St James' Bay Tool Company infill plane kit

[jimi43]

It was a selected lump from Robert at Timberline...I can go sort you out a piece if you want nearer the time..just zap me the dimensions...I'll sort you out a nice bit!

Cheers

Jimi

 

[gasman]

Thanks Jimi- can I let you know when I start making the mitre plane - I am thinking similar to the beast that Richard T made with the rounded sides.
I spent a pleasant hour in the sun yesterday going through the grits on the rear infill - finishing up at 400

The applied several coats of sealer & filler - before starting in earnest on the TruOil
Lots to do but it is all quite easy. I think it will take 4-8 coats of TruOil as the surfaces are quite flat

I think I have decided to glue in the infills with epoxy, then drill a 1/4" hole through the sides and infill, ream the metal hole with a tapered reamer and then peen a 1/4" steel rod from both sides
Finishing line in site - all very exciting
Mark

 

[jimi43]

Looking good Mark.

Traditionally there would be a slot the entire length from where you have the elongated hole now towards the tip of the horn...you only have two holes overall forming an oval. Will the iron and cap iron assembly still slide down under the lever cap when the rear handle is fitted the way you have it?

Cheers

Jimi

 

[Racers]

You should fit a sleeve if you are going to rivet the infill, you will only need a slight taper, a large one will be difficult to peen and have more chance of an errant blow marking the side.
Which is why I screwed mine in.

Pete

 

[jimi43]

You should fit a sleeve if you are going to rivet the infill, you will only need a slight taper, a large one will be difficult to peen and have more chance of an errant blow marking the side.
Which is why I screwed mine in.

Pete

I'm with Pete on this one...

One little ding on the side will be hours of work.

Jimi

 

[Racers]

And the risk of opening up the dovetails!

Pete

 

[gasman]

Yes all good ideas
Thanks Jimi - I knew I had forgotten to do something - I would have realised after finishing which would have been tedious.
Good points Pete - I will reassess when the infills are finished
Regards Mark

 

[rxh]

Your infills are looking good! I fit spacer tubes and rivetted rods, and have not had any trouble with dovetails coming apart or excessive damage to the sides. I think the results are good but have not tried other methods.

 

[gasman]

Many thanks for help / comments
I have redone the slot for the iron and cap iron assembly -thanks Jimi. Did it on the router table with a 20mm straight bit 1mm at a time.
I think I must be missing something - but can you tell me why I need sleeves in the infill - why couldn't I just drill a hole though metal side and infill, ream the hole in the metal a tiny bit and then rivet it with a 1/4" steel rod? Very keen not to **** this up having got this far!
I have put loads of coats of TruOil on and to be honest I think the finish is a bit too shiny

So I have rubbed it back with 0000 wire wool and then waxed it and I am happy with this finish

Finish line in sight I think - shavings soon I hope!
Cheers Mark

 

[jimi43]

I knew it!!

Spectacular...everything..the wood...the choice of grain direction and figure...the fit...and the finish.

Everything beautifully done...and I bet you are well chuffed mate!

Learning on the fly is the best way isn't it. At the time it doesn't seem that way but having to think around the problems and solve them will hold you in good stead now for your next one...and of course..you can make it with this one...which doubles the pleasure.

That iron is really beefy too...that should hold a fine edge with no chatter...that's got to be £50+ worth right there!

One of the characteristics of Tru Oil which I find a benefit in these instances is the fact that it yellows quite quickly. This will form a golden patina and that wood will grow more beautiful with age...I think you will be happy with your choice in the future.

Now...get your name on it somewhere..you deserve it!

Brilliant stuff Mark...

