Thread: Set of miniature infill planes

After changing my mind several times, I’ve decided to sell the little planes I made for the “Tiny Treasures” section of the 2023 Wootha prize. The three planes are faithful in spirit to the original 19thC infills that inspired them but not exact scale models of any particular plane. They could be just 'collector' pieces, but they are all highly functional & useable for modelling or any small work. One of my intentions was to showcase different acacias in the infills (see full descriptions below). Asking $250 (plus postage)

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They come in a sturdy presentation/storage box of figured Qld maple with a spalted mango top.

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Individual planes:
‘Coffin’ smoother with figured black wattle infill, 90 x 32mm with 22mm, double-iron blade

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Both Spiers & Norris made small, similarly-shaped, rear-bun smoothers, but I have changed the shape of the front bun a little to put my own stamp on it and the sole and cap-iron are stainless steel, which didn’t exist in the mid 19thC . Making a plane this size with a cap-iron is a bit over-the-top but it does enhance performance. The blade is salvaged from an old blade which I annealed, shaped, & re-hardened. It has some ‘patina’ which I didn’t try to remove (it enhances the ‘antique’ look), but the business end is clean & smooth as far back as it is ever likely to be used.

2. Shoulder plane with western rosewood (A. rhodoxylon) infill, 75 x 9mm, 1084 steelblade:

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This plane’s profile is inspired by G.K. Miller of London, whose shoulder planes were a much more attractive shape imo, than those his contemporaries made. Instead of a cast bronze body, this one is laminated from hard brass. Other departures I have made are the thumbscrew-tightened wedge and the bed is a shade lower than the typical 19th C models (15 vs 18 degrees). The thumbscrew makes it much easier to remove & replace the blade (which would be a bit awkward to tap out in such a small plane). It has a fine mouth & the low-angle blade cuts end-grain easily.

3. Chariot plane, Mulga infill, 80 x 28mm sole with 20mm HSS blade:

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Both Spiers & Norris made small “chariot” planes, most of which were ‘bull-nosed’ (i.e. had very short toes), but a small number were made with a “full” toe. I made a full toe for this because it makes the plane much more manageable & easier to start from an edge. The bed angle is ~15 degrees, enabling it to handle end-grain well, but the small size & light weight require a bit of hand pressure to keep it cutting smoothly when working across the grain.
All planes are easy to adjust with the little hammer included (which has a weeping myall (A. pendula) handle. Tapping the back of the plane to reduce set doesn’t work very well with small planes like these so if you over-shoot when setting, I find it easiest to loosen the blade, pull it back with my fingers, & start over.

Cheers,