Replies

1. 
   Segil | Aug 23, 2005 01:33am | #1

        In my experience, a situation like this calls for making the part to be inlayed

   before routing the mortise.  Once you have the new throat piece just the way

   you want it, you use it to make a template  out of 1/2" to 1" thick sheet stock

   to be clamped to the sole of the plane.  The thickness of this template will depend on

   the length of the pattern bit (top bearing) you will be using.  My guess is you will

   need to plunge the cut unless the inlay comes out through the side somewhere.

   I have seen some bits specifically for this which have a very short cutting blade;

   CMT has a 1/4" shank bit with a 1/2" cutting length and a 5/8" dia. bearing for under

   $30.  Make sure to make the template large enough to comfortably and safely

   run the router on (it should be much bigger than the plane sole).  Carefully trace

   the inlay part onto the template and cut out the shape leaving the corners rounded

   so the router can follow it (the idea being that correctly done, a chisel will not be

   necessary).  Leave the mortise slightly shallower than the thickness of the inlay

   piece, and flush sand after glue dries.  This technique will come in very handy in

   many different situations over time.

      Good Luck!

2. 
   JeffHeath | Aug 23, 2005 04:23am | #2

   Another nice option is to make the inlay adjustable with a screw that allows it to slide into however tight you want the mouth to be, similar to a low angle jack, only with wood.

   Jeff

3. 
   joinerswork | Aug 23, 2005 04:33am | #3

   jhrob,

   What I've done in the past is to cut out the patch to the size you want, using a bandsaw.  I generally use a five-sided shape, similar to a kid's drawing of a house.  Tilt the saw table a couple degrees, so the patch will wedge as you press it into place.  Clean up the sawmarks with block plane.  Lay it where you want it on the plane's sole, and carefully scribe around it with an exacto knife or your pocket knife.  Rout or chop out the recess, paring back to the scribed line after the recess is deep enough (about 1/4-5/16"). Glue into place, and work it down flush to the sole.

   Incidentally, it's sometimes easier to add a shim to the angled bed that the blade rests on, thus closing the throat.

   Regards,

   Ray

4. 
   Bearr | Aug 23, 2005 05:40am | #4

   The earlier responses are good, a couple of additional pointers:
      - make the inlay a bit longer than you think you will need, use it as a pattern for the mortise cutout, then trim it to length after the mortise is all prepared;
      - back cut the trailing edge of the inlay, so that it leaves lots of clearance for chip/shaving pass through;
      - make the mortise shallower than the inlay is thick, then plane it to fit after insetting;
      - making the inlay adjustable with slots and screws is very useful, just be sure to use brass (soft) screws, and recess them well;
      - consider making the inlay of a different wood than the plane sole - a contrast in colour can stand out, and personalize your plane;
      - flatten the whole the plane bottom and inlay with the blade in and tensionned (but raised to clear), then wax them when you are done.

   Have fun, this is a good project and can really extend the usefullness of wooden planes.

   Bearr

5. 
   philip | Aug 23, 2005 10:38am | #5

   J,
   Unless you have a particularly urgent desire to do that job via template I think it far more simple to simply mark two parrallel lines with a marking knife on the area where the patch is to go , then route a recess/groove/trench/housing to the required depth-freehand- stay in the waste area, coming to within about 1mm of the line. Then chop on the lines with a wide chisel. Cut your patch to thickness and length slightly proud, plane it to a tight fit on the width , and glue it in. When dry level it off.
   If I am missing something , please excuse me, but I can't see the need to get complicated.
   I did the above on the Stanley#27 quite recently. The patch is an African hardwood.

   Philip Marcou

   
1. 
   CajunDan | Aug 23, 2005 03:19pm | #6

   Along those same lines, you can also use a dovetail bit.  That way you don't have to glue them in, and can replace them easily as the mouth grows.

   Regards,

   Dan

1. 
   WillGeorge | Aug 23, 2005 10:09pm | #7

   Geee I had to! 1/3 French here

   Edited 8/23/2005 3:11 pm ET by WillGeorge

1. 
   CajunDan | Aug 24, 2005 06:55am | #8

   Thanks, cher! That's my music - its light and it makes me happy.

   Merci,

   Dan

6. 
   TomHigby | Aug 25, 2005 02:26am | #9

   Someone who wants to use a wooden plane should chop out the mortise with chisels.  To use a power router on such an antique piece seems unreasonable.

   Tom

1. 
   lwilliams | Aug 25, 2005 03:51am | #10

   The history wooden planes just happens to mirror the history of bench woodworking. Even in Great Britain where skilled bench traditions continued until the 1960's so did wooden planes. Furniture from those earlier bench shops is in great demand today and much of it is considered, by most people, to be the pinnacle of furniture making. Coincidence? I don't think so.Hmmm, ever notice how every woodworking catalog now seems to offer woodworking benches? It's gotten to the point where many shops specializing in CNC work include the image of a hand plane in their logos. Why is that?Could it have come from the fact that hand work is often more efficient than machine work for one-of-a-kind pieces? What do you offer from your shop? Mass produced items in the thousands or one-off items?

2. 
   philip | Aug 25, 2005 04:33am | #11

   Doctom98,6,
   I used a router for that job because it was the quickest way to get a dead flat bottom so that the inlay could glue well on there. Nobody can tell,even if the inlay was detached.
   I did give some considerstion to originality, briefly , then thought a cotrasting wood nicer.I also decided to spray it green to make my own statement:I never do anything irreversible to these items. That plane woulkd have "junked" if I had not confiscated it.It is very pleasing to use on soft woods.
   You may be interested in what is said about transitional planes in the site called "The Superior Works- Patricks blood and Gore" if you have not seen it yet.
   Btw-it's good to know that m.d's are attending the forum-why not put more info on your profile?
   Philip Marcou

7. 
   jhrob | Aug 31, 2005 06:48pm | #12

   Thanks to all who responded--many good ideas.  I am in the process of digesting the different methods and will decide which to use.  The different ways of accomplishing any task is one of the things that makes woodworking so interesting and challenging.