Should it be impossible to force the cam into place without great pressure, first look to see whether the blade rests flat upon the frog before releasing the screw. Frequently the little lever which should enter the small opening in the cap-iron will be found to have entered the opening in the plane-iron only.
20. Adjustment of the Iron.
—There are two adjustments for the blade of the modern plane. The first consists in turning the thumb-screw or adjusting nut, [Fig. 46], that the plane iron may cut a thicker or a thinner shaving. The direction in which it should be turned to give the desired result must be learned by experiment, for in some planes it is the reverse of what it is in others.
A little observation of the action of the screw upon the lever which connects it to the plane iron will show that there is often quite a little lost motion so that it becomes necessary to turn the screw a little before the iron is raised or lowered any. One soon learns by the sense of feeling when the lost motion has been taken up.
The second adjustment is by means of the lever, 9, [Fig. 46]. Moving this lever to the right or the left serves to straighten the plane-iron, so that the cutting edge shall extend evenly through the mouth and not take a shaving thicker at one side of the iron than at the other.
Fig. 49.
In adjusting a plane-iron, turn the plane upside down with the toe towards you, hold it toward the light and sight along the bottom, [Fig. 49]. If the plane-iron projects, observe whether it projects evenly or not. Usually one side will be found to project more than the other. Move the adjusting lever until it shall project uniformly. The cutting edge should project about the thickness of a piece of drawing paper for average work.
Fig. 50.