The UKW Infill Project

[jimi43]

Hello good friends.....

Over the last few months I have been hard pushed to keep a secret that only a handful of people have shared but today I can thankfully spill the beans!

Those of you who know our fellow Member and Gentleman of this Parish and budding Roy Underhill impersonator...Richard T, will know of his amazing skill with metal and all things huge. :mrgreen:

Well today...a rather large and heavy package arrived via the Royal Mail...and I had quite forgotten about it (even though he told me only yesterday! )....and so it was still a surprise.

Inside the package was hidden a gorgeous lump of steel which he has spent many moons fashioning into this masterpiece!!!!

Richard has been tinkering with infills for a while now and recently announced to me that he wished me to have a carcass so that I may fill it in...a bit like Planemaking By Numbers really! :mrgreen:

I have previously been known to tinker with the "black stuff"...but I would be about 200 years old... practising every day of the week...before I even approached the skill level of our mate Richard.

The canny amongst you will also notice that I have carefully arranged this beauty on top and in front of some wood!

This morning I accidentally went and saw "Bob" of Timberline fame....and found the largest lumps of English Boxwood he had in stock...

I'm not sure that, even then, they are going to be big enough for the handle...it depends on how they cut. If not...then it's Plan B...the large lump of English Walnut on which this monster rests. This was donated to me by Douglas...and the jury's out as to whether I go light or dark...but this may be decided for me as I said!

Richard remarked to me in a PM recently that the top was shaped...in the form of a Japanese wave...and as you can see....

...this is beautifully shaped and continues through eye-catching curves which Rubens would be proud of!

The "frog" must have taken more than a little blood, sweat and tears to shape...

It is perfectly aligned to merge with the slope of the rear mouth bevel...and should provide rock hard support for the iron once set.

You can see just how huge this lump is by looking down the plane from the inside....

The slope leads to a perfectly formed mouth...

....this is going to cut like a dream!

But it you truly want to see how much of a master craftsman Richard is...you need to try to find the dovetails...

I had to used light at exactly the right angle of incidence and use a polarising filter just to get this shot....

So there you have it...Richard's contribution to the UKW Infill Project and I'm sure that Richard will be along soon to describe in detail a summary of how he has got this far...

Meanwhile..I need to practice a bit with the lathe after making a dummy screw to test aspects of screwcap knob making....

This one's a teenie bit small and very much "Holteyesque" so I need to come up with a KT Tool design...and a MUCH large rod of brass!! :mrgreen:

I'm really looking forward to finishing this plane...I only hope that I can do justice to the work that Richard has done so far! =D> =D>

Well done my friend....simply brilliant!

Jim

 

[Racers]

Hi, Jim

Well its going to be fantastic when its finished, any idea of the time scale? SS gift :wink:

How about a box and walnut in fill? walnut racing stripe down the middle.

Pete

 

[marcros]

A true piece of craftsmanship.

Is there a reason why such a plane couldnt be make from a flat sheet and the sides folded up? Is it just the force required that would be the problem, or is it because you couldnt get the corners sufficiently sharp?

 

[AndyT]

So that's why Richard was going so slow over the wood-fitting part of the job! Congratulations Jim, on having served your infilling apprenticeship!

I'm sure the end result will be gorgeous - and if it's going to be a Secret Santa gift I'd like to offer a large bribe to rig the 'random' drawing of names!

I hope I am safe in assuming that every step of the way will be documented in lovely clear photos - with the trademark tub of pansies in the background - for any 'armchair plane makers' to enjoy.

Who's making the iron, cap iron and lever cap? Is that the reason for your new milling machine Jim?

 

[jimi43]

Nice idea Pete...but I want to be more traditional....I think I will work on the handle first...use some softwood/mdf for the shape and dimensioning and play with that until I get it right and then cut at least 3 blanks out of box, walnut and burr oak and then see them in situ to make the final choice.

