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That does not sound like a good block plane. Lapping the sole could increase your level of frustration. It may end up being flat in only one throat plate position ... and go out-of-flat as soon as you adjust the plate. It doesn't sound well-machined elsewhere, so I doubt the throat plate will...

Thanks for all the helpful advice and information, Ian. I have 2 Shepherd kits to build shortly and I'm getting nervous. :? I've PM'd my e-mail address. Cheers. Glen

Beautiful work, Ian ... and Karl :D That's interesting information on the Shepherd kits. Does that apply to brass sides as well as steel ones? Cheers.

I wish. I thought I recognized the plane, then looked up the details. The getting out more suggestion is a good one, though. :lol: This is a fairly fragile plane and is often found with a crack at the screw hole in the middle of the bridge. I wouldn't recommend it as a user. It's also more...

This is a fairly uncommon plane. It’s a Davis Iron Jack Plane made in the U.S. by the Davis Level & Tool Company (1867 - 1892). Davis only made 4 types of iron planes -- a jointer, jack, smoother, and block plane. They made their last bench plane around 1884, but continued making their block...

That black walnut infill looks very rich, Wayne. What did you use as a finish? I'm looking forward to seeing what you make next. I was blown away by your recent chariot plane with the Damascus steel sides, brass lining, and ebony infill. Hope you don't mind if I post a picture for other folks...

This reply is courtesy of Todd Hughes on WoodNet. " Is a shoe makers tool called a "Dummy" or "Heel Glazer" came in 3 or 4 different sizes and was used to glaze or burnish the concave sides of a shoe heal. The shoulder piece of it can be used to "Set" the bead around the top of the heel...

Wow! Beautiful plane and wood, Ian. :shock: :D The dark accents in the boxwood look really nice. Is that typical for boxwood? Cheers. Glen

I found a site with a couple of small planes that used Lignum Vitae as infill. They look great. (See the photos under "A Mouse and a Chariot" heading). http://www.macpherson.co.nz/shop_made_planes.htm

I'm curious what fake ivory would look like, too, Ian. I don't think I've ever seen it used on an infill plane. I have seen a plough plane made of ivory and ebony and it looks stunning. The boxwood and brass looks terrific. I think my previous view of light woods comes from seeing infill...

The boxwood A13 is really nice looking! Hope it's OK to post a photo.

I'm looking forward to the pics, Ian. I'll also go back and have another look at Karl's site for the A13 done in boxwood. I'm going to follow your advice and keep an open mind about infill wood. :D I'm learning a lot and having fun trying to select the wood for my next infill project. Glen

bugbear ... Marblecake Turkish walnut gunstocks are gorgeous! North Americans often call this walnut (Juglans Regia) "European walnut" since that's where it comes from. I've also heard it called English, French, and Circassian walnut. North American "Black walnut" (Juglans nigra)...

Ian, I hope you'll post a photo of the brass/boxwood infill. Maybe it'll change my views on using light wood to stuff an infill. :-k

While mahogany would be nice, I'd give Spanish cedar a miss. It's too soft for a good plane infill in my opinion. It scratches and dents easily. It's also tough to bore ... something to consider as an assembly issue.

I've seen a lot of beautiful gun stocks made from black walnut and have thought that it would make a nice plane infill material. I did a bit of research and found that walnut is a fairly commonly used infill material (you can go here and search on "walnut" -- I got 7 hits)...

Thanks Ian and Mike. You provided the information that I had hoped for, plus sparked a whole new set of infill plane design questions and issues to pursue. It's an interesting subject.

Ian .... In your picture of the infill with the Norris-type adjuster and the two upper buttons, does this plane have a metal frog peened to the base or some other arrangement? (It's a beautiful-looking plane, by the way). Also, is this a common design for Norris and Norris-type infill planes...

Thanks again, Ian. I see your point about wood moving. Plus, it would be hard to secure the wooden infill (no matter how stable) as firmly as a metal plate peened to the plane sole. Is the tripod method you mentioned used on infills? If so, I'm hoping someone can point me to an example.

Thanks, Ian. Sorry ... my original post wasn't very clear. I believe that proponents of removing the metal frog feel that a wooden infill can support the chipbreaker/iron just as well. In essence, the infill would go right down to the plane sole and replace the support provided by the metal...