Rear plane handle? Broke two this week. Alternatives?

[Larry Edgerton]

I broke two rear handles on planes this week and made a couple out of some wood to get me by but would like something stronger than just wood. Are any of you making them out of anything else?

Years ago I was around a pattern shop and they used a material that was laminated called something like Handi-plank, but have not been able to find it. My Unitronix shaper has fences made out of a similar material, very heavy resin content laminated material that is stable and extremely strong. I would also like to find it for that purpose.

I broke the one on my jointing plane shaking some shavings out, and the low angle jack broke when it hit a knot. I use the back handle heavier than I should because my shoulder on the fore handle arm is shot and not much help. I thought about some sort of plastic but don't think I would like the feel.

Suggestions?

Thanks, Larry

[Judson Green]

I've a 4 with a aluminum handle. You might be able to find them on Ebay. I think Stanley made em for trade school.

[steven c newman]

Check and see IF nhplaneparts has a few of the aluminum ones, he might even have one for a #5, too.

[Shawn Pixley]

Larry,

I have a couple of plastic handles from plane shaped objects that were given to me you can have. But I don't think you'd like them.

I'd recommend making new handles from tougher wood (i.e.. Cocobolo, Hickory, Jarrah, Afromosia).

Frankly, I'm impressed that you could break one while planing.

[Terry Beadle]

If you make your own replacement handle out of wood, I assume you are aware of the need to get the grain of the wood in the strongest direction.
Apple wood has a twisty grain and will make a very strong handle.

Also you might consider drilling an additional hole for a piece of drill rod. That would just about guarantee a non-breakable handle tote.

A really strong tote can be made by using some 1/4 in plate with a 1/2 inch bolt welded to it at the appropriate angle. Then encase the bolt with some suitable
wood. If you break that, you'll have to change your name to Superman.... hoot!

[mike holden]

Years ago I was around a pattern shop and they used a material that was laminated called something like Handi-plank, but have not been able to find it. My Unitronix shaper has fences made out of a similar material, very heavy resin content laminated material that is stable and extremely strong. I would also like to find it for that purpose.

Larry, Sounds like you are thinking of a product called "ren-plank" which was a plastic wood substitute. The laminated material was likely mahogany, 1/8 inch plies with the grain all running the same way unlike plywood. Both are still available from pattern supply houses, but most do not sell to the public. Find a model shop near you and ask if you can get a few scraps as that is all you will need for plane tote.

However, I do not think you will find either a good substitute for a wooden tote. Try a piece of corian, there are dovetail saw handles made of it, and they seem to work fine.
Mike

[lowell holmes]

If your low angle jack is a LN or Veritas, I would contact the them and see what they can do for you. Either is only a phone call away.

[Bill White]

Check out replacement totes from Highland Woodworking. They're wood, but they are very nice. Betcha won't break 'em.
Bill

[Larry Edgerton]

Thanks, I made a couple out of walnut that was in my cool scrap box, made a kerf almost to the middle on front and back and filled with Maple in the opposing direction. Just have to drill and final shape.

Mike, I think it was Ren-Plank. My ex inlaws own Al-Craft industries in Troy. Sheet metal prototypes. They had a pattern shop back then [20 years ago] but I have not been around it for a while. Thanks for the heads up. There are no prototype/pattern shops up here but I will find some..........Thanks.

[ian maybury]

A fabric reinforced phenolic material like the Tufnol we get over here might be a very good choice: http://www.tufnol.com/materials-full/fabric_laminates.aspx

It's not expensive, and machines easily on e.g. a router table, drill press or a table saw. Chances are it would finish up nicely too - but that might depend to quite a degree on the grade used so bech to get some advice from the maker. Some have pretty coarse reinforcing fabrics. Even if the material itself wouldn't polish a coat of epoxy resin or polyurethane varnish would likely sort it out.