Once I have done that...documented of course Andy...changing the flowers as the seasons dictate...(clue on timescale! :mrgreen: ) and then once the rear is decided it will be a simple case of using that wood to make a flush front plateau with traditional "wedding cake" bun to finish.

Iron and lever cap....I will make both...the irons are simple...I can fire them up on the kiln...3-4mm....make the cap iron...knob etc...but the lever cap will take a bit of thinking about. There were a few variants of this..I like the Spiers ones...or maybe chunky Norris...and Richard...you will have to give me a clue where the pivot point is likely to be.

For infill fixings...I am juggling ideas...over-large screw into smaller countersink...file off top...or pin...or pin with brass sleeve?

Lots of things to think about but just for the handle design so far...I like the one on my Scottish infill...

It has an understated elegance and the top bow can echo the Japanese wave theme with a bit of careful design work....

Nothing has been written in stone yet...but I am off to make some templates/test infills and an iron...this will give us testing ability.

Jim

 

[Richard T]

previously on "Jim's Plane" ....

Don't forget your spacer Jim - without that in it's not square. Welcome to the wonderful world of parallel sided dovetailed infill infilling.

 

[jimi43]

Ah...yes...the spacer...will not forget that!

Incidentally Richard...I checked out the huge boxwood logs and if I work on the block just a bit oversized on the measurements I have taken from the Scottish panel...I should have enough with the two logs for the entire infill.

Of course...it might be that they are so different in grain pattern that it doesn't work but we won't know until we do a bit of initial surgery. I will have to get Douglas to resaw these...or it's by hand. The walnut will easily be ok.

I will have to contact that link you sent me to see if I can get a suitable bit of brass block to make the lever cap...will send them an email tomorrow.

Jim

 

[Richard T]

In my experience (Walnut only) it is very much worth leaving infills at least 1/16" over size in width while shaping, then leaving in the house preferably until they shrink no more ... it is a horrible feeling to find that the thing that should need a lot of persuading, slips in easy and is therefore too small.

Re the pivot point - it depends on the size and shape of the finished lever cap as well as the decision to use a cap iron or not and if so, how thick/ what shape. The classic bent - up - and - down - at - the - end variety will raise things even more. All this on top of a 3 1/6" iron. Forgot to say; I could make you a cap iron if you like - 3mm job. .
I suppose it depends on whether you want to have an adjuster or not .... questions, quishtions and quashtions.

 

[jimi43]

From discussions with almost everyone...the Norris adjuster is not worth having...and I agree with this. I'm not sure about a depth adjuster with no lateral though...might be nice.

Reading up on the "chipbreaker" aspect of the cap iron...I guess a thick one would be needed so I guess at that stage in the project the steps need to be...make iron and cap iron...offer these up and measure the thickness (max) of the lever cap...then make the cap and put the hole at the pivot point (pilot)...and then eye this in for the side holes.

Do you agree?

Jim

 

[rileytoolworks]

Wow :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Absolutely awesome metalwork Richard.
I can't wait to see how this turns out.
If it's anything like Jimis previous offerings it's going to be top notch indeed.

Get a move on Jim! I've got antsinmepants to see more!


Adam.

 

[DTR]

Excellent stuff, I look forward to seeing the end result

 

[jimi43]

Richard...I know you said "don't feel afraid to bash the spacer in place" but hell mate....you put the fear of God into me doing it!

I was thinking with every (gentle) tap that the dovetails would reach a point where they would quit shaking hands with each other and part company with an explosive force not seen since Bikini.......and I'm talking atolls not Jordan's top! :mrgreen:

I was more worried about breaking the beautiful invisible dovetails...or even moving them a bit so they showed...but nothing...absolutely nothing happened at all! (I wish there was a PHEW smiliey!!!)

The fit in this piece of mahogany was absolutely perfect.....and that was a piece right out of the off-cut bin given to me ages ago by John and previously used on my 220 infill!! How spookie is that!!!?

