# Bronze casting infill plane WIP



## gasman (11 Aug 2015)

My second infill plane is going to be this old lump of casting I bought off eBay for £44 a couple of years ago.





The description says not for the faint-hearted and, having been gathering dust since purchase I had kept putting it off
However once I had started I think it is going to be an amazing plane. It weighs a ton. There is going to be some serious heft in the final product!
I started on saturday morning and probably spent 6 hours on saturday on the project. I had done enough to persuade myself that the project was a keeper by late afternoon
Here was the lump before I started 




I started by flattering the base. A combination of files, 4" belt sander with 60G belt, 80G sandpaper stuck to a glass float was used and it took ages




Once the bottom was fairly flat, I then flattened the sides so that they were perpendicular to the base




Finally I cleaned up the edges and the ends where the infills will not extend to




So, in no particular order I have the following problems to solve:
1. I need to cut the mouth out but it is difficult to get to where the mouth will be from the inside because of the sides of the plane. I am planning to mill a 6mm slot for the mouth and then enlarge it from within by hand with files etc
2. I need a blade cap-iron and adjuster. I am going to give Bristol Design a call later today to see what they have in stock. I might try an adjuster at some stage but I think it is a step too far yet
3. I have ordered a lump of brass for the lever cap
4. The insides of the plane are so rough that fitting the infill will be more difficult but again you can't get a mill in there because of the sides
5. I need to think about whether to overstuff the infills or whether to bevel the edges of the sides - I tend towards the latter but presumably that has to be done by hand which seems v tricky
I saved quite a lot of brass filings which I might use in future for infills (i.e. marquetry not infill planes)!
There will be lots of other problems I am sure!
Regards Mark


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## Mr_P (11 Aug 2015)

Great news Mark, will be watching with great interest.

I have over stuffed and understuffed infills, aesthetically I prefer overstuffed. You have more than enough skill to pull this off but it would be a bigger/longer job.

Have you given any thought to sweating a steel sole onto the bronze ?

Good Luck,
Carl


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## gasman (11 Aug 2015)

Thanks for the comments Carl
I had only thought of bevelling the sides because I was fairly sure that Jimi of this parish did that for Richards infill plane??
Errr no hadn't thought of the steel sole. Is that just because bronze is a bit soft? How does one attach it - rivets ? or some dark-art welding brazing technique which I will know nothing about! I will do some digging
Ah found it in Jim Kingshott's book about how to sweat the steel sole on. Sounds tricky though?
Thanks again
BW
MArk


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## Mr_P (11 Aug 2015)

Peter McBride makes it look easy here

http://www.petermcbride.com/plane_restore/

Please ignore my earlier comment, having just spent some time looking at under and over stuffed Jointers I'd like to reverse my earlier opinion.


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## Bedrock (11 Aug 2015)

If you wanted the lever cap to match the colour of the casting, try Lees of Yapton, in West Sussex. They usually have lumps of bronze of the appropriate size.

Bristol Design used to sell Norris type adjusters. Might be worth asking, Fitting is fairly simple but the main problem I found, is drilling the adjustment holes in a hardened blade. It must vary between the various types of blade/steel, but I have never had the kit or the confidence to anneal, drill and then reharden. I have somewhere a LN A2 blade which has blunted several carbide drills, and only shows a small dimple from the initial sharp drill bit. If anyone has any suggestions, I would be interested to learn.

Can you give the basic dimensions, please, including some idea of the weight.

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.


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## gasman (11 Aug 2015)

Thanks Bedrock
I was on the phone earlier to Charles at Bristol Design and he is going to sell me a Norris adjuster for £48 plus an old 2 1/2" blade and cap iron. He also has a mitre plane infill casting which I might take off his hands. 
I will call the guys in Yapton as you suggest and ask about bronze lumps. My cobalt Famag drill bits will cut A2 steel but it is a slow progress
Thanks again
Mark


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## Bedrock (11 Aug 2015)

Mark

Thanks for this. Did you need to lubricate the drill?
I made up one of their mitre plane kits some years ago, which they were then selling as a bronze casting, machined externally, the adjuster and a lever cap and Herring blade (already drilled for the adjuster). I was quite pleased with the result, but recall that there is not much "meat" under the rear infill adjuster slot, for the attachment screws.
There was a steel sole riveted and soldered on. It carries some weight so I guess you won't need the gym membership when your jointer is up and running.

Mike


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## gasman (11 Aug 2015)

Yes I always lubricate when cutting any metal - seems to go much better every time
I am going to try and get some 2mm mild steel and sweat a sole on as described - it sounds a great trick to do having now read up how it's done. Its all a bit scary this metalworking. Woodworking is easy if you make a mistake you just cut another bit or hide the mistake but this is harder!
Cheers Mike
Mark


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## AndyT (11 Aug 2015)

I too shall be watching with interest. I am particularly impressed by the way you have lined up your next infill project already!

I do know from talking to Colin in Bristol Design that when they sold some bronze planes with sweated on steel soles they used a kiln (I think a potter's kiln) to get plenty of heat into the casting before applying gas torches for the final hit. 
Your plane looks harder to heat up than the smaller ones in the helpful article Mr P linked to. 

I am told that modern adhesives are just as good for this job but have not tried either method.


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## gasman (12 Aug 2015)

I measured it last night - the sole measures 80 x 360mm. It weighs a fraction over 3kg for the casting (and I have already removed several 100g in filing etc). I can't believe it will be much less than 5kg once it has all the bits and pieces. Some workout!
I have ordered some 2mm mild steel for the sole. Waiting for Bristol Design to get back to me. Going to cut the mouth this friday. I have my excitement levels back again - amazing how that happens
Cheers
Mark


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## Bedrock (12 Aug 2015)

Mark
What lubricant do you recommend? Tried WD40 as it was the closest to hand, but might not have designed for this purpose. Didn't seem to work!

I have been interested in the possibility of using modern adhesives for various plane-making projects, but don't know what are appropriate, given that they seem to be expensive to experiment with. Any one any recommendations?

I am part way through making a smoother, using gauge plate, fixing with countersunk machine screws, then the heads filed off to a flush finish. It crossed my mind that at some stages in the making, gluing might be helpful, if the glue line is minimal. 

Might be worth trying gauge plate for the sole - it comes in fairly convenient lengths, individually wrapped, and should be "flat" for your purpose. My experience with thin mild steel has been variable as it is usually stored in long lengths and the thinner sections can sag. 

Have just seen your latest. Amazing how the enthusiasm ebbs and flows. Can go for several weeks whilst i puzzle out a solution. Good luck - very keen to hear how Friday goes.

Mike


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## gasman (12 Aug 2015)

Hi Mike
I use this http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catal...ree-Tapping-Cutting-Fluid-500ml-170-150-00100 which I got from arceurotools when I bought my mill. It does the job well
Thanks for the gauge plate idea - will investigate
Cheers
Mark


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## Racers (12 Aug 2015)

A hardpoint saw would be another source for thin flat high carbon steel.


