Latest Project.
Updated Thursday 30/10/08
Tuesday 28/10/08
This next plane will be the same dimensions as the last one, but probably with Rosewood infill.
Wednesday 29/10/08
The dovetails on the side and sole have been peened ready for the infill.
The front and rear infill have been shaped and stuck into the body of the plane. An old wedge and iron have been put in to hold everything in place during the drying period.
I have cut and part shaped the Rosewood wedge.
I am still using the Rosewood given to me by Richard Arnold, if you remember it was difficult to saw and it still is. But what beautiful dark brown Rosewood. I will probably get 15 to 20 infill's out of it. Thanks Richard.
Thursday 30/10/08
I infilled the plane before I cleaned off the outside. This enables you, that once the infill is set in place you can go over the peening lightly, just to make sure nothing has moved.
This plane worked first time which is a relief because they don't always. It is now finished.
Tuesday 14/10/08
I am using the last bit of 1/8" bronze that I have had for many years. This plane is going to be lower than normal, very slightly longer and wider, with a lower bed angle of 22 degrees. I have had to make a new wooden template to cut the dovetails. Around the heel I have marked, whilst still in the straight, a small plane with BSC and a star above. I had enough bronze left to mark out one more plane.
This shows the new template, spare bit of bronze for the next plane and how much I have done, in the foreground.
The heel of the plane showing the mark I have struck.
Carter stamped on the bridge.
After bending by hand in the vice, I finish off with a sash cramp.
Notice the spring when I take the sash cramp off.
This shows 2 G cramps holding the plane together whilst I peen the front.
Wednesday 15/10/08
The body assembled, the mouth on the sole finished and the sockets set out.
BC with zig zag border on the front. The marks have to be struck when the pieces are flat on the anvil before assembly.
The sockets have been cut and the body is in position for peening and filing.
All the filing is complete and I have put more marks on the sole front and back before assembly.
Thursday 16/10/08
I wanted to use ebony for the infill but couldn't find a piece big enough, so instead went back to my old faithfull, boxwood. When I infill a plane I like to use one piece of wood for the whole plane, front and rear infill and wedge. I found a piece lying around which was sutible for the front and rear infill and it left this one piece below that I could just manage to cut the wedge out of.
As you can see it was a tight squeeze, but worth the effort, as when the plane is finished the colours will match up.
Here I am working on the wedge.
Again using my blunt chisels.
To make each wedge individually for my planes is a very time consuming job.
Tomorrow I hope to finish the plane. Still more work to do on the wedge and the iron.
Sunday 19/10/08
This is the iron I have used. I have stamped the other side.
The whole plane soaking in warm raw linseed.
These are the last 3 planes I have made.
Tuesday 7/10/08
I have started working on a mitre plane to replace one I sold at Westonbirt, it will be all bronze with a curved bridge.
I decided to put a tenon in the front and rear of the base of the plane.
8/10/08
I have formed the bed and the next series of photos show the tongue and groove joint to make a tight mouth.
A small hacksaw and a thin file just to clean the grooves up.
Cutting the tongue and filing the shoulders.
Cutting the slots for the tenons on the base.
I have cut the slots in the sole, cut the 2 dovetails in the front and just trying it in place.
Thursday 9/10/08
I have spent the day peining, filing and lapping, the body is now finished. I think I will use rosewood to infill the plane..
Friday 10/10/08
The plane is now finished with a rosewood infill.
Saturday 11/10/08
The plane works really well and I have put some polish on the rosewood. It is now sitting in the sun.
Tuesday 9/9/08
The plane I am making is a copy of a very rare Norris 11 all steel mitre plane. Mine will be all bronze and very slightly larger. It measures 6" long x 1 3/4" wide. The original Norris had a swivelling bridge, mine will be fixed. I am waiting for a piece of bronze for the sole. I was going to use steel but have changed my mind. The infill will be boxwood. I can't finish this plane untill I get the bronze for the sole.
Wednesday 24/9/08
Bill has this afternoon taken delivery of some bronze, so tomorrow he will start on the sole of his next plane.
