Thread: Time to dive in.

Well, I have been researching, researching and researching. I have used up two reams of copy paper, one ream for Back Saws and one ream for Wooden Planes.

I have tried to absorb all the information you guys have given us here and fortunately been able to surround myself personally with some talented people who have the experience and trade qualifications for me to jump in.

It is not very often in life when you take up a new hobby that in a short time you are able to have such new friends and help there for you. It sort of puts me in a position that if I do not go on and make a success of this I feel I would have let a few people down.

For example, tomorrow, I am going up to IanW's for a Back saw day in his shed, hopefully that will make sense of all the researching I have done and bring some actual reality to this back saw making.

Another project I have been running with this is trying to gather as much information as I can about Plane Making. Thanks to Helmut ( thumbsucker ) I have in my possession now a 150 x 50 x 8 hollow ground blade.

I was going to make a Jointer but speaking to a few experienced people ranging from a retired Engineer / toolmaker, Pattern Maker, a ex Dept of Primary Industries Forestry Species expert and others my thoughts are turning to at first making either a practice prototype out of a softer wood to get the shape right. I have also thought about a laminated prototype also.

I have an old Stanley No 4 blade which I could use in the practice plane also. Which way would you go. The practice prototype or the whole hog with the required timber species which has now been advised to me by the DPI Forestry man to consider the greasy tallowood if I can get it.

Your thoughts!

Peter.

ps. I will try to post photos as a W.I.P. although I suspect it will take a few months to finalize as I will only be doing it on a Tuesday.