making dovetails on a small infill plane

[Ron Petley]

I am going to try to make a small infill plane. What I have on hand is a 3/8ths thick flat piece of 01 steel, and some 1/4" thick copper.
Do you think these two pieces will come together with dovetails. My first thought is that the copper ( which seems rather hard when I cut it with a hack saw) might be to soft and bend out of shape when the 01 is piened, but it does not seem to be any softer than the brass I have, which is 1/8th thick, whick I am thinking is to thin.
Any thoughts to get me started would be of great help.
Cheers Ron

[David Keller NC]

Ron - Just a personal opinion, but if you're putting together a small (less than 7" long) infill plane, 1/8" thick for the sides isn't too thin. In fact, the 1/4" thick may look a bit heavy, unless you're going to "over stuff" the sides.

Copper's not a traditional material, but I don't see why it wouldn't work, but you will definitely have to anneal it during the peining process. Copper work-hardens like crazy, and will likely crumble if a torch is not passed over it while you're hammering the dovetails into shape.

This is one reason why brass or steel is typically chosen as the sides of an infill plane. In the case of the brass, the zinc in the alloy adds considerable malleability to the metal, though annealing's still a good idea, particularly if you don't know what brass alloy you have.

[george wilson]

Your plane's iron will end up 1/4" away from the sides of your plane with such thick sides,unless you are making a rabbett plane. The sides need to be more like 1/8" thick. If you do not mind the blade being far from the edges,proceed.

[Ron Petley]

Thank you both for the tips/info I was not thinking very far ahead. I will use the 1/8th brass then and anneal it as I do not know what type it is. Yes it is sounding like I don't even know how much I don't know, should be fun to get the gray matter stirred up again.
Cheers Ron.

[Johnny Kleso]

Copper is soft and a real bear to cut as it gums up your cutters or saw...

You would be better using a 1/4" steel sole and 3/16" sides but a 1/4" will work..

Try eBay for buying steel and brass I know they have 1/4 brass in small pieces as I looked yesterday and steel is cheap enough at enco..

[Regis Deandrade]

Ron,

Check this tutorial. It will answer most of your questions.
http://www.xmission.com/~jry/ww/tools/jy-panel/jy-panel.html

[Ron Petley]

Regis thanks for the link, great photos. I am thinking dovetails might be a bit to much for a first go and pins in a thicker sole might be a easier starting project. I will check and see if I can get a 1/4" mild steel form the locals. Cheers Ron.