Thought I would post pics of the infill plane that I just finished this evening. Specs are as follows, sides 1/4″ thick brass, sole 3/8″ thick brass, infill wood mahogany, iron 1/4″ thick x 2.0 wide” x 7.25″ O-1 hardened to R60-62, Lever cap bronze with stainless steel cap screw and stainless steel pins, weight is not determined but I’m guessing about 6 to 6 1/2 lbs, no cap iron.
Thanks for looking,
Ron Brese
If you’re too open minded your brains will fall out.
Replies
Beautiful planes Ron, one question:
I'm a relative newbie at all this so please bear with me. Given that the blade in an infill plane such as yours is nestled between a wooden bed and a lever cap or cap iron (depending on the design), what is the advantage of such a tool over a wooden plane?
Thanks in advance.
---Pedro
Ron,
That is a sharp looking plane!
Will this be an addition to your regular line of smoothers available? Also, what is the OAL?
Lee
Mapleman, This will be a new addition to my line of planes, and a version with an adjuster is coming very soon. The overall length is 8.00", the version with adjuster will be just slightly longer. Thanks for asking,RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Ron,
delightful to the eye. I take it you French polished the Mahogany. What sort of climate have you got there in your neck of the woods? I mean, what would you expect the Mahogany to do in the way of movement if , for example, it went to someone living in a comparatively arid region-or the other extreme -a very humid place?
Are you making the cap screw yourself? I have been thinking of using stainless for this, but the knurling is putting me off- the process is a strain on small lathes such as mine.If I got them made elsewhere there is too much nonsense involved.
No adjuster, so I attach the pictures for amusement. Possibly you could include one of these provided you think a prospective owner deserves it. Just a small hammer, for those who like to tap the iron or plane for adjustment. The handle is actually a 1/4" inch pin punch, which I tapered slightly to receive the head. One end brass, the other Delron (?).I use it a lot now, instead of looking for brass rod etc every time I need to persuade something. Philip Marcou
Edited 2/1/2008 1:16 am by philip
Philip,
Help my memory - have I seen something as beautiful and most similar not long ago? :-)
Too bad that tapping does not work nicely when you have a chip breaker - it easily slides of the iron.
Best wishes,
Metod
Metod,
It is the very same one.....not my own conception , having first seen the idea elsewhere. I just modified it to have one brass and plastic ends. Could develop a mania for making them in many sizes (;)Philip Marcou
You are right Metod, if one gets too heavy handed with a plane hammer on a plane with cap iron sometimes the cap iron will shift position. If course the mass of the 1/4" irons in my planes precludes to the need for a cap iron.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Ron,
"If course the mass of the 1/4" irons in my planes precludes to the need for a cap iron."
Yup. That's a big positive in your design, and not the only one...<g>
Best wishes,
Metod
Phillip,Like I replied to Lee, a version with adjuster is in the works, however I do like the plane hammer a lot and a no adjuster version is my preference. You ask a very valid question about the infill movement and I have given this a great deal of thought. There are three approaches to dealing with the wood movement issue and I am trying to reason which is the most practical in application. (1) One could ship the infill wood to the customer and have it acclimate the material in their shop and then ship it back for a prompt processing and return to the customer. (maybe not so practical) (2) Accurate measuring of the moisture content prior to milling the infill. In other words material that is acclimated to my shop may be 8 to 11% moisture content and that would be fine for many locations, however if that same plane were going to Arizona then I would have to be sure to pull that material down to 5 or 6% prior to milling those infills, however it is still somewhat of a guess because potentially the plane could be taken anywhere at a future time. (3) Careful selection is a major issue. Straight grained, maybe even quarter sawn material reduces the expansion and contraction rate considerably and if you factor in the extra control the finishing process adds to this equations you could feasibly be talking about limiting movement to single digit thousandths. I think this is the most practical approach.The cap screw is a bought item that I then modify for my own application.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Ron,
"I do like the plane hammer a lot".
I may have a word with the postman.
Regarding the three options : I think #3 is the only feasible one, and wonder if using something like Peg (Polyethylene glycoll) would be useful. On one hand, a few thou shrinkage would be hardly noticeable, but if the infill were tight to start with, what effect would the same few thou have if it were expansion movement? I have here a chisel on which I fitted a brass ferule when in Zimbabwe- the wood expanded (as one would expect) and actually split that ferule, which was made from 20mm canon shell which is cartridge brass-soft/ductile...Philip Marcou
Phillip,You've hit on the real issue of the movement dilemma. You really have to design for shrinkage not expansion and gauge the moisture content accordingly.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Option 4: sleeve the holes that the peened pins occupy, so that wood movement has no effect on the steel/brass shell. This is what some high-end makers do.In practice tho, it doesn't seem to be a common problem. Look at all those 100 year + infills on the market from Norris et al.Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz
That's one sweet looking plane Ron!
I had never visited your web site before; however, after the tour I think I will be back!
Congratulations on your most recent build!
Bob in Calgary
An absolutely gorgeous piece. I must admit, I've always been a little intimidated by a plane without a screw adjuster. How do you handle that?
Setting an iron in an un-adjustered plane is often pretty easy. I've got a Bristol Design block plane that I adjust by looking down the throat from above - the width of the gap at the bottom is a very accurate guide to the position of the iron. Works nearly every time.With my Scorpion plane (see link below signature) I set the plane on my table saw, ease in the iron until it just kisses the table top, then tighten the screw. Again works nearly every time.Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nzOh - and well done Ron! Lovely piece of work.
