Thread: St James Bay Thumb Plane kit

Very nice Derek.

What are you planning to use it for?

I have a couple of small planes which are not often used but extremely useful when I do use them in tight places.

G'day Derek,

I can't help out, but you've got me

One day the good fairies will give me the opportunity to find a beaut plane like yours - a nice low angled block plane

What are you planning to use it for?

It is just a block plane. Hopefully it will be a nice one.

A few years back FWW reviewed several block planes and this one came out top. It planed end grain as well as other block planes planed face grain.

There is quite a lot of work to do, more than is apparent from the picture. It is a nice project, being done when there is nothing urgent in the way of furniture to build. I'm thinking black African blackwood for the infill (the look of ebony).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I just wanted to ask if anyne knew what the wood used on the Holtey A13 plane was?

Kind regards,
Alex

not sure.
Did derek, finish this plane?

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I recently won an auction on the 'Bay for a St James Bay Thumb Plane kit. This is based on the Norris A13.

The Norris looks like this:



The St James Bay kit came like this. The previous owner had employed a machinist to clean up the cast brass body and sweat on the steel sole. Some work still needs to be done here. The remainder of the kit is in original form. Nice Hock iron:



Now my concern lies with constructing the adjustable mouth and the Norris-type adjuster. The current SJB model no longer has the adjustable mouth (no picture available), and I do not have construction plans for the kit. I have tried to contact SJB but they are always slow to respond. I will keep trying. I can work these things out but, rather than doing it the hard (perhaps wrong) way, I am hoping that others here have been down this path and can offer their insights (or, in addition, a plan).

For general interest, here are a few similar A13 type planes constructed by others.

The Holtey A13:



Brian Buckner's version:



Darryl Hutchinson:



Phil (Philly) Edwards:



Note that the above all are fixed-mouth models. The version I have is a low angle adjustable mouth version.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi Derek.
By coincidence I happened to be thumbing through a old book on woodwork tools looking up Ploughs and I came across a photo of this same plane except they called it a " Chariot Plane"
The description says as follows- The plane is used for small parts of work which can not be conveniently got at with the smoothing plane. Also it is used for planning end grain and cross grain work. The plane was made of gun metal. It is the same plane.
Regards,
Mac

Originally Posted by Lumber Bunker

not sure.
Did derek, finish this plane?

Hi Steven

No. It will be done this winter. In fact, I have two planes to complete. The other is a small smoother, another kit, this one a Brese.

It took me a long time to find the right infill, and I have been waiting for a time between projects so I can do it without feeling rushed.

The infill is ebony. Here it is with the Brese ..





Regards from Perth

Derek

ooow,
Thats black, com'on winter.
can't wait.

Derek:
When I look at the photo, and keep in mind I am a nubie here, it looks like the metal sole is all one piece so it is not clear how the adjustable mouth part, asuming it is the piece in the photo would go on. It might be that you will have to take the sole off and cut it into 2 pieces, is the mouth already cut into the sole? If you have to remove it and cut it the up side is it is easier to make the mouth than drilling and fieling a one piece sole. I am just guessing at this point from what I see and what I know, not all that much. PM sent Cheers Ron,

Hi Ron

The piece of steel you see that lies in front of the plane is the adjustable sole. There is a "hole" for this already cut in the sole (which is steel and has been sweated on to the brass). I plan to silver solder a bolt to the adjustable sole, and take a bolt through the front infill. That way I can adjust the mouth by loosening/tightening the bolt.

Regards from Perth

Derek