How to make a plane tote

[Prashun Patel]

I just got a Sargent 418VBM plane which is in great shape - except for the cracked tote.

I haven't had luck finding a replacement.

Does anyone know how to MAKE a tote?

Do I just trace the old handle on a blank and then bandsaw and shape it with an osc. sander?

[jerry nazard]

Shawn,

Do a search - there are a bunch of threads on tote making. Also, Lee Valley has free templates that you can download. Using these templates, with the accompanying directions, and a bit of common sense, will get you there fast! Good luck, and have fun!!

-Jerry

[Jim Koepke]

Also, I have found a lot of totes from different makers are interchangeable from plane to plane.

The 418 is the same as a #6 Stanley if my memory is serving me. If you can try a Stanley tote, I would bet you will see they fit.

jim

[Bob Haverstock]

Shawn,

I made one for my Stanley #6, I don't have finish on it yet. I think the first thing to do is establish the angle of the tote screw and the position of the forward screw. After you do those 2 things, drill them. The rest is making it fit you.

Bob

[Phillip Pattee]

Check out the "Making a Tote" tutuorial by Clint Jones in Neanderthal Wisdom/FAQ. It's in part 6. Making your own tools. I've used the technique there a couple of times with good success.

[Richard Dooling]

Lee Valley has kindly posted templates for Stanley totes #2-#8.

www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=63262&cat=1,46168 (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=63262&cat=1,46168)

Thanks go to Rob Lee



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[Steve Jenkins]

The first image to pop into my mind of a plane tote is the 747 with the space shuttle on its back.:)

[Prashun Patel]

Some great advice here.
That Lee Valley link is kick @$$!
It walks you thru the whole process. I was wondering how to measure the angle of the tote and bore that long hole.

[jerry nazard]

Some great advice here.
That Lee Valley link is kick @$$!
It walks you thru the whole process. I was wondering how to measure the angle of the tote and bore that long hole.

Yep! If you plan to make several, a pattern w/ flush trim bit will make quick work of shaping. Just rough cut on bandsaw and then on to the router table. Kudos to Rob Lee for sharing the templates!

-Jerry

[Richard Dooling]

Remember too that this is your opportunity to mold the handle to your hand. I've made the tote for a #8 quite a bit beefier than the original. It's not symmetrical either - I've made it to fit my hand.

FUN!

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[Steve knight]

the hard part is drilling the hole all the way through. it's best to do it from each end. I can do it from one direction with my mill/drill but I think it is more the 6" long 1/4" carbicde endmill tht is doing it. I tried it with a brad point bit and you could feel it starting to wonder at the last and make a curved hole.

[Charles Murray Ohio]

Shawn,

If you can wait a few weeks the next Popular Woodworking (issue 179) should have an artical on makinking a knob and tote. It will walk you through the process using your old tote as a pattern.

Charles

[Richard Dooling]

Agreed that the long hole is hard to get just right but you will notice that they are bored somewhat oversized so that absolute accuracy is not required.

Drilling the long hole should be done before shaping the tote. I use a piece of wood that's thicker than the finished dimension so I have some room to adjust for verticle if needed. IMHO, it's worth it to get a drill that's long enough to do this in one pass. Trying to come in from opposite sides is an extra step and drill bits aren't that expensive and you'll just have to buy it once.

I used the old handles as templates but the Lee Valley printouts have some good information.

Can anyone comment on the length of the horn on most totes? They seem overly long to me for function and are often damaged. I'm wondering if there is any function beyond style.

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[Mike Henderson]

Richard and Steve pointed out the problem of drill bits wandering in long holes. I've encountered the same thing and now always drill half way from each end. It's not hard to get the two holes to meet, and as Richard pointed out, the hole is larger than necessary so you have some slop to work with. When you try to drill all the way from one end, you almost always get significant wander so the drill comes out somewhere other than where you expected it to.

I also agree that you should drill the hole before you finish the tote. I do it after I rough it out on the band saw. It'd be heartbreaking to put all the work into shaping it then have it ruined because the bit wandered on you.

Mike

[jerry nazard]

Can anyone comment on the length of the horn on most totes? They seem overly long to me for function and are often damaged. I'm wondering if there is any function beyond style.

.

I suspect style is the culprit. I have made some over-length horns just for fun and may regret it down the road. But - as they say - fun is fun!

[Richard Dooling]

It'd be heartbreaking to put all the work into shaping it then have it ruined because the bit wandered on you.

Mike

Been there once and once was enough!


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[Prashun Patel]

I am in the middle of making one from the LV template. Turns out my bolt angle is a little different, so I had to adjust the Stanley #6 plans.

I think the best recommendation has been to trace the pattern on the blank at an angle that allows the bolt hole to be perpendicular to the base of the blank. Then you ( I mean *I*) can drill the hole easier.

[george wilson]

Drilling a hole that deep is NO PROBLEM. I usually drill holes like that by center punching where I want the drill to enter,and where I want it to EXIT. You could drill the hole in a lathe. Put the EXIT center punch mark on the tailstock center,and the drill in the lathe's spindle chuck. Drill half way. Turn the handle around,and put the drilled hole against the tailstock center. Drill from the former hole's exit center punch mark. Unless you are using a completely screwed up drill bit,the 2 should meet in the center of the handle.

