Thread: Question re flattening plane sole

I would have thought that scraping was a specialised skill that not many of us posess??

cheers,

P :confused:

Scraping is considered a highly skilled task and is done after machining to obtain a flat surface. Even surface plates are scraped to obtain high levels of precision. One of the reasons this technique is still used with the technology available today is that it provides space so that lublicant can penetrate between close fitting parts. There is a lot of information avaialble and from what I have read the result should be short shallow scallops with the adjoining scallop from the opposite direction.
IMHO I would try the glass plate and wet and dry and you will obtain a much better finish with sharper edges. This is important around the mouth of the plane.

John

Scraping is indeed used on plane soles. This method does have its followers. The reason why you usually hear of the use of sandpaper instead is simply because not many woodworkers have the necessary skills.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I don't think that scraping is that hard. But to flatten a plane sole would take a very long time.

Dan

Dan

Try this article:

http://www.geocities.com/plybench/flatten.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek,

I'm well aware of the technique. I did it as part of my trade. What I should have said is that I don't think the technique is difficult.

What I was saying is that without surface grinding the sole first, you will be scraping forever. I wouldn't waste the time. I would (and have) sanded the thing flat. If it has a slight concavity it will be very slight (thousandths of an inch) and this can be minimised, if not eliminated, by keeping the abrasive clean and changing it when it wears.

Dan

Sorry Dan, of course you said so at the beginning of the thread . Perhaps others will benefit from the info then.

What do you use to sand the soles? I have been using Zirconion Oxide belts (80 and 120 grit) then moving on to Aluminium Oxide belts and finally wet and dry. The Zirconion Oxide belts are incredibly durable.

Regards from Perth

Derek

When i did my trade as a Motor Mech, many moons ago we use to draw file (think thats what its called) things flat with the use of bearing blue as well
could this be done to flaten the sole
or is this a form of scraping?

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

Derek, the link was particulary useful. Much better than what I managed to turn up with Google.

John