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

Jimi

 

[gasman]

Ah got it - found this great thread by Jim Yehle which explains it http://user.xmission.com/~jry/ww/tools/a13/a13.html
So I need to source some tubing - Oxon fastenings will probably oblige
Shavings before the end of the weekend
Mark

 

[gasman]

Thanks for your very kind words Jimi - but to be honest I think you and I both know that you were the inspiration for this - so hats off to you and my eternal thanks as I believe I have unearthed a lifelong interest.
I have made contact with Ian and Clive at Chalco and am waiting for a design quote from them. I wish I had found TruOil earlier as it is am amazing finishing material but I am worried as, in the heat of the moment once I realised I wanted it, I ordered a gallon of the stuff so I am currently looking for a smaller opaque container which I can fill completely with no air in so I can keep some for the medium to long term. Too late I read on the website their tip to make only a small hole in the foil seal and then store it upside down!
Just need to get my telescope sorted and I will have morphed into a clone of you!
Thanks again and best wishes
Mark

 

[jimi43]

Ok...last things first....here you go with the bottles:

DARK PLASTIC BOTTLES

I am so very pleased you have settled on toolmaking as your speciality...I find it ever changing and varied and that is ideal for me. The fact that I inspired you to start makes me chuffed indeed! Cheers mate!

I think you have the prefect eye..this is way better than the norm for a first project..way, way better!

Keep going mate...you are going places with this!

Cheers

Jimi

 

[gasman]

Ha ha remember i work in a hospital though Jimi... pill bottles v easy to come by!
Ian has been in touch and has agreed to engrave the lever cap for a very reasonable price with my signature
How exciting
Mark

 

[rxh]

Very nearly complete - I have enjoyed following this thread but maybe it would be better in the Hand Tools section?

If you can't find suitable tube you could make it by drilling barstock, which is what I do.

Chalco will do a fine job of the engraving, I'm sure. I was very pleased with the work Ian did for me.

 

[Andy RV]

Look great, good work.

With regard to the knurling, it sometimes helps to alter the angle of which the tool is set to the work piece. It's really a matter of playing around on pieces of scrap before you get it right. When you do get it right the difference is like night and day.

 

[gasman]

Thanks for the Knurling tip Andy - stored away for future use
I agree this thread would have been better in the handtools section - I wonder if any of the mods are reading this and would do that please? Thanks. There will be a short pause whilst the lever cap gets engraved and I am waiting for some brass tubing to arrive so I can do the riveting of the infills in place
Cheers Mark

 

[gasman]

The brass tubes have arrived so last night I started the process of riveting the infills in place
I started by drilling a 6mm hole right through the plane with the front bun in place and clamped firmly. I checked with a digital angle gauge very carefully that the hole was going to go through parallel to the sole

Went very slowly as it was going through the other side
Just appearing

Went through OK

Nice clean hole all the way through

I reamed the hole out to 1/4"

And the hole in the infill very slowly I reamed and enlarged to 9/32" which is the brass tube diameter
Here's the brass tubes and the 1/4" mild steel rods

And here it is all just roughly assembled.

The infill hole must have wandered a fraction as I had to file one side of it a fraction of a mm but it should all be OK once peened. Need to practice peening with 3 layers insulating tape - I read that somewhere can't remember where
Ian Houghton at Chalco has the Lever cap and, as of an hour ago, a design for my stamp (thanks Jimi that was an inspirational email exchange)
So close now - I will finish the riveting this weekend, then assemble it before carefully filing down the peened rivets - how stressful is that going to be with the infills in place??
Thanks for looking
Cheers Mark

 

[jimi43]

Well Mark..that was a very well executed job...a most difficult job indeed!

It's all looking superb and I'm glad the logo worked for you...sometimes the answer is just there staring at you and it's just a matter of stepping back for a moment.

Can't wait to see what magic Ian can perform as usual!

Cheers

Jimi

 

[rxh]

Well done indeed - I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of the finished article

Rather than using a file on the peened rivets I have taken to milling them down as far as I dare and then bringing them down flush with the sides using a scraper (I also finish off the dovetails like this now). I think this way involves less risk of damaging the sides. If you fancy giving this method a go you could put a rivet through a piece of scrap plate to practice on first. If you don't have a scraper, one is easily made from an old file by grinding the teeth off near the end and grinding the end to a slight curve.