Thread: Plane handles - suitable timber?

Originally Posted by eskimo

is American oak a suitable timber to use for plane handles... tote and knob?

Have at look at this old Forum Post on the same subject:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/timber-plane-tote-knob-157930

Oak is plenty strong enough, but I'm not fond of the open grain for handles.

As I said in the thread Roy linked to, I much prefer tight-grained woods that give a really smooth surface, they just feel so much nicer when you have to hang onto them for long planing sessions.....

But it's a matter of personal taste, some people prefer the feel of a more porous wood like the northern hemisphere Oaks and Ashes. Our She-oaks look similar, but they are far less porous and take a much nicer finish than the (unrelated) oaks they are named after. But just about any medium-dense to dense wood is up to the job strength-wise - mock one or two up from whatever you can lay your hands on & see how they go...

Cheers,

I did read that post but as it didnt specifically mention american oak i thought I'd ask the question

Thanks to all
I will find something dense

I got a piece of bubinga to make a saw handle, marking gauges and the like. It was a bit dear but it looks and feels nice and for buts like that a little goes a long way.

Originally Posted by eskimo

is American oak a suitable timber to use for plane handles... tote and knob?

I was looking at getting some figured Mango from Mapleman but he wont reply

Are you talking about stanley plane handles? Presumably something similar to that since you're talking about a handle and knob, and not just a handle.

You can use about anything medium hardwood or harder for stanley handles. The cocobolos and rosewoods look best, but you can use something light and stain it if you prefer. I've made them out of ebony, cocobolo, indian rosewood, beech, etc, but Lie nielsen is using cherry (which obviously isn't very hard).

Oak is a little harsh looking with the pores, but if you can find it in an orientation that's closer to quartered, it would look nice if done well. It will be less workable, though - not in the sense that it's hard to work, but in the sense that it splinters easily and you may end up with a scar on the sides of your handles from rasping, etc.

For wooden planes, I'd lean toward the same wood as the plane unless the plane is white oak, I'd use something other than oak for non-reinforced handles (beech would probably be fine, though it's not always easy to find in 1"+ widths and quartersawn).

By the way the Veritas/Lee Valley site has templates and planes for the layout of many old Stanley planes.

Originally Posted by D.W.

Are you talking about stanley plane handles? Presumably something similar to that since you're talking about a handle and knob, and not just a handle.

You can use about anything medium hardwood or harder for stanley handles. The cocobolos and rosewoods look best, but you can use something light and stain it if you prefer. I've made them out of ebony, cocobolo, indian rosewood, beech, etc, but Lie nielsen is using cherry (which obviously isn't very hard).

Oak is a little harsh looking with the pores, but if you can find it in an orientation that's closer to quartered, it would look nice if done well. It will be less workable, though - not in the sense that it's hard to work, but in the sense that it splinters easily and you may end up with a scar on the sides of your handles from rasping, etc.

For wooden planes, I'd lean toward the same wood as the plane unless the plane is white oak, I'd use something other than oak for non-reinforced handles (beech would probably be fine, though it's not always easy to find in 1"+ widths and quartersawn).

Not sure we can get cocobolos here in Oz but rose etc should be available as would beech i'd say

I will go to Otto's ( an exotic timber supplier here in Adelaide) later next week and see what they have

Originally Posted by D.W.

......You can use about anything medium hardwood or harder for stanley handles. The cocobolos and rosewoods look best, but you can use something light and stain it if you prefer. I've made them out of ebony, cocobolo, indian rosewood, beech, etc, but Lie nielsen is using cherry (which obviously isn't very hard)....

D.W., we're in the Antipodes where most of the woods you mention aren't readily available. However, we have an abundance of suitable home-grown woods, several of which I reckon are almost as good as the Dalbergias (Rosewoods), which are becoming increasingly difficult to source (and poisonously expensive!) down our way.

Here are a few other woods I've used that have been OK or good for handles. In the medium-density class, our own southern Beech (Nothofagus) can be excellent (much nicer than its northern hemisphere cousin), it can be highly figured, & the 'tiger Myrtle' variants are quite spectacular. Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) can be very good if you choose denser pieces (it's quite a variable wood!), Qld Walnut (Endiandra sp.) can be good, Tulip Oak (Argyrodendron sp), and Qld Maple (Flindersia brayliana)for lighter colours, or even Crows Ash (F. australis), which makes nice handles, but is a bit bland. That's some I'm more familiar with.