To avoid having the drill wander off center trying to start the drill on an angled surface,cut the entrance and exit surfaces of the wood so that they are square (90 degrees) with the axis of the drilled hole. After drilling,go ahead and saw out the contours of the handle.

If you don't want to hold the handle while drilling it with your hand,clamp it with a wooden handscrew while you drill it. You can also rig up ways to mimic this process with your drill press.

[Bill Houghton]

....except for the cracked tote.

How cracked? I've reglued several totes, and they've held up fine. People say that, because it's rosewood, you have to pay special attention; maybe I've been lucky with just yellow glue.

The best clamp is one of those quick-grip trigger clamps with the soft plastic faces on the clamping surfaces - you're applying force at an angle, kind of, and they do that just fine. Lacking one of those, I'd try a handscrew of the metal-screw variety.

[jerry nazard]

... which is in great shape - except for the cracked tote.



An effective clamp along the axis of the tote is a piece of threaded rod, nuts, washers, and a block of wood with a hole in it. Cut the wood block at an angle so you have a relatively straight clamping force.

[Prashun Patel]

I found a quick and elegant way to refinish a plane knob:

Wrap the tote bolt in painters tape and thread it through the knob. Then chuck the exposed end of the bolt into a drill press or even a vs portable drill. At low speed, hold varying grits of sandpaper to it.

It's also a breeze to finish it with oil/varnish or shellac. Just moisten a cloth with yr desired finish, turn the press on and wipe it on. The drill press makes a nice drying rack too!

Anyway, sure y'all know this; but I was tickled to discover the 'trick'....

[Prashun Patel]

I'm trying to strip the jappaning from my plane, and it's not been easy. I did a Methylene chloride soak for a few hours. It came off in spots, but only with a lot of wire brushing.

Can I just repaint over the old stuff?

[James Davis]

Shawn,

I have had good sucess using the citrus stripper that they sell at Wal-Mart. It is cheap and easy to apply using the spray can variety.

James

[Danny Burns]

http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/planetote.html

http://www.shavingsandsawdust.com/projects/makingTotes/index.asp

[Prashun Patel]

Update:

A rasp - even a cheap BORG 4-in-1 made quick work of shaping the tote. Much better than my spindle sander. Of course, you gotta be persnickety afterwards with the sandpaper to remove all those rough spots. I sanded with 100gt and wiped with MS about 3 times before I was able to get everything.

[Dominic Greco]

Update:

A rasp - even a cheap BORG 4-in-1 made quick work of shaping the tote. Much better than my spindle sander. Of course, you gotta be persnickety afterwards with the sandpaper to remove all those rough spots. I sanded with 100gt and wiped with MS about 3 times before I was able to get everything.

Shawn,
Like you, I made a couple totes and used a rasp to shape them. Afterwards I spent triple the amount of time sanding to get rid of the rasp marks.

Flash forward to a recent project and I find myself reaching for a card scraper. A friend of mine suggested using it before I reach for the sand paper. I thought they were good only for flat surfaces. Boy was I wrong! A freshly sharpened card scraper will get rid of almost ALL of the rasp marks on "curvey" parts just as nicely as it does for flat ones. It went so fast that I was amazed.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks, everyone. Finally finished. I had to grind the blade square before sharpening it. THe blade's a little short which means I can't snug the chip breaker too close to the edge. Long story. Anyway, it works quite well.

The tote's cherry, dyed to match (approx). I oiled and shellac'd the knob and tote.

Used Rustoleum engine paint on the body and frog.

Used a fine wire wheel to remove patina on the cheeks. Didn't bother with the lever cap.

After and before pix, respectively

[jerry nazard]

Shawn,

That's just plane beautiful!

-Jerry

[Phillip Pattee]

That's beautiful Shawn. Great job!

[Rob Young]

Well done! That looks great!

[Richard Dooling]

Great job Shawn!
I have used the method you describe to remove the finish from a knob and it really works well. I hadn't thought of the painters tape though - doh! Fortunately I didn't damage the threads.


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[Tom Adger]

If you don't already have a lathe, this is a good excuse to get one. Turn your own tote. Just go to Ebay and put in "cocobolo lumber" (if this is your wood of choice) in the search box, and you can usually find the piece you will need.

After all, look at the tools in your shop. Each one was probably purchased after you found an excuse to buy it. That's been my history.

[Mike Henderson]

If you don't already have a lathe, this is a good excuse to get one. Turn your own tote. Just go to Ebay and put in "cocobolo lumber" (if this is your wood of choice) in the search box, and you can usually find the piece you will need.

After all, look at the tools in your shop. Each one was probably purchased after you found an excuse to buy it. That's been my history.
I don't know any way to turn a tote on a lathe. Perhaps you mean turn a knob.

Mike

[Ken Werner]

Very nice work Shawn. Thanks.

[Tom Adger]

Mike,

You are exactly right. I was thinking knob and wrote tote.