Yet another casting infill plane.....
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What flux did you use? When soldering to steel, Bakers fluid has always worked well for me.
Tony Zaffuto
Established Member
Anyone here care to contribute thoughts on silver solder? In my plant, we've used it for tool assembly (steel on steel) and certain industrial gas piping joints (copper to copper), but never steel to brass. Might be an alternative.
From photo IMG_0397.JPG I think that you may not have had the steel hot enough when you tinned it as the tinning looks rather "pasty" to me. I suggest that you try again but first practice tinning and joining on smaller pieces of scrap steel. The flux I use is a sort of brown paste - I think it may be Fluxite but the container has lost its label.
What is the composition of the steel ?
Just wondering as I understand tool steels can have varying amounts of chromium. If this is the case you may need a very aggressive acid flux, like soldering stainless.
From the photos it's safe to say the sole was not tinned. Whether this is a flux, heat or solder issue I'm not sure. What materials are you using Mark?
Just wondering as I understand tool steels can have varying amounts of chromium. If this is the case you may need a very aggressive acid flux, like soldering stainless.
From the photos it's safe to say the sole was not tinned. Whether this is a flux, heat or solder issue I'm not sure. What materials are you using Mark?
gasman
Established Member
Morning all.
Almost a year since this project got shelved because of my abject failure to sweat the sole on successfully. Since then I had 2 more attempts at the same thing - tried different fluxes etc, and I thought it was there the last time - but then the thing fell apart again when I dropped it from not very high onto the bench. Thats when it got shelved - enough's enough!
However, after finishing a few cabinets etc, I got the bug again last weekend. I bought some new metal epoxy, cleaned everything off yet again and started again.... I didn't take lots of photos as wasn't sure it was going to work so thats why there are several stages missing.
There was another problem I had to solve - geometry. The low angle - 17 degrees or so - of the blade meant that the mouth was much too far back - so I came up with a solution which was to use epoxy and scraps of steel etc to move the mouth forward by about 25mm. Purists I am sure have already turned away in horror...
I know it looks ugly but this wont be seen because of the sole and the infill
I cleaned up the sole and the bottom of the casting yet again...
I thought I had a photo of the clamp up - but I can't find it. Anyway it was easy - thin layer of 2 part epoxy spread out evenly. Used the 2 little screws to localise the sole and casting correctly, clamped up using 4 holdfasts onto wood on my bench and left it for the day.
And it all went fine. Barely visible joint line
Here's the joint after a bit of belt-sanding
Then I remounted the whole thing in the vice and started very slowly milling out the mouth - was very straightforward - just a case of going very slowly
Until eventually I just started to see an indentation on the sole
Once I ran the belt sander along the sole, I 'broke through' and then used a diamond cutting wheel on the Dremel to cut a 2mm mouth
which worked out quite well...
So heres where we are at the end of the weekend
Comments welcome. Thanks guys
Almost a year since this project got shelved because of my abject failure to sweat the sole on successfully. Since then I had 2 more attempts at the same thing - tried different fluxes etc, and I thought it was there the last time - but then the thing fell apart again when I dropped it from not very high onto the bench. Thats when it got shelved - enough's enough!
However, after finishing a few cabinets etc, I got the bug again last weekend. I bought some new metal epoxy, cleaned everything off yet again and started again.... I didn't take lots of photos as wasn't sure it was going to work so thats why there are several stages missing.
There was another problem I had to solve - geometry. The low angle - 17 degrees or so - of the blade meant that the mouth was much too far back - so I came up with a solution which was to use epoxy and scraps of steel etc to move the mouth forward by about 25mm. Purists I am sure have already turned away in horror...
I know it looks ugly but this wont be seen because of the sole and the infill
I cleaned up the sole and the bottom of the casting yet again...
I thought I had a photo of the clamp up - but I can't find it. Anyway it was easy - thin layer of 2 part epoxy spread out evenly. Used the 2 little screws to localise the sole and casting correctly, clamped up using 4 holdfasts onto wood on my bench and left it for the day.
And it all went fine. Barely visible joint line
Here's the joint after a bit of belt-sanding
Then I remounted the whole thing in the vice and started very slowly milling out the mouth - was very straightforward - just a case of going very slowly
Until eventually I just started to see an indentation on the sole
Once I ran the belt sander along the sole, I 'broke through' and then used a diamond cutting wheel on the Dremel to cut a 2mm mouth
which worked out quite well...
So heres where we are at the end of the weekend
Comments welcome. Thanks guys
Attachments
And good on you for recognizing that a proportion was out of whack, and stopping and fixing it instead of just bulling it through and putting up a picture later claiming that it works great (and then setting it aside because it feels funny to use).
And the build up inside the plane is really neatly done, too.
