Question about shop built infill plane

[Mike Allen1010]

I'm looking for a little help and guidance to complete a shop built, infill plane.

The body of the plane and the lever Cap are cast metal (I think bronze?– it has that color and density but I know zero about metalworking).

How should I attached the lever Cap pivot point to the plane body? I'm thinking I could drill a hole completely through the lever cap and through the corresponding sides of the plane body and insert a metal rod. I was also wondering if maybe I should use stainless steel screws that pass through the size of the plane body and thread into the bronze? I'm not even sure if that latter option is possible, but thought I may have seen a similar approach somewhere.

Secondly, the bed angle is 47 1/2°, I have a Hock plane iron. Do I use a chip breaker/Iron or just go with the blade alone? I will fit the blade to achieve a very tight mouth opening. I think I've seen some of the high-end infill planes with just the blade and no Iron?

Finally,in attaching the lever cap, how close to the cutting edge/mouth opening should I position the bottom edge of the lever cap? I have an old Norris plane and the bottom edge of the lever cap is about 3/4" from the cutting edge/mouth opening so I don't think I can go too far wrong with that but appreciate any feedback and suggestions!

If I succeed in ending up with an actual working tool, versus a "plane shaped object" I'll post some pictures.

All the best, Mike

[David Weaver]

Hi Mike - I've built them the way you're building them - shop made. There are three options for the cap iron, keeping in mind you want the cap iron to be as accurate as possible because any inaccuracy in fitting the cap iron to the sides will result in filing or lapping the leading edge until it has a good fit on the back of the iron (or cap iron if you go with a double iron).

Option 1:
* use a retaining pin that spans the infill and a groove in the lever cap like some of the (can't remember the name of the maker) NZ infills that are bevel up use. in doing that by hand, you won't get a perfect looking groove, but it will all work as long as the cap iron is fitted well at the leading edge, though that's the case for anything.

Option 2:
* put a pin all the way through the cap iron and fit it into the sides of the plane (either with screws or just holes). I think this is the most ambitious, and it allows you no options in the future to take the lever cap out of the plane to tune it. It's also filled with ways you could have a bad fit.

Option 3:
Purchase screws that can be threaded into a threaded hole in each side of the lever cap and precisely drill the sides of the plane for the diameter of the screw heads (as precisely as possible). See a plane that ron brese makes. this has a tidy look that's better than option 1, but it still gives you the ability to take the cap iron out of the plane and put it back in.

As far as the iron goes, I would worry less about the fineness of the mouth and use a double iron at 47 1/2 degrees. You can file the mouth of a smoother to four thousandths or so and have a decent plane, but it will be functionally inferior to a plane of the same size with a wider mouth and a cap iron.

I have made both single (at 55 degrees) and double iron infills (at 45-47 degrees, somewhere in that range). I prefer the double iron infills, they are far more versatile and will plane everything the single iron steeper planes do with ease. BUT, if you're a fan of single iron planes and don't like playing with cap irons, then you might fare better leaving it as is and adding a tiny back bevel when you decide to.

That said, if you use a double iron, make sure you file the back of the mouth at the top to allow room for the cap iron and do it before you have a final infill in the plane, or you won't have access to do it.

Distance to the end of the iron depends on the thickness of the iron. If you have a 3/16" iron, 3/4" is fine. If you have a handplane replacement iron (for a stanley bench plane), you should use a chipbreaker just because the thickness won't be up to matching the quality of your plane if it's used as a single iron, plus presumably it would have a slot and that won't be good without peining something into the slot.

[Leigh Betsch]

Here is how I like to make them. Kinda hard to see but I drill thru the cheeks (actually bore for accuracy), mill a groove in the brass cap iron to pivot around. The cap iron comes out easily to fit to the iron.