I just picked up a collection of wooden hand planes, including an old coffin smoother, two transitional planes, and three traditional hammer adjustment planes. The longest one is a 28-inch jointer and the shortest is a transitional jack plane. Most of them need some work on the soles. I'm in New England and I'm wondering if sugar maple is a good choice for the soles—they seem hard enough for hand planes, right? I also have the option of hickory, but it's pricier and seems tougher to work with.
Additionally, for the big jointer and try planes, how wide should the mouth opening be after I replace the sole or insert new mouth pieces? I typically use a metal #6 try plane for joining without thinking much about mouth width, but I want to ensure I'm making the right choice with these wooden planes since they're not adjustable like my metal ones. I appreciate any advice you all have!
2 Answers
Sugar maple should work just fine for your planes. Beech is traditionally used, but cherry is also common. Just a heads up, if you choose hickory, be mindful that it can dull your tools quickly around it—I've had that issue myself! Honestly, I recommend using quartersawn wood for better stability. If you can, stick with beech or hard maple for the sole, as they provide the durability you need.
A good tip for the mouth size is to set it to about three times the thickness of your widest expected shaving. You want it just wide enough to let the shavings pass without clogging, but not so wide that it gets messy. When adding a new sole, be sure to carefully mark the angle of the bed on the side of the plane so you can drill accurately without splitting the wood. Take your time to get the final dimensions right, especially on the mouth itself, to ensure everything works smoothly. Maple can chip at the edges, so work carefully!
Yeah, cherry can have durability issues on planes. I tried making some out of cherry and faced similar wear problems. If you can, definitely go for beech or hard maple for a reliable and sturdy sole.