Thread: Critical points for flattening plane

Found this article with Google:
Thoughts On Hand Plane Sole Flatness - Handplane Central

The problem with my No. 5 plane is that it is 0.002 inch (2 thou) higher at the toe and the heel for about 2" to 3" back from the ends of the plane ( as measured by sliding a feeler gauge under the sole) than the rest of the sole when sitting on a flat surface.

Will this matter?

Jim Daveys instructions attached in PDF.

also try www.rexmill.com

but essentially the toe , the bit before the mouth, the bit after the mouth and the nose as you have said.

I dont have a lot of success doing this. I turn them upside down and draw file them.

Many thanks Pacman, this is opening up a whole new world. I was able to find the FWW Sep 2004 article referred to in the rexmill web site too.

Can you tell me about a draw file technique to flatten a plane? Haven't seen that mentioned anywhere before.

After using an aluminium oxide belt spray glued to some melamine and clamped to a flat bench, I discovered that my 605 is pretty flat lengthwise as measured using a straight edge, but across the 2" width sectional view, it is convex for the entire length, so that if I put it on a flat surface, I can rock it side to side.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this occurred, and the best remedy please?

[QUOTE=Dengue;1628085]Can you tell me about a draw file technique to flatten a plane? Haven't seen that mentioned anywhere before.

After using an aluminium oxide belt spray glued to some melamine and clamped to a flat bench, I discovered that my 605 is pretty flat lengthwise as measured using a straight edge, but across the 2" width sectional view, it is convex for the entire length, so that if I put it on a flat surface, I can rock it side to side.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this occurred, and the best remedy please?[/QUOTE

I read somewhere that over torquing the frog screws can distort your sole , I mark the position of the slot before removing them that way I get the factory torque setting when I reassemble

Glenn

Drawfiling is necessary when i rock the plane on the medium i am trying to sand or flatten it with and end up with a banana.

Draw filing is a method of smoothing metal by holding the file in both hands like a draw knife and pulling or pushing the file at right angles to the metal surface.

Thanks Pac man, I am tempted to have a go. I have a banana shape across the width of the plane, not the length

What level of flatness can you achieve by draw filing, and what sort of file do you use - double cut?