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Our Rabbet Block Plane is 1¾" wide
overall, with a full width blade pitched at 12°. The sole is
ground flat to .0015", and the sides are ground square to the sole.
The mouth is fixed, and set to take a maximum .005"-.008"
shaving. If this is too tight for the work you want to do, file a small
chamfer on the leading edge of the mouth to increase chip clearance.
Geometry:
The blade sits in the body at 12°; it comes with a 25°
flat ground bevel, making the included cutting angle 37°.
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:
Hold the tool in one hand, with your fingers
supporting the sole, and your thumb on the cap iron just in front of
the screw. Loosen the spinwheel and, with your thumb still holding the
blade and cap, adjust the blade. Tighten the spinwheel. Do not overtighten
— you should be able to adjust the blade after loosening the
spinwheel about a quarter turn. The blade is about .005" wider than the
body. Align the edge of the blade with the side of the body that you
want it flush with. Laying the tool on its side can help you do this
quickly and accurately. Or, if you prefer, you can grind a little
material off the side of the blade to make it flush with both sides.
Maintenance:
The body casting is ground dead flat. Occasional hand lapping with fine
wet/dry sandpaper (320 grit or higher) on a flat surface will help
remove dings and keep it true. The cap iron can be polished with any
good brass polish or allowed to patina with age and use. Occasionally
the tool should be disassembled, cleaned, and moving parts oiled. The
blade should be kept lightly oiled to prevent rust, especially when the
tool is not in use. We recommend camellia oil, a vegetable oil based
product. It is non-toxic, odor-free and easy to use. Also, in our shop,
we use a fine abrasive handblock to remove any light surface oxide from
tool bodies and blades. Camellia oil and the abrasive handblock are
available from us.
Materials:
The sides of the Ductile Iron body are stout. However, because the
sides are open at the mouth, the “frog” may flex
under the blade as pressure is applied to the cap iron via the
spinwheel. Very little pressure is necessary to hold the blade, so if
you wish to minimize the flex, back the spinwheel off a bit. We have
intentionally left the leading edge of the frog section thick for
strength. If you ever decide to surface the sole, be careful not to
remove too much material.
The body is cast from Ductile Iron, a very strong alloy that will take
a lot of abuse. These castings are fully stress-relieved, a process
that removes inherent stresses and ensures that the tool will remain
flat and true. The cap is Manganese Bronze. Other parts are Brass; the
adjuster nut is Stainless 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.
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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