Pete


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## Mr_P (12 Aug 2015)

Racers":1cuqqdok said:


> A hardpoint saw would be another source for thin flat high carbon steel.
> 
> 
> Pete



Richard Arnold did just that
three-little-castings-less-skilled-northern-version-t79592.html


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## gasman (12 Aug 2015)

Thats a great idea about the hard point saw but wouldn't it take me about 3 weeks to cut it with a hacksaw?


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## AndyT (12 Aug 2015)

gasman":1a6i6icb said:


> Thats a great idea about the hard point saw but wouldn't it take me about 3 weeks to cut it with a hacksaw?



No, it's only the tips of the teeth that are hardened.


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## jimi43 (13 Aug 2015)

Great project Mark...and I will be following it closely now i know it's here.

Firstly...adjuster...I have sat on the fence regarding the "Norris" adjuster for a long while..in the hope I would find one I actually liked. Well..having just bought an A71 with a near pristine adjuster with virtually no play...I still wanted to rip it out and stamp on it after only an hour and took to lateral adjustment with a hammer out of desperation. So my opinion is now firmly on the "wouldn't touch one with a bargepole" camp! :mrgreen: 

Jim Kingshott designs are much better apparently but either require the release of pressure on the lever cap and for me that just adds error when you retighten it. I'd say you are right not to bother..they are more trouble than they are worth.

Infilling castings is as you rightly say....much more difficult than infilling dovetailed bodies. Having done both I don't think I would attempt another casting again for the very reasons you state. If you overstuff a lot...you can use this as the registration point rather than the inner sole of the plane...ok you get close but it's the overhang on the infill which actually lines it up.

If you can't find the original post on my Scottish infill smoother restoration...you can get an abridged version on WKFINE TOOLS Magazine site... and the shorter version of the "Richard" build is on there too if that helps.

You mentioned using burr wood...that would look lovely but it is very unpredictable and if you are overstuffing you are probably going to find voids and aberrations in just the places you don't want....so that may be something to take into consideration.

Regarding milling cutters...you might want to reduce the number of flutes and use solid carbide ones.

I use two flute ones from Cutwell Tools...they are really helpful people and the cutters are top quality. WD40 should work fine with these too...I use it to cut aluminium with one of those Rage saws and it definitely eases the cut and makes for a finer quality result.

Looking forward to the next steps...it looks like a grand project.

Cheers

Jimi


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## gasman (13 Aug 2015)

Thanks Jimi
Wise words as always
I take your adjuster point well made
Interestingly the only plane I have in which the adjuster works well without loosening the lever cap is a small low angle veritas plane I use for end grain - this you can advance and retract even when the blade is fixed firmly. This is my only Veritas plane - can anyone tell me if other Veritas plane adjusters behave the same?
So I am now thinking of having a go at making a Veritas-type single thread adjuster single which seem to be similar to the Jim Kingshott adjusters he describes in his wonderful book.
I have done lots of reading about sweating the sole on using solder. It actually doesn't sound too difficult except for the size of this behemoth which make getting it hot enough quite a challenge. Add to this the fact that there may be stresses inside the bronze casting which make it liable to distort when heated to high temperature make me nervous - and therefore I think am going to use JBWeld original epoxy to 'glue' the steel gauge plate onto the casting. Others have done the same and I think it should be fine. Even bigger day on Friday
My next big question is whether to make the iron or buy one. Matthew sells a 2 5/8" Quangsheng blade and cap iron for £50 total which would probably be OK but it would not be the same as making one. If I did make one I think I would need to get it hardened professionally as I have never done anything remotely like that before. mmmm
Thanks for advice as always
Mark


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## Andy RV (13 Aug 2015)

You're braving tackling this without a big milling machine!


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## rxh (13 Aug 2015)

Making an adjuster is fairly easy if you do it my way. There is no plate to screw to the infill, instead a brass tube is fixed in the infill and acts as a bearing for the adjuster to turn in. This arrangement has very little backlash and the adjuster may be removed instantly, if desired, to convert to a "plain" plane. I have been using 1/4" x 32 TPI ME threads because I had taps and die of this size. It works well but I intend to try 1/4" x 40 TPI ME next time (which is the size recommended by Jim Kingshott and I believe that Bedrock has also used it with success). All the parts can be made from round and hex barstock, costing very little. I encourage you to have a go


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## jimi43 (13 Aug 2015)

That'll work Richard....does it work with full clamp down on the lever cap?

Jim


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## rxh (13 Aug 2015)

Jim,
If the lever cap screw is tightened hard it is necessary to slacken it a bit before an adjustment can be made. However, with the adjuster in place I think it is not necessary to have the screw as tight as if the adjuster is not there. Some experiments needed? 

This plane has a Bailey type lever cap and an "rxh" adjuster and adjustments can be made without fiddling with the lever cap screw:


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## jimi43 (14 Aug 2015)

Yes...I think this type of adjuster will work better with the "Bailey" type cap because it is nowhere near as tight as a lever cap. I can't see anything with a fine thread working with a lever cap tightened enough to lock down the iron.....that is the inherent problem because the coarser you make the thread the more sensitive the adjuster and this is where the Norris one falls down in my experience.

Personally...I think it is trying to get over a problem that just isn't there. I find tapping to be both fast and accurate...but it does take experience which takes time.

Jimi


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## gasman (14 Aug 2015)

Oooh Richard that's interesting and I agree looks achievable even given my limited metalworking skills. I will have a look in more detail tonight at what I need to get in terms of stock. Thanks for posting I will investigate


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## barryvabeach (16 Aug 2015)

Mark, you look like you are off to a good start. I made a similar sized plane from a casting from St. James Bay Tool Co, in the US. I did not try to attach a sole and would worry how that would impact the trueness of the sole. I have a made and reworked a few smoothers that are overstuffed, but did not go overstuffed on this sized plane. I don't think I have seen any panel sized infills that were overstuffed, but I could be wrong. I went with a Norris style adjuster from Ray Iles. I understand that there are many that don't like them on infills, however, I never found a good place on an infill to hit it to adjust the iron. I actually made mine without an adjuster, then made a smoother with an adjuster, so I went back and added an adjuster to the panel plane.


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## gasman (17 Aug 2015)

Nice plane Barry! Did you have lots of problems doing it? How many hours did it take you? I seem to take a long time to do each stage but it is such good fun doing it.
Over the weekend I have got quite a bit done
I drilled out the plane mouth carefully with a 4mm drill bit




Then I realised that, of course, when I add the 2mm sole, the mouth will get smaller so I had plenty of room to mill out the mouth with a 6mm cutter




A very long process of filing out the mouth ensued. I went for 47.5 degrees for the rear mouth and 60 degrees for the front. I had bought a new set of Bahco files from Axi for the purpose and they make an amazing difference
















Cheers Mark


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## barryvabeach (17 Aug 2015)

Mark, I did not keep track, but it felt like forever. A lot of time was spent deciding on style - did I want the lever cap to come off, and if so did I want a screw in lever cap, or slot the pin, reduce the diameter of the ends, and use a spring ( that is the route I choose) and of course the style and dimensions of the front bun and rear handle were changed numerous times in the planning stage. BTW, nice job on drilling the mouth. I made a mistake when drilling mine, and ended up too far back. It is a cosmetic defect because the iron is still supported to the bottom of the bevel, but the mouth extends behind the blade a little bit. I used mostly Grobet files, but as you point out, good files in good shape make a huge difference.


