Replies

1. 
   macalex | Jun 08, 2003 07:48am | #1

   The point of the post: This is an attempt to produce a palm-sized plane (for a 1 1/4 by 3 1/2 inch Hock iron, used without the chipbreaker, bevel-up) with a low centre of gravity and a comfortable palm fit. The flared walnut wedge doubles as a palm pad, sitting out over the protruding end of the iron, and the shape mimics a Microsoft mouse. The geometry is after a little brass and rosewood Bristol Design block plane that I've owned for 15 years, which workes beautifully, but is real lumpy in the hand.

   Are there any other design solutions out there?

   Any suggested improvements?

   I'm going to try to recess a thumb grip and a finger grip up at the front end, but hate the thought of chopping into those thin (3/16+) lignum vitae cheeks.

   
   

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   Edited 6/8/2003 7:08:59 AM ET by kiwimac
   

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   Edited 6/9/2003 4:30:48 AM ET by kiwimac

   
   

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   Edited 6/9/2003 4:31:45 AM ET by kiwimac

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Jun 09, 2003 12:46am | #2

   Mac,

   Sweet little plane!!  Should work fine, esp being low angle.

   I'd put a 3mm radius on the top of the throat to make planing more comfortable.

   If you don't get any more feedback here, try posting on:http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/handtools.plYou'll find that some of the manufacturers spend a bit of time on the other site (eg:  Shepherd tool, Knight Toolworks, Larry Williams).

   But Larry and Konrad Sauer also lurk here - fellas, any comments on this plane if you read this.

   Cheers,eddie

   Edited 6/8/2003 5:51:57 PM ET by eddie (aust)

1. 
   Malcolm2 | Jun 09, 2003 05:11am | #3

   Thanks

   Doesn't show well in the photo but the cheeks either side of the throat are rounded over. But actually, the only significant points of contact are the thumb and finges around the front (thumb to left, first finger on top, other three fingers along the right side) and the palm, which rests on the flared top of the wedge. That's the design intention, after years of grumbling about block planes that feel like a handfull and knobs and levers and sharp blade back ends!

1. 
   GregB126 | Jun 09, 2003 05:27am | #4

   Kiwimac2

   I think it looks beautiful.  I guess the question is how does it perform?  How does it fit your own hand?  With the wedge snug in your palm, do your fingers reach the sides at the point you were aiming for?  Did you get the mouth opening as intended?  Based on its appearance, I'd bet you are pleased each time you look at it.  You should be!

   Cheers,

   Greg

1. 
   Malcolm2 | Jun 09, 2003 05:54am | #5

   It fits like a glove! Thumb and second finger naturally grip either side of the mouth, just where the blade emerges. First finger just reaches the front of the infil, wedge sits against the ball of my thumb in my palm. Feels a bit like one of those large MicrSoft mice (I keep trying to double-click to adjust the blade!). There's about a 1mm gap in front of the blade. I'm still waiting for the Hock iron, but with a stand-in (thinner) iron, it performs very well.

   Using the flared wedge as the pressure point also works well - the push comes just where it should (directly behind the blade) and is absorbed in the hard muscle at the back of the palm.

   The beauty of lignum vitae in this sort of application is that it machines more like a soft metal than wood (as long as the grain is favourable) and because it's so heavy, it provides real heft, even in tiny pieces like this. I have a couple of larger planes of lignum vitae and rosewood and they feel like metal planes (actually heavier than some of the cheap DIY planes available). Lignum vitae also has an oily, almost soapy, feel.

   If I was to make another of these (and I may, just for fun) I'd like to try a fine-grained white oak or beech (I have an old trashed wooden jointer of English beech that I may rip into thin boards). Not as dense, but probably stiff enough, and a much different feel.

2. 
   Malcolm2 | Jun 09, 2003 07:09am | #6

   And here's a smaller, faster-loading image.

   There's also a copy (and a seperate correspondence) in the Gallery.

   Sorry!

   
3. 
   macalex | Jun 09, 2003 11:39am | #7

   So what about other solutions?

   There are heaps of illustrations of bigger Krenov-style planes on the web, but I've not seen any small, low-angle block planes made this way.

   The attraction of this approach to me is that it delivers the blade right at your finger tips. For fine trimming and chamfering, and cleaning-up with fine finishing cuts, I do really feel like I've better control than with a larger plane, or with my equivalent-sized brass and steel Bristol Design plane.

   I've never used a Lie-Nielsen (sp) - or even seen one in the flesh - but in the illustrations they look like they'd fill your hand quite comfortably as well.

   Other wooden solutions? There must be some! 

4. 
   joker | Jun 09, 2003 07:59pm | #8

   Beautiful little plane. I made one out of Maple and Lignum Vitae for the sole, It is bigger, more of a jack plane. I love the feel and the way wooden planes work.

   A couple of questions of I may. Is the angle of the ramp for the blade the same as on a typical low angle block plane? From the picture, the ramp for the blade is small, was it difficult to cut, did you do/use anything special to cut it, with regard getting the angle right?

5. 
   Malcolm2 | Jun 10, 2003 12:46am | #9

   >> Is the angle of the ramp for the blade the same as on a typical low angle block plane? <<

   Yes, I didn't even measure it. I made a template in 3mm MDF for the sides, with the outline curve sketched freehand and the ramp angle copied directly from my Bristol Design plane. I also marked the template with the location and shape of the flared wedge and the steel pin (I drill the pin holes last, using my drill press). I wanted the wedge to protrude back and cover the iron.

   >> From the picture, the ramp for the blade is small, was it difficult to cut, did you do/use anything special to cut it, with regard getting the angle right? <<

   It's a pretty small piece of wood. The ramp and front in-fill are a 5mm slice of lignum vitae glued to a larger slice of sapele. I thickness the sandwich to match the width of the iron, and then carefully mark out and cut the ramp by hand, taking the angle from the MDF template (this time I did, sometimes I mess around with my mitre saw, and I thought about making a quick jig for the table saw this time. In the end, by hand is less risky and it only takes a few minutes).

   The infill/ramp geometry is the mission-critical part of this exercise. It has to be exactly right. I used a sheet of 180 grade garnet paper clamped under a 90 degree wood fence on my workbench and touched up the face of the ramp on that, checking frequently with an engineer's square. Went well, and quickly. Finished with 400 grade or so, I think.

   There's probably only a couple of hours work in this plane (most of it finish-shaping and polishing) and if I were making a run I could probably do one in less than an hour.