Two More Planes Done

A while ago I wrote a blog about my various wooden planes and the plans I had for them.  I repaired and cleaned up a couple already and recently took on two more.

  The one plane was a small smoothing plane for which I did not have a blade.  After much consideration I choose to abandon plans for saving the plane.  It was not worth buying a new blade for the plane given that I have several good metal body planes that size as well as the other wooden body plane I recently cleaned up. This plane was not worth the trouble at this time.  No fear, it didn't get thrown away!!

I am using the plane body as a large sized sanding block. It has three flat sides which will give plenty of use before the 120 grit sand paper will have to be replaced.  I could one day fit a blade and wedge if I wanted. Since there is no blade or wedge I suspect I paid little or nothing for the plane body.

  The shoulder plane I choose to revive.  It lacked a blade and a wedge but the base was still very flat and the sides were true.  Where and when I acquired the plane body, I do not remember. Not wanting to spend money to buy a blade I decided to reshape  a 3/4 inch chisel.  I cut the handle off with my 4 1/2 inch grinder and proceeded to grind the chisel blade to shape.  The tang of the chisel was round with a small shoulder where it fit into the handle.  The only thing to remember while grinding is to keep it from getting too hot and burning the steel. The effort would be wasted if the steel lost its temper. Once the shape was roughed out I switched to files for the final shaping.  Quality medal files are easy to use can remove plenty of material.  You are also not likely to over heat the blade as you hand file. When hand filing metal I have found that you really need a metal working good vise, hand clamps and wood working vises just don't work .

 The wooden body had been well used as it was dirty, greasy and a bit pitted.  I sanded it down, and gave the body a quick coat of spray varnish. The wedge is waxed elm.

  When  the blade was shaped to fit the plane body I found that it was slightly too wide.  I guess the plane was a metric width.  I filed the chisel blade down a few millimetres for it to fit the plane body. 

  I don't make videos so you will have to take my word that the plane ploughs a serviceable 3/4 shoulder.  I now have a 1/2 and an almost 3/4 shoulder plane in my shop. 

   I have four or five more chisels of this vintage in a drawer in my shop.  I have test sharpened them all and they are adequate to need. I kept them for just this sort of thing. In a wood working shop you never know when you my need to customise  a cutting edge.  It is easy to find chisels, files and rasps for cheap at flea markets for your shop.

It only remains for me to decide on the fate of the last two wooden planes sitting on my bench taunting me.

cheers  ianw

spring is sprung.

hooray