Wooden Plane question

[oarlock]

When I see pictures of how to close up the mouth of a wooden plane, I seem to always see a big filler block or, worse yet, a chunk of brass. Just doesn't seen right. Can I use a piece of thin hard maple glued (epoxied??) to the throat forward relief angle to do the same thing? such as:
(Excuse the blurry photo.) Seems like it be easier and look more refined.

[barryvabeach]

Steve Knight of Knight Toolworks used to offer wooden planes with a tapered shim on the forward edge of the mouth. As the mouth wore open, you would adjust the wedge lower, then trim it. web page Your idea should work, though you may have to use wedges to get it to stay in place while the glue dries, then trim it so that the plane won't choke with shavings.

[Derek Cohen]

Before you go to all this work, post a picture of the mouth with blade. Also, what type of plane is it and what type of blade (double or single iron). Closing up the mouth may be unnecessary - depending on the plane and its design.

If you do plan to add a mouth piece, it will need to be deeper than that piece you show.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Anji12305]

http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=800

I highly recommend Mr. Cohen's advise on these matters.
There is a 'VEE" at the bottom of the plane mouth that any
insert should follow. The subtle geometry of this portion makes the difference between a 'solo performer' and member of the chorus.

I would not orient any insert as you've shown, as it's likely to get
dislodged in short order. I like to have long grain as the bearing surface at the base of a plane.

Rather than make them straight across, or adjustable - my plane sole repairs use a sliding wedge, for best fit.

The tedious fitting of the mouth comes after.

Don't start that step after 9PM if you've got an early morning ahead of you - DAMHIKT.

I find myself referring to this excellent treatise by Bob Smalser, when running over problems like your (which I have also seen).

http://www.wkfinetools.com/tRestore/plan...lanes1.asp

[oarlock]

Derek: pictures of the plane in question. It is a flea market find Bailey No. 36 that I have rehabbed. Obviously, it will make a fine shaving so the mouth opening isn't THAT wide.
Anji: The op was just an illustration of the size of the piece to close up the opening.
One of the sites on rehabbing transitional planes recommends a mouth opening (with the blade in it's normal cutting position) of 0.001 to 0.004. I would have a hard time achieving that with my No. 62 or 9 1/2 steel plane.

[Anji12305]

Smoothers have a requirement for finer openings, and tighter tolerances than most of the handplanes. I use the ECE planes for most of my daily duties - the first pass with a fairly open mouth, and the final pass with a smoother set as tightly as you describe.

It's difficult to get far in the first pass with an opening so fine.

My suggestion in making the repair is to direct you toward the geometry of the opening, if you're unfamiliar with the 'anatomy'.

That said, results count. If your repairs work, then carry on.

[Chuck Nickerson]

Since your photo show a double-iron plane, you don't need a tight mouth. Learning to set the chip breaker will solve tear-out issues, the main reason for wanting a tight mouth.

Anyone have the links handy to the chip breaker information?

[Paul K. Murphy]

Japanese planes made of wood have a device called a "Kuchi iri."
That may not be the direction you want to go, but it is a solution to the mouth problems associated with wooden planes.
Below, a link for you:
http://www.ibiblio.org/japanwood/phpBB2/...f359c780d2

[TGW]

When I repair a wooden plane with a huge worn mouth I usually plane down the whole sole a little more and glue a new beech sole under the entire plane.
If the mouth has only opened only a tad I usually try to live with it. However my fine smoother is an old Bailey so I never need a super fine mouth on any of my wooden planes.