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## gasman (17 Aug 2015)

On Sunday I started on the infill
I had a turning blank about 220mm square x 80mm marked 'Nemesu' which I have never heard of but which i believe is a malaysian hardwood similar to meranti. However it looks like mahogany, has beautiful figuring and I thought looked perfect for the job




I have definitely decided not to overstuff so I cut off a 70mm wide piece and marked it out for the rear infill




Cut it out the right side of the line on the bandsaw




Meanwhile I had decided the inside of the casting was way to uneven so I milled it so I had a flattish reference surface




Then it was just a matter of planing it down to size. The internal walls of the casting are very slightly sloped inwards which meant I could just go bit by bit until it fitted tightly












Once it was sized I planed / scraped it down level with the side walls using card scrapers and a Boggs spokeshave








The figuring on the infill is lovely - it is going to be a nice piece of wood when finished




I have ordered the gauge plate to make the iron, and a piece of phosphor bronze for the lever cap. Need to start thinking about the adjuster and how to make
Regards Mark


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## Paul Chapman (17 Aug 2015)

That's looking very nice, Mark

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Bedrock (17 Aug 2015)

Mark
If you don't want to go the self made blade route, I think I have a 2 5/8" Herring parallel blade somewhere about. I'll have a look this evening, if your interested. It is uncut, if I recall, so you will have to drill for the adjuster.
With regard to that, one of Robert Wearing's helpful books dealt with making an adjuster without a lathe, much as Richard has shown, and I made a couple, reasonably successfully, as experiments, before I purchased a lathe.
Personally, I have never been successful with the non=adjuster route. I have an old Japanese plane, with a very good blade, which I can never consistently adjust. The Bailey adjuster is a sound, repeatable design, but there are too many places in the mechanism where where slackness can arise. I appreciate that in the overall scheme of things, one extra turn of the brass wheel is neither here or there, and the blade still advances or retracts, but it can feel altogether too sloppy.

Mike


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## gasman (17 Aug 2015)

Many thanks Mike for the kind offer. I have ordered the O1 steel and I am actually quite excited about making an iron - doubt if I will do it again but who knows. Philly has said he will harden it for me so I will stick to this plan but thanks again for all your kind words. I will definitely be making an adjuster - more than anything for the metalworking practice. It will be similar to Richards and others - a single 1/4" x 40 thread and I will post when I have made progress
Many thanks once again
Regards
Mark


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## Biliphuster (17 Aug 2015)

Very nice work, especially how neatly you filed the mouth, it's great to see that it is at least possible without a milling machine.


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## gasman (19 Aug 2015)

Early this morning before work I started having a look at the handle for the rear infill
I had previously glued together 2 pieces to get a piece high enough (I wanted the grain orientation of the handle to be the same as the rear infill body). I carefully matched the grains and growth rings of the 2 pieces and glued up with TB1 - the joint is all but invisible and I am confident you wont be able to see any join when it is shaped and finished




I drilled out the handle with a Forstner bit




So I used the Norris smoother as a model to draw the outline roughly and cut it out on the bandsaw




Cleaned up the edges with a plane. The angle is 48 degrees at the moment





I needed to clean up the matching angled part of the rear infill body too as it was not square, so did this in the vice with a plane




By then it was 0615 and I had to go to work 
Also arrived yesterday was my epoxy to attach the 2mm mild steel plate to the base of the plane




Thats going to be a 'big cahoonas' moment as it needs to go on really flat
Regards
Mark


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## Racers (19 Aug 2015)

I guess an even coat of epoxy and a good thick flat caul would be the way to go, do you have a fine toothed spreader? old back saw would work just to get an even coat.

Pete


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## gasman (19 Aug 2015)

Pete thats a great idea thanks - and at least I will be able to clamp it very well from above as it were.
The only reason I did not do this job this morning is that I have not fully decided how to secure the infills. My previous infill plane has put me off riveting the infills in place - all I can see is nasty marking and denting of the bronze sides.
That leaves side screws which i have never really liked the look of.... or fixing some kind of threaded insert to the casting and then screwing from above (like a Norris) or finally glueing it in with epoxy which is certainly the easiest but obviously more difficult to remove the infills!
Any views?
Thanks Mark


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## gasman (19 Aug 2015)

I have thought about it a bit more and I think I have decided to screw the infills like a Norris...
So I have thought through a plan as follows:
Before attaching the sole plate, I will epoxy 3 x 1/4" thick solid stainless 'washers' to the inside of the casting where I want the screws to attach
Then drill holes through the centre of these washers right through the sole of the brass casting
Then tap these holes with the thread I will use on the 3 attaching screws - that way I will have enough thread to get a good grip but undue tension will not be placed on the epoxy joint.
Then with the infills in place, drill up through the infills so that the holes in the infills are in exactly the right place
Finally attach the sole with the epoxy...
Comments criticism etc welcome
Thanks Mark


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## Bedrock (19 Aug 2015)

Mark
Sounds complicated. If you ever want/need to replace the infills, you will have to devise another method of attachment to put them back, if I understand your description and you have screwed up through the sole, before fixing the steel sole plate.
Given the time and skill you are investing in this project, I doubt that you will be treating it roughly, but accidents can always happen.
I have an old Mathieson coffin casting somewhere about, which I was given by my late Father in law. the front infill is beyond recall but the rear, overstuffed is a sort of bun shaped, and may need to come out. There aren't any obvious signs of how it is fixed in, but I must give some thought to this next year.
On my Bristol bronze mitre casting, I epoxied, but on the small brass and steel d/t plane I made several years ago, I went the KH route with a riveted steel pin, within a brass tube. With care and protection from sticky tape, I managed without dings.
On the current project, I will do the same, if only because I drilled all the cross holes in the side plates at the same time, when the plates were originally lightly riveted together.
I am not sure that it makes an awful lot of difference because the chances of you extracting the infill without major damage, is, i would think, relatively slim. If you think that you are likely to want to repair or change the infills altogether, screwing is your only option, but like you, I am not keen on any more screw heads on the sides than absolutely necessary.
Be very interested to hear from anyone else who has managed the extraction of infills without destruction.
Regards Mike


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## jimi43 (19 Aug 2015)

On "Richard" I simply drilled holes in the sides..countersank the holes but shallow and fitted screws so that only the part without the slot was below the surface and then filed off the tops. Worked well. If you need to remove them again...you drill out the screw..use a screw extractor to remove the screw thread...and the infill pops out.

Wonderful job so far mate! Wonderful!

