Replies

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 08, 2002 05:18am | #1

   Well there are several different reasons that I have heard over the years they all make sense but I cannot be real sure as to which one is the real reason.

   1. To reduce the suction between the sole of the plane and the wood. This is a bigger problem in woods with high amount of pitch like pine.

   2. Less material to remove when lapping the sole of the plane flat.

   3. Some manufactures used to have there company name on the sole in raised lettering. The lettering was the actual sole, while others used to drill shallow holes and wave like lines.

   4. When waxing the sole some of the excesses wax would lodge in the corrugations and would continue to wax the sole over time.

   Myself I prefer a nice flat sole over the corrugated soles. But then again it is all a matter of personal opinion.

   Scott C. Frankland

   Newfoundland Wood Worker

2. 
   forestgirl | Jul 08, 2002 06:03am | #2

   My favorite place to go for info on planes (specifically, Stanley's) is here:

   http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan1.htm#num2c

   The link I pasted in will take you directly to info on the corrugated planes.  The home page is:  http://www.sover.net/~nichael/nlc-wood/stanref-num.html

   and the Stanley 2C is where he includes the general explanation of the corrugated planes.

   Cool place, as is Patrick Leaches "Blood and Gore":

   http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0.htm

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   jase | Jul 08, 2002 06:32am | #3

   Forest Girl-

   Thanks for the link. I have that site listed in my favorites, thanks to this forum, but I didn't think to go there. Whenver I check out planes on ebay I use that site as a reference for the possible good buys.

   I wonder how many woodworkers find these corrugations useful.

   It seems to me (in my little experience) that they would not overcome any vacuum problem since the corrugations do not reach the edges of the sole. Of course this is just me speculating as I haven't had the pleasure of useing or tuning up a good plane.

   It does make sense that it would reduce some of the friction because there is less sole in contact with the wood. I think I have seen one of these planes before.

   Anyone have an opinion on corrugated planes?Jase--Is there a better way?

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 08, 2002 06:36am | #4

   My guess is that the overall friction reduction is the main benefit.  Maybe Sgian will wander by and give us his view on this -- hello?  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   SgianDubh | Jul 08, 2002 06:54am | #5

   Never used one FG, so I have no idea beyond theory what benefits they might, or might not have. I'm not really very fussy about tools though. No doubt if I'd ever come across one to use I'd have made it produce a shaving. Sorry. Not much help. Slainte, RJ.RJFurniture

2. 
   Dale | Jul 08, 2002 07:41am | #6

   Corragated soles were made to reduce drag or friction.  Ya, Ya the idea of waxing the groves to hold wax is good in theory.  But to get the sole of plane warm enough to let the wax loose is BS, I think.  Me head and body gets hot first and needs a break long before the plane sole gets warm enough to turn loose of the wax.  Waxing grooved or solid bottom helps don't get me wrong. Stanley and Record use to charge $10 extra for the corragated soles, I would not pay it myself.  If I find a second hand plane I wanted, it does not matter if it's grooved or not. 

   my $.02 worth....Dale

3. 
   lwilliams | Jul 08, 2002 08:15am | #7

   Jase,

   As mentioned above the corrugated sole is intended to reduce friction. Other claimed advantages are that less resin builds up on soles when you're planing resinous woods and they can help stop creating a vacuum when you get stock truly flat. Some people report problems when working thin edges with corrugated planes but I've never had a problem that I remember.

   I think I might just opt for the corrugations if I was buying. You might pop an e-mail off to Thomas Lie-Nielsen and ask for his input. He's a pretty competent person and, I think, as honest as you'll find. He'll probably get the e-mail if you just add an "attention Thomas Lie-Nielsen" in the subject line.

   Good choice, Jase. Lie-Nielsen makes some great tools.

4. 
   DKHutchinson | Jul 08, 2002 09:19pm | #8

   I have both plain and corrugated soles on my planes.  It doesn't make any difference in my experience, and I sure wouldn't pay extra to have a plane so equipped.  The main disadvantage of corrugated soles is for those of us over 40 who have bifocals- visually checking the blade for being parallell to the sole becomes more challenging with all those d--n corrugations when looking through my bifocals- at least it does for me, anyway. 

5. 
   jackiechan | Jul 09, 2002 06:13am | #9

   Jase,

   The soles on some of the larger planes are corrugated to help dissipate the tremendous heat that builds up from friction.  The amount of heat that is generated can actually do damage to the metal sole over an extended period of time.  The large planes are also corrugated to create a stiffer, more torsionally rigid sole through geometry.  Each corrugation has a top (that rides on the wooden surface), and two sides, thus increasing the surface area and strength of the sole without dramatically increasing the weight.  It also helps to prevent the sole from warping, twisting, or cupping over time from heavy exertion and use.

   Dan Kornfeld - President/Owner Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.

1. 
   Danford_C_ | Jul 09, 2002 06:26am | #10

   BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

   Thanks for the laugh, Mr. Kornfeld, you made my day.

   Dano"Form and Function are One" - Frank L. Wright

2. 
   Alan | Jul 09, 2002 09:34pm | #11

   Dan,

   I'm assuming your post was some more of the droll humor no one ever gets.

   I laughed.

   Alan