Thread: One thing leads to a .... router plane

I do envy sensible people who can just make a good working tool without getting carried away adding unnecessary frills. I was inspired to make a basic router like yours by Derek's post a few years back. I happened to have some 'proper' blades so didn't need to re-purpose any allen keys, which made it easier. It worked extremely well, much better than I anticipated, and I was very pleased with it. However, being too foolish to leave well enough alone, I made another & added a screw adjuster. It doesn't work any better than Vers.1., but I had to make a larger box for it, which takes up more precious storage space in my crowded toolbox....
Box 2a.jpg

Cheers,

Actually Ian I think both Derek and yourself provide a lot of encouragement to many of us to try this sort of stuff. I must confess I like the brass fittings, such as knurled nuts, but have neither the skills nor metalworking tools to make them.

I'm also wondering if I have shaped the cutter the best way. There are 2 basic shapes around, pointed and straight across, and mine is pointed. If anyone has any views on the applications each is suited to then I'd like to hear them. Recommended sharpening angle is of interest as well.

Bob, I use my router somewhat sporadically, & I have to confess I haven't experimented with blades at all. The blade I use far & away the most is a straight-across 1/4" (or is it 6mm? - can't remember because the precise width doesn't matter to me 99.9% of the time). As for bevel angles, I just follow what the blades came with as best I can. The primary bevel was probably 20-25deg to begin with, to which I add a small secondary bevel of something a fraction less than 30 maybe? (eyeballed). I have found the blades do like to be very sharp, the performance drops off quick-smart as they dull.

I have no idea where & when the pointed blades come into their own, I haven't got one or I would certainly have mucked about with it to see what it can do. You'll have to wait for Derek or someone else with more router experience to chip in, for a real expose on blade angles & when to use the spear-points vs the straights, etc....

Cheers,

Snap Ian.



This is the second blade I made, trying to copy the Veritas style. It works better than my bent-steel-rod first attempt.

I have subsequently bought the Veritas model, for which I love the micro height adjustability. Though this one still comes out from time to time.

With respect to the point blade and straight, I have used the pointy blade once, then switched back to the straight blade. Perhaps were I running a groove the exact width of the blade I'd use it again. I find the straight blade much easier to use in a pearing motion to clear waste.

EDIT
Oh, I did also try the Allen key blade, but discovered the meaning of case hardening. Once ground, the middle was way too soft to use as a blade. Did I have a bad one (admittedly I didn't use one of my good Allen keys), or is there a trick I'm not aware of?

Thanks chaps, that's good info. It will be interesting to see how long the edge lasts.

Figured I may as well finish the thing off so trimmed the fastener threads and made a fence. Ironically, the grooves for attaching the fence are exactly the type of thing that these routers are good for but I had to dig them out with a chisel . That turned out to be surprisingly easy and I'm happy with them.

P1100538 [800x600].JPG P1100541 [800x600].JPG P1100545 [800x600].JPG

Design is rudimentary and position is limited by the width of the router body but I expect this will cover most work. It would not be too hard to design one that would sit further out and mount on the same grooves.

Managed to use fasteners already on had this time and although the meranti is not as dense as the pear it still takes the thread without using metal inserts. If it ever strips it can be repaired with epoxy or inserts.

Originally Posted by IanW

I have no idea where & when the pointed blades come into their own, I haven't got one or I would certainly have mucked about with it to see what it can do. You'll have to wait for Derek or someone else with more router experience to chip in, for a real expose on blade angles & when to use the spear-points vs the straights, etc....

Ian, I have a hand router, or as we called them, "granny's tooth", a Stanley No. 71, bought about mid 1960's or there abouts. They were used for the housings in wooden stringers for step treads. they were supplied with a 1/2", 1?4" and the spear point blades. They also had a depth gauge that fitted in front of the blade. The holes in the base allowed for a fence to be fitted.

Jim

IMG_1890.JPG

Bob, that's excellent! And I also made my first with a hex/allen key.

Thanks for the kind words. Ian is the expert with brass turnings. I do not own a metal lathe, and sometimes press my wood lathe into commission ... nowhere to his standards.


This is one I made as a prize for a competition ...




I made a bunch of these at one stage for a LN tool show ..







Here's the underneath of another, showing the brass bed ...




How it fits ...




My most used blades are the 1/4" and 1/2" straight. I designed this router plane with the Veritas blades in mind, and have the full set.


I developed a sharpening method for router planes: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Woodwor...aneBlades.html


Here is Vic Tesolin demonstrating it ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by powderpost

...... They were used for the housings in wooden stringers for step treads.....

Jim - what I meant was, when do you use the spear-point bit rather than a straight bit? I imagine the spear-point can rip out deeper chips (cross-grain, or more or less cross-grain as for a stair-tread housing). Is this what you meant?

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Jim - what I meant was, when do you use the spear-point bit rather than a straight bit? I imagine the spear-point can rip out deeper chips (cross-grain, or more or less cross-grain as for a stair-tread housing). Is this what you meant?

Cheers,

Ian,

The strings were all hardwood, i found the 1/4" cutter to have a less "bight" than the 1/2" cutter. The "spear" point cutter was used on the more difficult interlocking grain timber, with more of a slicing cut. None of them were pleasant to use, but that is all we had.

Jim

Knowing absolutely nothing about blades for these would an angled (skew?) blade be easier to use or is this a totally stupid idea?

Originally Posted by powderpost

......The strings were all hardwood, i found the 1/4" cutter to have a less "bight" than the 1/2" cutter. The "spear" point cutter was used on the more difficult interlocking grain timber, with more of a slicing cut. None of them were pleasant to use, but that is all we had.....

OK, thanks Jim, that fits with what I was thinking. OWT routers are quite pleasant to use for making the sorts of small trenches, etc. in cabinetmaking where less brutal woods are more likely to be involved. But I see your point, hogging out 2 x 10" housings for stair treads in gnarly hardwoods does not sound like my idea of fun! A 2 or 3HP router, a large bit, & a good template guide, would make life distinctly easier, & produce a set of stairs a lot more quickly, I reckon!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

Knowing absolutely nothing about blades for these would an angled (skew?) blade be easier to use or is this a totally stupid idea?

Not stupid at all, Chris - a 'spear-point' is essentially two skewed blades in one......

Cheers,

Edit: And of course, you can easily skew a straight blade in use. I do all the time unless I'm routing a trench that is only as wide as the blade...

I was at a large market today and found this.Point blade 01.jpgPoint blade 02.jpg

No I already have one, so it's a spare . I'll clean up the base etc, so it's useable.