Sunday, January 13, 2008

Update.....


HI Folks

First up - apologies for the double - video posting yesterday. Had trouble getting Blogger to respond but it seems it caught up later- I've removed the offending post.

Remember the Hand Tool Event at West Dean College I mentioned a couple of months ago?
Well there are some updated details on Classic Hand Tools web site - sounds like it will be an excellent event! Put it in your diary now!!

Cheers
Philly

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Phil.

Question for you. I am considering experimenting with additional weighting to some of my future wooden hand planes.

In theory, this would be done by boring a forstner hole into pre-determined areas of the sole, and then adding same sized lead plugs.

A fitted brass sole would later hide these additions.

I have heard the term, a perfectly balanced plane.

In your opinion, where along the planes length, would the fulcrum point be located to achieve this.

Would it be the centre point of the planes total length, or could it be at the soles, mouth opening.

Regards, Stewie Simpson.

Philly said...

HI Stewie
Good question! To me, the centre point would be just in front of the rear tote - when you hold the plane with one hand it should be pretty evenly balanced with a slight forward bias.
Hope this helps and look forward to seeing your next plane.
Phil

Anonymous said...

Hi Phil.
Totally agree with your assessment on the location of a planes fulcrum. If additional weight were to be applied, then it would have to be attached to the heel end.

I assume you have seen the completed photo's for the 27" jointer. My appetite for overly long handplanes is well and truelly appeased. "No more"

My next project will be to take 4 smoothing planes through each stage of fabrication. This should be more time efficient.

You may be pleased to know I am venturing away from the laminated bodied planes, and going in your direction, single piece body.

I have made up a jig already for the pedestal drill, which will allow me to drill out the mortised area via forstner bit. I am changing from the 45 degree pitched bed,to 48.5 (york).
The jig is set up to hold the pre morticed body at 48.5, and 60 degrees, for the opposing.

I have a 2.7 length of 80 x 80mm Australian Rosewood to use for the main body, and have plenty of Tassie Huon Pine, for the ancilliary bits.
Might even go for a dutch banana grip at the front, this time round.

I am quite happy to stay with the
brass plated sole, and the brass adjusters are working really well.

Have just purchased some riffler files, and considering my mortise cavity is fairly straight forward, these should be ok for removing that last 1/8 of material left after drilling.

By the way, I was very impressed with your recent work "black beauty". Fabricate a few more of those, and you'll be able to afford a lacky to take care of all that boring work, you dislike doing.

All the best. Stewie