Hand Plane Surface Grinding

[Downwindtracker2]

It makes good economics not to age the plane cast iron bodies. No sense leaving money laying around. Machining green cast iron is like machining green wood, it moves. That's why Veritas and LieNelson both stress relieve.  You pay for that extra step.

[AHill]

It makes good economics not to age the plane cast iron bodies. No sense leaving money laying around. Machining green cast iron is like machining green wood, it moves. That's why Veritas and LieNelson both stress relieve.  You pay for that extra step.

It is industry best practice to stress relieve cast iron prior to any machining operations.  It is not good economic sense to risk warranty claims, or rejects before machining due to residual stress causing cracks or warping.  Ductile cast iron (the kind LN and LV use) is less susceptible to residual stress causing issues, but that doesn't mean they don't take that extra step.

[Downwindtracker2]

At the price Stanley charged for planes, the level consumer awareness, and the pent up demand, I don't think they bothered.. They are only woodworking tools, not machine tools. Stress relieving in 1950 was likely different than current methods. I know we upgraded from our 1980 technology on our strander. The 1980 technology was cutting edge when it was installed. In fact, it was a case of industrial secrecy.

[Frank Booth]

Paul Sellers has some vids on YouTube.  Once I found those there was no looking back.  Only takes a small amount of elbow grease; the old planes work as well as any planes I have used.

[Tony Z]

As an aside, the flat sole society is all a result of the internet age, and the many forums frequented, by the less experienced looking for solutions why they have issues planing.

My grinding of planes had more to do with 1. Owning a company that employed machinists and a toolmaker, 2. Having equipment to grind the soles of a few planes. If you read back through posts I madeon this topic, you can draw the conclusion that for some, the money part doesn't matter, but the costs for others pushes close to buying a new WoodRiver, a LV or a LN. With those you also have a better blade and chipbreaker.

But the argument may really be what is most important to planing? Sharp blade, aproperly set chipbreaker, blade unit and frog properly adjusted, bit of lubricant on the sole and proper planing technique.

[EricU]

the reason I wanted ground planes was so I could put them on the side and be sure they were square.  So not every plane I own has to be that way. But I work in a field where 5nM is a not quite good enough. And my job is to help people make things work better so they can shrink that number. That kind of thinking has rubbed off on me a little.

And the planes that Tom sold me were really beautiful, that doesn't hurt.  However, I don't have any problems getting good results with my other planes.

[Frank Booth]

Plane is squared by the movement of the blade; sides don't need be squared to the sole; doesn't even have to be that closely square. Clean up the plane, flatten the sole on some sandpaper (check out the Sellers vids) and adjust square by adjusting the blade once on its side. Works.

BTW, I see there has been advice here that newer blades (thicker ones, or the harder steels) are preferred. That is not my experience at all. I have used both kinds and the best for me, it's not even close, are the stock Stanley blades; those old blades are awesome. They sharpen and hold an edge beautifully; if they need a touch up then out of the plane they go for a quick fine stone treatment followed by a very quick strop; that has them sharp as can be in no time; they sharpen so quickly and hold an edge. Sometimes you will run into a blade that may be too soft; just get a new one if that's the case. I have actually never ran into this problem and I have quite a few old planes. I much prefer my old Stanleys to any newer planes I have.

I have some Lee Valleys and they work fine but the Stanleys are better for me (I'm talking about bench planes). I don't like the way the blade adjusts on the Lee Valleys; I hate to say that because they are such a great company; the way the Stanleys adjust the blade depth is perfect.