Thread: Stewart Spiers spares

Posting your modified infill again was timely, Derek. I'm in the very early stages of making a new plane using some parts from the Veritas kit I reviewed for AWR a few years ago (84; p 32). I want to keep it compact, to suit the 1 5/8" blade, and am considering a short body with 'overhung' handle like you've done on your restoration. I notice on all of the planes with protruding handles like this that they always seem to have a metal reinforcement inserted through the grip from below. Did you follow this with your tote?

I've juggled & jiggled my templates and a crude mock-up of the front portion of the rear infill, & I think I will actually be able to make a 'closed' grip, but it will need a pretty deep groove to fit the adjuster, so there won't be a whole lot of wood joining the top. I can see the wisdom of adding the internal metal to the 'open' style, and am thinking of adding that to my plane, so next question, if you did put a screw in the grip, what length & gauge did you use?

Cheers,

Hi Ian

When asked about the wood for the Spier, I tend to simplify the answer and say the infill is Tasmanian Blackwood. In fullness, the handle is a specially chosen piece of Jarrah, for its hardness and, of course, its strength comes from being interlocked. There is no steel inside, just the wood. It is very strong in use. It would not survive a drop to the floor, but what wood ... uh ... would.

Looking forward to seeing your new plane.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by tommy59

I might have found something not 10 miles from my front door, again any of your experienced advice would be appreciated.

ToolBazaar

ToolBazaar

- - - Updated - - -

I might have found something not 10 miles from my front door, again any of your experienced advice would be appreciated.

ToolBazaar

ToolBazaar

I think that would work fine in your plane but to be sure ask if you can take the plane along and try it for size. Should do until a Spiers blade comes along.
Beware those old tool places are like Aladdins cave so who knows what you will bring home
Regards
John

Originally Posted by derekcohen

..... There is no steel inside, just the wood. It is very strong in use. It would not survive a drop to the floor, but what wood ... uh ... would. ....

Indeed, even a steel core probably won't save the day in that case!

I guess it does help less severe knocks, you see a goodly number of those 'free' totes still intact after 150 years or so. OTH, you see a few sad cases where it obviously didn't..

Thanks for the quick answer. If I decide to go that route, I'll just have to follow intuition as to what to use. Hopefully, whatever I do won't be put to the test, so I'll never know if it helps or not!

Cheers,

Tommy
Tool Bazaar also sells new replacement parallel irons £60 so it would be great place to take your plane and try a few irons and just see what thickness yours needs. With the chip breaker infill and wood planes use the same type so that part is easy to find, just look on eBay.

Peter

Originally Posted by IanW

Indeed, even a steel core probably won't save the day in that case!

I guess it does help less severe knocks, you see a goodly number of those 'free' totes still intact after 150 years or so. OTH, you see a few sad cases where it obviously didn't..

Thanks for the quick answer. If I decide to go that route, I'll just have to follow intuition as to what to use. Hopefully, whatever I do won't be put to the test, so I'll never know if it helps or not!

Cheers,

Ian, I should had added that the design of the Spier handle does not lend itself to steel reinforcement, as a Bailey-type design would do.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Ian, I should had added that the design of the Spier handle does not lend itself to steel reinforcement, as a Bailey-type design would do.....

Derek,what I'm referring to is the screw/bolt inserted through the grip/tote from below, on most, if not all of the small infills planes I've seen with the bottom of the grip protruding from the chassis (like yours). These are present on planes in very good condition with no sign of damage to the grip, so I've always assumed they are original. While not compressing the whole grip section like the retaining stud of a Bailey handle, a long-ish screw would put most of the cross-grain of the grip under some compression, or 'pre-stress' it as the engineers say. This makes it less likely to break in use & better able to survive a hard whack.

It isn't 100%, of course, as the number of cracked & broken totes attest....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Ian, I should had added that the design of the Spier handle does not lend itself to steel reinforcement, as a Bailey-type design would do.....

Derek,what I'm referring to is the screw/bolt inserted through the grip/tote from below, on most, if not all of the small infills planes I've seen with the bottom of the grip protruding from the chassis (like yours). These are present on planes in very good condition with no sign of damage to the grip, so I've always assumed they are original. While not compressing the whole grip section like the retaining stud of a Bailey handle, a long-ish screw would put most of the cross-grain of the grip under some compression, or 'pre-stress' it as the engineers say. This makes it less likely to break in use & better able to survive a hard whack.

It isn't 100%, of course, as the number of cracked & broken totes attest....

Cheers,