this post was submitted on 07 Mar 2025
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Bench plane tuning question (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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So I've got a goofy issue tuning my ~~block~~ bench plane. It's one of the Pony Jorgensen #4 smoothing planes they're selling at Lowe's in the States. Works pretty well with one exception: Moving the frog forward to bring the iron closer to the mouth also advances the iron.

I can't get it anywhere near as closed as you're supposed to with a smoothing plane before I can't retract the iron sufficiently. The mating surface in the sole that the frog rests on is slightly angled downward, so the frog is lowered as it is moved forward. I can't realistically bring the iron any farther on the chip breaker than I've got it.

As I had it apart, I noticed the finish on the bottom of the frog, the surface that mates with the sole, was as cast, it isn't machined or lapped. Should it be?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Do I really need to do/fix anything? I suppose not, it's been working pretty well for about a year now.

On price...100 years ago, a Stanley #4 smoothing plane cost about $4.20, adjusting for inflation that comes out to be about $77. Which is pretty much bang on the price of a Jorgensen #4 here, and I think I've got a tool of equivalent quality. The iron it came with is O1 tool steel which does take and hold a keen edge from my diamond plate.

I've used it for about a year before I noticed the frog-to-sole mating surface isn't machined. I think I'm gonna contact Jorgensen about that, see if they'll send me a new frog, failing that I might just lap it myself.