Jimi


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## gasman (19 Aug 2015)

Hi Mike
I obviously didn't explain it well enough sorry
Having tapped threads in the holes in the sole, I will drill the holes from below into the infills to get them correctly positioned - but then countersink the holes in the infills from above and the screws will be coming from above - one in the front bun and 2 in the rear infill, one under the adjuster and one under the handle hole - like this Norris A1




Does that make more sense?
You make good points though - I will ponder some more and wait to see what others think
Thanks and regards Mark


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## AndyT (19 Aug 2015)

I've no experience of doing this so don't know what is best, but over in the thread about steel plane bodies I just posted a link to this article by Peter McBride about the construction of late Norris panel planes which I think is relevant.
http://www.petermcbride.com/norris_panel/

It shows that they used little cylindrical studs, tapped to take screws holding the infills down. It says that these were riveted through the sole, which would be quite easy to do. You could turn or file a shoulder into each stud but that might not be necessary. Drill and tap after riveting in place.

This could be stronger than your idea where I think you would be relying on the threads within the thickness of the sole, if the epoxy joint fails in tension. Also you would have a bit more room for error on the length of the screws.

The riveting would be hidden by the glued on sole of course.


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## Racers (19 Aug 2015)

I would epoxy the infills in, if you want to get them out a little heat will soften the epoxy.

If you do them well first time then you shouldn't need to remove them, it you damage one you should be able to patch any small fault, and if its a big problem then you might as well make a complete new one and hack the old one out.

Pete


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## Bedrock (19 Aug 2015)

Mark
I think Jimi's and Pete's comments are right. In regard to the "Richard" plane, what Jimi has done is obviously reversible. If you are slightly inaccurate with drilling out the old screws, you can always make the new countersink slightly larger and use a larger screw. 
As Pete has said, I think you need perhaps to quantify your potential problem, in that if there is slight damage to the infill, it will be repairable, and doesn't need removal. If it is more serious, then you will have to make a new infill anyway, and the niceties of delicate removal don't apply. You need to remove the damaged part as swiftly and easily as possible, commensurate with not damaging the rest of the plane. If that dictates a robust approach, so be it.
Best wishes Mike


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## barryvabeach (20 Aug 2015)

Mark, just wanted to through in my two cents, I have repaired a few Spiers, and made a few infills from castings. In my opinion, the best approach is to drill from sidewall to sidewall with the infill in place . If you start with a smaller diameter drill and increase the drill bit size step by step, you can get a pretty round hole. Then use a reamer in a brace and turn it once or twice to get the smallest chamfer, then insert the pin, and very little hammering will set the pin without mucking up the side. As Mike and Jimi and Peter have said, you usually want to think of a way to get the infill out. You hope you don't have to , but better safe than sorry. Personally, I don't like the look of the screw in the front bun of the post war Norris, but it is a matter of style that some may appreciate.


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## gasman (24 Aug 2015)

Saturday was metalworking day.
Some 5mm gauge plate arrived at the end of last week so I cut a piece 220 x 65 (using a hacksaw - about 30 minutes), filed the cut edges parallel and then mounted it in the mill to cut a 25 degree bevel









Then cut the corners off 




Drilled a 3/4 inch hole for the cap iron screw




I milled out the rest of the slot, and then, in a rash moment, thought it would be fine for me to do 'my' engraving rather than the fat of sending it to ian Chalcott as after all how hard can it be??
Errr well quite hard it turns out... I am not sure whether I am going to be happy with this but anyway this is what I ended up with. It is not crisp enough but I might have another go. Worst case scenario I have to cut another blade.




I had also ordered some 3mm gauge plate so cut a smaller piece for the cap iron




Again mounted it in the mill to make the angled bevels


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## gasman (24 Aug 2015)

I finished off the bevels and then bevelled the other end of the cap iron to 20 degrees All that remained was to drill the hole. I mounted an 8.5mm drill bit which was very close to the 3/8 tap I wanted to use - and the bit wandered - no idea why as it was all apparently going well - but the hole I have ended up with was 2mm off the midline which I will definitely have to redo




So all in all a bit disappointing - but it has taught me a lot about metalworking so all good. 
Sunday morning I worked on the infill. I started with the front bun




Then using a mixture of rasps it was quite straightforward to shape this








The rear infill was also fairly straightforward to shape using rasps




I copied Jimi's idea of milling out the slot for the rear infill handle on the mill rather than a router - this was very straightforward




I went through the grits sanding it all down and then glued up the rear infill




Finally I put a coat of the TruOil sanding sealer on the front bun




I need to have another look at the blade tonight before I send it off for hardening to decide whether it is acceptable
Cheers Mark


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## jimi43 (24 Aug 2015)

WOW! You can't BELIEVE how deja vu this all is...and mate..the first IRON I cut the centre slot by hand 2mm out too!!!

That is one hell of a lot worse than only having to redo the cap iron mate! So I feel your pain...but not as much as I could...you came out lightly! I have no idea how it happened...there must be a 2mm nudge gremlin out there in metal land!

The infills are looking superb. I see you are going for the bolder "Norris" shapes...and looking good my friend.

Cellulose sanding sealer?

Looking forward to the next episodes...who's hardening your iron?

Jimi


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## liamscanlan (24 Aug 2015)

Hi Mark,
This is very interesting - I look forward to every installment. Great work!
I assume that you are using a centre drill first to prevent the drill bit wandering? (Grandmother, eggs, coat)
If I may ask - How are you going to deal with the business end of the cap iron (i.e. bending/milling) to provide pressure at the blade tip?
Liam


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## Bedrock (24 Aug 2015)

Very much as a non-engineer, I have found it better to scribe 2 lines parallel to the long axis of the blade to be, one from each edge, then 2 at right angles, so forming a very small square. For some reason, I find this easier to accurately centre punch, rather that hit the optimum point on a simple scribed cross. Check for accuracy with say a ground point, then use the smallest centre drill, very carefully with light pressure, to form a starter. 
The number of times I have broken the point of small centre drills... I now save the stubs and regrind for marking gauges.
Then start drilling with a short small diameter drill, say 2mm., and open up with larger increments until somewhere near what you need as a finished size.
It's a fiddle and necessitates the cross slide absolutely not moving.
I don't know what the level of inaccuracy is like from new twist drills, but it is not unusual to see the tip of an apparently new drill bit bend off line. Once it moves, it's impossible to correct, and I usually turn the blade piece over and start again.
Hopefully someone out there can help with a more reliable method.

Mike


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## jimi43 (24 Aug 2015)

Liam brings up a good point about the pressure of the cap iron and I did a lot of research on this.

I adopted a fixed (not two part) Clifton style milling the rear of the face of the cap iron and then bevelling the leading edge ridge.

You can see this in my article on the build but if you need further information give me a shout.

The full article can be found HERE

Cheers

Jimi


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## gasman (24 Aug 2015)

Thanks Jimi Mike and Liam
Philly is hardening the iron - I sent it off today
The sealer is the one you recommended TruOil stuff
I have done more tonight - photos tomorrow
Haven't decided how to bend the cap iron yet. There is a light engineering works a couple of doors along from us - I might take it round to them
I will post photos tomorrow - but made good progress
Cheers for now
Mark


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## jimi43 (24 Aug 2015)

I milled a channel to the rear of the edge and then put a bevel on the front wall...then I bent the 3mm steel in a Record vise...






It closes up flat when tight...






