The Coffin Shaped Smoother- Up Close- Part 2

I don't know about you but videos are excellent to get the feel of something but to study something you want to make, pictures are it. 

I tried to include a few angles that showed off some of the different parts, both assembled and disassembled. I threw in a few artsy shots, I can't help myself.

Notice the iron is only heat treated at the end. I never bother trying to do the whole thing. It would take you a very long time to work past this end part in use, anyway. Japanese blades are usually laminated with steel, good for cutting blades, only at the end. So there you have it. I don't know what other planemakers do.

The secret to that curving chamfer down the side is to use a drawknife. No planing down a curve here. Spoke shave would work too but I like to go right at it. Plus I already have the drawknife out for making the coffin shape and rounding the heel. Thats right, no band sawing on these parts. I want to be dead on and I would have to clean up the bandsaw marks with something anyway. Probably the chairmaker in me. The drawknife is always in the hand.

Seeing into the mouth should help demystify that part a little.

Make your vertical chamfers with a chisel and #5 sweep gouge.

If you noticed the growth rings, I broke the rule here of putting the bark side of the wood to the sole. I don't hold to that religiously. If the pith side has a flatter growth ring shape then I will use that side. The more parallel the rays are to each other the less change in shape that area will experience. 

Maybe I will post sometime about how beech grows to explain why that happens. I also have other theories as to why for practical reasons the bark side was usually used. Thats for another time.

Here is a little perspective in use.

I can't remember the last time I wanting to make something this much, just so I can use my new tool. Ok, I will stop blabbing. 

Have fun in the shop!

The Coffin Shaped Smoother- Up Close

Have you tried making that smoother from the plans that I posted up recently? Need a little help or a closer look? Well, here it is.

I put together two videos to show its details and how it performs in that order below.

I really love this little smoothing plane. I hope you make one. It will become a go to plane as it has for me.

I will eventually offer these for sale as well if you don't have the time or the desire to make one yourself. I understand that making a tool is not everyones interest but the using of it is. Let me know if you want more information.

Enjoy!

Good is the Answer

Do you ever have one of those mornings where you just look out and wonder... "What am I going to do today"? I am pondering that question. Somehow it seems to lead to my asking "What will this coming year bring". Good, bad, ugly...? I think, good. I believe good is the answer.

As a youth I would often ask myself that question. Not because it was the start of a new year but because I would find myself at a point of transition and know that things change and bring new experiences. Out of all the things that we can develop negative responses to, I have found that change and new have excited me, like an adventure. True, there has always been a since of hesitation but I think that is what makes it progress to excitement.

Why am I talking about all this? Well, it looks like I have a move in store. If all goes well I will be in Greenville, SC before I know it. I am very excited to be at the base of the Appalachian mountains with all of the best hardwoods in North American in my short reach. The area reminds me of where I grew up, Northern Arkansas.

I also have new plans for the year. I have for some time now wanted to make wooden planes in an 18th century style. I love how those plans function and are so simple in many ways yet reflect a hight of refinement that can be so appreciated. To think, they could make such objects of functionality from such basic materials is a marvel to me. I enjoy setting up and tuning a plane that I have made. So with that in mind I will be making those planes and selling them as I have the time and proper materials. Beech is so abundant in this country yet it is not commonly cut for commercial use and thus it is very difficult to acquire the cut of beech needed to make these planes properly. Now I have a good source already lined up and  hope to offer some beech made planes in the coming year.

If you like moulding planes then those will be a very large part of the offering and probably the first to be available. In fact I have been refining some of the proportions and stylings on those planes and are offering those for sale in my Etsy shop right now. Currently they are of walnut but this I feel is an good and acceptable alternative for a number of reasons but I will save that discussion for another post.

If you are interested and would like to hit me up about any particular planes or sets you have interest in I would be more than happy to put you on a list and get back to you as I have the materials to make these.

By the way my planes will reflect much of the research and design that Old Street tools or also know as Clark and Williams have done over the years. I have highly regarded their styles and input on the subject for some years now.