These guys seem to be getting some nice results using it (a different brand) for knife handles:

http://www.jayfisher.com/Handles_Knife_Manmade_Materials.htm#Micarta_Phenol ic

[george wilson]

A question might be why are you breaking handles? Do you need to change your technique?

[Maurice Ungaro]

A question might be why are you breaking handles? Do you need to change your technique?
Exactly! George beat me to the punch, and it should have been the first response to the OP.

[lowell holmes]

I can't comprehend putting that much force on the handle. How thick are the shavings you are producing? Are you planing against the grain?

You could reinforce the handle by drilling the hole to a larger diameter and inserting a metal tube in the hole.

[Brian Holcombe]

Check to see if the screws in the handle have come loose.

[Eric Brown]

Lee Valley and Blue Spruce both use a plastic impregnated wood. Lee Valley on some of their bevel squares and Blue Spruce on their chisel handles. You might contact them and get a source. Its very strong and it feels good in the hand. Good luck.

[Andy J Smith]

Exactly! George beat me to the punch, and it should have been the first response to the OP.

I thought I read a post a few years back surmising that most broken handles were either due to neglect or being dropped. Obviously not the case here, but I'm wondering if your planes need a bit of tuning?

http://youtu.be/n8FLlixyWFI

[Lon Crosby]

You can make your own Tufnol by epoxy laminating layers fromold blue jeans. Blacksmiths (i.e., knifemakers) frequently use “homemade” onknife handles. Saturate each layer and clamp between two pieces of wood covered with waxed paper.

[Jeff Heath]

A question might be why are you breaking handles? Do you need to change your technique?

Thank you, George.

Perhaps the grain on the handles was oriented incorrectly.....only thing I can think of.

I guess you can make handles out of tougher wood with interlocking grain......I can think of 20 species off the top of my head in 10 seconds that would work. Locust, Osage Orange, Hickory, elm, apple, hornbeam, persimmon, ironwood, just to name a few.....I couldn't break a tote made from these if I tried.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Don't forget Live Oak...most tenacious grain I've worked.

[John Sanford]

A question might be why are you breaking handles? Do you need to change your technique?

George, he provided all the info in his OP. Due to a problem with his off shoulder, he puts much, much more force on the rear tote than those of us without bum shoulders would do. He may or may not be able to change his technique.

To the OP's question:

As far as a material goes, the various phenolics used for knife scales may do the trick for you. Not sure if you can find it from a knife craft supplier in blanks that are thick enough, or if it can be glued up, but it may be worth investigating.

[lowell holmes]

Patrick Leach has two aluminum totes in his January letter. They are item ST58

[Frank Drew]

I don't think a metal handle would be as pleasant to hold; I vote for making a replacement with one of the really tough, difficult to split timbers already mentioned -- apple, elm, etc.

[Brian Holcombe]

I agree with Frank.

Quite honestly I would have a look at the blade/settings. I've cut some pretty hellish woods with my jack plane and jointer without trouble that would cause me to break the tote. That must play hell on your carpal tunnel as well.

The knob doesnt assist in the work much, I mainly use it to locate the front of the plane flat on the board.


also, Wax......where was I before wax but in the purgatory of sticky plane soles.

[Richard Hutchings]

And that is something I haven't started using yet. What kind of wax is preferred? I guess this is a thread hijack but, aren't you concerned with wax left behind at finish time?

[Tom Vanzant]

I use candle stubs or paraffin. Just a "squiggle" works wonders.

[lowell holmes]

I wouldn't want aluminum totes, but they should be unbreakable. They could be used until a permanent solution appeared.

I still think you could line the hole through the tote with a metal tube and reinforce it against breakage. 1/4" pipe is .54" o.d. X .364" i.d.
It would be easy to drill a 9/16" hole through the tote and insert the pipe in the hole bedded in epoxy. The hole in a tote I have here is 1/4" diameter.
I truly think that would stop the tote from breaking.

I still cannot imagine breaking a tote from excessive force. What kind of surface do you end up with?