Check out a video I just posted on here...using the GoPro Hero 4 camera mounted on the side...

It will give you confidence in the quality of Philly's hardening!

Cheers

Jimi


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## gasman (25 Aug 2015)

Great video Jimi - love the artistry
The Mark 2 cap iron was cut out of 3mm steel. I decided to cut the hole BEFORE I did any of the hard work on the bevels etc!




I liked the idea of marking with a square (thanks Mike) but I just did it with a permanent marker pen with a fine nib - seemed to work fine. I started with a 3mm hole then went up 1mm at a time which seemed to work fine I don't have any of those centring bits - always wondered why they would be needed - now I know!




I tapped the 8.5mm hole with a 3/8" x 26 tap




To make the screw I took an old M10 bolt the head of which would be big enough




Cut the head off




and mounted it in the lathe




The head was turned down to 15.2mm - it will be captive inside the adjuster - the ring of which will be a cut off from a 3/4 inch pipe which has ID = 15mm - I will take it down another .2mm when it is otherwise finished
I cut the thread with the corresponding die and it all looked good




Another coat of TruOil on the infills and they are starting to shine.




Thanks guys
Mark


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## Bedrock (25 Aug 2015)

Mark
Your rate of progress is very impressive.
Centre drills are fine, usually available in HSS, and fragile in the smaller sizes. With any sideways, or too much downward, pressure, the tip will snap off and remain embedded in the workpiece, from whence it can be a real sod to remove.
There are cobalt varieties available, but I have never tried them - must do so. I don't know whether they are less fragile.
Jimi - your cap iron looks a very elegant solution. Another reason why I need a milling machine.
Regards Mike


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## liamscanlan (25 Aug 2015)

Thanks for the references, Jimi. It was good to revisit the full article - and to see just ho innovatie some of your technques are. Bravo - You've solved one of my problems - thanks!.
Mark - Ths is turning out to be a really beautiful plane.I look forward to every installment. I think that you owe it to yourself to invest in some centre drills - they are inexpensive and a revelation when it comes to accuracy! (RDG etc. do cheap sets).
Liam


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## gasman (25 Aug 2015)

You're probably right Liam - but if I add up the cost of this plane so far in terms of: the casting £44, gauge plate £50, 9/16" 40TPI tap & dies £20, mild steel rods £10, phosphor bronze 'lump' for the lever cap £50. Wood for the infills I already had so not counting that. Even so I am at around £200! Having said that, this plane is definitely been my second crash course in metalworking and it has been so enjoyable. Jimi remind me the weight of yours - I am up to about 4kg already without the lever cap or steel sole!
Might be quiet this week busy week at work
Cheers Mark


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## gasman (1 Sep 2015)

I spent lots of time working on this plane over the long weekend with variable success:
Firstly, the iron arrived back from Phil and I sharpened it and it is a very pointy piece of metal indeed so my heartfelt thanks to Philly for a superb job. Must learn that skill next time




Second, I decided the edges of front bun were too sharp so I relieved the corners with a rasp and then went through the grades again and recoated it








Third, I epoxied the 2mm steel base onto the sole of the plane - this involved first keying the surfaces, then cleaning with meths




After mixing both tubes, I used an old blade to spread the stuff on both surfaces then clamped up to my bench using all my holdfasts and a big clamp




Next I turned to the cap iron
I think I have lost some photos but I filed the edges off etc as before and bevelled the leading edge and copied Jimi (sorry Jimi) by milling a rebate (wrong word I am sure when describing steel) into the lower surface of the cap iron
I also cleaned up the screw I had cut which is going to be the cap iron screw


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## gasman (1 Sep 2015)

Finally I turned my attentions to the adjuster...
I had used the head of a 265 mm M10 bolt to make the cap iron screw - so I used the rest of the bolt for the adjuster screw. First I turned it down on the lathe and then cut a 5/16" 40 TPI thread in one end (I was using a Norris adjuster here to guide me on the proportions etc
I drilled and tapped an offset of a 3/4" mild steel rod to make the corresponding anchor for the adjuster 


.
Then, with apologies cos my phone was not charged on sunday am, so I have missed out a few steps, I cut a similar length offset of 3/4" steel pipe for the retainer, and then used the lever cap screw from my St James Bay infill kit which I had not used originally to provide a brass head for the adjuster




The retainer (i.e. the thing which holds the cap iron screw captive) I drilled 2x 4mm holes through the walls opposite each other on the mill




I drilled a 3.5 hole into the screwed end of the adjuster shaft on the lathe then tapped this by hand with a M4 tap




The inside of the retainer piece I enlarged with a series of diamond and HSS burrs using a Dremel to countersink it - I do not have a countersink small enough to get in there




Then it was just a question of patience and an M4 countersunk bolt to get it all to fit together




I used a small washer between the retainer and the shaft which meant I could tighten up the screw until the retainer would rotate but there was no play. I can take a more detailed photo of this sometime to demonstrate
So by the end of yesterday I had got to this stage with the whole blade / cap iron / adjuster mechanism arranged on the bench to show how it would work. I am using Richard's brilliant alternate suggestion as to how to mount the adjuster using a 1/4" steel rod in a short brass tube sunk in the infill
Sorry if some of that is not clear but as I say the lack of a camera meant I missed some crucial shots
Cheers Mark


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## liamscanlan (1 Sep 2015)

Fabulous!
I thought of following you but all of the brass castings seem to have disappeared off the market (sold!) - unless anyone knows otherwise, of course.
I think the adjuster looks really well executed - can't wait for the shavings
Liam
(ps centre drills really are only pennies in comparison and save so much grief!)


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## rxh (1 Sep 2015)

Great progress - I'm enjoying following this WIP.

When drilling the hole in the infill for the pivot tube it is very important to get it central. As drills tend to wander in wood owing to the grain and variable hardness I use a steel guide to prevent this from happening, as in the photo below.


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## gasman (2 Sep 2015)

Got out into the workshop for an hour before work today and had a look at the steel sole
It all looked good and did not take too much filing to get the sides flat again








The mouth was obviously closed up and filled with hardened epoxy which I had to chip out




I drilled the mouth out carefully with a 4.5mm drill bit, then filed it down




It needs a lot more work but I think will be fine
Thanks gents for the comments - Liam I quite often see one of those castings - every few weeks or so
Richard point taken about the brass tubing being central
I have day off this friday so will make progress then hopefully
Kind regards
Mark


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## gasman (7 Sep 2015)

sorry for the delays in posting
I only got bits and pieces done over the weekend but significant progress made nonetheless
I flattened the sole using 80G paper on my (flattish) workbench - no gaps against a straightedge 





From my friendly light engineers up the road I got them to cut me off a chunk of phosphor bronze large enough to cut out the lever cap - but this chunk weighs just about 2kg so cost me £50 - however I will have lots left over




Then I cut a cardboard template and roughly hacked this bronze lump apart with hacksaws, drills, dremel cutters etc until I had this - then like Jimi I drilled the hole for the lever cap screw and tapped it before doing any more shaping





