Planes at Williamsburg

[Kermit]

'Tis said that many of these folks' planes are in use at Williamsburg. They certainly are proper 18th century tools. Try not to choke on the prices, especially that plough plane. These are "shop made tools," just not your shop.

http://www.planemaker.com/products.html

It's rumored they will make up a custom plane, but I have no personal knowledge of that. If so, I'd bet they'd make whatever profile you need--maybe to cut an octagonal groove to get a barrel inlet roughed in?

[dannybb55]

The molding planes can be had for 20 bucks a piece just down the road at the antique shop, all of the forms are much lower if old. The cost of labor is just too high to compete with common sized originals.

[David R. Pennington]

I buy old original planes when I find them in good condition at reasonable prices. The thing you need to look out for is the ones that are literally worn out and not usable any more. The other is the ones that have been modified by a user who didn't understand how the plane is designed to work. I have seen dozens of otherwise good planes that a previous owner ruined by opening the throat. They do this when the shavings begin to clog the throat thinking this will help but it only makes the problem worse. Usually the reason the plane chokes is because the iron is dull and or improperly set. Opening the throat only allows the chip to tear too far ahead of the cutter and results in poor cuts and more clogging. Anyone wanting to use hand planes should invest the time needed to learn how to "tune" and use them. There are some good references out there on the subject.
 You can always tell a real traditional craftsman from a novice by the way he handles his planes. If you have ever taken the time to tune a plane and hone the iron to a keen edge you will never set it down on its sole for fear of nicking the cutter. I always lay them on their side on the bench when in use and have a strip of wood they straddle on the shelf to make sure the cutting edge never touches anything except the board I want to plane. I usually pay from $10-$20 for them at the flea mkts and antique stores but I only buy the ones that I can repair. I let someone else have the wall hangers. 

[T.C.Albert]

For a long time I especially looked for Chapin/Union Factory planes with Wade Butcher irons...
Theirs is an interesting story...Ken Roberts has a great 2 book set out about the wooden plane, I think Astragal press may carry it? It really details how they were made etc...great stuff for those interested in old wood planes.

Maybe not Astragal anymore...but here is an Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Planes-19th-Century-America/dp/0913602264
not sure if this is for both volumes, but there is a 1 and 2.
tc

[bodgerman]

 The site you link has a cd on making planes, it's not that difficult. I've made a few.

[Nordnecker]

I'll share this with you'all just for the humility of it.
I set out to make an adjustable panel raising plane a few years ago. As you might know, a panel raiser has a skewed iron. I managed to forge weld the steel to the skewed iron- on the wrong side, and had to do that over again. I made the body of the plane and the fence out of beech. Found period screws to attach the fence. Made a beautiful tote and perfectly shaped wedge. The throat could have been a little tighter. I had to dissasemble the plane to mortise the tote into the body. I fit the tote perfectly into the body. It was a perfect friction fit. I re-assembled the plane only to realize- The tote was fit into the wrong end of the plane. DOH! I fit the tote into the right end and patched the hole. I made one raised panel with it just to see if it worked. It did. Even in hard yellow pine. I never made anything with the panel or the plane.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Nordnecker...it's the journey that's the thing - not the destination.  I can identify with you 100%.

Years ago, I took it upon myself to make a big broad sword.  It was a month's work of grinding and polishing.  But I finished it and it was a beauty!  To better understand the sword's potential, I cut the head off a big bear in my carport, and was amazed at the ease of it.  Apart from admiring the thing, it never got any more use.  And that's just fine!

[Dave B]

I was lucky enough to see John Laubauck at the CWF tool shop fabrication. They make a good percentage of the tools that are period correct for the crafts shops there. I was able to see the components being collected from the various crafts to then be assembled into the final products. At that particular time they were making box planes.  They had just received the irons from the black smiths and was getting ready to start assembly. Very cool stuff

[Acer Saccharum]

To better understand the sword's potential, I cut the head off a big bear in my carport, and was amazed at the ease of it.

Taylor, your character grows larger at every posting.     I assume the bear was already dead.

[ole one shot]

I do the same......I have also shaped my flat plane's to half octagon in different barrel size's to plane barrel channels and round planes for ramrod groves. After chunk chiseling they save a lot of time doing the finish the barrel channel to exact barrel dimensions. Lay a straight barrel in its channel tight as frog hair! Learned this trick at Williamsburg in the 70's

[Robert Wolfe]

Acer, I assumed the bear was worrying Taylor's trash cans. That's how legends start......

[kaintuck]

I covet planes, and spokeshaves......and I suppose floats and scrapers will be next....

I am a tool-a-holic......



Marc

[Bob Roller]

It's not possible to have too many tools,too much money or too many guns and too much ammunition.

Bob Roller

[Joey R]

I'll second that!!

[Clark Badgett]

Looks like I'm in good company. I'm such a tool-a-holic, I sometimes buy tools I have no need for just because I think it's neat.

[Habu]

Looks like I'm in good company. I'm such a tool-a-holic, I sometimes buy tools I have no need for just because I think it's neat.

That would explain all the carbide lathe and mill tooling I've accumulated--it looks neat, and I couldn't pass it up.  Of course, my lathe is a 1917 Southbend, and I don't have a mill.  Yet.

[kaintuck]

I'll second that!!

yup...just got a couple more.....I am 'two timing' man now......


got tired of holders...bought the second vise......now dang it~I can hold the longest of them!!!!!!

(that's a very fast kat!)