Infill Mitre Plane Project

[rxh]

Some readers may remember my Infill Smoothing Plane Project and Small Router Plane Project from last year. Well, I haven’t been entirely idle this year but my work is taking me away from home quite a bit and I haven’t been able to do as much woodwork and metalwork as I would have liked. However, I have made small router planes No.s 3 & 4 and I have been collaborating with another UKW member on an interesting project, of which more will be revealed in due course. Also, I have made a start on this mitre plane. It is based on a design of Jim Kingshott but I have made the following modifications:
- my own variant of Norris type adjuster, using a pivot tube,
- addition of adjustable mouth,
- “rxh” style front handle.
This is my first attempt at a dovetailed plane with brass sides and steel sole and I am enjoying the challenge.

 

[tobytools]

Beautiful. Absolutely love it. I can't wait to see the finished article and will continue to follow this thread with great intrest. Mitre planes are a passion of mine

Thanks for sharing Rxh. And your secret collaboration had me itching....
Cheers
TT

 

[tobytools]

can't believe noone else has commented on this thread.. wake up people
keep it up mate

your fan
TT

 

[Mr_P]

Apologies I was waiting until I found my Jim Kingshgott book before I commented, so I could sound a bit less thick than wot I om.

As Toby stays

Beautiful. Absolutely love it. I can't wait to see the finished article and will continue to follow this thread with great intrest. Mitre planes are a passion of mine

Padauk ? Or something else planned ?

Old iron or new ? Guess since you have an adjuster you will make your own ?

 

[gasman]

OK I absolutely love it too! - hadn't really seen it to be honest
This is one my bucket list of things to do in the next few years and I am (now) following with great interest.
The mouth appears very wide to me - any particular reason? Also did you freehand the shape or is it based on another?
Brilliant work
Mark

 

[Harbo]

Very nice work - looking good - and Gasman the mouth is going to be adjustable

Rod

 

[tobytools]

OK I absolutely love it too! - hadn't really seen it to be honest
This is one my bucket list of things to do in the next few years and I am (now) following with great interest.
The mouth appears very wide to me - any particular reason? Also did you freehand the shape or is it based on another?
Brilliant work
Mark

The mouth won't allways be that wide a plate will be put into place with and adjustable screw. Like any adjustable mouthed plane.

TT

 

[rxh]

Thanks to all for the kind comments. In answer to the questions:
- Yes, I plan to use padauk for the wooden parts to match my other planes.
- I plan to make the blade of O1 steel. I'll have to find a way of heating it to red heat for hardening. I intend to make all the metal parts.
- Yes, there will be a sliding sole insert to adjust the mouth.

 

[rxh]

PS. I got the shape from Jim Kingshott's design but adapted it to suit my front handle style.

 

[jimi43]

Very impressive indeed!!!

I love the precision in particular and also I like the adjustable mouth...it's the way to go and adds greatly to the flexibility of the plane.

Can't wait to see the infills. I didn't consider Paduk before but when I saw how it darkens dramatically...almost towards rosewood darkness, I think I will have a play with the stock I parked at the back of the store...wondering what to do with it!

Looking forward to the next episode.

Jimi

 

[Racers]

I have made a few blades using a charcoal BBQ and either a hair dryer or lately my shop vac on blow.
You need a magnet on a stick to test the temperature, it won't stick when its hot enough, and oil, I use old engine oil.

How does the adjustable mouth work?

Pete

 

[rxh]

Jimi,
Thanks for your encouragement. Padauk is funny stuff - when newly cut it is bright orange but turns a rich dark red with time. There is a distinctive smell when you cut it andthe dust stains clothes and I suspect it is bad to breathe.

Pete,
Thanks for the tips about the charcoal and magnet. Up to now I have only heat treated items, such as chisels and punches, small enough to use a gas blowtorch for. The adjustable mouth (or "slider") will be supported above by a "step" rivetted to the sole. A bolt fixedto the slider will pass though a slot in the step. On the upper side of the step the bolt will pass through two knurled knobs. The lower knob will not be threaded but will have a sort of cam at its lower side, bearing on a peg fixed to the step. Turning that knob will force the bolt, and hence the slider to move backward or forward. The upper knob will be threaded to the bolt and will be used to lock the slider in place. It will be easier to show than describe .....

 

[mqbernardo]

wow!

 

[rxh]

I haven't been able to do anything to this plane for a few weeks owing to working away from home. However, this weekend I managed to do some serious metal bashing (literally). I riveted the step in place and then attached the sides. It was very satisfying to see the dovetails emerge from under the battered metal.

 

[tobytools]

Your a master Rxh. Looking very good at this stage and I'm so envious of your talents
Keep it comming. If you find yourself wanting to bold another I have a plane kit than needs doing and I fear I'll never get around to it
TT

 

[jimi43]

Great progress mate!

I was sitting here thinking...why the hell is he tapping the rivets into the frog and then I realized it was a tapered reamer!

I have no idea where my mind is today! :mrgreen:

I actually promised myself that after the panel I'm doing, that was it. No more blinkin' metalwork.

BUT...watching you doing a mitre...I am thinking again on that and your progress and neat engineering has encouraged me to do one. (though I think box would be used as the infill! 8) )

Now...all you need to do is not disappear for so long..I can't wait to see the next installment.

Cheers

Jimi

 

[Mr_P]

Blimey you make that look easy.

Do you peen in the vice ?

How thick are your brass sides and steel sole ?

Thanks again for sharing / inspiring.

 

[rxh]

Toby, Jimi & Mr_P: thanks for your comments. I urge you all to give it a try using some scrap metal.

The sole is 1/4" thick and the sides are 3/16" thick. I have tried various punches but I mostly use a short, round nosed one (that can be seen on the left in one of the photos above), driven by a 1 1/2" lb. hammer for steel. Brass seems to respond better to many small taps using a much smaller hammer.

Yes, I hold the work in a vice for the peening operations. The one I use is perhaps rather small but is attached to a wooden bench in my shed. I have a larger vice but it is mounted on a steel bench in the garage and I fear that the noise from hammering there would be very offensive to my family and neighbours.

 

[Racers]

Looking very nice rxh.

Do you have a Dreadnought file? they make short work of hogging off metal.

Pete

 

[rxh]

Thanks Pete,

I've been meaning to buy some new dreadnought files. The only one I have is very blunt. My largest effective file is a 14" coarse one with "ordinary" teeth : a big b@st@rd