I was then in a bit of a panic for fear I wasn't actually going to get this out again...but knocking the overhang upwards did that...eventually! #-o

While it was still in place I marked exactly the level of the frog block top...and then squared it all around....

I marked it cleanly with the beautiful little Jarrah marking knife given to me by buddy Derek in Perth....and tomorrow I will make my first cut with Ginger...

...from my dear friends in Germany...Klaus and Pedder!

Remind me Richard...what is the bed angle? I will be measuring it but I needed confirmation from you I have done this right.

So this is fast becoming truly a huge UKW collaboration...this makes me very happy indeed!

Oh...and I attempted the impossible....marking out various options on a rather irregular boxwood log...all 2.25 kg of it!!

That should be fun to cut...I may use my Huntley Oak Japanese saw...

I think it can cut it!

I'll get me dressing gown! :mrgreen:

More later...night all!

Jimi

 

[kirkpoore1]

Great thread, with great pictures. Thanks, guys.

Kirk
who keeps reading "infill" as, unfortunately, "landfill"...

 

[Richard T]

Kirk - not yet, we hope.

Jim note the compounds filed into the corners:

You can try to pop those out but I doubt you'll succeed. (Now I've said it haven't I?) I have had that spacer all the way along the length several times - note the hammer marks.
The angle is supposed to be 47 1/2 degrees; after all that filing I think it's still somewhere close.

 

[bugbear]

Oh...and I attempted the impossible....marking out various options on a rather irregular boxwood log...all 2.25 kg of it!!

I suspect (given your metal work tool pile) you know this, but I will gently remind you that marking such a log is trivial with a surface (scribing) gauge.

surface-gauges-for-woodworkers-t22873.html?hilit=scribing

post263747.html

BugBear

 

[Blister]

Lads !

All I can say about this thread is :-
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Quality

Love it =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Great thread, with great pictures. Thanks, guys.

Kirk
who keeps reading "infill" as, unfortunately, "landfill"...

Kirk - this plane isn't even half finished yet, and it already makes my best planes look like landfill material!

That's quality metalworking, Richard. Forgive me for asking a cheeky question (which you don't have to answer if you don't want to), but about how many hours did you need to get that far? (I'll have a guess at about 40 to 50, based on the amount of handwork to true things up and achieve that level of finish.)

Jimi - are you planning to make and fit a screw adjuster, now you have turning facilities?

 

[jimi43]

Cheers for the comments guys and Richard...for the comfort (and blame if it all goes ping!) :mrgreen:

BB....wonderful thread that...DOH! Why didn't I think of that....ooooo....look...all these little gauges are gathering shouting ME ME ME!

47.5 degrees eh Richard....ok mate...sounds about normal...and with a (rather expensive) Swiss analogue and my SS digital gauge...have marked it out...now we shall see!

Now...anyone who thinks a Burgess three wheeled bandsaw (£10 at a bootfair) is not capable of serious work....think again!

I figured even a beautiful saw like Ginger can't cut curves so I might just as well trust in my Burgess and cut them all...

First the slope...

Then to cut out the step....

A couple of thou that side of the line and then hit the Heath Robinson disc sander....

Yup...that'll do....

The real test of the Burgess comes later...and I'll hold off on posting the rest as I have to break for work (darn interruptions!)

But what I will say is...if you want a crappy old cheap saw to cut like this you have to have a TUFFSAW blade and a couple of lignum guides...oh...and a zero clearance insert!

See you all near midnight and I will post the rest of the morning's work!

Cheers

Jim

 

[Blister]

ALFIE is getting better at the potodogrophy :mrgreen:

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Very impressing project in your pipeline, Jim! Richard did a wonderful job, awesome metalwork!, and regarding your skills on infills you've restored already, I'm sure that this plane will become something very special. Hopefully the Boxwood will work, it's such a wonderful wood that shows it's beauty even more if it's combined with steel than with brass. I'm too curious about the progress.

Klaus