Tote Wood Orientation

[Leigh Betsch]

I'm making a couple of plane totes out of some curly walnut that I have left over from another project. I'm wondering what the best way would be to orient the grain direction. So what do you guys think. Best grain orientation in pic 1 or pic 2? Or forget it find a new hunk of wood?

[Doug Bowman]

I'm making a couple of plane totes out of some curly walnut that I have left over from another project. I'm wondering what the best way would be to orient the grain direction. So what do you guys think. Best grain orientation in pic 1 or pic 2? Or forget it find a new hunk of wood?

Pic 1 except rotate about 30 degrees CCW

[David Weaver]

This is a tote that will or will not have a metal rod in it?

If it's rod reinforced, I'd flip the tote over on #1 because the grain in that direction is ready-made to give you long grain along the top rear of the tote.

[Leigh Betsch]

No rod, just using this tote as an example. Just put my bandsaw blade on, gotta make a decision!

[David Weaver]

i think i'd use something flatsawn for a tote that won't have a rod to reinforce it, assuming that it is not a closed tote.

[Leigh Betsch]

Flat sawed ya say, ok I have some cherry that should work just fine.

[Bill White]

I'd vote for grain runnin' the length of the tote. Just for strength ya know.
Bill

[Leigh Betsch]

Ok a few more options, 1, 2, 3 or something else? (wish I could post pics frome my smart phone, coming into the house is wearing me out!)

[Jim Matthews]

I'm making a couple of plane totes out of some curly walnut that I have left over from another project. I'm wondering what the best way would be to orient the grain direction. So what do you guys think. Best grain orientation in pic 1 or pic 2? Or forget it find a new hunk of wood?

When I replace my axe handles (I still dunno why they keep breaking...) I try to get grain that runs perpendicular to the forces exerted (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/publications/fs_publications/99232823/page10.cfm).
I can't say why, but I would go with the walnut billet shown in photo 2, not the cherry shown later in this thread.

The weak spot for most failed totes I've seen is around the base. I doubt having the upper horn cut across grain will make it weak.
Does this attach with a single bolt? (Less holes, fewer fracture points at the base.)

Besides, I like walnut. Admittedly, if you're using one of these as an axe, you have larger problems.

jim
wpt, ma
(where the geese, ain't)

[David Weaver]

I just looked at my only open tote wooden plane, and it's oriented rift or quartered. I've felt that tote springing in a heavy cut (it's a jack plane) and I don't like that feeling. I'd probably try for something flatsawn that was tending toward rift so that the sides would still be interesting, but it would be stronger than a quartered tote.

There's probably some luck involved with my tote still being unbroken, i'm pretty sure if I wasnt' paying attention and drifted my hand to the top of the tote in a heavy cut, I could snap it.

[Pat Barry]

I know nothing about making a tote but the grain direction in photo 1 is the strongest for the type of forces the tote will need to withstand IMO.

[Leigh Betsch]

PAt, Photo 1 of the walnut or the cherry?

[David Weaver]

#2 in cherry will make the strongest. #1 would probably result in a busted toe on a bench type plane, and maybe on a woody.

[Leigh Betsch]

Yeah I kinda figured #2 and #3 would be the way to go in cherry. I didn't get to band sawing out the cherry yet, but cut out a couple walnut to see how they would look. I'll get to the cherry tomorrow night I think. Figure I'll have a few extra totes hanging around for a while.

[Pat Barry]

I was thinking #1 in the cherry. You might shift it an inch to the right to catch a uniform grain pattern. # 2 in cherry would be my 2nd choice.

[Leigh Betsch]

Thanks for the input fellas. I knocked out a couple cherry like #2 and #3, a walnut like #2 rotated 30*, then a few more just for good measure (ok some electrons were involved in this tote frenzy). But the more I think about it I think I'll make a closed tote. The plane I'm making has a 2 1/4" blade and I think this large of blade needs a stronger tote. Seems to me I'm only one knot away from a broken tote even with the best grain direction. But this will have to wait until next week. The weather is getting to nice here, got some motorbiking to do the rest of the week!