I missed out a few steps for this next bit - the adjuster - but it was all straightforward
This is a copy of the Norris adjuster so there was still one detail to add - the ability to tighten the 40 TPI thread with a little screw
So, I drilled a 2.5mm hole though the pivot piece, tapped it to M3, countersunk it, then cut a slot in the side and drilled the top half to 3mm so that it can be tightened then it was just a question of finding a countersunk M3 screw




A bit of careful measuring up etc and, again comparing the Norris I have... I drilled a 3/4" hole for the pivot piece to sit in




I did think about cutting out the rest of the adjuster recess on the mill once again but it was quicker and quite easy easy to do it with Forstner bits, chisels etc until I had this




The adjuster fitted quite well




Then I drilled a 7mm hole in the base of the hole where the pivot piece sits for the locating brass tube to sit in, but actually it was easier to enlarge this to 7.5mm and then epoxy the tube in so that it sat at the right angle








This whole thing had been something I had been concerned about but actually it was all quite straightforward and Richard thank you a fantastic way to fit the adjuster 
Light at end of long tunnel I think??
Cheers Mark


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## Biliphuster (7 Sep 2015)

Locking very professional there.


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## rxh (7 Sep 2015)

More good progress. I think your adjuster will have very little backlash.

What is the bronze like to saw and file, compared with brass?


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## gasman (8 Sep 2015)

Thanks Richard
Bronze seems oK to me to work - probably only took me 15 minutes or so to cut out that piece from the circular cross-section. The disk sender cuts it at a reasonable speed and it seems OK to me. I wish I was able to melt down all the bits I have as I would have enough for another one and the rest - but I think the melting point of phosphor bronze is 1000C or so so that wont be happening in my kitchen anytime soon!
Regards
Mark


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## n0legs (8 Sep 2015)

Lovely job Mark =D> 
Keep it coming, it's one of the things making logging in worthwhile.


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## MickCheese (8 Sep 2015)

Just found this. Don't know how I missed it but now subscribed. 

Fantastic work and a really interesting write up. 

Well done so far. 

Mick


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## gasman (9 Sep 2015)

Got an hour done last night and started in earnest on the lever cap
milled it into roughly the shape I wanted




There is quite a bit of filing etc to do




And some work to do on the back to get a curved surface




Also cut the thread for the lever cap screw




Lots of work to do but the general shape is getting there




More this weekend
Cheers M


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## gasman (11 Sep 2015)

More progress this week - solved a couple of minor problems and all going alright I think
First I worked on the lever cap some more with files, a dremel, sandpaper etc etc












Meanwhile I needed to work on the lever cap screw. I only had some 1" brass rod which I did not think was meaty enough - so instead I used another piece of my chunk of phosphor bronze so marked out a 28mm circle




and cut a chunk off roughly with my trusty hacksaw




Then I drilled an 8.5mm hole in the centre of it, tapped that with my 7/16 acme tap and epoxied the 7/16" thread rod from earlier into it and left it overnight
Then it was just a question of knurling the end and tidying up




I polished up the lever cap on the polishing wheel - you can literally take it from 120G Abranet straight to the polisher




So here is where I have got to... 




still need to do the following;
- tidy up the brass ends of the plane which are tatty
- make the infills fit exactly 
- Tru-Oil the infills until they are glassy
- then epoxy them in place
- sort out how I am going to fix the lever cap in place
- polish the whole thing
- think about engraving my mark on it - the iron is better than I had feared and I think with practice I could do it with a Dremel etc - we will see
Thanks for looking
Mark


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## AndyT (11 Sep 2015)

How satisfying it must be to turn that lump of bronze into something so elegantly shaped and shiny!

Thanks for taking us along on your journey.


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## Racers (11 Sep 2015)

Very nice.

Are you doing chamfers on the sides?

Pete


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## rxh (11 Sep 2015)

That's a very good looking lever cap. It deserves the very best for its inscription. I thoroughly recommend Ian at Chalco to do this for you.


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## gasman (11 Sep 2015)

Thanks guys
I haven't decided Pete - what do you think? I think at the one not but I am easily persuadable.
Richard point taken about Ian at Chalco but I like the idea of doing it all myself. I am going to try over the weekend on a scrap of bronze and see how it is. If my wife says it is as good as the other one from Ian I will do it myself
Thanks again
Mark


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## Racers (13 Sep 2015)

Chamfers are traditional, I would do them but it's a lot of work and tricky to do. 

Pete


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## liamscanlan (13 Sep 2015)

It's looking great. I greatly admire your skill and rate of progress. I'm still looking.... (for a bronze casting!) - this is inspirational, please keep up with the excellent photographs.

Liam


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## AndyT (13 Sep 2015)

liamscanlan":7psakb3x said:


> I'm still looking.... (for a bronze casting!)
> 
> Liam



At the risk of repeating myself, https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/source-of-infill-bodies-or-kits-t42651.html


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## liamscanlan (13 Sep 2015)

Thanks Andy. I will call them tomorrow and see if they have any for panel planes...

Liam


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## gasman (14 Sep 2015)

I bought some centre drills from eBay and they worked brilliantly - here drilling the 1/4" holes in the sides of the plane








I had used the base as a reference to ensure the 2 holes were exactly opposite each other




Then started to make the corresponding holes in the lever cap - I drilled one side to 5mm




and then tapped it with a 1/4" 32 TPI tap




The corresponding die was used to cut thread in some 1/4" mild steel bar




I cut off longer than I wanted and roughly cut a slot in the end with a hacksaw so I could use a screwdriver to insert




Once one side was mounted I marked the other side and drilled that in the right place








All looking good? Unfortunately very definitely not, as my sunday morning evolved I realised how I had c****d up and that there was little I could do to repair the damage 
Basically my original mistake was in the original machining of the casting - although the sides are flat, true and perpendicular to the base on the outside, I had not paid much attention to the insides which I think have mentioned before are not perpendicular - so that the infills are in fact slightly wedge-shaped with the distance between the sides getting smaller the closer to the sole.
That made it reasonably straightforward to sort out the infills - everytime I took off a bit I could get them in slightly further
Unfortunately for the lever cap this is a recipe for disaster.
When I filed the lever cap to fit I kept taking bronze off the sides so it would sit in the right place - but too late I realised that I had taken off too much so there was going to be a gap at the top.




It looks hideous to me - made worse actually by the fact that the left hand side is almost parallel sided but the right hand side is much more wedge-shaped - so the laver cap sits asymmetrically
So my options as I see it are;
1. accept the fault and live with it - the lever cap actually sits very robustly and holds the iron absolutely fine - even though the infills are only secured by friction at the moment
2. remake the lever cap - but it will need to be made asymmetrically with a sloping edge to the right side and a straight edge on the left which I wouldn't like either
3. Make the sides flat - but then I would have to start again with everything - new infills, new lever cap etc etc - not sure I have the stomach for that
4. throw the whole thing away - I did consider this briefly
I will ponder some this week - words of advice / commiseration / beratement welcome 
Given this imperfection - I am also not sure I have the stomach for bevelling the sides but time will help calm me down!
Cheers Mark


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## AndyT (14 Sep 2015)

Mark,

I have looked closely at your photo of your 'hideous' lever cap, blown up on a 21" monitor, trying to find the horrible crevasses you say that it has.
They don't show!

