Ohio Tool & Dovetails

[James Mittlefehldt]

Two unrelated questions, but I thought that combination might draw some attention.

1) I have noted in the past as I look at antiques and such that sometimes the craftsmen, is that PC, would cut their dovetails at a very high angle, something like 30 degrees or so, though I could be wrong on that. I wondered if that was overkill due to softer wood or did one particular school of thought do them that way? Perhaps craftsmen from certain countries did it with the higher angle? I note that most that I see are close to what we would do today.

2)Is there a site anywhere that deals with the metal planes of Ohio Tool. I have an oddball a 4 1/4. Most of the time if you have the quarter size it is a smaller version of a standard size, ie 5 and 5 1/4. however this one is more like what I would think would be a 4 1/2 as it is ten inches long and wider by a fair bit than a normal 4? I sent an E mail to Patrick Leach to which he responded saying that despite their efforts to emulate the entire Stanley catalogue there were a few anomolies, he did not, I take it know that particular plane.

Thanks again for you consideration, and I look forward to the answers as I really enjoy the historical aspect of this hobby.

[scott pollack]

James, I don't know much about Ohio tools so I can't help you there. As far as the dovetails go,( and please know, i am no expert) it's my understanding from people I have spoken to about it is that it's not so much overkill as it is some craftsmen of the colonial / shaker period liked to show off their skill and craftsmanship. There may be more to it and if there is, I'd like to learn along with you. Scott

[Pam Niedermayer]

...sometimes the craftsmen, is that PC, would cut their dovetails at a very high angle, something like 30 degrees or so, though I could be wrong on that. I wondered if that was overkill due to softer wood or did one particular school of thought do them that way?...

The main constraint in cutting dovetails involves grain and how short it can be and still hold (not break). That's why you often see hardwood and softwood dovetails cut with different angles. So if you cut them at too steep an angle, the dovetail will not hold, it will break on the edges.

Pam

[David Turner]

James: I have a reprint of a 1910 Ohio Tool catalog. It indicates that a #4 is 9" long by 2" cutter, a #4 1/4 is 9 1/2" long by 2 1/4" cutter, and a #4 1/2 is 10" long by 2 3/8" cutter. It even gets more complicated with #5's. A #5 is 14" long by 2" cutter, a #5 1/4 is 14" long by 2 1/8" cutter, a #5 1/2 is 15" long by 2 1/4" cutter, and finally a #5 3/4 is 15" long by 2 3/8" cutter.
David Turner

[Rob Millard]

James,

I don't know the first thing about Ohio tools.

The most flared dovetails I have seen are on some Rhode Island furniture ( see attached photo an original). I've made dovetails like this, but I did not find them to be any more difficult to make. This pattern must have been done for appearance. I prefer the very fine dovetails ( see attached photo from a Seymour work table I made) Both have their drawbacks. The wider ones are prone to having the short grain break out at the ends of the tails. On the fine ones, the pins can be torn off, because there is very little surface area. Most period dovetails I've seen, are somewhat crude.
Rob Millard

[James Mittlefehldt]

James: I have a reprint of a 1910 Ohio Tool catalog. It indicates that a #4 is 9" long by 2" cutter, a #4 1/4 is 9 1/2" long by 2 1/4" cutter, and a #4 1/2 is 10" long by 2 3/8" cutter. It even gets more complicated with #5's. A #5 is 14" long by 2" cutter, a #5 1/4 is 14" long by 2 1/8" cutter, a #5 1/2 is 15" long by 2 1/4" cutter, and finally a #5 3/4 is 15" long by 2 3/8" cutter.
David Turner

Wow who would have thought there would be that much requirement for that many different size planes, which I supect is why they only made them for twenty years or so before going broke. I should add the 4 1/4 is a heavy sucker to. Thanks David, I tried to buy an ohio Tool catalogue on line recently but the vendor would not ship to Canada.

Rob thanks for that as well, I believe I had heard at some time that the wider flared tails were American vs the narrower British or the other way around.

I don't cut them that way I tend towards the narrower types, but just wondered about it.

[James Mittlefehldt]

I was just checking a site I sometimes go to, and the group there are rebuilding one example each of all the chests found on the Mary Rose a ship that sank during the reign of Henry the VIII if I am not mistaken. One of the chests had dovetailed sides, and they were of the sort with the more pronounced angle so perhaps that style is the more archaic.

Any opinions?