Thread: 78 rebate plane lever cap screw

Here is a pic of that box of plane parts I referred to above.
The box contained 2 5's, 3 3s and the 78 Carter. Plus loads of other bobs and bobs but not enough to make a complete plan.

BoxofPlanes.jpg

I decided I would try traditional "fume bluing" as a finish on the 78 and a Bailey 5.
Bluing is not used very often for wood working tools as it is VERY time consuming, uses very nasty acids, and won't ultimately be as rust resistant as paint although large areas of most planes (ehe the sole) are left unpainted.

So why bother with bluing? Well I'm already set up to do it for metal working tools and I think it looks really cool. It also doe not affect threads as the bluing film is micron thin.

I've detailed the process here so I won't reinvent the wheel
More metal bluing

I've now put a few pieces 3 time through the bluing process (anywhere from 6 to 12 cycles are used) and taking photos of Black objects is really difficult so you may need to squint to see differences but I thought it might be worth showing where I'm up to.

The photo below shows Carter (top) that's been 3 times through the bluing process, alongside my "painted" Stanley (bottom).
Pairof78s3.jpg

It's hard to see much of a difference at this stage but there is a very thin layer of black oxide covering, everything and typically for cast iron not much happens until it's been through the process about 6 times. The back oxide "soot" developed by the fume bluing process after every cycle is mostly carded/brushed off with a fine SS brush or steel wool. The rougher cast pores look blacker than any nearby machined surfaces because ether soot stays embedded in rough cast pores versus any machined surfaces where the soot easily rubs off and eventually it will need to be removed anyway.

I've never been able to get cast iron truly black by the bluing process rather it eventually turns a deep charcoal grey after 7 - 8 passes.

Here are a few other bits and pieces I'm doing at the same time.
Also 3 passes for each - the hammer head blackness is typical for the the types of steel used for hammer heads, if I put this 6-7 times through the cycle it is likely to turn blue- black - this is why its called fume bluing.

I'm really p[lease with the way the lever cap is going
Accessories.jpg

Here's a Bailey 5 (also 3 times through the bluing process) alongside one of the rusty Records which is pretty much what the Bailey looked like originally.
This one seems to be blackening better than the 78.
Pairof5s2.jpg

Well Ian, I'm pleased to report the lever cap and screw you made have finally arrived - I make it about 13 weeks to get from Brisbane to Perth !

As we've been getting so many parcels in teh last few months I was worried that the package might have come and I had lost it or . . . . .

Anyway it's here and it looks great thanks again.

Bob, I have to confess, it made TWO trips to Perth. I put the wrong number on it the first time - I scrawled the address on a piece of paper & when I addressed the package at the PO, I mis-read my own writing & wrote a 5 instead of an 8!

I guess the neighbors diagonally opposite don't know your surname, or couldn't be bothered to walk across the street....

I thought it would save you time & trouble - it certainly hasn't saved any time! Ah well, it's finally found the right place...

Cheers

Well, house number with the x5 is a "substance abuse rehab/halfway house" , they don't have any permanent residents or carers so maybe that is to be expected. They actually are a non-event in our street - high front wall fence, no noise and hardly see anyone come and go.

Good to see it finally got here

Originally Posted by IanW

Bob, I have to confess, it made TWO trips to Perth. I put the wrong number on it the first time - I scrawled the address on a piece of paper & when I addressed the package at the PO, I mis-read my own writing & wrote a 5 instead of an 8!

I guess the neighbors diagonally opposite don't know your surname, or couldn't be bothered to walk across the street....

I thought it would save you time & trouble - it certainly hasn't saved any time! Ah well, it's finally found the right place...

Cheers

That explains all.

Memo to self - learn to write more clearly - or wear glasses when transcribing an address....

Avagoodone,