I know that what you describe happens in most projects - as the person who made it, you see those huge, glaring faults. But everyone else sees the whole thing, as a beautiful, symmetrical, shiny object, not as an assembly of faulty bits!
So please, accept no 1, and enjoy having a well made fully functional plane, and if you go on to make a second one, that's the time to worry about getting an even gap all the way round the lever cap.


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## liamscanlan (14 Sep 2015)

Commiserations Mark. Not easy being a perfectonist, is it? DAMHIKT

However, certainly from the photographs it doesn't look bad at all. Would anybody notice without extremely close examination?
In any event, I thing what I would do is progress as planned and if possible use a reversable method for the rentention of the lever cap so that if/when the irk becomes too great and the time becomes available, you can take a leisurely approach to correcting the 'flaw'. I doubt it will have any great functional impact and you have the benefit of being able to use the plane until such time as you 'need' to do the correction. (I personally can't see the flaw in the photograph or the need to correct it!....

I still thnk it looks stunning. However, you could always start over (you have my address!)

Liam


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## Racers (14 Sep 2015)

File the edges of the cap so the gap is parallel to the sides bung in a couple of washers and forget about it.

Looks fine to me as well.

Pete


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## Bedrock (14 Sep 2015)

I can't see the extent of the problem, but entirely sympathise. The trouble with these things, whether it's tools or furniture, you get mentally too close to it, so that, when I have finished a piece, I can only see the fault, not the overall achievement. I think Pete's response is the best, if you really can't live with it.

Have a drink, step back and try to see what a superb thing you have created, and thank you for sharing your trip with us. The important thing at the end of the day, is how does it perform - we all need to see the quality of the finished timber.

Regards Mike


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## rxh (14 Sep 2015)

It looks good to me from what I can see in the photo. If you decide to take any action I agree with what Pete has proposed.


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## Klaus Kretschmar (14 Sep 2015)

Definitely No.1 Mark!

I really enjoy this thread and admire the work you've done already on this infill plane. It's quite normal that the maker's eye is very critical, sometimes over-critical. As far as your pic shows, there isn't an issue at all - watched with a non maker eye. The plane is a beauty and so well crafted as it ever can be.

BTW, if you choose No.4, please send it to me (I'll cover the shipping) and let me do this for you :lol: 

Klaus


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## D_W (14 Sep 2015)

I can see what you're talking about, but it would be but an afterthought. It's not something that detracts from the overall look of the plane, and it surely won't affect function.

I'd think of fixing that as something that would just get in the way of doing something I actually wanted to do (like build the next one). 

My vote is to leave it be, even with the most critical eye, I would see something like that as evidence that it was done with the care of doing things by hand (it is an error of individual charm, and not an error of sloppiness).


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## gasman (14 Sep 2015)

Thank you so much gents - your collective kind words and reassurance have calmed me considerably. I had an old mate of mine visit today and he said don't be such a tw*t. You all made me laugh and Pete thanks I agree that is the only thing worth doing. For now I will do nothing. I am going to chamfer the sides I think so hopefully in a week or so I will be able to take a shaving or 3
Best regards to you all for such kindness
Mark


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## n0legs (14 Sep 2015)

Throwing it away is mad man's talk. Remaking some of the parts maybe, maybe not.
Leaving it as is, I understand your issues.
That leaves coming up with a solution. Mad Bad Pete is on to something I think.
Tell me, does the lever cap need to have square edges at the sides?
After all being a handmade tool maybe some little "craftsman touches" could well be in order.
How about a bigger radius to the sides of the lever cap? A radius might take your eye off it as there would be less of a hard edge against the sides.


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## gasman (15 Sep 2015)

So having had my little hissy fit and got over it a bit it was back to business yesterday
The great thing about Pete's idea is that I don't need to anything about it until I see what the whole thing is like when it is finished 
Having used the TruOil grain filler, I started in earnest with the TruOil and gave both the infills a good coat after rubbing down at 600 grit





I had flattened both ends with files and then Abranet and then the metal polisher which looked good








So this is it at present with everything in place but the infills still not secured




Thanks once again for your kind words of advice and encouragement
Regards Mark


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## gasman (19 Sep 2015)

Mainly this week have just been adding coats of TruOil - about 5 so far and it is close to being finished








The lever cap has gone off to Ian at Chalco to be engraved
My new kit arrived from ArcEuroTrade which is a tap and die holder for the lathe so I can for the first time not have to hand cut the threads
Hopefully will get to play with that tomorrow
I might make another adjuster as I think it could be improved
Cheers
Mark


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## gasman (29 Sep 2015)

Sorry about the slow progress. I am waiting until the lever cap comes back from Ian Houghton before I finally decide what to do about the little gaps at the sides
Meanwhile I am also plucking up courage to bevel the sides of the casting
So over the weekend I made another adjuster as (1) there was a bit of play on that other one (2) the brass knob on it was bastardised from the lever cap screw on the infill kit I got from St James Bay and (3) the retaining ring on the end of the adjuster is held in place with a countersunk M3 bolt and it was not completely concentric with the adjuster main screw thread - this meant that there was a little bit of movement in the ring when the main screw thread was adjusted
So the new one went much better. I turned a new bronze knob and am getting better at knurling. Everything, as you might expect, went better second time around.
The screw threads etc are all now concentric having bought from arceurotrade a tailstock turret kit with a tapping collet and die set.
So here is the new adjuster in front of the old one




and with close up detail of the business end of the new one




Hope to get this finished in the next week or so
Regards
Mark


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## AndyT (29 Sep 2015)

Looking good, Mark. 

I hope you do bevel the sides, as I think that planes look much better with bevels. Of course, they look best when perfectly done, so I can sympathise with your reluctance, and please practice on something else first!


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## Bedrock (29 Sep 2015)

Mark
This is looking very good.
What thread are you using - I am working on a smoother at the moment and have made the adjuster with a 9/32X40 ME thread. This has much less play than the other 3 adjusters I have made which used 1/4" BSF. 

Mike


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## gasman (29 Sep 2015)

Thanks Andy - yes have practiced a bit and agree it is going to look better. One question I have is whether to bevel it so that the whole side is bevelled (this is what I think should happen) or just put a bevel on the outside. Also I am going to leave the central bit where the mouth is 'unlevelled' as it were
Thanks Mike - the thread I have used is 5/16" 40TPI and there is virtually no play - and my little M3 screw enables this to be closed even more
Hoping Ian has done my lever cap and I can finish the lion's share this coming weekend
Cheers
Mark


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## Racers (29 Sep 2015)

Nice adjuster!

I would just bevel the out sides, the tricky bit is the ends, with my shoulder planes I clamp them in the vice where I want to stop.

Pete


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## rxh (29 Sep 2015)

Racers":16wc4w62 said:


> Nice adjuster!
> 
> Pete



+1 to that.

I have been using 1/4" x 32 TPI ME threads because I had taps and die of that size. That size works well but next time I intend to try 40 TPI, which is recommended in Jim Kingshot's book.


