| Blog series by JayT | updated 08-06-2016 09:17 PM | 11 parts | 31776 reads | 55 comments total |
Part 1: Getting on Target
During the 2015 Plane and Spokeshave Swap, I built a couple of what came to be called Transitional Infill Shooting Planes. A few people asked for a blog, but there weren’t enough pics to really document the build, so it wasn’t done. Well, after completing a few other projects, I decided to build one more and will try to do a detailed enough blog that someone else could follow along and build their own shooting plane. Lets get started. Gathering materials. First thin...
Part 2: Prepare to open your mouth
With materials in hand, it’s time to start the actual work. First step is to create the mouth, bedding surface for the iron and front escapement area for the shavings. For infill bench planes, the wood can be cut completely apart and held on with the two metal sides during final assembly. Since this shooting plane only has one metal side, that strategy is not a good possibility. With many wooden plane builds, making this opening requires either chiseling out the area or doing a ...
Part 3: Open up and say aaah
With layout all marked up, it’s time to cut the opening. I did this with a sliding compound miter saw and the plane was designed to make that the best tool to use. If you don’t have a SCMS or are just more comfortable with a table saw and miter gauge or handsaws, no reason not to use them. For a miter saw, set the bevel to 20 degrees and the miter to 45 degrees. Hopefully you have a depth stop. If so, mark the proper distance up from the table on a piece of scrap and do som...
Part 4: Feeling Froggy
Here’s where we left off. Mouth opening has been cut and worked to final dimension. Now it’s time to get the frog to fit. A transitional frog has the little bump out on the bottom where the lever cap screw attaches. On an original body, there’s a pocket for that part, we just need to recreate it. Easiest way to mark it out is to first use a small square to mark a line perpendicular to the bed intersecting the line on the face of the bed. This will be the ...
Part 5: Start some Body Shaping
With everything ready for the frog to be installed, it’s time to start adjusting to some final dimensions. First thing is body depth. If your blank started at 1-3/4, you should be close to the correct depth, as most transitional bodies are 1-1/2 thick and there is about 1/4in of cast iron frame on top of that. Here’s the best way I’ve found check thickness. Adjust the depth adjuster knob to about 1/2 way from front to back and set the frog on the body. With the iron...
Part 6: Mouth to Mouth
With the body rabbeted out to accept the side plate, it’s time to cut the actual mouth. If you haven’t yet, now would be a good time to cut the metal pieces to final length. Since the O1 hasn’t been hardened, it cuts pretty easily. I did the first two planes with just a hacksaw. For this one, I used a hacksaw on the 3/8 and a jigsaw on the 1/8. Lay the piece of 1/8 steel on the bench and the wood blank on top and tightly nestled in the rabbet. I hope your wood blan...
Part 7: Time to Tap
With the mouth cut, it’s time to start the metal work. First step is to connect the two pieces of steel. Now, I don’t claim to be a machinist and there are likely better ways to do some of these steps. But I’ll post what worked best for me and you can change and adapt as your skills and available tools allow. At the end of the piece of 1/8 steel, mark where you want to install the first machine screw. If you have layout fluid, that would be best. In place of that, ...
Part 8: Doing some body work
When we left off, the two pieces of steel were machine screwed together, so it’s time to add the body. While the steel and wood are still separate pieces, it’s a good time to mark out any major shaping you would like to do. The way I’ve built them allows for no tote if shaped well. Clamp the body and steel together, figure out where your hand will set comfortably and mark. I cut the metal with a jigsaw and the wood on the band saw. There are plenty of other ...
Part 9: Rondo in B Flat
After letting the epoxy cure for a couple hours, the steel and body are now firmly attached and the machine screws holding the two pieces of steel together can be removed and replaced with slotted brass machine screws. Make sure to use a degreasing cleaner to clean any remaining cutting fluid out of the holes (I use brake cleaner again) and use some kind of thread locker on the machine screws. I use epoxy, tinted to a brass color, just in case one of the screws and the countersunk hole don&...
Part 10: Body Work
With the bottom and side flattened, the next step is to work the mouth and shape the body. Doesn’t matter which you do first, or if you have a short attention span like me, feel free to switch back and forth to break up the monotony. For the blog post, however, we’ll cover one at a time. Finish the mouth With a slim file, work the mouth to even up the metal and wood, smooth the surfaces and adjust the mouth to final dimensions. If the wood overhangs the metal, a sharp chi...
Part 11: Makin' it pretty
Most of the body is now shaped, but a couple more areas I like to touch. The corner of the 3/8 base plate is still at a 90 . . . . . . . . so I round it to match the wood body and eliminate a sharp corner. I also round over the top of the escapement area a bit to eliminate that corner, as well. No picture of what it looked like, but these are the areas that get some attention. Now it’s just a matter of sanding everything to whatever level you desire. Don’...
