I had a reason to tune up 2 planes, and part of the project was leveling and polishing the soles. MAN, THAT IS WORK!! I spent hours on a small block plane just working the sole in the conventional way--progressive grits of sandpaper laid on a granite block. I literally worked until my hands cramped, and I had to stop for an hour each time before resuming. I worked from 320 grit to 400 to 600 grit, and must have gone through a dozen 1/4 sheets of sandpaper, and it wasn't cheap sandpaper. Finally got it 90% flat and mirror polished, and it does make a difference in sliding across the wood.
I was in no mood to take on a #4 plane with a sole that had even deeper machining marks than the block plane. So, here is what I came up with, and it made the job go a whole lot easier and quicker:
I was in no mood to take on a #4 plane with a sole that had even deeper machining marks than the block plane. So, here is what I came up with, and it made the job go a whole lot easier and quicker:
- Put a 300 grit diamond plate up against a bench hook and went to work until the entire sole was uniformly scratched. You have to do this 1st step until there are no low spots.
- Switched to 400 grit, progressed to same uniformly scratched sole.
- Clamped plane upside down in wood-jawed vice
- Put 400 grit sandpaper on 1/4 sheet electric pad sander and let it buzz until the sole was beginning to show a shiny polished surface.
- Switched to 600 grit and buzzed away until I had close to a mirror finish. That was enough; I'm not obsessive.
- Just for fun put a coat of table saw top conditioner on the sole and hand polished it.