Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 23, 2007 09:55pm | #1

   Hi Forestgirl,

   The two screws attaching the frog to the base casting can be loosened and the frog can be shifted into alignment.  The frog can also be shifted a bit forward or back at the same time to adjust the mouth opening.

   By the way, I'm at my home in Vermont all week and can only answer my e-mail from the community computer at the general store.

   John

1. 
   forestgirl | Feb 23, 2007 11:26pm | #2

   A General Store computer?  That's great!  When I reassembled the plane after cleaning it up yesterday, I tried making adjustments, but can't seem to get the right "play" to get the frog lined up.  I'll try again, in case I was just too tired at 11:30 pm last night to do even the simplest thing.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   forestgirl | Feb 24, 2007 07:24am | #3

   John, I had to file the frog a bit.  The width across where it fit into the body of the plane was actually a tad too wide, so it was angling when it was screwed in.  I filed both the frog and a bit on the body and it's much better now.  Will take a pic to explain, later tonight.  Made my first pile of shavings!  I'm hooked!

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

3. 
   forestgirl | Feb 26, 2007 10:08am | #4

   John, the plot thickens, and I need to know whether to do a little filing.

   First, though, here's where I made some adjustment to get things a bit better already.

   View Image

   I filed just a bit on the front corner of the frog itself, and a little more on the upper "tab" or whatever you want to call it.  That let the frog in and brought it pretty much into alignment with the mouth.

   However, I'm also noticing that the frog is not level.  I don't know if I need to bother with it or not.  The left side "runner" (from the pics below) is less than half the height as the right side.  Does this make the blade short on one side?  I was thinking about filing down the right "runner."  Any advice appreciated!  [PS:  that big notch you see on the right side is not my handiwork.  It came that way. ;-) ]

   View Image

   View Image

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

   Edited 2/26/2007 2:12 am by forestgirl

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 27, 2007 12:33am | #5

   Hi Forestgirl,

   I'm back from the far north.  We had a monster snowstorm last week, and I had to buy a snow blower just to reach my house, .

   The bottom of the rough frog casting may not have been an even thickness which is why the two pads on either side are different heights, this is commonly seen on cast iron parts. 

   Then again, the machinist might not have been paying attention and clamped the frog down crooked when he machined the bottom.  Without having the plane to look at it isn't possible to say which scenario is correct. 

   I would guess that the plane will work well even if the frog is a bit kiltered since you will be able to compensate with the blade adjustment mechanism. 

   If you can't seem to get the blade position right then try shimming under the low pad to see if that corrects the problem.  If shimming helps you could either leave the shim as a permanent fix or go back and take the time to file down the high pad.

   The problems you are having are surprising, I have found that the Craftsman planes were very well made.

   John W.

1. 
   forestgirl | Feb 27, 2007 01:26am | #6

   Thanks, John.  I should have thought of shimming!  I have thin pieces of brass laying around that I'm sure will work.  This plane doesn't look like it was ever used, I wonder if the original owner had problems and just didn't know what to do.  Hasn't been that difficult to solve them!

   Glad you made it through the snow, hope you had some fun time too!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)