Balsa wood planer

[Derek Moran]

I wrote this article on tuning a hobby plane a while back.  Some of you might find it interesting or useful.
http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=345184&mesg_id=345184&listing_type=search
Incorporating Brett's ideas will take this to the next level.
All the best,
Derek

[Fredvon4]

Question for Ty and Bob Hunt

back story...I trust these guys thoughts and so I Ordered up the Blue Solingen plane from Modelers central in Australia

BTW #1...ordered 22 Dec arrived today 27th from Australia...WOW!!!

I am not so good with the small Balsa models but not a bad woodworker in my rather well equipped Cabinet makers wood shop

Basically, I am saying, I get it about proper sharp, and well made tools and letting the tool do the work

OH, and BTW#2
http://www.modelerscentral.com/tools-paints-glue/hand-tools/shaping/
Has them on sale right now for $18+/-

The one I got is pretty rough on the sole... real obvious visually, and by feel, machining grooves fore and aft with visually rough mouth

I happen to have a 12"x 12" x 3" flat to .0001 granite surface block

I am considering 400, 600, 800, 1200, 2400 Grit polishing out of sole of this tool

THE QUESTION
Is this two hour exercise worth the effort...I get the notion that you guys are happy with it right out of the Box...

I would post a photo but as much as I love this site...that feature absolutely sux...another rant for another day

[Phil Krankowski]

Yes, wet sanding the sole on a lapping plate is typically worth the effort. 

I am unsure if going over 1000 grit is needed.  A mirror finish is not much improvement over a flat, groove free surface.  Feel free to debate this.

Use a drop or two of dish soap in your water.  It helps.  The water is there to float swarf out of the abrasive, the soap will help with wetting of the abrasive and plane.  Make sure you dry and treat the plane when complete. 

Spray adhesive is not needed, pasting the paper down with water onto glass or polished stone tile, or whatever lapping plate you are using, will provide a very stable surface.  This also means that a smaller area can be used, such as a 12x12 tile supported on a flat table or counter.  However to each their own.

Phil

[Bearcatlover]

I bought a master screw but I have had trouble getting it adjusted properly.

[Ara Dedekian]

        7 Bucks at the weekend Flea Market.  WOOO-HOOOO!! Useless stainless blades included.

        Also for sale was a 1962 WenMac P-39 with the spring loaded rockets launched in flight by a third line. $100. No Thanks!

        Ara

[john e. holliday]

Ara, I'm still using my little plane that is just like that.  Was not a teenager when I got it.  It has planed balsa and spruce.

[Steve Helmick]

http://www.modelerscentral.com/tools-paints-glue/hand-tools/shaping/

"I would post a photo but as much as I love this site...that feature absolutely sux...another rant for another day"

You're meaning that posting pics on Stunt Hangar is difficult? NOT so. Sparky allows pictures up to 1,000kb, which is at least 10x more than needed to post a picture. Stuka Stunt Werks only allows 50kb, which can be somewhat challenging if you're starting with a picture with too much detail, like blades of grass or exposed aggregate concrete, etc. Having an easy to use software is real important. The Olympus and Canon software was not user friendly, but my brother tipped me off to IrfanView...it's very easy to figure out.

If you're trying to post from a cell phone, I can't help you with that. For some reason, I like to use a camera for pictures, a phone for phoning, a GPS for telling me where I am, and some sort of a radio/stereo for news or music. I guess that's old fashioned, but guess what? No, I don't care. I figure that if you rely on one thing to do all that stuff, when the battery is flat, you're pretty screwed.  Steve

[Phil Krankowski]

You're meaning that posting pics on Stunt Hangar is difficult? NOT so. Sparky allows pictures up to 1,000kb, which is at least 10x more than needed to post a picture. Stuka Stunt Werks only allows 50kb, which can be somewhat challenging if you're starting with a picture with too much detail, like blades of grass or exposed aggregate concrete, etc. Having an easy to use software is real important. The Olympus and Canon software was not user friendly, but my brother tipped me off to IrfanView...it's very easy to figure out.

If you're trying to post from a cell phone, I can't help you with that. For some reason, I like to use a camera for pictures, a phone for phoning, a GPS for telling me where I am, and some sort of a radio/stereo for news or music. I guess that's old fashioned, but guess what? No, I don't care. I figure that if you rely on one thing to do all that stuff, when the battery is flat, you're pretty screwed.  Steve

On my Android smart phone I use an app "Reduce Photo Size" which is a free download from Google Play.  I set the long side of the image to 800 pixels which has the short side around 450 pixels.  This is a friendly size for most connections.

The forum is pretty friendly to upload to once the file size is handled.

Phil

[Alex Rillos]

This plane is very good, and I can use old style "Gilette" blades. Unfortunately Martor (Sollingen) is not selling it anymore.