# Can anyone help me identify this planer?



## Garrettvw67 (Sep 15, 2015)

I recently purchased this planer and can't find out what exactly I have here. The cap lever? Has Sogard USA which from the research I've done means pretty much nothing since these parts are swapped commonly . But, on the front of the sole on top around the knob it says "No. 4". Any help would be greatly appreciated


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## MEP1 (Aug 14, 2015)

Looks like an old Great Neck plane.

The "No. 4" refers to the size.


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## Garrettvw67 (Sep 15, 2015)

I appreciate the fast response bro. I'm relatively new to planers and really wood working in general, I've always just read on here but today decided I wanted to know what it was I actually have haha. I started woodworking about 3 or 4 months ago when I decided to start making bows. 

Anyways, I am having an issue with this thing. If I try and go anything closer than 1/4" from the blade edge with the chip breaker, I can't get the blade to reach the mouth. After I go a certain distance with my dept adjuster, it starts missing the slot. If I move the frog forward enough to get the blade to reach the mouth, there is no space for wood shavings. Basically I have to keep my chip breaker a good 1/4" back from the blade edge, the depth adjuster as far as I can until it falls out of the slot on the chip breaker and the frog as far back as possible to even get this thing to attempt to plane some cedar (juniper) I have. I'm assuming someone put a chip breaker on it that has it's slot too far away? What can I do to modify this thing to get her acting right? Again, I appreciate the help


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Which way have you got the iron in? Is the bevel down or up?


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

http://www.timetestedtools.com/hand-plane-help-for-the-beginner..html

Click on bench plane parts to see how the blade goes. One more piece of information. What you have is a plane. A planer has an electric motor and you run lumber through it.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

timetestedtools said:


> http://www.timetestedtools.com/hand-plane-help-for-the-beginner..html
> 
> Click on bench plane parts to see how the blade goes. One more piece of information. What you have is a plane. A planer has an electric motor and you run lumber through it.


Thank you for posting, when I changed computers I lost your link, I got it saved now.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

timetestedtools said:


> What you have is a *plane.* A planer has an electric motor and you run lumber through it.


A planer has an "R" in the word, just like "motor". Easy to remember that way. :yes:


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## Garrettvw67 (Sep 15, 2015)

It is a bevel down plane. The edge is super sharp and at the correct angle. Thanks for the correction on my spelling guys, i also appreciate the easy way to remember thing but I got it.  

Anyways, so this is a Great Neck plane? And any ideas on how to get this baby acting right for me? Thanks in advance guys.


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

A Great Neck plane isn’t known for its quality, so getting it to work well will take some work, and in all honesty, may never really happen. For your blade problem, it almost sounds like it’s not the right chip breaker. These cheaper planes take a different chip breaker than a normal Bailey type plane. 

I give advice here , https://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/tuning-it-up-bench-plane-style/ on tuning a plane and use a cheaper style Stanley. 

If you are serious about hand plane work, I'd suggest looking at something of better quality and turn this into a jack.


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## Garrettvw67 (Sep 15, 2015)

I appreciate that man. Seriously. But, how would I go about turning this into a jack plane? I wonder what chipbreaker would work on this thing?


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

https://paulsellers.com/2014/07/scrub-planes-from-common-4-smoothing-planes/

the chip breaker you have may work for a jack. all you do is create a camber on the blade and make sure the mouth is opened enough.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

In your picture, the chipbreaker is on the wrong side of the blade. A "jack" plane is normally a number 5 but it just means that size makes a good all around bench plane. There is no difference between a number 1 and a number 8 except the size, everything else is the same. Only roughing planes have cambered irons and those are seldom used. 

Chipbreakers don't really break chips. They provide a firm backer for the blade, more mass for less chatter. There is nothing wrong with your chipbreaker except it's on the wrong side. Sharpen the blade, reverse the chipbreaker, keep it back from the edge about 1/16", place in the plane with the cap iron locked down, slowly move the blade forward in the plane with the large adjustment knob until it cuts. 

The lateral adjustment lever looks like it's bent up, you may have to bend it down so the blade parts will fit flat on the frog.


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

I agree with everything except chip breakers don't really break chips. It does, that's why they work better closer and why the proper angle is important. It bends the chip forward, breaking the pulling action that tries to drive the iron deeper.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*how it is assembled*

Here's how it should look:


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