I finished making the vertical cuts for the dovetails in the sole plate. I clamped a piece of scrap wood cut at 75 degrees as a guide for my hacksaw blade. The guide block began to wear and lose accuracy after a couple cuts. At that point, I made enough guide blocks to use a fresh one for every cut.
Before removing the waste form the dovetails in the sole plate, I decided to open the mouth. It was easier to clamp the sole plate in the drill press vise with the sides still intact. I used a small diameter drill bit to perforate the perimeter of the mouth opening. I then drilled as much of the waste as possible without letting the bit wander. I tried to knock the remainder loose with a cold chisel, but it didn’t want to pop free. Now I’m left with the task of filing out the remainder of the waste.
After I clean out the mouth, I will then remove the waste from the tails in the sole plate.
-- Tony - Anchorage, Alaska
4 comments so far
Dennisgrosen
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10854 posts in 1287 days
#1 posted 977 days ago
thank´s for the update :-)
and smart to cut the mouth now , most I have seen have cut the bottom plate over so they
easelyer can make the mouth when the peene the sides to the bottm plate
but its difficult on the first picture to see what and where the guide block is used and why—too close taken i think
on the second it seems to be a real big mouth but again that can be the picture that cheaten me
looking forward to the next instalment
take care
Dennis
Div
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1653 posts in 1112 days
#2 posted 977 days ago
Keep up the good work!
-- Div @ the bottom end of Africa. "A woodworker's sharpest tool should be his mind."
Chelios
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567 posts in 1238 days
#3 posted 762 days ago
Where did you net out on this one?
AuroraWoodworks
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191 posts in 1295 days
#4 posted 760 days ago
I think some of my holes wandered and the mouth was not as tight as I hoped. I also tried to punch the waste out with a cold chisel and it deformed some of the metal. I cut my losses and started a new plane. I got the mouth open and the bed angle is established. Then life got busy and I had to put the project down for now…
-- Tony - Anchorage, Alaska
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