Side escapement planes

[Eugenio Musto]

In order to make some hollow and round planes i think to buy the book Making traditional wooden planes from John Whelan and the DVD Making side escapment planes from Lie Nielsen.I don't know English very well(i'm italian) so anyone know if there are subtitles in the dvd?
Thanks for your answers!

[David Weaver]

I don't know off the top of my head if there are, but if there aren't, I think the DVD will still be extremely helpful and very clear since Larry basically builds a pair of them through the DVD instead of just talking about them.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I just popped my DVD in the laptop. No subtitles/close captioning as far as I can tell. But I would agree with David's opinion, even if you don't catch it all, watching him build it is an excellent aid.

[David Weaver]

There are also drawings included with the DVD as well as a table of numbers for grip width, iron size, etc. I think at one point those may have even been on the C&W website. I don't know if anything changed as it went to old street tool.

[Larry Williams]

David,

Those dimensions and proportions are the result of a lot of years of studying old planes and refining things so that a set looks like a set. You can take a #18 and put it next to a #1, or any other combination, and they look like they belong together. Yet in use, each plane seems ideally balanced and proportioned for the work it does. That didn't just happen. We spent thousands of hours and thousands of dollars developing and refining every detail. Each and every dimension and detail has been painstakingly studied, discussed and we've experimented with all kinds of variations. I know no one really appreciates or understands what's in that table because it's casually added as kind of a freebie. My wife thinks I'm insane to freely hand out that information when I didn't really need to. For a minute I thought she might shoot me or divorce me when she first learned I'd included that in the DVD.

It's really unlikely there will be any significant changes, though there is a minor one we sometimes talk about.

[David Weaver]

Larry - I can't do anything to make your wife feel any better, but I know from building a couple of infills and having nothing but pictures to go by, and some drawings that weren't that good, that guessing at dimensions and proportions was something I really *did not like* at all, not with no experience.

Having those dimensions to make a nice set of planes is just about priceless for a beginner. I know they can be a lot different than what you've put down, most of my planes are newer than your favorite era, and the dimensions are obviously different. However, I much appreciate having the classic dimensions to make my own, so that I can make better planes (and more attractive) than I can buy.

I haven't built a whole set yet, but I will, and I will eventually ditch my "store bought" harlequin set. The profiles do not match correctly on them, etc, and I have not rehabbed more of them than I needed to use, and that has not been many. I was so pleased with how my first built set worked that I wish I hadn't bought anything but a few old very narrow rounds just for the detail below the grip on the planes.

I could probably build the whole set of planes in less time than it would take for me to piece together a better harlequin set, it just makes sense to buy the DVD, get the information and make good planes and stop wasting time refurbishing junky planes with rusted irons.

[David Weaver]

By the way, let me guess what the minor change is that you're referring to:

Old street tool is going to replace all the irons in their planes with powder metal high speed steel irons?

haha :)

[Eugenio Musto]

If i have understood correctly, there are also a plan with the measures of the plane that comes with the dvd?

[David Weaver]

Eugenio - yes, that is correct.

[Eugenio Musto]

Thanks for the answer!

[john brenton]

Eugenio,

I would skip out on Whelan's book, unless you have very little knowledge about wood planes. I think buying a side escapement plane would give you way more information than Whelan's book.

I bought the book, and I was pretty disappointed. You'd do much better trying to make your own, and then consulting the forum here when you run into any snags or are not satisfied with the end result. Save your money for the timber!


Thanks for the answer!

[Eugenio Musto]

Eugenio,

I would skip out on Whelan's book, unless you have very little knowledge about wood planes. I think buying a side escapement plane would give you way more information than Whelan's book.

I bought the book, and I was pretty disappointed. You'd do much better trying to make your own, and then consulting the forum here when you run into any snags or are not satisfied with the end result. Save your money for the timber!

Thanks John.
After reading the thread i think I will buy only the DVD from Lie Nielsen and an old hollow or round plane(as you suggest).

[Martin Glista]

Please allow me to put in a good word for the Whelan book. I think the pictures (few), drawings (many) and text are great for the left brain people who want to understand and make wooden planes. His writing is very clear and I especially appreciate his thoughtful presentation of the order in which the work proceeds. He also covers bench planes, plows and odds such as spill planes beside side escapement wooden planes.

I have not viewed the DVD. Does that take a device with a tail to peruse? The Whelan book can be read by candle light ;-0

[Harlan Barnhart]

Eugenio, don't forget post pictures here of your first plane. There is a wealth of historical information represented in membership of this forum. Far more than any book or CD. Usually all you need to do is ask.

Peace,
Harlan