Bought an inexpensive Stanley block plane since poor planning on my part necessitated the emergency purchase. Been reading that the suggestion is that it "needs honing" before use.
You "hone" the iron (blade), correct? And you "lap" the sole???
Do I have my terms correct?
And - chances are that, given the price/quality of this plane, that both honing and lapping should be done, right? Thank you...
my dog "laps" up her water.
A "lap" dance can get you in trouble with the missus, if it isn't her on your lap.
Laplanders live where it's way too cold for a visit from this CA spoiled guy.
Coach will send you out for 10 "laps" if you miss that tackle again.
hone the blade; lap the sole.
dave
mttt wrote:
You can't sharpen the sole since it does not have an edge. So you lap it. The blade has an edge so you sharpen it. Probably machinist terms.
"Lapping" is the process of leveling by rubbing one item against another. The principle is simple - random motion will make the softer flat even if the harder isn't, because the errors will be progressively diminished by the rubbing. Often a loose abrasive and lubricant is used, but you may also use a piece of abrasive paper on a glass surface.
That URL I gave you has good information under "fettling"
Just be careful not to rub it the wrong way....
Whatever they call it, you want to flatten the sole, flatten and polish the "flat" side of the blade, and sharpen the bevel side of the blade. Sharpening the blade will have the most immediate effect. Here is some info on tuning a bench plane:
You lap the sole, then you lap the back of the blade, then you hone the blade.
If it was an emergency purchase (say you're trimming a few doors or something) then you might get it to work somewhat out of the box for a little while.
If it's the current bottom of the line el-cheapo Stanley block plane, I'd use it stock for the emergency job and then throw it away. I bought that same plane a few years ago under similar circumstances (trimming doors). No depth adjustment, badly-made aluminum body. I got the iron sharp, but once I got started lapping the sole, I just exposed a lot of raw aluminum, and the thing left horrible black streaks everywhere. It was pretty hopless trying to do anything with it. I decided to keep the iron as a glue scraper, and I threw the body away.
I'm not an elitist here. I make do with a lot of stuff that many folks here sneer at. Even so, if you have the plane I'm thinking of, that particular plane is all but completely useless.
Oh, also, if you *are* trimming doors or something along those lines, a $6 sur-form plane will do a much better job IMHO, and it's a no fuss, no muss way to go.
Actually honing but rarely lapping should be done even with an expensive plane.
Silvan notes:
Not always. Some months ago, I got an E.C.E. jointer plane--741P, I think. Took it out of the box, set depth and jointed about 4 red oak boards for a bookcase. My first shot at that much planing in a long, long time. Superior plane. Shortly before that, I'd gotten a Veritas 4-1/2 for some door work, and that came directly out of the box and got used on some panelled oak doors. Same tale.
They both might have operated better with a half hour or 45 minutes work, but it honestly was hard to see how.
I don't think so. It's also much easier to rock and screw up the surface.
Charlie Self
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas J. Watson
Yes
No.
The Stanley has several problems. The iron metallurgy isn't wonderful, but the worst is a general lack of accuracy and rigidity around the adjustments. Given this, it's just not worth the effort to try and tune something that will never reward the investment.
Irons are moderately sharp on arrival, but don't hold it. You'll need to re-hone fairly regularly.
-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods
Much appreciated. It served it's purpose. I'll know now to be careful about trying to make a silk purse out of this sow's ear (or would that be 'putting lipstick on this pig"?)...
Depends on what you're planning to do with it, I guess. You gonna kiss it first? :-)
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
or spit shining a turd...
"mttt" wrote
: Bought an inexpensive Stanley block plane since poor planning on my part : necessitated the emergency purchase. Been reading that the suggestion is : that it "needs honing" before use. : : You "hone" the iron (blade), correct? : And you "lap" the sole??? : : Do I have my terms correct? : : And - chances are that, given the price/quality of this plane, that both : honing and lapping should be done, right?
On my web site there's some information about tuning a plane, though mostly relevant to smoothing/jack planes (which would have been a better buy). Anyway, please try 'Planing Notes' - 'Fettling a Cast Iron Plane' and go on from there.
Lapping involves a mobile grinding medium on a retentive surface. Using coated abrasive papers is not lapping - presumably it is best called 'grinding'.
Jeff G
-- Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK Email address is username@ISP username is amgron ISP is clara.co.uk Website
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