Bronze Edge Plane
The soles of your Edge Trimming Block Plane
have been hand lapped for flatness and squareness. Exactly square cuts
are achieved by adjusting the angle of the blade in the mouth. A wider
opening near the fence will produce an angle of less than 90°,
near the outer edge, more. Start with the edge adjusted parallel to the
mouth, and check your work for squareness.
To Shoot a Straight Edge:
The bottom edge of the fence is milled parallel to the sole. If this
distance is measured (+/- 7/8") and a straight edge is clamped to the
work accordingly, long glue joints may be shot — when the
fence contacts the straight edge, cutting stops. With appropriate
fixturing, miters, tapers and other angles may be produced, as well as
precise dimensioning of strips, veneer, etc.
Angles such as draft for patternmaking may be planed using a wedge
shoe. Slight angles can be achieved with a build-up of tape. Shoes of
the right thickness will permit precise edging and depth control of
rabbets and grooves.
If the fence marks light woods, cover with tape or affix a thin
hardwood shoe, or polish.
Geometry: The blade is bedded at 12° with a
25° bevel, and is skewed in the body at 17°.
Blade Sharpening:
The blade comes ready to use. Slight additional honing will
increase performance. A secondary bevel of up to 5 degrees
helps achieve a razor edge quickly. This also improves edge
life in hardwoods. For more information on advanced
sharpening we suggest David Charlesworth’s DVD Hand Tool Techniques Part 1:
Plane Sharpening.
Blade Adjustment:
Loosen the cap. Holding the tool upside down with your thumb on the
cap, sight down the sole and adjust the blade to be parallel to the
sole. It will show as a black line. Adjust depth with the lever, and
tighten the cap.
Materials:
We use Manganese Bronze for the bodies. These castings are fully stress
relieved, a process that removes inherent stresses and ensures that the
tool will remain flat and true. Other parts are Brass and Steel.
The blade is A-2 Tool Steel hardened to Rockwell 60-62, cryogenically
treated and double tempered. Our heat treating technique ensures that
the blade will take and hold a very fine edge for a long time. After
heat treating, the blade is fully surface ground on the top, back, and
cutting edge, giving a smooth, flat surface that will take a mirror
finish very quickly. The 1/8" thickness provides solid, chatter-free
cutting.
Maintenance: The Bronze bodies are lapped to a tolerance
of .0015". Depending on how much use your tool gets, an occasional
light sanding with 320 or finer wet/dry paper on a flat surface will
keep the sole in as-new condition. A light oiling on the threaded rod
and Brass adjuster nut will keep them moving freely. Many people like
the patina that Bronze gets with age and use, but if you wish to keep
the finish bright, a little brass polish is in order.
Guarantee:
Materials and workmanship are guaranteed for the life of your tool.
Call for repairs or replacement parts. We are available for advice if
you ever have a problem using your tool.
Proposition 65 Notice: Bronze and brass alloys contain lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
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