Lessons from wood plane

[tvrgeek]

I had a thought. The wood Jack I got is very different. Glides way better. Sometimes the lighter weight is an advantage, sometimes not. Once upon a time they made hybrid planes. Metal frog, wood base.

Has anyone tried a different take on a hybrid? Just glue a veneer to an iron plane? Get the advantages of easy adjustment, mass of the iron, but glide like wood? Might try this on my Bailey. Reversible.

I also thought about screwing a broader baseplate to the side of a 5 or 7 for a shooting plane. Not as tipsy. Yea, if I won the lottery, I could afford a Veritas or LN shooting plane. Not gonna happen. But I do have some 1/2 inch aluminum plate. I ordered that funky handle from Cosman, as one might guess a Memorial day sale,

Mind wonders while waiting for glue to dry.

 

[Cuthriell]

Agree on the shooting plane. I have a piece of 1/4" steel screwed to the side of a Sargent 6 size plane for a shooter and it is stable. If you did not want holes in the plane epoxy should work. I don't care about the holes and they have been there at least 20 years. Your board will need to be made for whatever thickness you add to the side.

 

[Rwe2156]

I use a #6 for shooting. Tipping isn’t a problem you just have to get the ergonomics and forces figured out.

Some people fashion a knob made to fit the hand that attaches to the side. I’ve never seen the need but if I did a lot of shooting I might consider one.

Metal planes glide just as easy as wood if you use some paraffin wax on the sole.

Here‘s a video link to a pretty nifty shooting set up and you can see the knob on his, too. Cosman sells the knob.

Rob Cosman's Hand Plane Shooting Grip

Rob Cosman's hand plane grip, "The Grip" allows you to turn your bench plane into a high performing shooting board plane. Find out more at RobCosman.com.

robcosman.com

 

[tvrgeek]

Wax, oil can, Magic ceramics, whatever. Quite a difference in guiding. Totally a different feel. I have yet to try the historic stance. It may work on an iron plane too.

Holes are not an issue. My planes are all users, no collectables. I am well aware of Rob's grip. After making several similar, I just splurged and ordered his.

On mass, I find when I reach for a smoother, I grab my old Bailey, not my new fancy WoodRiver. It may be just that it was my only plane for 40 years and I am just programed to grab it. Really, for a smoother we are taking such light cuts I don't think the extra weight is any help and I find I no longer adjust the frog having a dedicated scrub and a couple of #5's so it being a Bedrock design, no big deal. For shooting, mass makes a big difference. I moved from #4 to #5 to #7. Some thinning of the till may be coming. I don't keep tools I don't use. I would love to try a new Primus smoother, but not for the money!

 

[tvrgeek]

Finally got it shaving half a thou. Practice and finding the right weight hammer. Then I added a little more camber to the iron and adjusted it as a fore plane should be.

Got me thinking. When we use a power jointer or table saw to edge boards for glue up, they are 90 degree and flat. Very flat. Is that really good? The tiny amount of camber on a plane iron could give a compressible edge to the wood that when clamped, draws the seam that much tighter. Does that make sense?