Hello everyone,
I’ve had to take a forced brake so I went Ebay-ing and bought my first ever wooden planes. Beautiful; very pleased. Now having these in hand, a few question came up,
– Do you tune them?
– How are they used? (Graduated set of hollow and rounds)
– How do you store them when humidity varies in the shop?
– Do you re-apply a finish? One in the dado set is said to be circa 1790 and I would like it to last for as long again. These will be users, one way or another.
Can anyone recommend books, links, dvd’s or have any pearls of wisdom about wooden planes.
Thank you,
Rehab.
Replies
Hi Rehab.... Let me start with the 'easy' questions...
I store the planes on a wooden shelf, 'heel' out so I can see the profile easily. The only thging I do to protect the planes from humidity change is to apply a coat of Butchers Wax to the plane. Most planes are made from nice tight-grained wood and are not really affected by changes in humidity.
Most 'sharpening will be done on the back' of the blade and a light toich-up with a slip-stone. Remember, for the plane to work properly, the shape of the blade MUST be the same shape as the wooden bed of the plane. So... EASY on the sharpening.
Hollows and rounds were used much the same as you would use a router. They are good for shaping edges (not ends) and, used in combination, for running moldings.
Unless the plane has been 'played' with, there should be a manufacturers mark on the toe of the plane. There is a reference books that list American manufacturers name stamps and gives dates of manufacture. Please note that some manufacturers used different stamps in different time periods.
What name is stamped on the toe of the '1790's plane'. I'll need the exact wording. If it says N York, don't say New York. If the letters are in a zig-zag border, let me know. Let's see if I can be of help in dating it.
SawdustSteve... Long Island NY (E of NYC)
Thanks Steve,
I will wax them up tomorrow. As for dating the planes, I don't really need to, they will be users from now on but I still want to keep them in the shape possible. Thank you very much nevertheless for your offer to help dating them, it's appreciated.
Rehab
Putty the mouth of the plane, fill it up with linseed oil and let it soak into the endgrain for several days. Then do three apps of linseed oil on the body buffing to a sheen on the last application. Wax.
Drop the wedge in a pool of BLO while you're working on the body.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but in't this reported to cause long-term leeching of oil from the plane? Also, I thought BLO was a good medium for some rather annoying bacerial cultures when used this way, and in the long run was abandoned by most makers as unnecessary at best.
I have heard this (the putty-mouth linseed oil soak) for years and did it to several planes in my youth. (20 years ago).
These planes seem to have a much bigger problem with mold or mildew (unheated shop) than all the other woodies I own. Seems I recently read something about this, maybe from Larry Williams?
I'm not arguing or saying not to do it, just a caution.
David Carroll
Edited 11/6/2007 2:04 pm ET by DCarr10760
I haven't had any planes mold or mildew. I work in my shop daily and it is heated during winter. I suspect the vast majority of shops in existence when these planes would have been used on a daily basis were heated as well, albeit with coal or wood.
I only have a few woodies and they get used a good deal. I think the sheer act of moving them about producing shavings and a little sawdust does as much to prevent mold and mildew as anything. I guess if the planes are not being used much then that is more of a storage situation than anything else. In that case, I'd probably put them in a pasteboard box lined with newspaper and bring them in the house.
Edited 11/6/2007 8:02 pm ET by GregDaCosta
Greg,You're right, these planes don't get daily use, more like occasional use. Occasional in the sense that leap year is an occasion.* Where the mildew grows is at the end grain in the escapement. Other old planes I have that were not similarly treated don't seem to have the problem.Like many things, regular careful use keeps things in top form.Thanks for the reply.David Carroll
*I have now a set of Clark & Williams planes that are in (almost) daily use. I also have a set of Wenzloff saws. They compliment each other and work beautifully together on the bench...(There's wisdom in there somewhere).
Great post script. I too am quite fond of both my wenzloff saws and C&W planes.
Maybe a Watco type product that has a little varnish added would inhibit the growth?
Just a couple of points, with shaping planes work backwards from the far end towards yourself. In other words relieve the end and bring that relief towards you as you plane.
Check the points on wedges, they must be complete and smooth. There is a tendency for the points to break through wear and tear and then shavings will clog the mouth. Make new wedges for general use keeping the originals in case you want to sell the plane. Have fun!
Good advice, much appreciated.
Thanks,
Rehab.
If these planes are new to you, I would start by carefully cataloging them and in the process yank all their wedges and irons. If your shop is drier than the shop they came from, the bodies can split around the unmoving irons. This happens to British planes shipped to drier US climates.
Don't be convinced all your planes are users. Some may be museum pieces. I recommend you research them a bit before doing anything. Like any antique, you can increase the object's value by educating yourself and locating the collector communities.
Adam
Good point, I will remove the wedges since I've had to start the wood stove.
Thank you for the advice,
Rehab.
Adam's advice of removing the wedges and irons is spot on--and let them acclimate for some time.
In general, if the soles are well shaped and all points are in-line down the sole, you will be goo to go. Then it's a simple matter of ensuring the irons are sharpened properly to the profile.
Tuning a woodie molding plane sole is the hardest. The dado is pretty straight forward. I think it is Dunbar who has a book dedicated to tuning them. I've needed to make a shaped scraper and carefully "true" a molding plane profile.
As regards using versus collecters...I respect people who have told me some of mine should be preserved. I choose to use them instead.
Here are two I received this last year. The first is older than the US.
View Image
The next is from the late 18th, early 19th century.
View Image
Take care, Mike
who is currently--and lovingly--fixing up a never finished early to mid 18th century chisel to use...
Very nice planes. Found the book, it will be very useful.
Thank you Mike,
Rehab.
It might be a good idea to make a copy of the original. When you have the original, its not to tough to make a copy. Just a thought.
I like to take molding planes like the one you have in the picture and make the profile flip so I can go in the other direction if the grain is a pain in the butt. Truthfully, I take the bulk of the waste away with a small router and some bits and then finish with the plane. Saves time and the blade edge.
Is the plane with the skewed blade a panel raising plane?
dan
Hi Dan,
My feeling is that both have survived countless users, countless boards--I doubt I'll harm it anymore than the chances these past users took whenever they picked them up. If I ever try to make some molding planes, I wouldn't mind attempting a couple of the molding plane in graduated sizes--knowing that it isn't a matter of simply scaling. It is such a lovely small profile.
The idea of making a copy in the near future of the panel fielding plane was on my mind, however. For one, I would like a handled 14"-15" version of the same profile for doing larger panels that would match. I contacted Bill Clark (of C&W) and he was interested in getting it to possibly do. Larry and I unfortunately have what appears to be an irreparable rift between us and so withheld sending it their way. It is something I may revisit at a later date.
I waste wood out of molding profiles with a plow. Slower than the router for sure, but still accomplishes a similar function. That is saving the blade. Small profiles like this molding plane there isn't any advantage, though. Even in the Poplar and D. Fir I use for replicating moldings for our Vic, most have been smaller profiles (ogee window stops, picture mold for hanging pictures on the wall, etc.), except the window sills.
Right now my life is a tad full and so even using them for making stuff is on hold. Heck, my planes aren't even in the shop anymore and reside in boxes in my bedroom.
I do have some boxes to do for Christmas that I will raise the panels for. For that, there was a plane at a past MJD auction I lost the bid on. A molding plane-style/size panel raising plane. I had a gentleman in England remake it for me working off the only picture from the auction...a dead-on shot of the toe. Those boxes, some new window sills and window stop are the only woodworking projects I will do for some time.
Take care, Mikeback to work...coffee's done.
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