| I'm using O1 tool steel for the iron, 2
inch wide and 3/16 thick. Mark out for the iron. 7 inches tall, 1/4 inch
wide and 7/8 wide for the lower 1 1/2 inches. |
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| A metalwork vise is handy to hold the steel
as you hacksaw it roughly to size. |
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| It's slow, sweaty work but take your time
and it is soon done. |
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| The last unreachable bits of metal are
removed on the drill press. Clean up the iron with files. |
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| Now we can shape the sole. Lay out the
radius with a compass. |
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| Then using whatever tools you have at your
disposal remove the waste working close to the lay out lines. I turned
a dowel on the lathe to the correct final radius of the sole. Use this
wrapped in sandpaper to tweak the profile to perfection. |
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| You should end up something like this..... |
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| Put the iron into the body and scribe the
profile directly from the sole. Grind the iron to shape, checking it in
the body to make sure of a perfect match. It is much easier to work the
steel now before we heat treat it. When happy with the shape it is time to
harden the steel. |
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| Here are the tools you need. |
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| Heat the iron until it glows cherry red
then quench it in oil. |
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| Clean up the iron and then pop in into the oven to temper
it. (The instructions came with the tool steel for the necessary
temperatures and times) |
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| Now we can clean up the body of the plane, applying some
traditional chamfers. |
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| The wedge is cut at a 12 degrees angle and
test fitted a few times, tweaking for a perfect fit. |
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| Then a couple of coats of danish oil to
finish. |
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| And that's one. Let's make the matching
"round". |
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