And the build up inside the plane is really neatly done, too.
gasman
Established Member
Thanks Gentlemen - nice to be back
I got a little bit done yesterday amidst a lot of other stuff
Mainly it was just cleaning up the mouth some more using diamond bits in a dremel and the end of a file used as a kind of cold chisel / scraper
I ended up with this
The angle measured is a fraction over 17 degrees. Even having moved the mouth forward as described it means that I am going to cut away the rounded rear of the casting a little at the sides to get the iron to seat at the correct angle. Ill mock up some infills next I think
Regards Mark
I got a little bit done yesterday amidst a lot of other stuff
Mainly it was just cleaning up the mouth some more using diamond bits in a dremel and the end of a file used as a kind of cold chisel / scraper
I ended up with this
The angle measured is a fraction over 17 degrees. Even having moved the mouth forward as described it means that I am going to cut away the rounded rear of the casting a little at the sides to get the iron to seat at the correct angle. Ill mock up some infills next I think
Regards Mark
Attachments
gasman
Established Member
Time seems to just fly by without me doing anything to this plane. Sorry
I found a lump of ebony under a pile of old wood which I thought I had lost in the move 3 years ago - its actually a 6x6x3" turning blank and I thought that would make nice infills - don't have any ebony infills
Cleaned it up and then cut it on the bandsaw
Started shaping the infills to fit. I thought I might like a bun. I know this type of plane doesn't usually have ne but there are a few images of those that do - so I thought I would make one - I can always remove later
Then I thought I had better work on the inside of the casting before doing too much more to the infills
Got it to fit roughly - then worked more on the bun
After a couple of pleasant hours going through the grades - I got down to #3600 paper and it looked like this
I really do mean to get this finished. Apologies to all for my lack of progress
Cheers
mark
I found a lump of ebony under a pile of old wood which I thought I had lost in the move 3 years ago - its actually a 6x6x3" turning blank and I thought that would make nice infills - don't have any ebony infills
Cleaned it up and then cut it on the bandsaw
Started shaping the infills to fit. I thought I might like a bun. I know this type of plane doesn't usually have ne but there are a few images of those that do - so I thought I would make one - I can always remove later
Then I thought I had better work on the inside of the casting before doing too much more to the infills
Got it to fit roughly - then worked more on the bun
After a couple of pleasant hours going through the grades - I got down to #3600 paper and it looked like this
I really do mean to get this finished. Apologies to all for my lack of progress
Cheers
mark
Attachments
That ebony is going to look fantastic contrasting with the bronze Mark. I like the form of the bun and how it slightly slopes back to the mouth, it's very elegant (and there's a word I don't use often in everyday life), in an understated way.
I have a lovely bit of rosewood gifted by an ever generous and helpful Custard that I had set aside for the bullnose casting I am amateuring on in between real life but looking at that I'm wondering if I save that and use a bit of the bog oak I got from Mac Timbers at the European woodworking show a month or so back. Its dimensioned a bit better as well and would save waste. Always a plus for a beginner like me.
Thanks for the update and don't apologise. There's no need. Personally I quite like the fact that it takes you nearly as long as I would to get round to finishing it. It gives me hope.
Best regards
Chris
I have a lovely bit of rosewood gifted by an ever generous and helpful Custard that I had set aside for the bullnose casting I am amateuring on in between real life but looking at that I'm wondering if I save that and use a bit of the bog oak I got from Mac Timbers at the European woodworking show a month or so back. Its dimensioned a bit better as well and would save waste. Always a plus for a beginner like me.
Thanks for the update and don't apologise. There's no need. Personally I quite like the fact that it takes you nearly as long as I would to get round to finishing it. It gives me hope.
Best regards
Chris
gasman
Established Member
Thanks Chris for yr nice comments. I actually like the fact that when I’m really fed up Ive got a project on the back burner to pick up and spend a pleasant couple of stress free hours on. I’m away fir 10 days now so there will be another delay!! BW mark
gasman
Established Member
Another month or two has passed....
A little progress made...
First I spent some more time fettling the infills to fit better
Next a big decision as to whether to use a Norris adjuster - and although it would be easier to say no, I like them and I like the challenge plus I had one I made for an earlier plane which I will be able to cut and adjust to fit this plane
So I made a replica wedged rear infill out of oak and trial fitted the adjuster.
The only problem here which you can see from the photos is I am going to have to cut a small 'groove' (can't think of a better word) in the curved bronze rear wall for the adjuster to come out of as the angle here is only 17.5 degrees. I know this is clumsy but it will hardly be seen once the blade is fitted and will mean I have an adjuster. Thats a commitment move and I haven't got the b***s yet! I will also have to cut a small amount off the inside of the walls either side to allow the iron to lie flat.
Finally I cut an iron from 6mm O1 steel, 50mm wide and 250mm long, then milled a 20 degree primary bevel on the end.
But then I decided I would grind the bevel so I ended up with this
Finally, the iron will be moved by means of a lug on the traveller similar to the veritas method with matching holes in the iron so I carefully drilled 3 x 1/4" holes in the iron 15mm apart at the appropriate place to allow for wear etc of the iron. Even using a centring drill bit in the mill and going slowly, somehow it wandered so they are about 0.25mm out of perfect alignment. Annoying
Now I have sent the iron to Phil of this Parish who is kindly going to harden it for me - I must learn that technique sometime
Thanks all
Cheers
Mark
A little progress made...
