A brass miter plane I made long ago

[george wilson]

This is another of my bad photos. I'm just getting started with the new slide scanner. These slides were taken with 400 speed film by me when I was an even worse photographer than I am not.

I'm not sure how I feel about the round bun I put on this plane, and the round front end of the body, which I made early on in my interest in tool making,and LONG before I became the toolmaker in Wmsbg. I don't recall seeing this type bun or body style on another miter plane,but it and the large rosewood wedge did make this a comfortable plane to use.

If you look closely,there is a thick brass edge around the rim of the bun. In the center is a screw that holds the bun on,surrounded by a brass sleeve with my name stamped around it.

It is stuffed with rosewood,and I left the tempering color on the 01 steel blade. This is the only picture that I THINK I have,but I have hundreds of slides to go through,so,who knows?

This,and many of the slides I'll be posting are over 30 years old,so I've forgotten what all I may find.

[Bill White]

Well George, a bad photo and an old plane design qualifies you to send me the plane and all associated photos so I can include it in my "attempt to make good tools" files.
Note to self:
People would kill to have that plane.
Bill

[george wilson]

The plane was sold not long after it was made. I had a lot of trouble with collectors seeing tools I had made n my workbench,and begging them off me.

[Trevor Walsh]

I wish I could have that problem... What do you think contributed to that, aside from the caliber of your work? Was is exposure, did they know, or frequent where you were working?

[george wilson]

We had up to 3000 people a day through the shop. When the EAIA was in town,they always wanted tools,too. I ran into all kinds of collectors,some of which I ended up making many tools for.

[Jim Koepke]

As always George, beautiful work.

jtk

[Chris Griggs]

That' sweet George. You should write a tool making book. As always, thank for sharing you work.

[Steve Branam]

You should write a tool making book.

Yeah, what he said! There are already a number of books about how to bash out something simple in the backyard forge, but nothing I've seen covers the kind of fine work you do, George.

[Zach Dillinger]

That' sweet George. You should write a tool making book. As always, thank for sharing you work.

George, I'd buy that book. One copy for me, and a dozen more to give away to friends...

[george wilson]

Thanks,guy. Now that I have the ability to scan my slides into the computer,no telling what forgotten things I may uncover and be able to post.

[Trevor Walsh]

I'd be willing to bet dozens of people just pulled up chairs for this event. We will probably crash SMC refreshing to see if George has posted something new yet.

[george wilson]

Thank you,glad you are enjoying the postings. There are many slides that I have yet to scan,some containing my best work. I can't do much getting out in the shop right now due to my knee,so I am scanning slides,remembering some work that I had entirely forgotten about,and posting things for general consumption. I hope the pictures will inspire others to get going and make things.

I also wish others would post their own work more often. It makes SMC much more interesting,seeing pictures.

[Chris Griggs]

I also wish others would post their own work more often. It makes SMC much more interesting,seeing pictures.

Indeed! I learn so much from other peoples work and if nothing else find it interesting. George's work is above what most of us will ever do, so don't be sheepish if your not an expert folks. Most of us are figuring this stuff out as we go. I really wish more people would post pictures of their projects and shop made tools here. Yes I realize there is a projects forum, but I think its fitting to post neander (or mostly neander) projects here since building by hand has its own unique set of challenges and techniques.

[george wilson]

We all just learn as we go along,don't we,Chris? I didn't make pictures of my mistakes!!:)

A man recently sent me pictures of a guitar I made in 1965,when I was just getting into making steel string jumbo guitars. I thought it looked like a mistake!! I had been building classical and flamenco guitars pretty much exclusively in the years before that. I had them down reasonably well by that time.

[Trevor Walsh]

Do you off hand know what you tempered the pair of scissors to? I would think something in the spring temper range would do fine for them? I'd love to make a pair or several of small scissors some time.

[george wilson]

I personally would not advise using A2 for scissors. I did,but I have much experience in tempering metal. I used it because it will stay sharp a lot longer than ordinary W1 or 01. However,for safety's sake,I'd advise you to use 01. It is too bad to go to the trouble to make a pair of scissors,and have a blade go PING!!