For dense woods, the list is huge, though if you want tighter-grained species it narrows down quit a bit. I'm not enamored of most Eucalypts, as they are pretty coarse-grained, in general, but River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis) is relatively fine grained, and if you find a nice piece, can make very good handle material. Jarrah is ok, but barely, imo. As I said, the Casaurinas are among my favourites (only partly because I can get my hands on a goodly supply! ). Bull oak (A. leuhmanii) takes a finish & has a feel to it that is up there with the Dalbergias: Fixed.jpg
but the hard Acacias are equally nice. Here are some saw handles in Gidgee (A. cambagei): Gidgee pair.jpg and Myall (A. pendula): Myall handle.jpg
Mulga (A. aneura) is my favourite handle wood. Unfortunately, it's not easy to get pieces large enough for plane & saw totes. No problems for knob-sized bits, but 125 x 25mm boards are like hens' teeth.

These are just a few suggestions - have a look at TTIT's website for lots more ideas.....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

D.W., we're in the Antipodes where most of the woods you mention aren't readily available. However, we have an abundance of suitable home-grown woods, several of which I reckon are almost as good as the Dalbergias (Rosewoods), which are becoming increasingly difficult to source (and poisonously expensive!) down our way.

Here are a few other woods I've used that have been OK or good for handles. In the medium-density class, our own southern Beech (Nothofagus) can be excellent (much nicer than its northern hemisphere cousin), it can be highly figured, & the 'tiger Myrtle' variants are quite spectacular. Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) can be very good if you choose denser pieces (it's quite a variable wood!), Qld Walnut (Endiandra sp.) can be good, Tulip Oak (Argyrodendron sp), and Qld Maple (Flindersia brayliana)for lighter colours, or even Crows Ash (F. australis), which makes nice handles, but is a bit bland. That's some I'm more familiar with.

For dense woods, the list is huge, though if you want tighter-grained species it narrows down quit a bit. I'm not enamored of most Eucalypts, as they are pretty coarse-grained, in general, but River Red Gum (E. camaldulensis) is relatively fine grained, and if you find a nice piece, can make very good handle material. Jarrah is ok, but barely, imo. As I said, the Casaurinas are among my favourites (only partly because I can get my hands on a goodly supply! ). Bull oak (A. leuhmanii) takes a finish & has a feel to it that is up there with the Dalbergias: Fixed.jpg
but the hard Acacias are equally nice. Here are some saw handles in Gidgee (A. cambagei): Gidgee pair.jpg and Myall (A. pendula): Myall handle.jpg
Mulga (A. aneura) is my favourite handle wood. Unfortunately, it's not easy to get pieces large enough for plane & saw totes. No problems for knob-sized bits, but 125 x 25mm boards are like hens' teeth.

These are just a few suggestions - have a look at TTIT's website for lots more ideas.....

Cheers,

well I am not running out help...thanks Ian

gunna have to print this of,f copy and paste all these timbers into my phone, so I can recall them all when I visit Ottos.

edit...i like your saws...not just the timber
did you buy the saw and fit the handles, or are they restored saws

Originally Posted by eskimo

....did you buy the saw and fit the handles, or are they restored saws...

eskimo, I guess you mustn't be a regular browser in the 'home made tools' section..

It's a long story, but you got me thinking, & I did a bit of a search of old posts. It all began when I did just what you suggested, rehandled and re-backed an old saw.


A certain forumite, whom I alternately thank & curse () saw it & persuaded me that making a saw from scratch wasn't any more difficult. Provided you could get your hands on suitable steel, that is, which in the early days was a continuing problem. Another forumite pointed us at floor scraper blades, which Bunnings sold, and these made excellent blades for larger saws. Unfortunately, they don't carry them any more.

Things sort of deteriorated after that, and I started mucking about trying different ways to make decent-looking saw bolts, & copying old saws I liked the look of, or trying different plate thicknesses & styles. After purchasing a small metal lathe, I was able to branch out into making some bowsaws and coping saws.

I've long since lost track of the number of saws I've made in the last 8 years, but it would have to be close to 100, by now. Here are a couple from the last batch.

Which is all by way if saying, if you are considering getting into saw making, be warned, it's the most addictive pursuit I've ever allowed myself to get into!

A lot of fun though!
Cheers

Originally Posted by IanW

eskimo, I guess you mustn't be a regular browser in the 'home made tools' section..



if you are considering getting into saw making

No and NO NO NO NO

Originally Posted by eskimo

No and NO NO NO NO

A wise decision....

For handles/7knobes you can use anything from elm to cherry, walnut, apple, etc.

For wooden bodies, the Nort American woods traditionally used are beech, birch, dogwood. Sometime osage orange, hard maple, black locust.