How To Restore A Wooden Plane

[@glencrandall7051]

I bet that little guy feels better now. LOL He certainly looks better. And he works better too.🙂🙂

[@jamessunderland362]

Yes! Awesome video. There’s not enough content about wooden planes on KZbin. Any more on restoring moulding planes would be great too. Thanks James 👍🏼

[@hudsonhornet6558]

You can never really appreciate old hand planes until you use nice ones has they are beautiful tools just like a drawknife a sharp chisel or whatever else good well maintained tools are a different type of awesome to use they take more time and effort but it’s well worth it

[@davidclark9086]

Somehow I missed this video. As I own several relatively old coffin planes needing some tender loving your video save them all, Thanks.

[@paco_vazquez]

8:13 I’m right now sawing through hickory (such a hard wood, very tough to saw) and took a moment to apply hard wax on the saw plate (blade?). Such a difference!! Sure, I’m not burning that many calories, but that’s ok. Highly recommend, use hard wax. James’s is my favorite, it also has a sweet aroma.

[@garryjohnson3107]

Love my wooden coffin smoothing plane. I was lucky to get mine in nearly perfect working condition, now I can get more even if the condition is not perfect. Thanks!

[@Canalcoholic]

I bought my first ‘coffin smoother’ around 18 months ago from an antique shop for the princely sum of 5 British pounds ($6.50). It was clearly a well used tool and bore the craftsman’s initials. Furthermore, it was sharpened to perfection and took an onion skin shaving off the first plank I took it to. Totally frictionless. Since then I have bought a few more from markets and antiques fairs, ranging from £1 to £8, some with good blades in firewood bodies, others with poor or missing blades, and I now have around 8 in regular use. Never underestimate these as curiosities or decorative pieces, they are worthy of a little TLC.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Congrats on first.

[@gregsarsons1221]

I was give a coffin smoother as a gift and it was being used as a decoration in my office. Thank you for adding one more project to my never ending todo list :) Again another great video, short enough and with the right balance of information.

[@virtuosooo]

Im about to go to work on restoring 2 old wooden planes. A new York tool co 12 and an Ohio tool co coffin. First time restoring wooden planes, so figured I better check my go to place for these things. Thanks again for the Info to help make my task easier James!

[@drawlele]

Well since I have to put my tools away for the winter this video is going into a playlist of mine for reatoring planes because those are the only tools im allowed to keep out for the winter and they are all getting cleaned up. Got one or two or 3 unusable wooden body planes, spring should be nice for me, all my planes will be super tuned up and ready to go.

[@williamfitzer4805]

Ha. I have the same old Stanley steel square. Love it. My favorite square.

[@some-idea]

Nice video. I have a few to do with blown cheeks so will have to get some low viscosity epoxy and try it. Rather than a card scraper, have you tried denatured alcohol and fine wire wool for cleaning? I’ve had luck with getting the dirt off, but leaving more patina and even, rich colour. Then the BLO really makes it pop.

[@danhusker1413]

Thanks for the insights. i have one from my great grandfather. He was a German carpenter in Cleveland in the late 1800s. The top of the blade is mushroomed where he hit it with a metal hammer. I'll leave that for the story. I have since found that hammer too. Now I know a little more how to recondition this. Question: I've looked around and found these planes sell for only around $20. Any idea why so low? I know about supply and demand, but wow!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

There are a ton of them out there and few users like to use them.

[@wolfman75]

Nice Job!!! Works Well!!! Thank You James!!! 👍😎

[@michaels.8663]

Very nice, that's just plane beautiful!

[@MCsCreations]

Beautiful work, James! Really nice! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@r.m.peters6636]

could you also fix the cracks with the method you had with putting in a juice and vacuum seal?.. (referencing your 1st Throwback video)

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Because this case you had to actually clamp them back in. Stabilization isn't very good for crack filling it is good for hardening softer woods. And stabilizing small pieces so they move less

[@JackFright]

Great video. Thanks! Coffin smoother is no different than a No. 4 in use?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

They do the same work.

[@SteveC38]

Nice Deal James!

[@ozzy6900]

Hey James. I restored a coffin plane just like this one, wrong iron, split sides and concave sole. Unfortunately, the previous owner put a heavy coat of laquer all over the plane (yes the wedge & iron, too) which took quite a while of delecate work to remove. The iron was jammed into the plane so badly that I had to use a mallet & a brass punch on the cutting edge to get the iron out. I ended up turnning it into a very good scrub plane that will be around for years to come.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Lol yup I have seen those no fun. They often do that for decoration.

