Hey everyone! I recently snagged a #4 type 11 plane for a decent price on eBay. I'm excited because it matches my other planes! It was in decent condition aside from some damage from previous attempts at restoration. Here's what I've dealt with: 1) The chipbreaker was heavily cambered, so I had to swap it out with an older one I had. 2) I had a broken tote, but that's glued up and fine now. 3) There was some rust and pitting on the sole, but I managed to lap that down. Now, here's where it gets tricky. I bought a scrap countertop to use for lapping but it turns out it's dished in the middle! I've noticed my #4 has become slightly convex, allowing a feeler gauge to slide in about .0015 at the front and back when I put it on the table saw. I'm wondering if that's a problem or if I'm overthinking it? The bigger issue is a deep scratch at the front of the plane which leaves a nasty line when I use it. I don't want to remove too much material to fix it, so I'm considering using a file to open up the scratch and round the edges instead. Will that help or just make it worse? Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
If the gap is only about .0015, you could quickly flatten it using some coarse sandpaper on a flat surface, like glass. This may also help with your deep scratch. Just don’t spend too much time on this plane if it turns out to be a lost cause; there are plenty of #4s out there! By the way, have you sorted out the new iron and chip breaker yet? You mentioned that needed replacing too.
That scratch might be manageable if it's not actually a crack. Try removing the front knob and use a magnet and file to check if there’s any metal dust—if it's cracked, it should show up there. As for the convex shape, lapping side to side rather than back and forth can help a whole lot. Just make sure to keep your work area flat!
What about filling the scratch with something like JB Weld? It could help create a smoother finish when you sand it down afterward. For addressing that convex area, I recommend using fine grit paper and working slowly, because plane soles are pretty soft and can wear down quickly. Cutting the abrasive to fit the area you're working on also helps a ton!