouth
Making the Wedge
Test Run
Shaping the Plane Body
Troubleshooting
Advanced Topics
- Making a Wooden Plane
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