Sole flattening

[hackberry jake]

I never have been able to get good results from hand planes. I have been listening to woodworking podcasts on my commute to work and back. I picked up some pointers from the podcasts about tuning up your planes, including how to sharpen the irons and flattening the soles. Well, all my hand tools are cheap ones, so I thought I would check. The soles were nowhere close to flat! I laid out 100, 320, and 800 grit sandpaper on my granite surface plate and went to town.



 
I flattened all three of my hand planes soles. The largest one took forever and I still have more to take off, but it is working much better. You can see the untouched area in front of the mouth. And towards the back of the sole.


 
You can use a pane of glass if you dont have a surface plate. You could probably even use a machined surface like a table saw or jointer. They are all working much better now.  8)

[jueston]

this is something i should really check before i use my planes next(not that they get a whole lot of use, but occationally)

how did you adhere the sandpaper to the granite?

[terrifictimbersllc]

Can either use 3M super 77 contact adhesive or buy sandpaper with adhesive back.

I've used an 8x36" piece of thick plate glass lying on my DJ20 jointer indeed table, right height for a good workout.   So is a workbench meant for planing. Prepare for a really good workout.  Water on the table saw or jointer is not the best.   

[Dan_Shade]

check out Paul Sellers channel on youtube, he has a video on planes.

Also Frank Klausz has a video on hand tools that is excellent.

[hackberry jake]

The 320 and 800 grit are adhesive back. The 100 grit I just held in place or put a weight on the edge. I used a spray lubricant instead of water. It seemed to work just fine. If you are getting poor results from your planes... I would check them.

[Bruno of NH]

You can't beat a properly tuned hand plane I use one almost every day in my carpentry work .
Old hand planes can be purchased cheap at junk shops
People don't know what they have .
Jim/Bruno

[21incher]

I am going to have to try that. I also have 10 old hand planes sitting in a drawer that were my dads and I never had great results with so I avoid using them. One of them is about 16 inches long so I'll have to locate some oversize wet sandpaper. Thanks for the tip.

[hackberry jake]

I got a roll of 320 and a roll of 800. I will look when I get home to see what brand it is. I don't remember where I got it. It is 6" wide.

[hackberry jake]

Maybe it is 4.5" wide paper. I think this is where I ordered it from.
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/category.aspx?id=22&f2=ADHESIVE

[WDH]

From the title of this thread, I pictured you stomping on a flatfish. 

[21incher]

Maybe it is 4.5" wide paper. I think this is where I ordered it from.
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/category.aspx?id=22&f2=ADHESIVE

Thanks for the link. If you go to the wet paper section it lists 6" wide x 5 meter long rolls. I will have to order some of the finer grits. 

[hackberry jake]

Maybe it is 4.5" wide paper. I think this is where I ordered it from.
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/category.aspx?id=22&f2=ADHESIVE

Thanks for the link. If you go to the wet paper section it lists 6" wide x 5 meter long rolls. I will have to order some of the finer grits. 

Gotcha, that's probably what I have then. If your sole is in rough shape... You may want to start with 10 grit  :

[yukon cornelius]

I know so little about hand planes but learning. thanks for the post. I should check on mine and my sons.

I thought the sole flattening is a long day standing at the work bench. ;D

[Clark]

I've been buying my way into hand tools over the last several years. Mostly planes, some saws and a need for many assorted pieces.

When buying planes I stick with Stanleys, make sure they are complete and have no serious issues. I take them home, clean the junk off, sharpen the blade, flatten the chip breaker (or iron cap) where it contacts the iron and then put it back together. Adjust the blade and give it a whirl. If it is cutting how I like it or even close to that, I don't even touch the sole. As you know, you can avoid a lot of work by not having to flatten it!

Clark