Thread: Wood types for Wooden Planes

I have never done it but have a couple of HNT Gordon planes. I would suggest looking at the wood types that he uses, he knows what he is doing

Any of the very hard Qld desert hardwoods would be good, Gidgee/Lancewood/western rosewood etc

Originally Posted by Tools4Me

Hi All,

I wanted to venture into making my own wooden bodied planes. Side bead, rounds and hollows, that type of thing. What Australian woods are good for this type of thing?

Any advice in the making appreciated too

cannot beat Cooktown Ironwood.
regards
Mark

Interestingly Terry Gordon (HNT Gordon planes) started out with a wide variety of timbers and they included Ironwood. However now his standard planes are made from Gidgee. His speciality planes are made from a wide range including exotics.

I suspect that reliable availability is a big issue for him. His customers expect a consistent product.

I believe most hard dense timbers are suitable with the main qualification being stability. Casuarinas (She Oak etc) Ironwood, Wattles (not all but including the likes of Gidgee), the more dense Eucalypts and Corymbias and the multitude of dense desert timbers, which are only available in limited quantities.

Regards
Paul