| Here is the blank (and an earlier
plane in the background) 9 inches by 3 inches by 1 inch. Plane each
surface square and flat. |
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| Rout out 3mm from either side to
give a tight fit in the brass channel that will make the sole and
sides. |
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| Mix up some epoxy, mask the sides
with masking tape.... |
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| And clamp up! |
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| Once out of the clamps clean up any
glue squeeze out and off we go! |
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| Layout for the mouth of the plane
(three inches back from the front) and run the bed lines. This plane
is pitched at 60 degrees. Then mark out for the mortise for the tang
of the iron. It is 1/4 inch wide and central. |
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| With all your layout lines complete
we can start removing material. |
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| I cut the mortise on my benchtop
mortiser. Use a 30 degree wedge for the initial cuts... |
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| and finish off vertically. |
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| Scribe out the mouth. I made it 3mm
wide to allow me to file it to final size when fitting the iron. |
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| Drill out the majority of the
waste.. |
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| Leaving you this. Clean up with
files... |
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| and finish up the throat cutout
with a sanding wheel. |
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| Cut the mouth open with a hacksaw. |
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| Round off the corners with the
sander.... |
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| and gently bevel the edges with a
smoothing file. |
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| Mark out for the iron. It is one
inch wide and the tang is a 1/4 inch wide. Hack saw the blade out
and clean up with files. |
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| Here is the completed iron along
with the metal wedge and brass pin. The wedge is a piece of mild
steel with a 12 degree bevel. |
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| Insert the wedge and tap home the
brass pin. I made the hole 3 thou smaller than the pin for an
interference fit. No glue! |
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| Sand the plane smooth and then its
"oil time"! |
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| I love seeing the grain pop as the
oil soaks in. |
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| Next task is to make the wedge.
Plane an offcut to fit the throat and cut a 12 degree slope on one
side. Test fit it for length, and round off one end. A coat of
shellac seals it. |
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| Final job is to stamp on my
initials! A dab of gold paint makes them stand out a little more! |
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| Lap the sole flat on sandpaper on a
glass plate. A coat of wax and the plane is complete. |
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