Thread: Challenge 2020 - 2021 Simplicity

Originally Posted by Cklett

That starts looking very slick. Did you mention somewhere how wide the blade is?

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Hi Cklett,
The blade is 50 mm wide 6 mm thick 01 Tool steel.

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Cheers Matt

Matt

I like the "Body's" curves and the addition of the frontpiece. It's a nice touch.

The steel dovetails look to protrude further than I would have expected prior to peening. Do you still have to saw off some waste?

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Matt

I like the "Body's" curves and the addition of the frontpiece. It's a nice touch.

The steel dovetails look to protrude further than I would have expected prior to peening. Do you still have to saw off some waste?

Regards
Paul

Paul,
I found with my other plane builds totally of 2.
That if I peened the dovetails down a bit(ie smashed them ,well in a controlled way lol)

Then filled them flat again then peened them more,it seem to go better and I had more control.
The filling them flat only takes a few swipes with a large Bastard file.
I can’t really explain why it works it just seemed like a good idea [emoji6].

I’ve seen other makers file the protruding dovetails a little Convex first as well.
Before Peening

Cheers Matt.

Hi Matt. Things are starting to come together alright!!! Love the cupids bow at the front - is that for Sally? Like the look of the timber too. I didn't notice the tablecloth (quite distracted by your progress) but I'm glad IW is on to it.

I can see where you're coming from, Matt. I suppose for a strong young bloke like you it's just a pleasant workout, but I don't get too much zen out of filing several mm of steel away, just aching muscles, so I go for the minimum amount of protruding metal that I can get away with.

How much you need depends on how good a fit your D/Ts are, and how practiced you are at peening. I started out leaving a similar amount to what you have there, but have cut back bit by bit as I get better at fitting the sides & peening. Typically, 1.5mm is what I allow now. I find if I have too much metal sticking out, it's easy to hammer the edges over but they close over the top too quickly & leave gaps under the surface that you don't see until you file away the waste, and of course by then it's too late because you don't have enough metal left to hammer over & fill them. So I can see why you do it in stages, that should allow you to see any dodgy areas & do something about them while you still have plenty of metal to play with. The fit of your D/Ts on this plane looks pretty good (at least those you are showing us ), so this one should be a breeze to close up nice & tight.

I wouldn't presume to tell you how to hammer metal, but for those who haven't done this before, there are different ways to achieve the same end. Because I watched a fitter uncle just pick up a ball peen & cold-work metal into all sorts of shapes, I just started out doing it that way for want of knowing any different. However, I've read of people starting with a cross-peen hammer rather than a ball-peen. And I noticed Bill Carter in his mitre-plane video started with a small cold-chisel which he used to make shallow cuts near the edges of his pins to make it easier to push the edges over. So there are various ways to skin this cat.

Having a really solid chunk of metal opposite the spot you are hitting helps hugely - if you are lucky enough to own a proper anvil, that's ideal, but if not, something like a short chunk of heavy railway track can do as well.

Also for the newbies, note that when you strike the metal with the ball of the hammer, you need to angle the blow a bit in order to move the metal in the direction you want it to go. If you strike straight down you'll make a symmetrical dent that moves metal in all directions. You'll still get there, eventually, but it will take many, many more strikes to move the same amount and if you are using hard brass or gauge-plate, it may start to work-harden before you are finished (mild steel & soft brasses won't work-harden). The operative word is a "bit", if you angle your blows too much they'll skate off & ding the in-between metal that you don't want to mark (which is why some people advocate using duct-tape to protect these areas).

After hammering up a few planes I have gradually figured out just how much force & angle to put into each strike & slowly got more control over the hammer, so now I have very few mis-hits, which makes clean-up easier. Practice hasn't made me perfect, but I'm a good deal better than when I began! Small dings file/sand out pretty easily, so don't worry about an occasional mis-hit, but big dings aren't good at all, you'll have to remove too much metal to get rid of those, so they tend to remain as silent reminders of your inattention....

Have fun

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

.... I didn't notice the tablecloth (quite distracted by your progress) but I'm glad IW is on to it....

'Twasn't me, MA. I'm in awe of a bloke who's so refined he has a table cloth on his bench, & I certainly wouldn't complain if it was a bit soiled - after all, that's why it's there, isn't it??

Originally Posted by Mountain Ash

Hi Matt. Things are starting to come together alright!!! Love the cupids bow at the front - is that for Sally? Like the look of the timber too. I didn't notice the tablecloth (quite distracted by your progress) but I'm glad IW is on to it.

