Lie Nielsen No. 102 block plane

[overland]

I just bought a used LN 102 block plane. I'm having trouble with the Norris-style blade adjusting mechanism. It's seems quite rough and and hard to use. It's not smooth at all, compared to, e.g., the adjuster on my larger LV block plane. Does anyone have experience with the LIN 102? I'm not sure what to do. Maybe that's just the way it is with this little guy. In any case it's rather disappointing, given my experience with other LN planes. I wasn't expecting it.

[Strokes77]

Maybe your lever cap is too tight? What do you mean by rough... lateral movement or depth?

This is the best plane I own.

[overland]

I mean it's hard to turn the depth adjusting knob when there is any kind of pressure on the blade--even a little bit and not enough to secure the blade for use. The knob turns, but not smoothly at all.

[AHill]

Take your plane apart and clean everything.  Sometimes dirt or chips get lodged in the mechanism.  Also, check the blade for any damage where the adjuster fits.  If all else fails, call LN.  Their planes have a lifetime guarantee.

[hbmcc]

There is hardly any slack in the clamping action--a frog's hair. I need to back off the "wheel" when adjusting the depth on mine. This tool also must be adjusted in positive advance. 

I think the individual tools are final tuned when made. You might ask them to repair it, in case there are a mashup of parts. It really is a sweet companion, and yours deserves that honor.

[Strokes77]

Ok, well that makes more sense.

In use, I don't adjust the set of the plane while the lever cap is tightened down.  It is a kind of set it and forget it plane for me... I don't think it is designed for the depth to be adjusted while tight.

[Paul-in-Plymouth]

I’d take the plane apart and clean, lube and reassemble.   Disassembled, you can see if the adjustment nut turns freely on its stud, if the spinwheel also turns freely and if there’s any impediment to the blade sliding on the bed.  

To adjust the blade extension in an LN block plane, you have to be able to back off on the tightness of the lever cap to find the sweet spot that’s loose enough to let the blade advance smoothly but tight enough that the blade doesn’t move when you go to retighten the spinwheel.  

One of my planes came with a spinwheel that would not turn freely.  It was next to impossible to find the sweet spot to adjust the blade extension until I cleaned and lubed the levercap/spinwheel mechanism.

[MattP]

Ok, well that makes more sense.

In use, I don't adjust the set of the plane while the lever cap is tightened down.  It is a kind of set it and forget it plane for me... I don't think it is designed for the depth to be adjusted while tight.

I think I read somewhere that the idea behind the 102 is that you can make small adjustments while it is tightened down, but to actually adjust it significantly, you need to loosen the lever cap. I love my 102.

[overland]

It's good to hear everyone loves their LN 102s. It's a lovely little plane--just the right size to complement my much larger LV block plane. But there's definitely something wrong when I turn the adjusting nut--I can feel it catching when I turn it. (The adjuster on my LV block plane, by contrast, is buttery smooth.) i don't know if it's some irregularity on the face of the nut, where it engages the blade, or looseness in the fit of the nut on the threaded rod. But I've written to LN and am awaiting a reply.

[Stwood_]

Seems I saw something a few years back that they had some to get out that had that problem.
I don't remember quite what the problem was at this time.