Replies

1. 
   derekcohen | Jun 04, 2009 07:29am | #1

   Hi Jerry

   The question is "how do you plan to use the #6?".

   The previous owner appears to have used it as a fore plane, which is how it was intended. You do not want to be taking fine shavings in this mode - it is really still taking thick shavings, not as thick as a scrub, but thicker than a jointer or smoother. Hence the greater camber to the blade.

   Some choose to use the #6 as a short jointer or a panel plane, in which case fine- to moderate thick shavings are the aim. Even so you may want a fine camber.

   You will need to open the mouth if you plan to use the Hock. Otherwise just go back to the original cambered Stanley blade - it wont hold an edge as long, but it will do the work it was intended to do.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

2. 
   hammer1 | Jun 04, 2009 02:54pm | #2

   If you already have the Hock blade there isn't much else you can do except use it in a #4 1/2 or #7. Personally, I think they are more suited to a fine smoother rather than a #6. I guess it depends on how many planes you have and how you use them. Sounds like the #6 was set up as an aggressive fore plane, which is how they were often used, fore any other plane.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

3. 
   gdblake | Jun 04, 2009 04:02pm | #3

   Jerry:

   You say the frog is almost all the way back.  If the frog is set so far back that the frog and rear of the mouth don't form a smooth continuous bed all the way through the mouth, then it is too far back.  The forces the iron to flex some and actually changes the degree of attack from 45 degrees to something less pushing the cutting edge of the iron slightly forward in the mouth.  Make sure the frog and rear of the mouth form a continuous line. 

   I would suggest you polish the front of the mouth opening, not to remove metal and open the mouth, but to remove any rough spots that would cause a shaving to jam.  If careful, you can file the front of the mouth to slightly bevel it away from the frog without opening it up more than it already is.  This will allow shavings to pass easier while keeping the mouth tight. 

   Use the old iron to hog off thick shavings typical to a fore plane and use the Hock iron to take fine shavings typical of a panel plane.

   gdblake

1. 
   nazard | Jun 07, 2009 04:18am | #4

   Derek, hammer1, and gdblake:

   Thank you all for your helpful comments and advice.  After reading your posts, I sharpened a Stanley blade and put the #6 to some wood.  I got OK results with light cuts but with a bit of chatter.  The mouth at 5/32 was still very tight with the standard Stanley iron thickness.  When I began working on this plane a few weeks ago, I had beveled and polished the front mouth opening.  I added a bit more bevel but did not detect any difference.

   This evening, I opened up the mouth an additional 1/64" and installed the Hock blade.  WOW!  No chatter.  Nice even shavings.

   Not bad for a $10 plane fitted with a $40 iron!

   -Jerry