No unfortunately the Cubit Bow is just because,
But saying that Sally has approved it, so I can move forward on the plane [emoji6].

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by IanW

'Twasn't me, MA. I'm in awe of a bloke who's so refined he has a table cloth on his bench, & I certainly wouldn't complain if it was a bit soiled - after all, that's why it's there, isn't it??

I think MA is referring to me Ian, the other IW .
I’m not worried by any soiled tablecloth either, just jesting I am .
I am sure Matt realises that.

Originally Posted by Ironwood

I think MA is referring to me Ian, the other IW .
I’m not worried by any soiled tablecloth either, just jesting I am .
I am sure Matt realises that.

Brad, I think you'll have to be very rude to offend Matt - he's not one of those who dishes it out but can't take it back, fortunately.

Sorry 'bout the mistaken identity (hope you're not offended! ). Just a momentary lapse - my sisters used to call me "IW", for "Ian William" to differentiate between me & our dad, who was also named Ian. Must've been a shortage of names during the war, as well as everything else....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Simplicity

No unfortunately the Cubit Bow is just because......

Because you can?

Are you going to dovetail it in so the joins disappear? That would look very spiffy.

Interestingly (to me at any rate), the makers of old didn't seem to put a cross-piece at the front on longer planes. They did on shorter ones, like mitre planes, and cast bodies for smoothers always had closed fronts, but I've never seen a closed front on any old panel planes or jointers. So you've made at least one unique feature on your plane......

Nice curves, too!

Originally Posted by IanW

Because you can?

Are you going to dovetail it in so the joins disappear? That would look very spiffy.

Interestingly (to me at any rate), the makers of old didn't seem to put a cross-piece at the front on longer planes. They did on shorter ones, like mitre planes, and cast bodies for smoothers always had closed fronts, but I've never seen a closed front on any old panel planes or jointers. So you've made at least one unique feature on your plane......

Nice curves, too!

You would think a cross piece on a longer plane like the joiners would be a benefit, maybe giving the long sides some strength.
But then there’s lot out there that have survived with out it.
Maybe the plane builders of old didn’t think like the Bridge builders of old.

I’m thinking about it the dovetail thingy
Tips, Techniques and Theory
Tips, Techniques and Theory


Cheers Matt.

The body has almost become one today, that almost sounds Biblical.


First I checked the 123,s time, that my sides were as close, as I was going to get them to the soul.



Then it was screwed to the peening block, before being moved to the body manipulation zone.
Hear it was mounted high on the sacrifice table, were we both prayed to the hammer gods,that all my blows would be precise, that all my joints would flow together(not those types [emoji3064]).
That the metal would yield to the god of hammers.



Well after considerable effort(re arm pain) and praying, I was rewarded with a considerable mess of bashed up metal,but one must see beyond the skin to see the beauty that is behold.and do some more filling[emoji3064].



Finally,an I hope the Judges note, I’m on the exhibition table cloth.


We were rewarded,tho there’s still one side to file an a heap of sanding to be done plus lots of other fun stuff.
Probably some Zen filling an Zen like sanding.



Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Then it was screwed to the peening block, before being moved to the body manipulation zone.
Hear it was mounted high on the sacrifice table, were we both prayed to the hammer gods,that all my blows would be precise, that all my joints would flow together(not those types [emoji3064]).
That the metal would yield to the god of hammers.



Well after considerable effort(re arm pain) and praying, I was rewarded with a considerable mess of bashed up metal,but one must see beyond the skin to see the beauty that is behold.and do some more filling[emoji3064].



Finally,an I hope the Judges note, I’m on the exhibition table cloth.


We were rewarded,tho there’s still one side to file an a heap of sanding to be done plus lots of other fun stuff.
Probably some Zen filling an Zen like sanding.



Cheers Matt.

Matt

Now we're talking. Go the "Body." That is an 'elle of a plane and coming up a treat. I do so love the contrast of brass and steel blended into one. On looks alone I think that style of plane is unsurpassed.

Now where is that hari kari knife. Oh, just a quick question. What do the league of plane makers think I should go to on the grits? I have 10,000 but I am thinking 6,000 will be sufficient. It is only one use after all and it is all a bit gutless.



Regards
Paul

PS: (Just so my post does not get moved to the Health Issues section ).

Originally Posted by Simplicity

The body has almost become one today, that almost sounds Biblical.

Has it been forty days and forty nights already?