Oliver Sparks - Coffin Mitre

[Mr_P]

Jimi43 has just done a review here

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib2/Hen ... ker-01.asp

Video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9CXqd6 ... e=youtu.be

http://oliversparks.co.uk/gallery-colle ... -boxwood-/

Impressive, very impressive.

 

[AndyT]

What's so astounding about this plane - which needs some words as well as Jim's lovely pictures - is that the wedge magically locks into position with a gentle flick of the finger. It seems impossible, but it works!

And I've no idea how he cuts the wedge out of the body either.

 

[Mr_P]

He's good but he's not that good.

The original wedge was made from one piece, not cool visually. In order for the grain to run through, the bed offcut was saved and jointed to a fitted wedge. A lot of extra work (the joint tapers in every axis) but worth it for the detail.

 

[bugbear]

That must have cost as much as some of Jimi's telescopes! :shock:

BugBear

 

[rafezetter]

Andy - I remember at Richards do this year Ollie showing that wedge flick lock on one he was working on, it's quite remarkable, and good to see that level of craftmanship is still in demand. I seem to recall him quoting another old time plane maker as to the reason why he goes to that level of perfection on the wedge, but I cannot remember the name.

 

[AndyT]

Nor can I! But thanks Mr P for stopping me from thinking he can saw round corners... :wink:

 

[pedder]

This is a bautiful plane, but when I read "mitre plane", a plane with straight sides came into my mind.
I thought mitre planes are planes to shoot mitres on a shooting board.

Please enlight me.

Cheers Pedder

 

[AndyT]

I think it's for use on a mitre block rather than a mitre board. So what counts is a nice tight mouth to start and finish without any unevenness of cut.

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/wwmitrejack.html

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Very nice indeed.

What's so astounding about this plane - which needs some words as well as Jim's lovely pictures - is that the wedge magically locks into position with a gentle flick of the finger. It seems impossible, but it works!

Intrigued by this. Looking at the disassembled photo here:

http://oliversparks.co.uk/_Media/dscn3991_med.jpeg

There doesn't seem to be anything unexpected going on with the wedge - so whatever magic it is, is also invisible ! Can anyone shed more light ? I assume that a shallow taper and and a very good fit to the wedge help it retain the iron better, but is there more to it than that ?

Looking at this view:

http://oliversparks.co.uk/_Media/dscn4016_med.jpeg

the body includes the centre of the log. Remarkable stuff boxwood. Not many woods I would trust to be stable enough to do that. Or for that matter to stand having the wedge put in at an angle so nearly parallel to the grain - a good thing it locks the iron without the need for a hammer !

 

[AndyT]

As far as I know, it's just a case of amazing accuracy. At the same get-together, some of us were lucky enough to also see some of Ollie's non-tool making woodwork. He showed us an astounding jewellery cabinet, shaped like the bulb of a tulip, made from coopered pieces of pearwood. It all fitted with astonishing precision, despite the lack of "easy" refrerence surfaces.

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Beautiful!! A bevel-up woodie, not all that common for sure. Aside of the obvious overall quality and beauty, the idea is intriguing. Never seen a plane like this before. Judging it by Jim's video, it works fantastically. I'm really happy that Oliver understood it to prove that a single bladed woodie is able to perform perfectly - if not better than a double-ironed plane. The workmanship is outstanding and the bronze goes that good together with box. The icing on the cake is the figure matching rear mounted wedge, I really haven't seen something similar before. Generally I tend to be very careful with leaving the way of the old makers, but in this case it seems to work magnificently. Very impressing. Huge compliments to the maker!

Klaus

 

[D_W]

Very cool plane. I'd love to have witnessed the tuning of the wedge to know if there is a bias in favor of the maker or if it is just complete accuracy all along the way of the plane inside the rear mortise to the top of the wedge.