Edited 2/1/2008 9:33 pm ET by Malcolm
Malcolm
Good to see you back here. Your absence has been felt.
Ron
As I said elsewhere, this is a beautiful design. It has flow and grace.
What will the standard bed angle be?
Regards from Perth
Derek
Thanks and Gidday Derek! How are things in WA? Don't tell me - a friend has just re-located and is full of bullish WA good news. A blessed part of the world.I'm sort of back. The much talked-about house rebuild is about to begin. I'm rushing through a batch of my small treasure boxes (a result of 25 years of continuous improvement) while I still have a workshop. The new shop will be better, but I won't be in it for 6 months.Malcolmhttp://www.macpherson.co.nz
Derek,I've about decided that York pitch will be the standard, however I'm going to engineer a 55 degree alternative as well. I echo your sentiments towards Malcolm's reappearance on this forum. Malcolm's inventive plane designs and mentoring has played a vital role in motivating my plane making pursuits. Thanks to all for the kind comments,RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Edited 2/2/2008 9:37 am ET by Ronaway
The article you are looking for is of a "Coachmakers' Rabbet Plane". FWW Sept '87. Also in Bench Tools, The Best of FWW series.
Dick Dare
Yep,
That was it ! thanks for your help.
Thanks,
John
Blewcrowe infill smoothing planes are a very specialized tool and once set to ones liking are not moved a great deal, however learning to tink an infill iron with a plane hammer requires only a 30 minute learning curve for one to become proficient. The biggest difference between infills and wooden plane adjustment is that in an infill you only tap the iron not the plane body so if you get the iron set too deep you merely have to loosen the lever cap and back it up and readjust. A version with adjuster is on the way.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Ron,
Wow. If it performs as well as it looks - it should. I like the idea of 'no adjuster'. Of course, not for the ham-handed 'nobility'...
Philip's mallet seems to be just the right size/mass for adjusting.
Thanks for sharing,
Metod
Wow, Ron!!
Gorgeous looking plane, and I'm sure it works even better. Congratulations. Make sure you bring one for me to try to the summer BBQ!
Jeff
Jeff,I will be glad to trade a plane test drive for BBQ, I'm guessing Lee's bringing the crawfish eh?RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Hey everyone,
First to Ron, if works half as good as it looks i am sure it would be a joy to use !
now if you could all help me .... Many years ago in the magazine there was a plane made I am pretty sure it was a shoulder plane. It was made out of ebony, with a bone sole and a bone wedge. I have done multiple searches and just cant find that damn article ! I sure hope some one can find it for me, and keep me from paging through all these magazines.
thanks, John
Thanks japt, using this plane is a pleasurable experience. I don't recall the plane you described but it sure does sound as if it would be a beauty.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Issue #66 Sept/Oct 1987 page 61 author Jeff Lock.
<!----><!----> <!---->
I was paging through them this morning myself. As I have finally dumped my subscription to FWW these old issues are even more important to me. Articles like this one are what made FWW the premier publication in the field, now, just screwed plywood boxes and all furniture, in otherworld’s, “Wood” magazine.
Hey Napie,
First thanks a lot for finding that article for me.
Second I am sorry to hear that you are not enjoying FWW anymore. I feel it is one of, if not the best publication out there for us. It has given me inspiration to try things I may not of otherwise of tried. The magazine has changed since I purchased my first copy off the counter at my local lumberyard. But i think we all have changed from way back then. My first issue was #48...... I have been enjoying it ever since. I plan to continue. thanks again,
John
Hey everyone,
All this talk about Planes ... infill wooden etc. I have all these short scraps of Ipe 4x4..... I think i got a good idea. No more scraps and a few extra planes!
Have a great weekend,
John
Ron,
That's certainly a beauty, if I ever saw one. I was drooling just reading the topic! I checked out your webpage and added it to my favourites. Two questions, however: why did you opt to use thicker 3/8" brass for the sole instead of 1/4" as you did for the sides? Also, are the brass sides joined to the sole? Some planemakers dovetail the sides to the sole. It looks nice, but I'm not sure it's any more functional.
Chris @ flairwoodworks
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
flair,The sides and sole are joined together into one integral unit, the 3/8" brass gives me the mass that I was looking for in this plane and also precludes the need to add the anti-chatter block you might see in some infill planes. If you go to the "construction" page of my site you will see a pretty good explanation about different methods of joining planes sides to the sole. The dovetails are a beautiful detail especially on planes that have brass sides and a steel sole, however as you have mentioned this does not affect function in the least bit.RonIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
Ron,
One word: Sweeeet! A great addition to the stable. Although I've always felt that real men don't use mechanical adjusters [;-)] I think it's a wise move to make it an option.
Good luck with the new addition.
Regards,
-Chuck
That is some heavy metal!
I was wondering what method you use to build the brass body of the plane?
I would love to try building an infill someday but I wasn't sure about the best way to get a nice flat and square brass sole and sides. I do have access to a milling machine if that helps...
Keep up the good work,
Vincent
vincentedwards,If you visit the construction page of my web site you can read a pretty good explanation of how I build my plane bodies.http://www.breseplane.comRon BreseIf you're too open minded your brains will fall out.
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