First I spent some more time fettling the infills to fit better
Next a big decision as to whether to use a Norris adjuster - and although it would be easier to say no, I like them and I like the challenge plus I had one I made for an earlier plane which I will be able to cut and adjust to fit this plane
So I made a replica wedged rear infill out of oak and trial fitted the adjuster.
The only problem here which you can see from the photos is I am going to have to cut a small 'groove' (can't think of a better word) in the curved bronze rear wall for the adjuster to come out of as the angle here is only 17.5 degrees. I know this is clumsy but it will hardly be seen once the blade is fitted and will mean I have an adjuster. Thats a commitment move and I haven't got the b***s yet! I will also have to cut a small amount off the inside of the walls either side to allow the iron to lie flat.
Finally I cut an iron from 6mm O1 steel, 50mm wide and 250mm long, then milled a 20 degree primary bevel on the end.
But then I decided I would grind the bevel so I ended up with this
Finally, the iron will be moved by means of a lug on the traveller similar to the veritas method with matching holes in the iron so I carefully drilled 3 x 1/4" holes in the iron 15mm apart at the appropriate place to allow for wear etc of the iron. Even using a centring drill bit in the mill and going slowly, somehow it wandered so they are about 0.25mm out of perfect alignment. Annoying
Now I have sent the iron to Phil of this Parish who is kindly going to harden it for me - I must learn that technique sometime
Thanks all
Cheers
Mark
Attachments
gasman
Established Member
I worked on the lever cap over the weekend
I took a 1/2" length of brass rod and cut a 7/16 ACME 10tpi thread in it and also cut a lump of bronze about 35mm square from a piece I used a couple of years ago to make a previous lever cap and then used a disc sander to roughly reduce it to nearer circular
Drilled a 7mm hole in the centre of the 'lump'
Then tapped the 7mm hole with a 5/16" x 32 bottom tap
After reducing the diameter of one end of the rod down to 3/8", I cut a matching 5/16" x 32 thread in the end about 1cm long
Then I screwed the 2 parts together using loctite and turning it on the lathe until all was regular...
Then it was just a case of knurling and shaping the head and polishing it all up
I took a 1/2" length of brass rod and cut a 7/16 ACME 10tpi thread in it and also cut a lump of bronze about 35mm square from a piece I used a couple of years ago to make a previous lever cap and then used a disc sander to roughly reduce it to nearer circular
Drilled a 7mm hole in the centre of the 'lump'
Then tapped the 7mm hole with a 5/16" x 32 bottom tap
After reducing the diameter of one end of the rod down to 3/8", I cut a matching 5/16" x 32 thread in the end about 1cm long
Then I screwed the 2 parts together using loctite and turning it on the lathe until all was regular...
Then it was just a case of knurling and shaping the head and polishing it all up
Attachments
gasman
Established Member
Meanwhile I turned my attention to the lever cap itself.
This kit came with a bronze casting roughly the right shape
Lots of filing, belt sander etc etc followed by finer files and then going down from 120 to 240 grit abranet
Finally I cut the lever cap screw down to an appropriate length, filed and polished the ends and assembled it
Its a very shiny lovely looking thing
Cheers all
Mark
This kit came with a bronze casting roughly the right shape
Lots of filing, belt sander etc etc followed by finer files and then going down from 120 to 240 grit abranet
Finally I cut the lever cap screw down to an appropriate length, filed and polished the ends and assembled it
Its a very shiny lovely looking thing
Cheers all
Mark
Attachments
gasman
Established Member
A little more of this - now creeping towards the finish line!
I used the dummy rear infill as a guide to get the adjuster in the right place and then transferred the markings and position to the ebony
Meanwhile I had to file a little of the rear wall away to take the adjuster
All fitting nicely....
Then I filed a bit more of the sides away so that the iron would lie flat... and at the same time flattened the top edges of the bronze sides etc on diamond plate then the polisher
I used a 3/4" brass bar to cut a chunk with which to make the adjuster knob
Tapped it with a 1/4"x40 tip bottom tap, inserted an old bit of 1/4" steel rod and then turned, polished and knurled it on the lathe to this
Which leaves me roughly here...
Hopefully I will get the iron back soon from Philly - then I can cut the adjuster to length, epoxy in the infills, polish the sides, sharpen the blade and finally finish this marathon
Thanks for looking
Mark
I used the dummy rear infill as a guide to get the adjuster in the right place and then transferred the markings and position to the ebony
Meanwhile I had to file a little of the rear wall away to take the adjuster
All fitting nicely....
Then I filed a bit more of the sides away so that the iron would lie flat... and at the same time flattened the top edges of the bronze sides etc on diamond plate then the polisher
I used a 3/4" brass bar to cut a chunk with which to make the adjuster knob
Tapped it with a 1/4"x40 tip bottom tap, inserted an old bit of 1/4" steel rod and then turned, polished and knurled it on the lathe to this
Which leaves me roughly here...
Hopefully I will get the iron back soon from Philly - then I can cut the adjuster to length, epoxy in the infills, polish the sides, sharpen the blade and finally finish this marathon
Thanks for looking
Mark
Attachments
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