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Hello, if I take a plane iron and change the bevel and turn it bevel up can I make my no 5 bailey bench plane into a smooth plane?
Ronald

Do it and then you will know.

blessings
Padma

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I could be wrong but I think it turns it more into a scraper plane, irrespective of the bevel angle. I also have a strange feeling that the edge may not last too long.
Having said that your No.5 is already a smoothing plane with it's bevel down. If you want to go for a higher angle you will have to back bevel.

A number 5 is also called a jack plane, apparently from the same root as jack of all trades. Works ok as a smoother, just a little long for my liking. In the realm of furniture making there was a well-known British craftsman who was known to do everything with a number 7 tho. That's like twice the size of a jack. In Kinkead's "Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar" book a number 5 is the only bench plane pictured I think.

And you shouldn't have to turn the blade bevel up, just radius the corners or camber it so it won't leave plane tracks.

-Jake.

I've done all of my joining for the last 35+ years with a Record 04 Baily-pattern smooth plane. All I did was tune it up, and sharpen the iron so that it's flat except for an upward curve at the very ends, so that the corners won't dig when I'm smoothing with it. At present it's on it's third iron; a Hock. I usually put a small bevel on the upward edge, at about 3 degrees, to give a more 'scraping' sort of cut, since I'm often planing figured wood. Get the sole and frog flat, set it up for a fine cut, and make it SHARP, and you should be able to use it for joining. Don't be surprised, though, if it takes a little while to get your tool chops down so that it's reliable and quick.

I use a Millers Falls 15 (Stanley 5 1/2 equivalent) as a smoother. Just had to sharpen the iron and tune the plane - few hours of work. It works as well as anything I've used. Your Stanley 5 should work fine.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

A No 5 is a smoothing plane.




John - (above) - I have one crazy dachshund and that's enough.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Hey Ronald-

check out this site here - http://home.comcast.net/~rexmill/planes101/tuneup/tuneup.htm#. It is the best site online to help you with fettling your plane. Especially check out the 6 page David Charlesworth article from Fine Woodworking that is toward the bottom of the page. Good luck.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Thanks John
Ronald