Infill Kit

[m2c1Iw]

I have searched......and searched and cannot find anyone supplying infill kits for dovetailed A6/13 style smoothers. Previous references to the Shepherd Tool Co. would indicate as a business undertaking it may not be commercially viable.
The sites that describe making an infill are exellent however gathering the materials and cutting the dovetails appear somewhat daunting to me, so any info appreciated.
In the meantime I'll continue to drool over Philip Marcou's S15A
Cheers Mike

[thumbsucker]

The sites that describe making an infill are exellent however gathering the materials and cutting the dovetails appear somewhat daunting to me

Materials contact your local brass and bronze supplier and get some brass alloy 380 flats which your everyday brass and easy to work or even gunmetal which would be even easier. A shoulder plane would be a good first go, not to small and fiddle and not big. Also it has no move parts or adjusters just a wedge. The wood need not be anything magical any thing stable will do.

The best start would be www.handplane.com section on infill-planes if you have not found it already.

I have been following Sauer and Steiner blog and he gives some interesting insights into infill plane making.

As for the dovetails I really get the impression that they are easier then wooden dovetails and you make the so and then fill any gaps and it look perfect. Look at this dovetails by Sauer and Steiner.



Here the same dovetails after being cleaned up.



I have been toying with this idea myself never justify the price but I would dare to make one for myself. However I will make a few plain woody planes learn and move on through.

I would love to make a Norris #4 like this one by Anderson Planes



*EDIT*

Are you after a A13 like this one Building an A13 using Holtey components?

[m2c1Iw]

Are you after a A13 like this one Building an A13 using Holtey components?

TS thanks thats fantastic, some great reading. There are certainly some beautiful planes made by very talented people around. The cost most often seems prohibitive as a user but as a work of art to admire, easily justified.
Cheers Mike

[pedder]

Maybe you are interested in Gerd Fritsche's Kits? He makes wonderfull planes.

http://www.traditional-handplanes.co..._planekit.html

Cheers Pedder

[Clinton1]

Mate,
I did a block plane and a little rebate plane last year.
Forget where I got the info with regards to cutting the dovetail joints, somewhere on the web... but I expect that http://www.handplane.com is what I used.

It is easier that it looks, I did it in a single, motel style, room, clamping the metal to the room's desk with a pair of $5 G clamps.
Total tools used were:
a hacksaw (I used the 'thread style carbide blades' as well as normal blades,
G clamps,
drill and small bit and countersink,
some files,
a hammer and punch,
a small saw,
marking/layout tools,
wood rasp,
a borrowed angle grinder (to rough out the dovetails),
a timber block and pieces of paper as packing pieces, and
a piece of pallet timber offcut as the 'anvil'.

I did it in mild steel so that it was cheap. Mild steel used was @3.5 mm, a piece of 16 mm mild steel as the 'frog', and some mild steel dowels to hold the frog to the plane sole.

I'm overseas at the moment, so I don't have it to hand to post pics, however some file work gets those freshly peened, and beaten up looking, dovetails looking spectacular.. as per Thumbsuckers first two pics.

I think the trick is to just give it a go...you'll suprise yourself with how easy it is and how good it looks and works when done.

For the block plane I used spare parts that I picked up on ePay to solve the lever cap and blade clamping and adjustment issue.

For the rebate plane I used a wedge arrangement.

Also used old blades that I had as spares for both planes.

Seemed more practical to do it that way, as all I really wanted from the activity was to do dovetailed joints and to make a plane. I did think that I should make a few practice joints first... but was too lazy and mild steel is cheap.

So, anyway.... I too thought it was daunting before I started... but it is really quite straightforward. Give it a go in mild steel first (go and raid an offcuts bin somewhere!) and think about doing it in flash materials later.... you'll impress yourself!

[m2c1Iw]

Maybe you are interested in Gerd Fritsche's Kits? He makes wonderfull planes.

http://www.traditional-handplanes.co..._planekit.html

Cheers Pedder

Pedder,
Welcome to the forum. Gerd's kits is exactly the type of thing I was hoping to find, thankyou.

Mate,
I did a block plane and a little rebate plane last year.
Forget where I got the info with regards to cutting the dovetail joints, somewhere on the web... but I expect that http://www.handplane.com is what I used.

So, anyway.... I too thought it was daunting before I started... but it is really quite straightforward. Give it a go in mild steel first (go and raid an offcuts bin somewhere!) and think about doing it in flash materials later.... you'll impress yourself!

Clinton1, ta I figured a little practice will be called for even when just assembling a kit. I recon cutting the joint will require both patience and practice I'll certainly give it a go thanks again.
Mike