Any advice on hand thicknessing?

[bugbear]

OK, that''s a lot of (implicit) questions.

Stage 1, IMHO, would be to use scrap wood to brace up your Clark bench. A couple of rails under the top, across the grain, glued and screwed will massively increase the tops rigidity. Whilst rectilinear construction (M&T's) works really well, and looks neat, it's only effective on BIG legs and rails; so I would advise adding either simple planks (more scrap) across the corners, or using plywood (or even hardboard) to box in the frame, resulting in a non-rackable frame.

Stage 2, restore/tune/prepare your mid size plane. (you said 5 1/5, so I'm not quite sure what you've good). There's lots of info out there. so I won't say any more. You natural stones will be of great help getting a truly great edge on the blade, lucky you!

Stage 3. The traditional approach to an oilstone box is to carve it out of solid - one piece for the base, one for the lid. This is because traditional glues simply wouldn't hold up in the presence of the oil. You could make small boxes in the normal "tissue box" fashion, but the pieces and joints required would be rather small and fiddly, so I'd recommend going traditional. However, the traditional lid design has a plane "pyramid". If you do this (and have many stones) the boxed stones won't stack, so I'd leave 'em flat.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-natur ... 7675.l2557

(I don't think that one's a natural stone, BTW, but I'm illustrating the BOX)

Here's a couple of WIPs on stone boxes;

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/content/oil-stone-boxes

http://paulsellers.com/2014/11/steps-to ... stone-box/

You'll want some kind of hand router to level and smooth the bottom of the excavated holes.

BugBear

 

[matthewwh]

As with many things in Woodworking there are many alternative methods, and discussions like this are a great way of finding a wrinkle that you don't have yet.

I hadn't come across the plough plane method before, so I thought I'd share one of the methods I use in return.

Like Jacob I'm happy cutting down to a good strong gauge line and watching for the moment when the top half of it peels away to signal that the marked dimension has been achieved.

If there is a lot of waste to go at, I find it helpful to quickly chamfer all the edges down to just above the gauge line. If all the chamfers are disappearing evenly, you know that your worked surface is remaining parallel to the final surface that you are working down to. Any deviation can be corrected as you go by taking a incomplete strokes (stop shavings) or extra passes on one side etc.

Chamfers can also be used for non parallel pieces (wedges) and variations on the same technique can also be used for chisel work, carving, rasping etc. It's a nice technique for kids or visually impaired woodworkers as they can colour the chamfers with marker pen and see their progress very clearly.

 

[bugbear]

If there is a lot of waste to go at, I find it helpful to quickly chamfer all the edges down to just above the gauge line. If all the chamfers are disappearing evenly, you know that your worked surface is remaining parallel to the final surface that you are working down to. Any deviation can be corrected as you go by taking a incomplete strokes (stop shavings) or extra passes on one side etc.

I've always liked that idea; the chamfer turns something only viewable from the side (how far you are from gauge line) into something viewable from above.

It's like this ingenious measuring jug:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OXO-Good-Grips- ... B0000VSUH4

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

If there is a lot of waste to go at, I find it helpful to quickly chamfer all the edges down to just above the gauge line. If all the chamfers are disappearing evenly, you know that your worked surface is remaining parallel to the final surface that you are working down to. Any deviation can be corrected as you go by taking a incomplete strokes (stop shavings) or extra passes on one side etc.

I've always liked that idea; the chamfer turns something only viewable from the side (how far you are from gauge line) into something viewable from above.

....

BugBear

If you use an ordinary pin gauge you can see the line from the side as you get to it. It leaves it's own mini chamfer. They are the best thing for thicknessing (and marking in general) no need to look for alternative solutions - there isn't a problem.

 

[bugbear]

If you use an ordinary pin gauge you can see the line from the side as you get to it. It leaves it's own mini chamfer. They are the best thing for thicknessing (and marking in general) no need to look for alternative solutions - there isn't a problem.

You mean there's only one correct way to do this task? Good to know. :roll:

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

If you use an ordinary pin gauge you can see the line from the side as you get to it. It leaves it's own mini chamfer. They are the best thing for thicknessing (and marking in general) no need to look for alternative solutions - there isn't a problem.

You mean there's only one correct way to do this task? Good to know. :roll:

BugBear

No, but there's one very simple way that a lot people have always used. You should try it next time you do any wood work.

 

[bugbear]

but there's one very simple way that a lot people have always used.

Going against the majority view is often a very good starting point.

BugBear

 

[adrspach]

I am already making traditional boxes for oilstones. My jointed boxes would be for waterstones as well as samples of raw stones directly from quaries.
I am using P. Sellers method even thought I have never seen this article but utilised techniques from his videos with finishing with scraping inside with sharpened old junk chisels. As router for prefinish I use record 71 or recently I got beutiful small Grany's tooh plane for which I am making cutters. Question I have about it so far I made paralel cutter which are not very secure. As it is only one can somebody put light on: Did they originaly have tapering cutters?
Bugbear I do have old Stanley 5 1/2 with adapted laminated cutter which is slightly thicker than the original one and I am trying to learn how to use it in place of jointer.

 

[AndyT]

Most "Granny's tooth" routers used standard plough plane irons which are definitely tapered and quite thick at the business end, like these

 

[richarddownunder]

Thank you guys for clearing it up for me. Will have a go and hopefully I am good enough to master it.

It occurs to me that I have a VHS copy of Jim Kigshotts video "Planes and Planing", which I found helpful (and his accent is amazing!)

I also no longer have a VHS player...

If you think it might be of use to you, PM me a mailing address, and I'll send it.

BugBear

Good form! Thats what its all about. Kingshott' videos are well worth a look.

 

[adrspach]

Thank you AndyT.