First Home Made Plane- Chamfer

**Eldanos of KDM** · 9th June 2009, 10:21 AM

Hey there.
I Love to use chamfers on my work, on edges. Always have, and I'm getting tired of using a laminate trimmer to do it, So I decided about a year ago to buy a chamfer plane. After umming and ahhing about whether to buy a Stanley 72 for about $350.00, I decided I really shouldn't at the moment. A bit too exey for my wallet.
So I bought a mujingfang chamfer plane. It cost me thirty dollars including shipping; and, quite simply- was not a chamfer plane. The closest it was capable of doing was to put a 30 degree or so bevel on something up to 7mm thick. Absolute stupidest piece of rubbish- Just glad i didn't spend more. (And yes; I'm sure their other planes Are great, I have only tried this one so it's all I'm commenting on)

So I decided this long weekend that I'd build my own. It took me about a day because I spent so much time thinking about how to do it, but I think it turned out pretty well, and it works! Woo. It's made mainly of red iron bark, and I'm not sure what the other lighter timber is- anyone?
It's all laminated and i figured this was one of the easiest ways to do it.
The blade was cut very slowly (with care to not overheat) from a large mathieson and Sons blade and turned out well- Takes and holds a beautiful edge. Plus I could cut another one from the old blade so it's not too much of a waste

I think I have to change the wedge though, I think it's a bit too soft as the HSS steel (piece of drill bit shaft) that holds it in is denting it...

Anyways I shouldn't just put up photos of what I do all the time, I'm sure other people make things all the time and don't feel a need to show off, I'm just particularly proud of this one, because for once I've actually made something I can use

**mickelmaster** · 9th June 2009, 10:32 AM

Looks good, like how you've done it, i wouldnt have thought of that

**dennford** · 9th June 2009, 10:35 AM

Nice work, and I love the simplicity of it - in fact it has secured a place in the back of my cranium for a future project.

Denn

**Waldo** · 9th June 2009, 10:36 AM

And rightly proud too I reckon.

**Wongo** · 9th June 2009, 10:45 AM

It is a handsome plane. Well done.

**bluegum30** · 9th June 2009, 10:47 AM

Thats a nice plane ,well done.

p s just an idea for the marking of the wedge by the drill shaft ,might a metal plate set into the back of the wedge fix the marking of the wedge. Lloyd

**Eldanos of KDM** · 9th June 2009, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by dennford

Nice work, and I love the simplicity of it - in fact it has secured a place in the back of my cranium for a future project.

Denn

Thanks Denn, it was in my cranium for a very lon time before I did anything about it

Originally Posted by bluegum30

Thats a nice plane ,well done.

p s just an idea for the marking of the wedge by the drill shaft ,might a metal plate set into the back of the wedge fix the marking of the wedge. Lloyd

Yeah, that's a good idea Lloyd, might give that a go next long weekend

Thanks for all the nice comments, much appreciated!

**WVB** · 9th June 2009, 08:37 PM

Ha! I've gulped heavily at the $$ of 72s aswell.
Lovely job. You've inspired me too.
Michael.

**derekcohen** · 9th June 2009, 09:01 PM

Hi Eldanos

Nice looking plane.

Certainly nicer looking than mine. However ..

Have you used yours much? I built mine several years ago and one of the design features is that the blade is easy to move. The reason for this is that chamfers on edges, especially brittle hardwoods, do not like thick shavings. They just tear out.

Recently I bought the LV attachment for the LA Block Plane. I thought thatit might be better than mine. However I prefer mine as the sole is longer (the LV attachment secures in front of the mouth). Still, the LV works in the same manner as mine (no, mine was not copied from their's) - taking multiple, fine bites rather than thick ones.

Your plane has a fixed blade as it uses a wedge. Hence my query.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Eldanos of KDM** · 9th June 2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Hi Eldanos

Nice looking plane.

Certainly nicer looking than mine. However ..

Have you used yours much? I built mine several years ago and one of the design features is that the blade is easy to move. The reason for this is that chamfers on edges, especially brittle hardwoods, do not like thick shavings. They just tear out.

Recently I bought the LV attachment for the LA Block Plane. I thought thatit might be better than mine. However I prefer mine as the sole is longer (the LV attachment secures in front of the mouth). Still, the LV works in the same manner as mine (no, mine was not copied from their's) - taking multiple, fine bites rather than thick ones.

Your plane has a fixed blade as it uses a wedge. Hence my query.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Cool Looking plane Derek, Hi. I'm Dane.
I saw an archive that mentioned your plane when I was trying to do some research (to no avail); but as it was an old archive there were no photos of your plane.(I probably would've been too proud to copy your great idea anyway though

) Look I spent a lot of time thinking about the fact that if I wanted to take larger chamfers it would be a pain, what with making the first cut, and having to adjust to finish it to the correct size. I considered having some sort of depth adjuster, but didn't want to frustrate myself too much when I was building it, as it's my first plane; wanted to start simple because I plan to make some of my other ideas happen in the future and didn't want to lose heart

. Plus the chamfers I usually take with my 'style' in furniture are only around 2-3mm usually anyway., so I made the bed angle @ 45degrees and closed the mouth up to 2mm (no matter how much you're taking off, as it sits parallel to the blade) to hit wilder timbers that might lift grain. I have used it a few times since I made it to test it on different timbers and it does a fine job.

Reckon I would have died if it hadn't.

I really like your idea though- Very smart and pretty easy I imagine

Good to hear about the LV chamfer attachment too, I was wondering about it, but decided to cut that out of my list of options as I haven't got a LV Block, and I bought a LN skew in february- I don't want to spend too much more

Anyway thanks for your input Derek,
Dane Maurer

BTW here are pics of the mouth that show how the mouth is parallel to the blade if anyone's interested.

**Slow6** · 10th June 2009, 01:47 AM

That is one seriously nice plane first attempt or no!

I'm thinking that wedge looks like ash.

I'm impressed by the effort of cutting down an old Mathieson blade! Another good source of iron for little chamfers and mini moulders is old chisels, esp if the tangs have been bashed up and they aren't much good for anything else.

look forward to seeing plane #2

**lightwood** · 10th June 2009, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Eldanos of KDM

H
.................I'm just particularly proud of this one, because for once I've actually made something I can use

Eldanos,
A lovely piece of work....and making tools you can use yourself...that's very nice!!

Regards,
Peter

**hcim** · 17th June 2009, 08:05 PM

What a beauty !!!

**FRB Design** · 17th June 2009, 08:18 PM

Such wonderful clean lines, very very nice chamfer plane.
Would be a joy to use.

**prozac** · 18th June 2009, 12:32 AM

Noice, different.

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