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## Bedrock (30 Sep 2015)

I had forgotten about Jim Kempshott's book, a copy of which I bought many years ago. I must dig it out and re-read.

So far, it seems that there is very little play with the 40 TPI, but I will give some thought to a clamp screw.
Anyone know what the Norris thread was? It looks like 40TPI.

I am using a "magnetic stainless steel" for the adjuster stem, which seems to give a cleaner thread than the silver steel I have used previously. Any proper engineers know whether this is more likely to be a function of the type of steel, or the quality of the die?

Regards Mike


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## AndyT (30 Sep 2015)

Bedrock":xcoymfb2 said:


> So far, it seems that there is very little play with the 40 TPI, but I will give some thought to a clamp screw.
> Anyone know what the Norris thread was? It looks like 40TPI.
> 
> Regards Mike



I believe the Norris adjuster was both 40 tpi and 32 tpi.
Fuller, more complicated answer here:

http://www.antiquetools.co.uk/articles/norris.htm.


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## gasman (5 Oct 2015)

Still waiting for the lever cap so I have not been able to make huge progress but I did bevel the sides over the weekend - a mixture of files, card scraper and abranet and all was completed without too many mishaps. It was much easier than I thought and has softened those edges considerably
















Cheers 
Mark


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## Bedrock (5 Oct 2015)

Mark

Nice crisp work. All by eye? or did you use some sort of template?

Not at all easy to do with the infills in place.

Great work

Mike


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## Racers (5 Oct 2015)

Looking good!

Pete


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## gasman (5 Oct 2015)

Thanks Pete and Mike
All done by eye - far easier than I could have imagined actually. 
But the infills have not been glued in place yet so I did all the 'metalwork' with the plane naked
M


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## AndyT (5 Oct 2015)

That looks much more hand-friendly. But please stop saying it was easy!


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## gasman (5 Oct 2015)

Sorry I meant less stressful than I thought - and the angles are clearly not exact but I don't think that matters if it looks alright


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## n0legs (5 Oct 2015)

That is stunning.
Well done Mark =D>


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## rxh (5 Oct 2015)

The bevels look very good - well worth doing, I think.

Definitely a good idea to do this without the infills in place.


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## gasman (21 Oct 2015)

Another very long pause in proceedings...
However, the lever cap arrived back from Chalco yesterday and looks great





Even though the infills are not epoxied in place yet I could not resist taking a shaving of a scrap of oak - and they fit well enough to give enough friction to enable it all to work fine. The mouth is abut 1 to 2mm - I will take photos when it is all glued up. 
I had polished the sides earlier in the week so it is now a very shiny thing.









This weekend I will make the final decisions on the gap on either side of the lever cap which I have discussed before and whether to do anything about them before epoxying the infills in place
The whole thing weighs in at 5300g - that's 11 lbs 10 ounces!!
So nearly there now
Cheers
Mark


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## Harbo (21 Oct 2015)

I love the shine - looking good!

Rod


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## Bedrock (21 Oct 2015)

Looks great - on the final straight. Don't keep us hanging on so long for the "as finished" shavings!

Regards Mike


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## D_W (21 Oct 2015)

Really a great looking plane, I like the segmented knurl on the screw, the nice hand finishing and the very tasteful stamp on the lever cap.

At almost 12 pounds, it won't speed bump on any knots, that's for sure.


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## Klaus Kretschmar (21 Oct 2015)

Terrificly looking plane! Honestly, regarding your way of making, I've expected this result. It's a heavy beast but a panel plane is allowed to be heavy. One annotation: you fix the infills by glueing in them with epoxy. As far as I know the most infill makers are using mechanical jointings like pins or screws to fix the infills at the plane sides. I guess that this allows some seasonal movement of the wood. Aren't you afraid to get some cracks on the long run?

Klaus


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## gasman (22 Oct 2015)

Thanks everyone
Klaus I also am concerned about this way of fixing the infills but on the previous plane I made I riveted the infills and the hammering distorted the plane ever so slightly. This infill wood is completely dry now at 8% or so and I think it will be OK. Others have said that, worst case scenario, you can still get the infills out and replace them. Good point though I will think some more before the weekend
Cheers
Mark


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## Klaus Kretschmar (22 Oct 2015)

Hello Mark,

don't want to give any advice. How could I regarding your fantastic work on this plane...

Just a thought to the subject. Not my thought however but the one of Gerd Fritsche, the infill maker. A few weeks ago I've made a plane out of a kit from Gerd. His approach to fix the infills seems to be rather smart. The infills get some threaded inserts.






The corresponding holes in the sides of the blade get a slight bevel.






The screws will be fastened by adding a little epoxy.






After having filed the screw heads flush to the sides, tha sides will be ground or just sanded.






Now the sides can be finished to any degree of glance.






This methodology allows the infills some seasonal movement without getting cracks since the wood is able to slide slightly on the threaded inserts.

Klaus


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## gasman (23 Nov 2015)

After weeks of faffing around getting interrupted and getting other jobs done I finally got the time to finish off the bronze casting plane this weekend
I epoxied in the infills which was very straightforward. Then there was a little bit of paring away the dried epoxy from the surfaces of the bronze and the infill. These came away very easily because I think of the smoothness and hardness of all the layers of TruOil.
I did however decide one final coat of TruOil was called for so I carefully taped up the bronze sides etc with insulating tape and put one more coat on.
Then it was just a case of assembling the plane, sharpening the iron once again and taking some shavings. It works beautifully and I am thrilled to have (finally) reached the end of a very long and frustrating journey. Time will tell how much I use this - I can certainly see me reaching for it when flattening wide boards but the biggest benefit for me bar none was the metalworking etc skills I have acquired along the way. For example the second version of the adjuster I made was so much smoother than the first. It was all fun but I am kind-of glad it's over!






























Here with my other infill





And finally here those two with the 2 Norris planes there are kind-of based upon




Thanks for all your kind words and support
Regards from Oxford
Mark


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## AndyT (23 Nov 2015)

Fantastic evidence of how satisfying it must be to make one of those beauties. Thanks for sharing the journey!


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## n0legs (23 Nov 2015)

Very very nice Mark =D> 
What's next?



Slightly off topic, is that a 30 watt tube heater or one of the less spotted ultra low wattage type?
More importantly does it keep the corrosion away?


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## gasman (23 Nov 2015)

well spotted. I was gong to mention that. It is one of the ultra-low ones - I think only 4W and it stays on for the whole winter (turned it on yesterday). I have not had any condensation of any sort but then again my workshop is so well insulated and only a year old. I thought it was a very cheap 'investment policy' which sits there all winter warm to the touch
Thanks for kind words
Mark


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## n0legs (23 Nov 2015)

Thanks for the confirmation Mark.
Would you let us know how it performs, good or bad, over a few months?


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## Klaus Kretschmar (23 Nov 2015)

My hat is off to you, Sir!
Wonderful plane and quite a pleasure to follow this journey.

Klaus


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## rxh (23 Nov 2015)

Well done indeed. I have enjoyed following this WIP.


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