Woodnet Forums

I have a number 5 with a horn that is busted off on a rosewood tote. I am thinking that I just want to replace the horn, not chop it down like most people do. Mostly because I don't want to have to fix the counterbore. Anyone do it this way?

I swear I have some rosewood scraps, but I'm not sure where.

The problem, always, is that you need a good flat surface for gluing on your repair piece; and, if the break in the horn comes low enough to affect the counterbore, well, you're kinda stuck.

I had a jack plane this last year on which the previous owner, an engineer, had repaired a broken horn with J.B. Weld. Ugly as day old sin, but it was actually quite comfortable.

Bill is right, flat surface on the tote and the repair piece is key. Disc sander works for me on the tote, and I plane the filler piece flat in a vice. I epoxy on the filler, cut to the general form of the horn on the bandsaw, then form to finished shape with a rasp. If it impacts the rod hole, I actually carve it out with a knife, which can be tedious but this has worked for me, I guess you could use a Dremel as well. I like to make the horn a bit longer, like the totes on earlier Stanley planes.

I've seen a couple of people that cut the tote down a ways in order to get below the counterbore. The theory being that you need the strength of the bolt holding the tote together. When I cut my tote flat, it still will not involve the counterbore

Hard to imagine that a good glue job won't be adequate.

Totes can be problematic. The best solution I have found is to pick up a #5 donor.

But I did a tote rehab a co-worker's #6 a few years back. This plane belonged to his grandfather and his father so there was lots of sentimental value. One side of the horn was sheared off. I cut a lap joint on the tote, usingthe bandsaw and made an "L" shaped patch from rosewood. Titebond III works well for me on rosewood. I held the tote in a handscrew and sawed off the excess. Then I used the oscillating spindle sander to do the final shaping.

Long planes especially seem to have this missing tote horn issue. I guess they are prone to bench dives. Even though they can be used without it, I really appreciate the horn because it traps the web of my thumb and holds my hand in place.

Good luck fixing yours. As usual, we really enjoy pictures.

Rosewood because of it's oil content can be difficult to glue. The usual recommendation is G-2 epoxy after a wash of acetone. If memory serves me right, G-2 hardener is slightly acidic, cutting into the oil. System Three now makes G-2, I liked it better when Industrial Formulators made it. If the fit is less than perfect, add sawdust or minifibers.

Eric-

Steve has a blog entry covering that here.

Phil

Oh, yeah - and there's Dom's thread here.

Thanks for the responses. I don't remember where I got this plane, looks like it has a new iron and cap iron