SPIERS AYR infill plane

[bugbear]

The transition to a lever cap meant that the locking of the iron relied not on wedge interlock but rather two contact points...the front of the lever cap and the screw point. Therefore a parallel iron could be used.

Whilst the screw point might be a point contact (nearly) the front edge of the lever cap is most definitely a line contact.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

The transition to a lever cap meant that the locking of the iron relied not on wedge interlock but rather two contact points...the front of the lever cap and the screw point. Therefore a parallel iron could be used.

Whilst the screw point might be a point contact (nearly) the front edge of the lever cap is most definitely a line contact.

BugBear

My dear friend...I meant "point" to be read as "place" rather than the other meaning of "sharp bit". :wink:

But then you knew that.... :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[bugbear]

The transition to a lever cap meant that the locking of the iron relied not on wedge interlock but rather two contact points...the front of the lever cap and the screw point. Therefore a parallel iron could be used.

Whilst the screw point might be a point contact (nearly) the front edge of the lever cap is most definitely a line contact.

BugBear

My dear friend...I meant "point" to be read as "place" rather than the other meaning of "sharp bit". :wink:

But then you knew that.... :mrgreen:

Jim

I assumed we were talking geometry, and whilst the number of contacts is important, so is their type.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

I shall leave this point to you then kind sir...to explain in geometrical terms...

I would prefer to describe it as either a bit of cheese shaped wood wedged into a hole against a wedge shaped bit of iron to hold it in place versus a flat bit of steel being held in by a cap with a screw in it....

But that's just me...simpleton that I am. :wink:

Jim

Jim

 

[Richard T]

BB wrote: "the front edge of the lever cap is most definitely a line contact."

We hope And a very straight one at that.

The other point (point of contact) that is the end of the cap bolt is something that has been bothering me. Karl H goes to the trouble of inserting two round metal bars into the front angle of the wood infill for the underside of the iron to rest on at that point (place) of pressure.
This concern about firm, accurate seating was worrying me until I noticed that on a lot of old infills, including Chris's, that the point (place) at which the bolt presses is past the wood and the iron is not supported there at all. Doesn't seem to make much difference with irons on this sort of thickness.

 

[adidat]

an update

someone very kindly sent me a lever cap screw,

so the plane is now complete, let the cleaning begin. whilst cleaning the blade i actually discovered that the blades is made of 2 different metals but it has been joined so well its hard to tell from the face

but on the edge its clear

.

i also noticed on the inside the cap lever there was an 11 matching the 11 on the blade and chip breaker

adidat

 

[jimi43]

Laminated irons are my favourite...particularly the really old ones...though I am at present restoring a rather nice Japanese lump...with very fine hard laminated steel....(more on that later!)

Your panel plane has come out even better than I thought...you have done a wonderful job on that Chris and I am sure that you will find it a keeper...and heirloom to pass on to your grandkids.

Only the other day..after I fettled the Anchor...I tested the two side by side...the Anchor is just a tad longer but way lighter.

The panel plane knocked spots off it...totally different animal.

Enjoy...I'm sure you will...what a bargain you got there! =D>

Jim

 

[Richard T]

Fantastic!

Have you had a go with it yet? We need action shots (hammer)

 

[bugbear]

but on the edge its clear

.

It will become very clear indeed when you work the bevel with a coarse stone. The scratches made will vary A LOT between the two metals.

I suspect this is part of the reason that people perceive hard steels as taking better edges - any given abrasive generate shallower scratches i.e. acts like a finer abrasive.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

Ok Chris...you've had it long enough! Shavings!!!?

Jim

 

[adidat]

arrrr, shavings, now i have had a little play and whilst im am getting some small shavings the mouth seems to be getting blocked? its just two tight?? :duno:


any ideas?

 

[jimi43]

arrrr, shavings, now i have had a little play and whilst im am getting some small shavings the mouth seems to be getting blocked? its just two tight?? :duno:


any ideas?

Yes...it did look a bit tight on your original mouth shot. I would try moving the cap iron a bit further back...maybe a 1/4" first to see if that is what is blocking it. I get a shaving which is only a few thou at worst...so any mouth opening larger than that will allow it to pass. It's so thin and flexible that the "chipbreaker" is hardly necessary...certainly as close as those suggesting on recent threads.

This is one area where you really have to have the plane in your hands to diagnose the issue properly but I can always stick another iron set in the post for you to borrow for a couple of days to try out or might I suggest you invest a score on a QS iron...

......you will not believe how well they work in these panel infills and you can keep the old one in case you sell it on or for a time when you can diagnose the problem

Cheers

Jim

 

[adidat]

just put my no.7 iron (hock) in and the mouth is much better, a real shame in my opinion as the original iron looks so good in place.

adidat

 

[jimi43]

just put my no.7 iron (hock) in and the mouth is much better, a real shame in my opinion as the original iron looks so good in place.

adidat

Did you try backing off the cap iron?

I did a test with my Spiers smoother and a "too thick" iron...it choked with the cap iron at a smidgen away...but when I backed it off to about 1/4" it worked beautifully...and these irons are more than happy working like this.

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Anyone got a matching jointer?

This one just sold on eBay:

£1510 plus p&p!

 

[jimi43]

What a beauty Andy!

The Spiers planes are fast gaining the reputation of the Norris ones...and rightly so.

Interesting...the lever cap knob is the same as on my little smoother...

...and the lever cap itself has that very thin almost anorexic neck...

The later they got the more the chunkier they became.

Yet another indication of make and age.

So you weren't tempted then Andy?

Jim

 

[DrBob]

I'm coming very late to this thread, which is the only one I can find regarding the Spiers screw thread. I'm a hobby machinist, and was recently asked to make a new cap screw for a friend's Spiers plane. The screw was badly bent, but the knurled knob was OK. The geometry specifics of the male thread are as follows. Threads per inch = 14. Outer diameter = 12.25 mm (0.48"), inner diameter = 10.1 mm (0.40") thread depth 1.08 mm (0.042"). Unlike a Acme thread, which has an included angle of 29º, the Spiers is more nearly a square thread: the included angle is 18º. To cut the thread on a lathe, I made a cutting tool with side faces sloping in by 9º on each side, meeting at a squared-off tip 0.9 mm (0.035") wide. I cut the knob off the old screw and brazed it on to the newly threaded brass stem.