Thursday 25/9/08
This time I ordered part of a sheet, about 3' 7" X 12", £230. First time I have had to cut it out of a sheet, this proved a bit tricky it is 3/16" thick.
I needed 6" X 1 7/8".
Here I am forming the mouth and cutting the sockets.
It took me up untill tea time, when I came in to get this far. Tomorrow I've got to do the through tenon's front and back before I can fix the sole.
Friday 26/9/08
The tenons cut and the sole fitted. This time I intend to colour the bronze before putting in the infill and all the filing has to be completed first.
I have put tiny cupidbow dovetails on the sole even though it is all bronze and you can't see them, hoping that at a later date they might just be visible.
I couldn't resist trying to colour it a little with Purma Blue on the bronze even though I haven't finished the filing. (Bill does like messing)
A gentleman from Norway asked if I could assist him with his plane, it arrived today and took about a couple of hours to sort out. I have given him a new Sheffield iron because his iron was useless. I have reshaped the bottom of his plane and sent it back.
Wednesday 1/10/08
Today I made and fitted the front and rear infill in boxwood. Inside the front infill I have marked SBC London, which stands for Sarah and Billy Carter. Tomorrow I should finish the plane. The 1987 on the rear bed was when I finished work to make planes.
Thursday 2/10/08
The plane is now finished.
Saturday 4/10/08
I decided to make the iron snecked and have soaked the wedge in warm raw linseed oil. Because I have coloured the bronze body before infilling the plane, I have not soaked the whole plane.
Tuesday 2/9/08
Bill sold 2 small mitre planes at Westonbirt, 1 with boxwood infill with a knot and 1 with rosewood infill. He is in the process of replacing them.
This first one has a bronze body with a steel sole and steel bridge.
2 bronze tenons coming through the sole.
Wednesday 3/9/08
Bill has filed the side dovetails and been working on the boxwood infill today, this picture shows a temporary boxwood wedge holding the back infill in place whilst the glue hardens.
Saturday 6/9/08
The finished plane with the proper boxwood wedge.
Thursday 21/8/08
Bill is using his last lever cap and screw which he has had for a long time. He is going to attempt to make an all steel Mathieson type thumb plane but wider than the original. This time it will not have a front infill, again like the original.
Friday 22/8/08
The plane is partly finished, we will be taking it to Westonbirt on Sunday.
Friday pm 22/8/08
Bill has worked hard all day and the dovetails have been peened and filed.
Wednesday 27/8/08
The infill has been fitted ready for shaping.
Thursday 28/8/08
I finished the plane today, lovely piece of boxwood.
Monday 11/8/08
Bill has coloured the boxwood on this plane again and put more information on the iron.
I have altered the front of this plane, lowered the front infill, the piece of wood to the right is part of the excess sawn off. I have snecked the iron and put Sarah on the front infill.
Wednesday 16/7/08
I've started to make another plane, bronze body with a steel sole, boxwood infill. It's a fair bit bigger than the last few, 5 3/8" long X 1 3/4" wide.
Thursday 17/7/08
Today I have drilled the 2 holes in the body for the lever cap and screw and filed the cupid bow decoration around the top edge of the body.
Friday 18/7/08
I am using an interesting iron in this plane. Copley London. With a picture of a boat with 2 rowers and a cox facing them, underneath OXFORD WINS.
This shows the finished plane.
Wednesday 16/7/08
I made this plane last week when we hadn't any internet connection.
This plane is the same as the one before, but it is going to have slightly different dovetail's and cupid bow decoration around the top edge.
This is the first time I have done dovetail's like this, they remind me of ducks feet.
Showing how I start the cupid bow decoration.
The front edge done.
The completed plane.
Thursday 3/7/08
I have just sold this small mitre plane and decided to replace it with an identical one in size, but this time with cupid bow dovetails underneath on the sole.
This is the body.
This shows the tiny cupid bow dovetails, which are probably the smallest ones I have done.
Friday 4/7/08
The completed plane with rosewood infill.
