Replies

1. 
   philip | Sep 19, 2009 10:29am | #1

   Yah, I know.
   Shouldn't be a problem to find a blade that you think is more suitable.
   But what timber has been used for Oum Piet's plane? Do you know the timber?

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   derekcohen | Sep 19, 2009 11:51am | #3

   But what timber has been used for Oum Piet's plane? Do you know the timber?

   Hi Philip

   I really do not know what wood Oom Piet (Uncle Peter) has used here.

   Interesting construction. Not what I would have expected. It is a lamination of 4 strips (two central and two cheeks). So either this is a more modern plane than one might expect (given its condition as well), or laminated construction goes well back (since I would have expected the plane to date to about the 60s-70s - that is, as a result of the international embago of tools).

   Oh, and I will get back to about the Red Cedar as well - I need to take a few shavings and smell them.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

2. 
   roc | Sep 19, 2009 10:54am | #2

   Derek,

   That is a nice find ! Glad you were able to snag it. Sounds like if any one can fully appreciate it you can.

   Have you ever written any novels ?

   Seriously. Sounds to me like you have your opening paragraph there just begging to lead us into a nice long mystery.

   >I recall riding the steam train through Matjiesfontein as a young boy growing up in Southern Africa. We read through the long silences during the day broken only by the clicking of the wheels on the tracks, the smell of the coal, and the endless scenery of scrub bush and yellow sand. The excitement of the dining car in the evening and windows that framed a pink sky line fading into purple.<

   Do it ! I would buy a copy.

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

1. 
   derekcohen | Sep 19, 2009 11:53am | #4

   Have you ever written any novels ?

   Seriously. Sounds to me like you have your opening paragraph there just begging to lead us into a nice long mystery.

   Hi roc

   I thought all mystery novels had to start, "It was a dark and stormy night ..."  :)

   Thanks for the compliment but I will leave the novels to Ed.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

1. 
   roc | Sep 20, 2009 03:55am | #6

   >will leave the novels for others to write<Our loss.How does pear wood sound for your plane ? I know nothing about pear but some pear planes I have seen sort of look like yours. Any chance that is what it is ?rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

1. 
   derekcohen | Sep 20, 2009 04:34am | #7

   Hi roc

   It's not Pear. My parents' original dining table was pear. When the family grew larger my father replaced the top and stored the original section in the garage. About 25 or so years ago I used it to build a dressing table for my wife, which she still uses. Pear is a light coloured wood. I would say that Cherry is very similar in texture and grain, which is not surprising since they are both fruit woods.

   If anything, the plane wood reminds me somewhat of Karri, a local timber that was used for roofing (as it was not good for much else owing to its high degree of interlinked grain). It has a coarser, open grain.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

1. 
   roc | Sep 20, 2009 05:19am | #8

   Ah yes; I remember you telling me about the dining table and the dressing table now. I'll just sit over here and shut up. Nice talking with you.Nice plane. Thanks again for putting it up on KnotsrocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

2. 
   RalphBarker | Sep 20, 2009 07:21pm | #9

   How about, "It was a hard, and snaggle-grained piece of wood"? ;-)

3. 
   Jammersix | Sep 19, 2009 01:18pm | #5

   I had the same thing happen to me on a Stanley #7. I got a blade that not only didn't match, it couldn't be made to fit the plane, because the hole was in the wrong place.

   My suspicion is that some less-than-honest "dealer" on eBay substituted a blade they wanted to get rid of.