It matters naught that they cut paper - they need to be able to at least cut softwood
Those planes are a Stanley no.4 smoothing plane (9in long sole, 2in wide blade) and an Irwin-Record no. 60-1/2 adjustable mouth low angle (12° or so) block plane respectively. At this stage I don't think you need any more. I'd suggest fettling these, learning how to sharpen the blades and getting used to them before going off at a tangent and getting any more planes. I doubt that you'd find much use, as yet, for any form of bull nose or rebate plane.
How would I 'service 'them? Take out blade and wet dry paper to remove rust then 3 in1 oil? Yeah what is purpose of adjustable mouth?
You do realise, don't you, that I am cutting and pasting this into a Word document - and that next year when the book comes out you'll have to pay £19.95 for the privilege
It's often referred to as "fettling" a plane. I actually have a Record #060-1/2 block plane here, bought for one of the apprentices, so I'll start going through that tomorrow so you have the steps.
The adjustable mouth isn't strictly necessary when a block plane is used for its' original function of "blocking in", or trimming end grain, such as flush trimming the exposed end of protruding tenons (such as when making up a traditional mortised door, for example) and and trimming end grain on mouldings (e.g. a piece of beading that is fractionally too long or where the angle needs to be altered slightly, or for that matter adjusting a mitre joint on a skirting), etc. For those purposes the grain will tend to break up easily and generally won't clog the mouth of the plane.
No. Smoothing planes (sizes #2, #3, #4 and #4-1/2 - you will probably only ever see sizes #3 or #4) are all designed to do adjustment and cleaning up tasks on the bench when making up wooden items. They are all progressively larger than each other, a #2 being about 7in long with a 1-5/8in cutter whilst a #4-1/2 is a large 10in long x 2-3/8in wide cutter. The #2s were sort of "dolls house joinery" planes and are too small for most people to hold, #3 is more of a cabinetmaking size (think of it as almost a block plane with a 2 hand grip), #4 (which was once by far the most widely sold metal plane) is a good size for general bench work and its' smaller size and lower weight than the #4-1/2 makes it better suited to highly mobile site work (e.g adjusting sash frames), and finally there's the #4-1/2, which is a hulking brute of a plane, but where the weight and heft can give advantages when working on larger joinery items, especially in the shop. The #4 and #4-1/2 can be used as general planes, doing much of the work of jack planes, but the shorter sole length does make them less accurate when longer straight edges need to be produced (the longer the sole of the plane the longer straight piece you can make - think about how straight a door stile needs to be). In general you set a smoothing plane up with a straight ground blade where the corners of the blade are given a slight radius to reduce the tendency to leave "tramlines" on the finished surface
I've given up long agoOnly 3 more pages.
Come on boys, you know you can do this!!
Andy
Jobandknock is doing all the hard work!
Maybe, Andy, but it's your turn next time buddy!
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