Thread: New addition, I’ve been a good boy

Originally Posted by D.W.

..... I had a spiers plane with the bloom you speak of and ultimately took the wood apart (it's in two pieces and needed to be reglued - the pieces meet each other at the top of the metal and are glued together to save the labor of fitting one piece with a step to a surface curved in several directions.) .......

I've seen that style of stuffing once - don't know how common it was but it wasn't universal. To be honest, I can't see that it saved all that much effort, but it would allow smaller pieces to be used, so perhaps that was also a consideration?

Fitting over-stuffing is a pretty intimidating job the first time or two (at least it was for me), and even after doing many more I still have occasional stuff-ups, any gaps have to be exceedingly small or they stand out like the proverbial dog bits. The difficulty is getting the fit perfect along the tops of the sides (and at the back if you bring the wood out there as well), plus getting the bed to meet exactly with the sole bevel all at the same time. It doesn't help if you are silly enough to choose very hard, very dense & highly figured woods like ringed gidgee:
1 Nose fixed.jpg

It took me an entire day to fit that rear bun & nearly drove me bonkers! I had to sneak up on the fit at a painful pace for fear of it chipping in a crucial spot. A divot did split out at one point, but fortunately it was inside, and shallow & didn't affect the fit, but I went even more carefully after that! On early planes like the one above I only fitted the stuffing over the top of the sides, the rear is rounded from the back of the sides. Later, I got bolder and set the stuffing in so it covers the tops & backs of the sides. That adds a new challenge - this was the first attempt (using bull-oak, another absurdly hard wood), and I got a couple of tiny gaps:
Bull oak 170mm.jpg
The plane is a superb little user, and I don't notice the flaws when I'm using it, only when I scrutinise the picture.

I've slowly gotten a bit better at it. It still takes me far more time than it should, but if I try to hurry, disaster inevitably follows. This is one of the last ones I've done - another highly figured wood, which gave me a few heart-stopping moments, but eventually I got it fitting perfectly top & back (& on both sides!):
Done.jpg

The stripes in the black wattle have a golden chatoyance when you rotate the plane - very pretty...

But yeah, it's a painstaking job - if I were doing this for a living I would need to step up the pace by about a thousand percent!

Cheers,

I err on under cleaning, but that Vulpex has been really good on grime removal on shellac and natural varnish/oils.
Havent used it on something so “hand use polished” though.
Think I’ll practice on an old broken tote first.
Currently I’m using Renaissance Wax as maintenance and anti oxidisation.

Lovely work Ian

When I give a Plane a bit of a clean up Clinton I usually give the woodwork a fine cut back and a light repolish with thin shellac just to lift the shine a touch without getting to glossy or losing any age or patina in the process. I normally do not re shine the Gun Metal, just the wood and get rid of any rust or paint spots.
That one below was pretty much like yours when I got it I think.
A step back from that would be to just wax it after its cleaned .
IMG_3362.jpg

IMG_3363a.jpg

I have some earlier ones I need to restore but never seem to get around to starting.
This is a Spiers first model Panel Plane . Missing its tote handle. Sitting on the largest Block of BRW Ive ever had the chance to buy. Ive got to do this one soon. Had it for easy 15 years waiting.

IMG_2813.JPG IMG_2810.JPG
This Panel plane type came with the option of Lever cap or bridge and wedge.
This one below , Not mine , is the lever cap version and the handle type I need to make and fit.
The earliest lever caps were longer and thinner in the neck and the screw was smaller diameter than later planes Spiers made.

And a page from Nigel Lampert's book.
bm100555.jpg IMG_2827.JPG

Here's another I may restore on the right.
An early smoother. First type as well I'm pretty sure .
Its got that whopping chip in the wedge to repair. A Mahogany infill in the body. With a chip missing. Screw sided like my panel plane above . Early ones are screwed.

IMG_2821.JPG IMG_2823.JPGIMG_6567.JPG
That smoother above is a lovely user. Fine mouth and nice to push along.
Rob