Adding a HSS tip to a plane iron

[dmalicky]

I'd like to attach a HSS tip to a plane iron, like Brent has done.  I'm thinking of a few options for blade stock and ways to attach it, and wondering if anyone has advice. The best blade stock selection I've found is at
http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/planer-knives.html
(No affiliation.)  They have thicknesses of 1/16" through 5/32", and HSS in M2, T1, and others.

One question is what type of HSS.  T1 wears slower than M2, but I read somewhere that M2 has better shock resistance.  Does anyone know what the Stanley HSS iron was made from?

Some ways I can think of making them:
- Easiest: laminate 1/16" thick planer knife to a standard iron, with either tin solder or epoxy.  Global doesn’t say what kind of HSS the 1/16" is, though I'd imagine it's better than D2.
- Scarf join 3/32" or 1/8" thick T1 jointer knife to a std iron (matching the ~40 deg bevel for more area), with tin solder.  (These knives are at most 1" tall, so silver solder may be too hot -- non-cobalt HSS tempers around 1000F.)
- Butt join 5/32" thick M2 planer knife to a std iron using silver solder.   These knives are 2" tall, probably far enough away from the hotter soldering. (Or, solder to 2 pieces of 3/16" thick mild-steel bar stock to make a U-shaped iron.) 

All advice appreciated.  
Thanks, David

[Brent Beach]

Hi David

On 26/03/2012 5:05 PM, dmalicky wrote:
> I'd like to attach a HSS tip to a plane iron, like Brent has done. I'm

I did not do that. I got one from Australia - that the Stanley plant
there had made up and sold locally.

> thinking of a few options for blade stock and ways to attach it, and
> wondering if anyone has advice. The best blade stock selection I've
> found is at
> http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/planer-knives.html
> (No affiliation.) They have thicknesses of 1/16" through 5/32", and HSS
> in M2, T1, and others.
>
> One question is what type of HSS. T1 wears slower than M2, but I read
> somewhere that M2 has better shock resistance. Does anyone know what the
> Stanley HSS iron was made from?

Planer blades smash into the wood at very high speed. Any steel in a
planer blade can handle anything you do with a hand plane.

Before soldering the tip on, make sure you can actually sharpen the HSS
steel. If it is too durable you might not be able to. It would be a
shame to make the blade and find you cannot sharpen it with the usual
abrasives.

> Some ways I can think of making them:
> - Easiest: laminate 1/16" thick planer knife to a standard iron, with

> either tin solder or epoxy. Global doesn�t say what kind of HSS the

> 1/16" is, though I'd imagine it's better than D2.
> - Scarf join 3/32" or 1/8" thick T1 jointer knife to a std iron
> (matching the ~40 deg bevel for more area), with tin solder. (These
> knives are at most 1" tall, so silver solder may be too hot --
> non-cobalt HSS tempers around 1000F.)
> - Butt join 5/32" thick M2 planer knife to a std iron using silver
> solder. These knives are 2" tall, probably far enough away from the
> hotter soldering. (Or, solder to 2 pieces of 3/16" thick mild-steel bar
> stock to make a U-shaped iron.)

The Stanley was butt jointed with silver solder. That should work. It
die not look like a particularly good job of smoothing the ends before
soldering either but has no problem holding.

In use the blade is clamped between the lever cap and the frog. Force
acting on the edge during use does tend to bend the iron which could
stress the joint. The physics of levers though, with the bevel much
smaller than the length of the tip, means smaller force at butt joint.

This is the easiest joint and strong enough.

> All advice appreciated.
> Thanks, David

That is my best guess based on information I have. I have not built an
iron and was not even able to find any silver solder locally the one
time I looked for it.

Brent
--
Victoria, B.C., Canada

[dmalicky]

Hi Brent,

Thanks for the info!

On Thursday, March 29, 2012 5:56:18 PM UTC-7, Brent wrote:

Hi David

On 26/03/2012 5:05 PM, dmalicky wrote:
> I'd like to attach a HSS tip to a plane iron, like Brent has done. I'm

I did not do that. I got one from Australia - that the Stanley plant
there had made up and sold locally.

Oh, I see I wasn't clear -- I was thinking of the Mujingfang "HSS" iron (apparently A2).

> thinking of a few options for blade stock and ways to attach it, and
> wondering if anyone has advice. The best blade stock selection I've
> found is at
> http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/planer-knives.html
> (No affiliation.) They have thicknesses of 1/16" through 5/32", and HSS
> in M2, T1, and others.
>
> One question is what type of HSS. T1 wears slower than M2, but I read
> somewhere that M2 has better shock resistance. Does anyone know what the
> Stanley HSS iron was made from?

Planer blades smash into the wood at very high speed. Any steel in a
planer blade can handle anything you do with a hand plane.

Right, I should have said "toughness".  I thought it was important because a complaint I've read of HSS irons is they leave lines on the wood after they are nicked, and naturally, it's harder to get the nicks out. 
 

Before soldering the tip on, make sure you can actually sharpen the HSS
steel. If it is too durable you might not be able to. It would be a
shame to make the blade and find you cannot sharpen it with the usual
abrasives.

Thanks.  I read a number of interesting posts on the woodcentral forum by Steve Elliot, Derek Cohen, Bill Tindall... I'm thinking of roughing with a grinder or belt sander, then 15u and 1u diamond paste on cast iron plates. 
 

> Some ways I can think of making them:
> - Easiest: laminate 1/16" thick planer knife to a standard iron, with
> either tin solder or epoxy. Global doesn�t say what kind of HSS the
> 1/16" is, though I'd imagine it's better than D2.
> - Scarf join 3/32" or 1/8" thick T1 jointer knife to a std iron
> (matching the ~40 deg bevel for more area), with tin solder. (These
> knives are at most 1" tall, so silver solder may be too hot --
> non-cobalt HSS tempers around 1000F.)
> - Butt join 5/32" thick M2 planer knife to a std iron using silver
> solder. These knives are 2" tall, probably far enough away from the
> hotter soldering. (Or, solder to 2 pieces of 3/16" thick mild-steel bar
> stock to make a U-shaped iron.)

The Stanley was butt jointed with silver solder. That should work. It
die not look like a particularly good job of smoothing the ends before
soldering either but has no problem holding.

In use the blade is clamped between the lever cap and the frog. Force
acting on the edge during use does tend to bend the iron which could
stress the joint. The physics of levers though, with the bevel much
smaller than the length of the tip, means smaller force at butt joint.

This is the easiest joint and strong enough.

Good tips.  I've ordered a variety of HSS blade types and sizes from Global... the larger ones can be butt-jointed; not sure about the smaller ones.  I have some silver solder but I don't know if my Mapp torch will give enough heat for the size of the irons.  I also have some 'stay-brite', which is the strongest of the soft solders. l'll try a few joints and see how it goes! 

Thanks again,
David