Small Infill Rebate Plane

[rxh]

I recently completed this small infill rebate plane (3/4" wide). This is the second I have made in this size but I have given this one a fence, depth stop and a pair of nickers.

Body length 5 3/4", body height 1 1/2", overall length 6 1/8", overall height 2 3/8", angle of iron 45 degrees. Sides and sole bright mild steel, iron and nickers O1 steel, fence brass. The wood is padauk.

 

[Trevanion]

Outstanding work!

 

[AndyT]

Nice to see more of your distinctive house style! What's it like in use?

 

[rxh]

Nice to see more of your distinctive house style! What's it like in use?

Thanks Andy. Preliminary tests are encouraging. I'll get some "shavings shots" to show.

 

[ED65]

That's a lovely piece of work and no mistake!

 

[memzey]

Beautiful as always. Where are the knickers if you don’t mind me asking (as the bishop said to the actress)?

 

[rxh]

Beautiful as always. Where are the knickers if you don’t mind me asking (as the bishop said to the actress)?

Thanks memzey - they are on the front, held on with a bolt, ready to be dropped instantly when required

 

[memzey]

I see them now. Very nifty design!

 

[MikeG.]

.....Where are the knickers........

:lol:
[youtube]AQ_0SiX0OA0[/youtube]

I think that parts of a plane which cause nicks are called nickers. :lol:

 

[memzey]

Lol! Give me a break Mike - it was Valentine’s Day

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

That is a great plane. Lots of potential!

I like the square sides - I often use a shoulder plane to make rebates or to clean up rebates, and I know of no rebate plane that is squared like a shoulder plane.

I assume that the depth stop and the fence can be swapped to both sides? If not, it would make for extra versatility.

I do not see nickers. Nickers are important for planing across the grain to prevent spelching, although a knifed line can help here as well.

A shoulder plane such as this one really does benefit from an adjustable mouth - move from fine shavings to coarse, deeper cuts.

What is the blade at the rear, and how is it used?

Excellent!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[rxh]

That is a great plane. Lots of potential!

I like the square sides - I often use a shoulder plane to make rebates or to clean up rebates, and I know of no rebate plane that is squared like a shoulder plane.

I assume that the depth stop and the fence can be swapped to both sides? If not, it would make for extra versatility.

I do not see nickers. Nickers are important for planing across the grain to prevent spelching, although a knifed line can help here as well.

A shoulder plane such as this one really does benefit from an adjustable mouth - move from fine shavings to coarse, deeper cuts.

What is the blade at the rear, and how is it used?

Excellent!

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek. The fence and depth stop will fit either side. The nickers are on the front - some photos to follow that should make this clear. Yes, an adjustable mouth width would be good - I didn't think of a way to include it in this plane but it is a feature I would like to include in future designs. There is no blade at the rear.

 

[rxh]

Here are some action shots. I tried rebating along the grain, rebating across the grain, cutting a housing and edge planing with the fence lowered below the sole and the fence clamping on the other side. When cutting across the grain the nickers were fitted and I started by drawing the plane backwards a couple of times to make the score marks.

 

[AndyT]

Well that works!
I was a bit worried about the nickers being right on the front. On all similar planes I can think of they are between the iron and the toe.
So it's nice to see that a different solution is also good.

 

[IWW]

I think your plane is not only well-executed, it shows much thought & ingenuity, rxh. I reckon putting the nickers across the front like that was a small stroke of genius - it's always a bit of a conundrum where to put the darn things so they're not in the way. Can't see why they shouldn't work just as well as putting them on the side, so I'll certainly file that idea for possible future use (too late to patent it now, you've already made public disclosure... ).

It seems to me you put a lot of thought into your plane before you started cutting any metal. I have a habit of starting before thinking through the details. While I've usually ended up with something that works (even works well in a couple of cases), there are always things I would do differently if making the same plane again. There have been a few complete duds too!

This dovetailing plane I made a while ago is a case in point, I was more intent on getting the skewed blade sorted & paid less attention to some equally important aspects like the nicker - it looks a bit cobbled-on (because it is - I changed my original plan for mounting it).

I don't think I'd bother with a handle if I were to make another, and I'd do the body with metal on both sides. But it works quite nicely & since I don't make sliding dovetails all that often, I suspect there will never be a Mk.II...

Cheers,

 

[rxh]

Thanks IWW. This plane is number two of a batch of three. I made the first one as a simple rebate plane but I decided to add “bells and whistles” to the second one. The front was the only place I could think of to put the nickers and it seems to work OK. I’m happy for anyone to use the idea.

I do try to work out designs on paper before cutting materials. I used to be more impetuous but am more cautious these days.....

Your plane is most intriguing and is very nicely made. Maybe another way of holding the nicker would have been a “banjo bolt” running through the body of the plane to a knurled nut on the other side.

 

[IWW]

...... Maybe another way of holding the nicker would have been a “banjo bolt” running through the body of the plane to a knurled nut on the other side......

Yes, that could have been a way of doing it more neatly than having that chunky block screwed to the side. I would still have needed the recess to sit the nicker in, to bring it flush with the edge of the blade. As I said, a little more thought before acting might have induced me to do several things differently. It does work nicely, and your plane seems to do its intended job well, so I guess that's what really matters in the end. Someday, I might get something just right (to my own eyes, at least), but it could be a ways off yet...

Cheers,
Ian

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

That is a stunning rebate plane rxh.

Wonderfully thought out and excellent craftsmanship, great work.

 

[Wilco Flier]

That's a beautifull piece of work!