DIY plane for making simple grooves - advice needed

[Denis]

Thank you for the photos, Giuliano!

I'm still considering the design - with the metal skate or without...

I'll post a pic when (or IF) I make it. Namely, today I scored a Record 043
Doesn't look too bad, I think with a little care it could be brought back into usable condition:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330149053036

Denis

 

[JesseM]

Thank you for the photos, Giuliano!

I'm still considering the design - with the metal skate or without...

I'll post a pic when (or IF) I make it. Namely, today I scored a Record 043
Doesn't look too bad, I think with a little care it could be brought back into usable condition:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330149053036
Denis

This is one of my favorites =D> Its perfect for grooves and it will accept any kind of 1/8" blade. So you can stick in blades from a 45, 55, 044, etc. Whatever you have. Due to the low profile I find it easier to keep pressure on the heel, thus producing a level cut. I would add a larger fence to it so that it registers better and takes less pressure to keep level.

 

[Ace Karner]

I think you'll find this thread from WoodNet Forums to be very helpful.
link
ace

 

[Denis]

Ace, thanks for the link - very interesting!

Anyway, today I decided I'd better do something about it - if I don't make something now, chances are I won't make one any time soon.

So, in the course of a hot Sunday aftrernoon, I made my first DIY plane. It's not exactly finished yet, but I produced the first shavings

Here's how it went.

I decided on a very simple design (I had some oak floorboards on hand, so decided to use that):

A laminated design, it was realtively easy (although not very fast) to make the groove for the blade and the wedge - hand tools only (cheapo chisels)...

I could not find suitable steel/iron for the skate, so I decided to use some "L" profile aluminum I had on hand. Not very durable, but this is a prototype, anyway, so what the heck!

The aluminium skate is screwed to the sole, not much to it - some countersunk holes for a couple of small woood screws...

Anyway, while the remaining cheek is drying (it's also laminated from two pieces of 5mm thick oak), I was too impatient... tried it as it was, without the cheek, and with a "quick-and-dirty" wedge...

It works!

No fence or anything fancy, but it works (that's a piece of oak with a new groove in it)!

Here's the result on a piece of oak:

Now, don't be too harsh, this is only a "working prototype", something of a "proof of concept", and I was really glad to see it works (kind of).

The next one will be better, probably with some kind of adjustable fence - it will definitely be easier to use it with a fence

All in all, a couple of hours' work. I spent more time thinking about the design - and then decided to make it simple and quick, just to see if I can make one. I think it was Alf who said somewhere that it's better to actually DO something simple, than spend days and days just planning something complicated

In short, I would like to thank everyone who offered help and advice. Although it does not look like much, it's the FIRST plane I ever made myself, and it does the job (a bit awkwardly, though) it was made to do

I don't doubt that the Record 043 I won yesterday on ebay would be pure joy to use, compared to this one, but... you know, I made this one myself

Thanks,

Denis

 

[Paul Chapman]

That looks very promising, Denis. Always good to make prototypes and try them out - the best way to learn what works and what doesn't.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[bugbear]

Thank you for the photos, Giuliano!

I'm still considering the design - with the metal skate or without...

I'll post a pic when (or IF) I make it. Namely, today I scored a Record 043
Doesn't look too bad, I think with a little care it could be brought back into usable condition:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330149053036

Denis

That looks fine, except the rust on the rods may make fence adjustment difficult. If the rods won't clean up (partial plating is a bugger), just make new rods. They're the simplest component of the entire tool.

Check the diameter of your present rods before buying new material. IIRC they're not ALL 7mm, although most are.

Blades are NOT an issue with the #043, as the blades have no slots or grooves to engage the adjuster mechanism - becase the #043 doesn't have an adjuster mechanism...

BugBear