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Ever see a cast iron plane droop or take a set? - Printable Version

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RE: Ever see a cast iron plane droop or take a set? - Bill_Houghton - 09-04-2018

I've got the body of a No. 6 or 7 plane, picked up for $1 at a yard sale, on which the back several inches are seriously out of flat, like 1/4" or more - obviously bent.  But I think it takes more than just being a bit lacking in support for that to happen.  After all, some folks recommend that, if you store your planes sole down, you put some thin risers at each end of the sole so that you can leave the plane with the iron set to your preference and keep it away from contact with the shelf (and any possible grit thereon); and I've never heard anyone complain that they did that and their plane got swaybacked.  I concur with others: you'll be fine.


RE: Ever see a cast iron plane droop or take a set? - rwe2156 - 09-05-2018

I don't know if that will do it, but I bought an old Stanley #7 years ago that was so bowed it couldn't be fixed.

Don't know exactly how would happen, but it happened.

I would think you would need heat.


RE: Ever see a cast iron plane droop or take a set? - bandit571 - 09-05-2018

(09-05-2018, 08:22 AM)rwe2156 Wrote: I don't know if that will do it, but I bought an old Stanley #7 years ago that was so bowed it couldn't be fixed.

Don't know exactly how would happen, but it happened.

I would think you would need heat.

I have seen more than one plane, that had been through a fire.....house , or shop.....wood was either charred, or missing...tapped on the side of what was left....didn't sound right....and they were warped badly....somebody was having a "Fire Sale"....


RE: Ever see a cast iron plane droop or take a set? - Timberwolf - 09-06-2018

(09-05-2018, 09:05 AM)bandit571 Wrote: I have seen more than one plane, that had been through a fire.....house , or shop.....wood was either charred, or missing...tapped on the side of what was left....didn't sound right....and they were warped badly....somebody was having a "Fire Sale"....

In "the olden days", to make malleable iron, the procedure was to maintain the casting at red heat for 24hours, so the graphite and other unwanted substances could "migrate" to the surface and allow time for the change in internal structure to take place...It was an expensive process in time and energy and resulted in more expensive tools...Stanley made many of their tools available in malleable iron and they are worth buying when you see them...I have a few spokeshaves and scrapers with the letter "M" cast into the body....I thought of this when you mentioned "house fires"...
Laugh