[Jim Koepke]

aren't you concerned with wax left behind at finish time?

Once you start using a squiggle of wax on a plane, you will see that it doesn't get left behind.

Of course, if you dip your plane in a pool of melted wax, then it might leave a bit behind. :eek:

jtk

[Larry Edgerton]

Relax guys, I've had both planes for about 25 years and they were antiques when I bought them. Its just coincidence that they broke in one week or maybe that I do not have humidity control in my new shop yet. I just wanted to make a better tote. Like I said, one broke when I was shaking the shavings out before I put it back on the wall. The other one was set for a good shaving, but nothing I have not done a 1000 times. These are tools I make a living with.

Stuff happens.

I was more interested in a better material because I have a lot of planes that I bought with broken handles that I need to work on. If they had had the materials that we have available back in the day they would have used them. As far as technique, I'm too old to change.;)

[Larry Edgerton]

Ian

That is a good looking product that could be incorporated into a lot of projects where wood is just not strong enough. Jigs too.... There was an interesting fact in one of their links that said that a ton of iron is lost in GB to corrosion every 90 seconds. Never would have thought about that.

I'll poke around and see if there is a dealer on this side of the pond.

Thanks, Larry

[ken seale]

I'll poke around and see if there is a dealer on this side of the pond.



You might look up "nicobie" on ebay. He sells ones of Caribbean rosewood that is a tough and heavy wood. He does a nice job.

[Judson Green]

I don't think a metal handle would be as pleasant to hold; I vote for making a replacement with one of the really tough, difficult to split timbers already mentioned -- apple, elm, etc.

The plane that has a aluminum handle is a 604 and I don't use it enough say one way or another, but the little I have it hasn't bothered me.

[Larry Edgerton]

You might look up "nicobie" on ebay. He sells ones of Caribbean rosewood that is a tough and heavy wood. He does a nice job.

Those are nice. I need to make about ten though to resurrect some of these old planes, so I made a router jig to cut out the basic shape and can whip them at at will now. I found some of that laminated mahogany material and will make a couple out of that for the planes I am hard on. I may try some apple as well, I think I have some in the barn. I have a little time between jobs so maybe I can catch up on some of this kind of maintenance.

Thanks, Larry

[Winton Applegate]

Larry,

Wood working might not be what you are suited for.
Try these handles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_D10). :)

[Larry Edgerton]

Larry,

Wood working might not be what you are suited for.
Try these handles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_D10). :)

Ya, thats the kind of post that is why I usually do not post here.......

[george wilson]

3,286 posts. Try posting elsewhere. It will be worse.:)

You'll have to forgive Winton. He's trying to be one of 300,234 unemployed comedians!!!:):):) But,he means no harm.

I'd recommend linen based micarta. It will never break,and if it ever did,the linen would not allow a clean snap. Knife makers like it for handle material. Originally made as an electrical insulator. It really is bakelite impregnated with linen layers. Micarta is just a brand name. They make paper stacked micarta too,buy I would recommend the linen.

[Larry Edgerton]

Thanks George. I'll check that out.

Actually just out of high school I ran heavy equipment. The Cat salesman in San Antonio became a good friend of mine and I got a chance to run a new D10. Amazing tool! It takes no less finesse to run a dozer than it does to work a chisel.

[Brian Holcombe]

And that is something I haven't started using yet. What kind of wax is preferred? I guess this is a thread hijack but, aren't you concerned with wax left behind at finish time?

I use beeswax, it has not been a problem.

[Brian Holcombe]

This sub forum has personality :cool:

[bridger berdel]

Last year I set up jigs and made a run of 25 or so.


https://bridgerberdel.wordpress.com/2014/09/05/bench-plane-totes-in-figured-walnut/

[Winton Applegate]

I tried to find the original Guy Clark singing this but no luck (sorry Mr. Cash but Guy is the man with this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPAiwyHZbFI)).


