Plane bedding chisel

Hello,

Some times ago I studied John Whelan's book of classic planemaking. In the first chapters, there were talk about Marples planemaking factory. There was a description of an interview with one of their master planemakers, who described the use of bedding chisel for wooden planes.

According to the story (or how I understood it), this chisel was very large, perhaps full width of the bed. They did not use it with just their hands and mallets, but with entire body weight, supporting the chisel butt against their shoulder. I understood that this chisel was used to make the final cuts for bed, maybe as one big crunchy push of paring type of chisel work.

I have not seen even smallest glimpse of this kind of tool. Must be a rare piece of hardware. I am sure I could make one, but there must lie some tricks to be considered. As being a Finn, shooting rifles and shotguns is nothing actually new (perhaps Australians know thing or two about that, too), and that made me think that I could make some kind of wooden gunstock as chisel butt, and instead of barrel there would be something like 55mm wide hard-tempered socket chisel to make the job. The trouble is that there must be some special things to be considered first.

So, if You guys know anything about this kind of tool and how to use it, it would be really great to hear about it.

sumu

I'd have to look at Whelan again--and even then I may not ascertain for certain what he is talking about. I suspect he is talking about a square-side firmer chisel which is ground to about 85-80 degrees.

I use a couple chisels used for fine paring cuts that are thus ground. One can take a perfect shaving off stock with or against the grain with it. If I want an agressive cut, I grind it on a fine stone wheel so as to put a small hook or burr on it.

Take care, Mike

You mean this chisel would be like some kind of special version of machinist's scraping chisel, or such? I must say that I came up with completely different visualization, but with quite dim edges of the picture :D.

Mr. Whelan has written a fine book, but indeed there is certain peculiarities in his way to explain things.

Thanks MikeW,

sumu

Hey Sumu. Have a look at the post I just submitted here:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=56955

Maybe this is what they meant? Giant chisels!

Wayne

:oo::oo::oo: Whooo...ah!

Full 76mm wide chisel? I mean, the size is right, namely big! :D:D:D

Great find, Hardenfast :2tsup:.

I mean I would like to try to make such a chisel. But instead of gunstock, I think I 'm gonna make it according the principle of this Logmatic Wedge Splitting Axe. If you like, check out the video, might be interesting: http://www.logmatic.com/eng/index_eng.php
(I'm not affiliated with them, it's just a working kind of idea)

I can't see why a huge chisel wouldn't work the same way, right? You could aim and keep the direction quite precisely where you want, when you no not need to worry about your malleting skills. Might work.

Kippis,

sumu

Very interesting idea for the log splitting axes, Sumu. I've never seen this before, although there are similar versions of the Logmatic axe used specifically for de-barking logs etc.

There are many fascinating tools which have been developed for easier working of large logs & timber. In fact the "slick" I have mentioned in my other thread is another "big timber" tool.

From what I've learned so far, despite its size a slick is actually used for comparitively fine work in cleaning up adzed edges, large joints etc.

Great stuff! :cool:

Wayne