[@melainekerfaou8418]

For the chipbreaker, i've recently seen a video (can't remember who it was, but probably an old timer like Graham Blackburn) where the gap was fixed not by grinding the back of the chipbreaker but by burnishing in the lip. I guess that only works when the gap is tiny, but it's probably a safe first step before going to the stone and risking to make everything out of whack before making it better.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

that may have been my video. yes it is only good for small gaps. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZWqgXxtmdWapLMsi=SjwBxitEvUgBT0Pk

[@melainekerfaou8418]

@WoodByWrightHowTo so not only did I try to sell your own tricks back to you, but I got you mixed up with Graham Blackburn (might have been the beard and the hair - or lack thereof). Please accept my contrite apologies.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It is an easy mex up. Lol

[@909sickle]

_Mrs. Wright hands James a laddle_ Mrs. Wright: How is the stew? James: It's good... it's just needs a little... _James begins pouring boiled lindseed oil into the pot_

[@christopherT3141]

Do you know what the notches near the toe of the plane are for? I have a plane with the same notches and originally thought it was from wear or mishandling, but now I've seen many with the same grooves and realize it must serve a purpose. Thanks

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

if you are talking about the notches on the sides of the toe those are just decoration. It is one way the maker could show the quality of their work.

[@imortaldeadead]

It was like that when I got, had only gone so far as to get the iron out of it. She still has a beauty that only comes with time Thank you for sharing your talents and bring her back to working form ⚰️⚰️⚰️

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Hope you have a lot of fun with her. She'll treat you well for a long time.

[@ikust007]

Thank you !!

[@2tall54]

Great video! Have you ever re-soled a wooden plane due to mouth damage? If so, how do you go about doing this and what wood do you recommend?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Always depends. My favorite method is to add a new sole. But I have just put a piece in the mouth before too.

[@2tall54]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Thank yo for your reply....Have you done a video on adding a sole on a wood plane?

[@TotalBoat]

Awesome video - it turned out great!

[@davidbrautigam1701]

If you call this coffin smoother a "Frankenstein" -than the coffin smoother I bought from Tooltique musst be a steampunk cyborg or something like that - The front part of the sole was replaced by 1/4 inch of solid brass. I even start to like it more than a Stanley No. 4 - no space between Iron and chipbreaker, the Iron as thick as a Ron Hock and it needs just one or two very gentle strokes with a light hammer for setting.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Wow. That sounds like quite the solid plane.

[@tartorstyx5104]

Hi! @ 4'11'' You are saying you want to keep the 35 degrees angle? Shouldn't this be 25, being a bevel down plane? Thanks!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

For bevel down irons 35 is a far superior angle to 25. It will last much longer and cut just as well. The one benefit to having a 25° angle in a bevel down plane is that it will engage slightly better when you're starting in the middle of a board. But that's a very slight benefit. A 35° angle will last twice as long and be just as easy to push. I have several videos on testing, plain irons and chisel's at different degrees and angles.

[@pgcracker82]

Do you is the linseed oil on the bottom of the plane as well?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

yes, but I will be using paste wax during normal use to lubricate it's movement.

[@stevendezwaan5707]

I have a transitional jack plane that has some cracks in the sole. I don't want to make a new one because the wooden sole has the original manufacturer's markings. Would epoxy be alright for smoothing out the sole of the plane?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

That would be what I would use. A nice slow cure epoxy will soak down into the cracks and seal them up nicely.

[@Vincent-S]

Oh neat, I got a pair of coffin smoothers recently and one of them seems to also be a frankenstein and needs a bit of work. It might straight up needs a new body, but I'm nit fussed with that. Have you ever noticed the iron being lightly bent back towards the chipbreaker after screwing them together? When I pulled out the iron, I noticed it was doing that after a slight struggle to separate them, it's really only contacting the top and bottom of the bed.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Sounds like it may have been dropped at some time. often if they're dropped it puts tension into the iron bending it backwards.

[@Vincent-S]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Hm. So I guess a good fix would be putting it in a vise near the top of the bend and very carefully bend it back with light tugs? Either way, I suppose I can just live with it, it's not a gnarly bend, just a slight curve you can see with a straight edge.

[@derekmiltimore3998]

Sorry, I am very new to most things in this video, so my questions may reflect that. First, did you speak Windex on the sharpening stones? Second, I have a few coffin box planes, as well as many metal planes, and I don't know if it's that I'm using it incorrectly or if the blade is in need of repairing. What are some of the signs to look for that will tell me if it's the wood body of the plane or if it's the blade that need work??

