Wooden Moulding Planes

I've been trying to build up a collection of antique moulding planes but they no longer seem to be easily available (or the ones I do come across are in a bad way!). So I have decided to build a set of my own. All you need is a suitable plank of hardwood and some tool steel. Let's have a go.....

Started July 9th, 2006

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First task is to rough out some beech for the bodies of the planes.I sliced off a 1 1/2 inch plank of 3 inch beech on the band saw and then planed it flat and square before crosscutting on the tablesaw.
Now cut off an area of the cheek on the tablesaw. You need to remove the guard to do this so be careful. A second cut with the body flat on the table completes the rabbet.
I made a guide block from an off-cut of ash. One side is 50 degrees, the other 62 degrees. A piece of mdf tacked to the bottom makes it easy to align it on the workpiece. Mark out for the mouth, 3 inches back from the toe.
Then using a tenon saw make the cut, stopping 1/4 inch up from the bottom. move the block and make the second cut.
Clean out the waste using chisels (an 1/8 inch chisel is needed to prevent bruising the mouth)
Clean up the mortise making sure it is square and flat.
Using your guide block set up the drill press to drill two guide holes for the mortise through the body.
Stay just inside your layout lines-we will use a mortise chisel to clean it up.
Cut through into the lower mortise.
Clean up the mortise using a float (I'll show you how to make one of these later)

This competes most of the woodwork. Now let's make the iron.

 

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