Refurbished French Smoothing Plane.

[Stewie Simpson]

Maker; PEUGEOT FRERES ;
stock length 7 1/2" ;
Cormier Wood ;
Bed angle 50 * + 10* backbevel = (60* approach angle)
BD Single Iron, 1 3/8"

Bed Reworked.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0080_zpsgwpg5qwf.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0080_zpsgwpg5qwf.jpg.html)

Wedge abutments reworked.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0081_zpsdsdmqvkk.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0081_zpsdsdmqvkk.jpg.html)

Sole reworked.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0082_zpsp35r3fsm.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0082_zpsp35r3fsm.jpg.html)


Iron was resharpened and finely set, before being tested out on 2 types of tear-out prone Aussie Hardwoods.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0083_zps0c6ze5uu.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0083_zps0c6ze5uu.jpg.html)

No attempt was made to close up the existing mouth opening.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0084_zpsdyilxwtq.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0084_zpsdyilxwtq.jpg.html)

Single Iron at Cabinet Pitch (60*) works extremely well at eliminating tear-out during final surface prep. If your struggling to control tear out with a single iron bedded at York Pitch (50*) you may wish to experiment with adding a back bevel to further increase the effective approach angle to a higher range of Middle Pitch (55*) to Cabinet Pitch (60*).

Stewie;

[Phil Mueller]

Another well done restoration with great results. Appreciate the back bevel advice...will need to give that a try. Thanks for sharing!

[Kees Heiden]

Nice work Stewie. How do you like the squarish shape of the plane in your hands? They always look kind of uncomfortable to me.

[Stewie Simpson]

Nice work Stewie. How do you like the squarish shape of the plane in your hands? They always look kind of uncomfortable to me.

Kees; the squarish shape of the stock feels fine in my hands. I have been working on trying to tie down a manufacture date, but its not being easy given the limited markings available. Attached is some further information I posted on the Aussie forum.

regards Stewie;

The original bed angle was 50*. That was not compromised. The plane is a dedicated Smoothing Plane, and will continue to serve that role. The only modification I have included was to apply a 10* back bevel to the flat side of the cutting edge. The date of manufacture is difficult to be precise on. I have just come across a 1938 copy of a PEUGEOT FRERES Catalogue. Model No. 1548 looks like the same plane, but the version illustrated within the Catalogue is shown with a double iron. The plane I have is fitted with a single parallel iron. I am having some difficulty finding out if this the model no. was also supplied in single iron format. The Catalogue (attached below) is written in French. That does complicate further identification. The only identification marks I have to work on are; No. 36 stamped on the front end grain of the planes body, and ACIER FONDU ("CAST STEEL") stamped on the iron.

http://toolemera.com/catpdf/peugeotfreresCat1938.pdf

[lowell holmes]

Stewie,

Have you considered building one from scratch?

[Stewie Simpson]

Stewie,

Have you considered building one from scratch?

Hi Lowell; you will need to expand your question a little further. Are you suggesting building a replica of this French Smoothing Plane, or building Traditional Wedge Abutment Bench Planes in general.

Stewie;

[Axel de Pugey]

Hello. Congratulation on your work, this is a really fine restoration.


(...)but the version illustrated within the Catalogue is shown with a double iron. (...)

I am from the region Peugeot is from, and Peugeot Frères tools are aplenty in every single garage/yard sale I go. I don't recall having seen this "double iron" smoothing plane.

I will keep my eyes peeled from now as I like this one, specially now that I see your pictures.

Is your version from the Lion range?

[lowell holmes]

A replica Stewie. I would like to see a dimension sketch of the plane.

[Warren Mickley]

I am from the region Peugeot is from, and Peugeot Frères tools are aplenty in every single garage/yard sale I go. I don't recall having seen this "double iron" smoothing plane.

I will keep my eyes peeled from now as I like this one, specially now that I see your pictures.

Is your version from the Lion range?

Axel, a double iron is fer et contre fer or iron and cap iron.

Stewie, some French double iron planes have no screw (vis), just two irons held together by the wedge. So not all double iron planes would have a slot for the screw.

[Stewie Simpson]

Hello. Congratulation on your work, this is a really fine restoration.



I am from the region Peugeot is from, and Peugeot Frères tools are aplenty in every single garage/yard sale I go. I don't recall having seen this "double iron" smoothing plane.

I will keep my eyes peeled from now as I like this one, specially now that I see your pictures.

Is your version from the Lion range?

Axel; the following may hold some further clues. http://jpcousinou.free.fr/img/o099.JPG

regards Stewie;

[Stewie Simpson]

Stewie, some French double iron planes have no screw (vis), just two irons held together by the wedge. So not all double iron planes would have a slot for the screw.

Warren; the following should confirm this plane was only built to house a single iron.

regards Stewie;

Single iron, wedge tines extend to a depth of 1/4" above the sole line. Ideal set up.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0086_zpsnjtxbz3n.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0086_zpsnjtxbz3n.jpg.html)

Trial fit with a double iron; lack of clearance within the abutments stops the wedge tines at a depth of 1 1/2" above the sole line.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0087_zpsj0nfzwuc.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/Acier%20Fondu%20Smoothing%20Plane%2001/_DSC0087_zpsj0nfzwuc.jpg.html)

[Stewie Simpson]

A replica Stewie. I would like to see a dimension sketch of the plane.

Lowell; that can be done after I track down and receive some Nos 1 1/2" taper irons from the u.k.

regards Stewie;

[Axel de Pugey]

Thank you Warren, you are right that was definately a language thing, everything make sense now,so this is just a classic plane wording, fine thanks.

Thank you Stewie, I am familar with the Peugeot scale, maybe my question was not clear enough, so let me re-phrase it: Would you mind telling me which quality logo appears on the iron of the plane you own? Sorry if I was not clear before.

I am quite intrigued by the fact some planes from "here" arrived "there" at the antipodes, while these specific "antipodes" were never french. Any possible link with New Caledonia? I apologize for my ignorance.