Made a Plane Float

[Doug Mason]

In trying to improve my carving skills, I am copying a carving on an old country piece I have here at home (I suppose you could call it architectural moulding). Well, to make a long story short, I need ed some hollows/rounds to reproduce it--and the few hollow/rounds I got from e-bay all have problems/are not the right size. So in setting out on a carving project I somehow find myself making a set of hollows/rounds. Go figure!

To complete the project I needed an edge float and a side float. I ordered the latter form LN and made the edge float myself, per the picture below. I had the 1/8 inch tool steel on hand, cut it to size (with a tange), filed it and turned a handle.
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You'll notice the different gullet size--due to my spacing the teeth differnetly (which is no big deal for a float). Also, the ferrel is too large--as it is too close in parrelell to the cutting edge--so that when I joint the teeth a couple times i'll soon hit the ferrlel.

Here is the new LN side float as I sharpen it before first using it:
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Here is a pic of the hollow plane in progress--it has a 1/4 mouth that I pre-drilled with brace/bit and then followed with mortise chisels:
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And here is the pic of my new edge float in action. It worked very well.
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[Doug Mason]

And now I just need to complete the plane!
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I'm using the Tod Herrli video--which gives instructions on making the floats (as well as hollow/rounds)

[Barry Vabeach]

Doug, nice pictures and nice plane in the making. I haven't seen the other dvd, but I think it would be hard to improve on the Herrli video- it is my favorite.

[Johnny Kleso]

I just bought a bunch of Flat Rigid Files off ebay, they are the kind with curved teeth..

http://www.cooperhandtools.com/onlinecatalog/images/20342_100.jpg

My plan is to cut them with a .045 abrasive cut off wheel and to keep them super cool,
while I cut my wedge shape out..
These will need on filing and will be ready to go right after the cut..

I think I paid about $3.00 each and have three different sizes and tooth sizes..

I just not sure if the curved tooth will work cutting wedges :)

[Dewey Torres]

Where is this Tod Herrli video you speak of? Online view/ free/ DVD?

My curiosity is peaked now.

[Matt Bickford]

This sounds familiar. I made a 1/2 set of hollows and rounds because I wanted to make a specific molding for a shoe of a Queen Anne chair and decided that it was the right time to stop investing in twice-used router bits.

When I started this hobby my goal was to make queen anne furniture in my basement. Somewhere along the line I ended up heat treating plane irons with a blow torch in my driveway.

Nice float! It looks like it works well.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Nice post Doug, I keep thinking about making plane floats because I like making wooden planes and I know they will come handy. So do you have to harden tool steel after you have filed the teeth, or do you keep it as is and keep sharpening the teeth when needed.
I found the Tod Herrli DVD (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/indextool.mvc?prodid=AQ-1020V) at TFWW

[Alan DuBoff]

Nicely done Doug!