Shop Notes Infill Plane

[John Dingman]

I started on the Shop Notes Infill Plane. http://www.johnswoodshop.us/Images/Infill%20Plane.JPG

I didn't like the idea of wood lever cap, so I made one out of brass with a stainless lever cap knob. Here's how it turned out:

http://www.johnswoodshop.us/Images/Lever%20Cap%20003.jpg
I am waiting for the brass to come in from McMasters for the cheeks and the sole. Once that get's here I will get that rolling on the rest of it. I had a block of brass lying around that I was able to get the cap out of.

Now a question......What blade and chip breaker would you guys put in that plane if you were making it?

John

[Dan Moening]

John,

That is so very :cool:.

How did you go about milling the brass? Drill a few holes and file/sand the rest?
Did you tap the hole for the screw? and make the screw to fit?

I'm all questions and no answers :grin:

I've been watching y'all make metallic planes for so long...Jan/Feb is my free shop time...but I'm saving pennies for a miterplane kit for next summer.

Hmmm...I think I would use a Lie-Nielsen blade and chipbreaker. The chipbreaker is one long, thick unit...should bed nicely under your levercap.
I think I recall seeing a place that sells Norris style adjusters maybe someone else can fill in (Dave, Tom?).

Looking forward to your progress pictures.

[Steve Beadle]

Looks like a beautiful start! I wish I knew a little more about metal-working, so that I could hope to produce such a nice lever cap!

[John Dingman]

Steve and Dan,

I ran the Repair Division when I was in the Navy and I had a Machine shop onboard the last ship I was on. That's where I learned to work with brass and turn parts on the lathe. I am a bit rusty but I have a friend that's a Machinist and he let me use the equipment in his shop and he walked me through it. You can cut it out on a band saw and then sand it with a belt sander, and then buff it. And yes the lever cap is tapped and the lever cap knob is threaded through it.

John

edit: I meant to add that I drilled the hole that the brass pin will rest in before I cut the cap to shape on the band saw.

[Mark Singer]

Beautiful work! That will be a great tool...almost too nice to use.

[Jim Becker]

John, I really like the brass cap, too...nice job! I'm thinking about making this plane, too, one of these days, just for grins and maybe it might even work well. Who knows?? :D

[Dan Moening]

John,

"machine shop" were not the words I was hoping to hear :D

I suppose a cove router bit could cut the pin relief...if shallow passes were taken. Brass mills fairly easily, yes?

Thanks again.

[Jim Dunn]

Hey somebodys got to work in metal :)

By the way beautiful brass part, even you are rusty, couldn't much better if you were bright and shiney.

[Leif Hanson]

Outstanding, John! Big improvement over the Shopnotes version! :cool:

[Gary Bingham]

I think I recall seeing a place that sells Norris style adjusters maybe someone else can fill in (Dave, Tom?).

There are a couple of places that I know of:

http://www.spehar-toolworks.com/adjusters.html
toolsforworkingwood (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=MS-NADJUST&Category_Code=TR)

After attempting to make my own norris style adjuster, I would say that the Iles adjuster at toolsforworkingwood.com is a bargain in my opinion. I didn't realize it was only $70 or I would have just bought it instead of trying to make one. Of course, a lot of people question the need for an adjuster at all. For something like this, I don't think I would bother. It would only make it harder to make, and probably wouldn't make it that much better.

edit: Just noticed that toolsforwoorkingwood is out of the adjusters though.

[Terry Hatfield]

John,

Incredible!!!!!!! You are the man. I can't wait to see the rest.

t

[Mike Keating]

John,

Nice job so far on the plane. Which issue of shop notes did that plan appear in? Also is that a kit or a plan?

Keep up the great work.

Mike

[John Dingman]

Which issue of shop notes did that plan appear in? Also is that a kit or a plan?Mike, it's a plan from the current issue, Volume 14, Issue 79, of Shop Notes Magazine. You can download the plans (PDF) from their web site: www.ShopNotes.com (http://www.shopnotes.com /)

Thanks,
John

[Peter Gavin]

Am I blind? I can not find where at the web site referenced that plans for a shop built plane are even mentioned.

Peter Gavin

[John Dingman]

Am I blind? I can not find where at the web site referenced that plans for a shop built plane are even mentioned.Pete, look here: http://www.shopnotes.com/main/onlineextras.html

The plans for the full size plane: http://www.shopnotes.com/main/pdf/79-BrassPlanePatterns.pdf

The plans for the Block Plane: http://www.shopnotes.com/main/pdf/79-BlockPlane.pdf

Hope that helps,
John

[Tom LaRussa]

Now a question......What blade and chip breaker would you guys put in that plane if you were making it?

John,

This is JMHO, but I think it'd be a shame to go to all the trouble of making the plane and then buy a blade and chip breaker for it. (Of course, personally, I don't believe in chip breakers, but that's another conversation entirely.)

Anyhoo, I say make the blade like you made the plane.

That way it's all yours.

[John Dingman]

John, This is JMHO, but I think it'd be a shame to go to all the trouble of making the plane and then buy a blade and chip breaker for it. (Of course, personally, I don't believe in chip breakers, but that's another conversation entirely.) Anyhoo, I say make the blade like you made the plane. That way it's all yours.Tom, I have been tossing that idea around in my head. Do you know of a resource for the steel to make a good blade for it?

Thanks,
John

[Leif Hanson]

Tom, I have been tossing that idea around in my head. Do you know of a resource for the steel to make a good blade for it?

Thanks,
John
McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/) sells O1 tool steel - look up page number 3394 in their online catalog, or item #9516K87 as an example.

[Gary Bingham]

There's also:

http://www.flatground.com/catalog/
toolanddie.com (http://www.toolanddie.com/~smgr2/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=INCLUDE&Store_Code=T&Script=pages/gfsdr.mv)

I've never ordered from either before, but I'll probably order from toolanddie next time just because they're cheaper. I think I first saw flatground.com from one of Tom's posts, so I'm sure he can comment on them.

[Tom LaRussa]

Tom, I have been tossing that idea around in my head. Do you know of a resource for the steel to make a good blade for it?

Thanks,
John
Same as Gary mentioned.

I've ordered from Flatground.com twice now, and am happy with the results, but I will also most likely place my next order with toolanddie.com, as their prices are even better.

If you need info on heat treatment just let me know.

:)