Thread: First plane purchased

Nice purchase once you've gotten through the setting up process.

A few hints;

Nitromors (Paint & varnish stripper) for paint/varnish removal, cleaned away using small brass bristled brush beneath running cold water if possible. This leaves the handles cleaned quickly and down to bare timber without damage. The same can be used to remove existing japanning if you intend to re-finish the plane, but avoid chemical strippers if you intend to clean up the bodywork.

Read up on cytric acid rust removal. It's inexpensive, easy to source and extremely effective at rust removal without causing severe discolouration to sound metal or risk of electrocution.

0000 wire wool to remove scratches.

Superglue (Thin or medium viscosity) to drop fill dings and divots. Can also be used to fill hairline cracks and repair clean breaks (It's a form of epoxy)

0000 wire wool and craft knife blade to refine surfaces. Max 600 grit wet & dry paper.

Stain and finish or paint of your choice.

Disassemble
Electrolysis bath (Paint stripper and Rust converters also work but messier)

Secure to whatever surface you are cleaning on with clamp or screws a couple down each side to stop the drill mounted wire brush throwing it off the bench

Get a 20mm drill type wire brush and a say 75mm round ones

Wear eye protection and gloves

Brush only the blade and the plane body not the sole till you have clean rust free metal

wire wool and kerosene works well to clean up the handles. Cracked and broken handles can be glued with epoxy but make sure the joints are free from oil and dirt first. Plan your clamping first. dont overglue as you run the risk of blocking the mounting holes. Just oil or wax the handles when done. ( I gloss polyurethaned mine but i think ill regret that in the future)

You can repaint the plane if you wish or leave bare metal. if you repaint i think Gloss stove paintworks well as its designed to be really hard and robust. Otherwise a clear coat or a good going over with paste wax to prevent rust is the way to go

Sharpen your blade and tune the fit of your chip breaker and assemble.

Assemble the frog and body back together fit the blade and adjust the frog to suit tighten down. Fit the Handle and front knob

Fit the Blade blade with proper tension but far enough back to not to poke through or be damage during the lapping process.

Glue sandpaper starting from 250 and up to 1000 say 4 grits onto float glass with spray adhesive and lap the sides and sole with most attention to the sole to flatten it the majority of the work is done with the rougher grits and the finer is more to polish out the scratches and polish. Finally thoroughly paste wax the treated area ie sides and sole to prevent rust

when happy adjust the blade final tune and make some shavings

take photo and post here soe we can see some tool

Andrew

Hello mate.
Well done on your purchase but I think you paid too much. My last No4 cost me nothing, but I did have to wait for my grandfather to die. Bit ruthless maybe?
Anyway, some great info on plane tuning can be found here:
Jim Davey - Planes and Sharpening - Home
RexMill.com Hand Planes 101 The Resource
Tune Up a New Plane - Fine Woodworking Video
Hand Plane Restoration PAGE 1

Good luck and have fun.

Cheers,
Virg.

Oh dear, you have stepped on to the slippery slope.

I thought I could stop - I was wrong. Yes, you paid too much - we all did at the beginning so don't worry it wasn't that much too much (you can tell SWMBO that it was MUCH cheaper than a new one). Someone once told me about looking for mushrooms in a forest. At first you cannot see any, suddenly, when you know what to look for, they are everywhere. If I spend more than $20 I think I'm being extravagant. If you decide you want to collect chose what and stick to it (why is it easier to give advice than follow it?)

Have fun,

Tim

PS - I joined this forum a few months ago intending to be a regular contributor. Life got a bit complex (and I had a violin to finish) and I haven't - but will. I have several months worth of tool purchases to share and discuss.

Matt, a #4 Stanley in reasonable condition is an ok purchase,now that your are infected you will become quite devious when the parcels arrives , i clean my gear with Citric Acid, it was a 25 kg bag i bought and swambo got a bit of a supprise at the amount it cost, $100 , but i saved the day when i started to make cordial out of it ,lucky it was food grade hey, Not blowing Matt, but some of these cost me $10 to $20 at the markets and if you keep a look out you will pick up planes cheap too.

Originally Posted by bluegum30

, Not blowing Matt, but some of these cost me $10 to $20 at the markets and if you keep a look out you will pick up planes cheap too.

That's another $100 at least,,,what did SWMBO say when you told her?

Originally Posted by bluegum30

Matt, a #4 Stanley in reasonable condition is an ok purchase,now that your are infected you will become quite devious when the parcels arrives , i clean my gear with Citric Acid, it was a 25 kg bag i bought and swambo got a bit of a supprise at the amount it cost, $100 , but i saved the day when i started to make cordial out of it ,lucky it was food grade hey, Not blowing Matt, but some of these cost me $10 to $20 at the markets and if you keep a look out you will pick up planes cheap too.

You could dip a car and it's trailer with that amount of citric and still have some left to brew lemonade for a cruise ship!