Pimping my Dovetail Plane

[Derek Cohen]

Several years ago I built a dovetail plane that shaped the male section of a sliding dovetail ...


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ArmoireProject1_html_252ed74a.jpg


Based on a derelict skew rebate plane, it wasn't much of a looker, but it got the job done.


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/Evolving%20a%20Dovetail%20Plane_html_m25f1a6b4.jpg


The build pictorial is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/Evolving%20a%20Dovetail%20Plane.html


About 18 months ago I bought a HNT Gordon dado plane, which is a superb performer and stunning looking plane. I was inspired to build another dovetail plane, this time one that planed the female/matching joint. I styled it to match the dado plane (on the right) ...


http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/PlaningTheSlidingDovetail_html_m1e10a6ef.jpg


Used together, they make a great team ..
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/PlaningTheSlidingDovetail_html_33ac90ce.jpg


Build details are here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/PlaningTheSlidingDovetail.html


Now, in a couple of weeks I shall join Terry Gordon (HNT Gordon Planes), Colen Clenton and Chris Vesper (tool makers extrordinaire) at the LN Perth Tool Event, where I will be demonstrating making joints with hand tools. I decided that one of the joints I shall make will be the sliding dovetail. In addition to saw-and-chisel, I plan to use the dovetail planes.


That's when I looked at the dovetail plane and thought that it could do with a face lift. Well, a face lift that improved its functionality as well.


Targeted was the depth stop and the fence. In the original versions they required a hex key to adjust the bolts. This is a limitation - much better to be able to do so without a special tool.


The stained and tired beech body was stained Jarrah to match the other planes, and a bit of bling was added with brass. This is how it turned out ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D8_zps4ddcaba7.jpg


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D1_zpse204476b.jpg


Behind the depth stop is the nicker ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D3_zpsf3bd764b.jpg


The one-piece Jarrah fence has a brass face. This was very difficult to photograph and obtain an informative perspective ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D4_zps7e8c3455.jpg


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D7_zps5fe8115b.jpg


Here is the family shot ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Dovetail%20plane/D5_zps462807ed.jpg


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks for your write up Derek! I'm very curious for more details on how you created the the female plane, which I assume is a very specialized side rabbet.

[Jim Koepke]

I was also thinking side rabbet but the link shows more of an angled dado plane.

Nice work, as usual, Derek.

jtk

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Derek - the touch ups to that plane are nice looking!

Brian -

Since I think it's past Derek's bedtime if I'm doing the mental calculation on time zones correctly, I'll drop a quick link - he did show some more details of that plane for the female part on his site here:

http://inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/PlaningTheSlidingDovetail.html

Always neat stuff on Derek's site. I feel like I remember seeing more construction details about that plane posted here, but maybe I was mistaken.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Joshua. That in combination with the site that Derek links to as well is very helpful. Are there any makers for the female dovetail plane? At the moment I have plans to simply use a router, but I'd like to go full neander on this joint.

[Jim Koepke]

I think Junior Strasil once showed a custom fence he made for a Stanley 79 to cut the sides of the female dovetail.

jtk

[Dave Proper]

Derek,
Great looking and functioning planes! I am in the middle of refinishing two hand saw handles which are beech and I am finding the natural color just too light for my taste. That rich dark reddish brown color of Jarrah would be a nice complement to the bright nickel saw nuts and refinished saw plate. What did you use to obtain the Jarrah color or do you actually have a product Down Under that is sold as Jarrah stain?
Thanks!
Dave

[Brian Holcombe]

I may end up doing that for the Lie Nielsen side rabbets, which are something I wouldn't mind having in either case.