It takes no less finesse to run a dozer than it does to work a chisel.
I do not doubt that one bit.


unemployed comedians
You mean people get paid for entertaining them selves this way ? !
S W E E T !

Seriously though the wood handles are actually the equivalent of a shear pin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shear_pin); carefully calculated by the manufacture to fail before the metal casting or other critical parts.
To over ride this fail safe is to put your self and possibly your entire neighbor hood at risk.
I would encourage you to reconsider.

[Steve Voigt]

George, he provided all the info in his OP. Due to a problem with his off shoulder, he puts much, much more force on the rear tote than those of us without bum shoulders would do. He may or may not be able to change his technique.



Actually, that is kind of an odd explanation. The technique I have always used, and understood to be proper, is to apply 100% of the forward force with the back hand. The front hand is used only to steer and provide down force, and not much down force is needed. If you use a traditional toted wood plane, there is no front knob, so it's not really even possible to push with your front hand.

I think a sharp blade and an appropriate depth of cut will prevent any broken handles.

[Steve Voigt]

Seriously though the wood handles are actually the equivalent of a shear pin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shear_pin); carefully calculated by the manufacture to fail before the metal casting or other critical parts.
To over ride this fail safe is to put your self and possibly your entire neighbor hood at risk.
I would encourage you to reconsider.

I think you might be giving the manufacturer too much credit here. The Stanley handles are very similar in shape, size, and grain orientation to typical 19th century woodie totes. The big difference is that the Stanley has a big ol hole drilled through it, so it is weaker and more likely to snap. I'm with you on reconsidering, though.

I also think that when we find old planes with broken handles, or with hairline cracks, it's because previous owners didn't know how to sharpen, and simply pushed the plane until something broke.

[Winton Applegate]

Steve,

giving the manufacturer too much credit here.

Perhaps I applied the term "seriously" with too big a ladle.
I apologize for that.

[Steve Voigt]

Steve,


Perhaps I applied the term "seriously" with too big a ladle.
I apologize for that.

No need to apologize. And I really enjoyed the mental image of "putting the whole neighborhood at risk" with a metal handle! :p

[Chris Hachet]

No need to apologize. And I really enjoyed the mental image of "putting the whole neighborhood at risk" with a metal handle! :p


There are a few of us here who can put the neighborhood at risk due to inherent psychological malfunctions....

[george wilson]

One nut job on another forum REALLY puts his neighborhood at risk. I see no need for an older man like him to do stupid "science experiments"(as he calls them) that have already been done many times,and don't need to be re-proved.

One thing this guy did was set off his Tesla coil in his garage(I think it was a tesla coil). This would set off all the car alarms in the neighborhood for blocks around. He purposely set those alarms off. He did a bunch of other things I can't recall,which also disturbed the neighborhood.

One thing this idiot would do was carry BB's in his pocket. Whenever he saw a car that was not parked to his satisfaction,he'd unscrew the caps on the tires' air valves,put a bb under each one,and screw the caps back on. This caused the air to leak out of all the tires.

Then the idiot posted his exploits on a forum I go to. It's a wonder something bad hasn't happened to him yet!! Really a mental case for sure! One of these days I hope he ends up in jail.

[Winton Applegate]

Yah fiddling with some body's car (letting air out of tires) in this day and age is pretty much like playing Russian roulette.

Tesla coil !
Cool !
It is sad and sorry how few people I talk to have no idea who Tesla is.

But then a young lady coworker, who gave me a quick leson about the limited life of toe shoes due to the rapid break down of the glue in the front of the shoe, . . . well Q and I had the night before watched An American in Paris (my first viewing I believe) . . . I thought I would be freindly and talk with her about dance but she had never heard of Gene Kelly let alone the movie. It had the longest continual scene I had ever watched with toe shoe dancers outside of ballet.
Well so much for that . . .

Yah he shouldn't use it to set off or other wise damage others devices.