Small Metal Plane Making Project

[rxh]

This little plane was made from offcuts of bronze, brass and steel. The iron is 1/2" wide, bevel up and bedded at 12 degrees. Overall length 3 3/4". Some WIP photos to follow.

 

[droogs]

mmmmm shiny
:text-bravo:

 

[novocaine]

Delightful.

 

[rxh]

The plane is of "sandwich" construction. I started by cutting the infill blocks from barstock and plate. The critical block is the wedge-shaped rear one and I machined it on a lathe then lapped it on an oilstone.

 

[rxh]

Thanks droogs and novocaine.

I drilled holes in the infill blocks then clamped them to the side plates and drilled through.

 

[rxh]

The side plates were pinned together to allow them to be cut to shape together.

 

[rxh]

This is a first trial assembly.

 

[rxh]

Here is an "exploded" view.

 

[rxh]

Reassembling, including the brass cross pin and rear spacer pin.

 

[rxh]

All together.

 

[rxh]

Peining done. I taper-reamed the outer ends of the holes before assembly. Then I cut off the pins a bit over long and peined. This caused the pin ends to spread into the tapers making secure joints.

 

[rxh]

Sides filed smooth.

 

[rxh]

A view of the underside, showing the pocket for the sole toe piece.

 

[Rod]

A little beauty

Rod

 

[rxh]

Sole toe piece in place. This method of construction makes it easy to get the desired mouth width.

 

[rxh]

A little beauty

Rod

Thanks Rod.

Here is a trial on a bit of boxwood.

 

[rxh]

And on the end grain.

 

[rxh]

And on a bit of ebony.

 

[Lons]

Nice. :eusa-clap:

 

[TrimTheKing]

Stunning are, absolutely beautiful! I am so jealous of anyone who has the skills and tools to work metal as I would love to do stuff like this.

More! I demand more!

 

[Trevanion]

Wonderful work as always rxh, a nice way to use up those small little mostly useless offcuts that accumulate too.

 

[Woodbloke]

Beautiful job and very handy! :eusa-clap: - Rob

 

[Mike G]

Looks lovely, and contains more skills than I'll ever have. But what is a 1/2" wide plane ever used for?

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Planing small things of course ... A very nice little tool :eusa-clap:

I too wish I had the space and tools for proper metalwork. I used to have at least a decent bench and vice at work, but the space was needed for other things, so now I have a Record Imp vice and "toy" anvil. Not going to be making anything like this

 

[novocaine]

luthiers use smaller planes like this quite often mike, in fact for a violin they use even smaller.

I have to admit though, I'd prefer a shoulder plane at this width, still jolly nice though.

 

[Pete Maddex]

Very nice, and your wedge machining method noted for future use.

Pete