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I use a cheap window cleaner on the diamond plates. You can just use water but the window cleaner evaporates quickly so that there's less chance of rusting. Most the time if people are asking if it's the blade or the body of the plane the answer is the blade is not Sharp enough. But every instance is different. If you want to send me an email with pictures and questions I'd be glad to help out. [e-mail]

[@theWendigo1928]

I have a wooden Try Plane, and found out the Iron is not an orginal and quit big since it wont fit in. Are there other methods or ways to open up the mouth for the Iron to fit in, or do you think I should take my chance buying another one?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

If the mouth isn't big enough for the iron then I would definitely say go ahead and open up the mouth. It's usually the other way around.

[@theWendigo1928]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Interesting what you mean it usually the other way around or do you have a video explaining it? Will love to find out.

[@TOTHEPOINT82]

The tools so nice it's been loaded twice

[@DavesTreeFarm]

Could you also use a jointer to resurface the plane bottom?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

As long as you are not taking much off and your jointer can do stuff that small.

[@RafaelHe]

I've also restored a few wooden planes and found their feel so appealing that now I have an array of them.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

There's little feels is good as a well set up wooden plane.

[@matthew4878]

Viscous means thick like syrup. More viscous = more resistance to flow.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

so true!

[@garryjohnson3107]

I also had a request/idea for one of your live streams one night. A video or live stream maybe even on how to cut a through mortise and tenon but on round stock would be so cool!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

usually when cutting through sound stock it is with a round tenon. in that cast you use an auger bit. but I am probably missing something. sorry.

[@garryjohnson3107]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo well I was wanting to achieve the rectangle tenon but going through a round post or leg

[@przybyla420]

The easy way to do that is to mortise the leg before making it round. If you can’t though, try a knife and straight edge for starting the long sides of the mortise, instead of chisel. as if marking it, but cut deeper. It is awkward to push a chisel into a cylindrical object if you’re not attacking it squarely (makes more sense with a chisel a dowel in hand). The wall of the mortise is inherently fragile if the stock is rounded, and prone to chipping off. Switch to a chisel later once the mortise is established. And of course, you must chop the mortise out from either side, and mustn’t make it too wide or there won’t be enough meat around the mortise. It might be nice to leave extra length so you can screw the leg at either end down to a piece of plywood for the chopping, unless you have hand screw clamps.

[@dennisgrosen1815]

I do have a coffinsmoother that have a slightly but irritatating bow from the mouth and forward its about 1-1½ mm how do i deal with that since the mouth is pretty tight and i don´t wont to open too much by just planning away since it is realy a very fine smoothing plane i know that with use it will be a more corse smoother and in many years to come will ending be a scrub eventual

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

the only thing to do is to flatten it out. if the mouth opens too much then you can fill it with a small plug at the front of the mouth, or add a new sole to it to apply wood back on and close the mouth again.

[@dennisgrosen1815]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo thank you so much for the fast reply even thow i was vory for that answer 😢i gess we always hope for miracle cure hiding under the stone 😉 have a great day

[@coatpocketsurvivalist]

Just in time for Halloween - A live Coffin ! So many jokes here :) Thank you for the wisdom on bringing a simple plane back around. These old an beaten up ones are super affordable and I recently bought a few that an “Estate Sale” company was selling as “For Parts” this helps keep my budget under control and these old times get to rock on. OK, Jazz ON ? Since they smooth? I’ll show myself out. May your journeys be Adventures and your havens safe.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Thanks. Wooden planes really are a great way to get into it without spending too much.

[@ianpearse4480]

Very cool, I just got some wooden planes to play with. Going to enjoy the restoration process I hope! LOL. It's not the coughing that carries you off, it's the coffin they carry you off in! Unless you are just trying to improve lung capacity. Oh, that will make someone start a debate! LOL.

[@ikust007]

I have ALL those issues !

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Glad I could help.

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

Wooden planes are so common that I would have passed up that due to it being a frakenplane.

[@cattleNhay]

How to restore a wooden plane the Wright way ;)

[@l.g.4075]

How can I age a coffin planer?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Use it for a few decades?

[@c.a.g.1977]

Well, better start making coffins then. Let me guess, you'll be making them from white oak, with a BLO finish?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Lol How did you know.

[@c.a.g.1977]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Nah, just a hunch 😄

[@johnjackson9601]

I don't know if you saw this video. It was from an old movie about Norman Bayliss an English plane maker. Unfortunately it does not anyone narrating it. But I found it interesting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2qamJZ_qJllgZY

[@FilthyPancakes]

Hello, I recently got a chest of 1880's tools with wooden hand planes. I seem to be having a hard time finding replacement knifes. Some are very worn and my smooth plane knife is missing completely. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

sure. send me an email with pictures. you can find it in the about tab on the channel page. or the contact me form on my website.