Project by SST | posted 01-26-2011 04:00 AM | 2809 views | 4 times favorited | 9 comments | ![]() |
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My auto mechanic has become hooked on woodworking as well as Shopsmiths. As those who know me will surmise, he now has a special place in my heart as well as inside my engine compartment. (he actually bought 2 of my bebuilt Shopsmiths)
In keeping with my philosophy of “Always take care of the guy who takes care of your car,” I figured that, since every woodworker needs at least a bench plane and a block plane in his shop, this would make a good Christmas present to him. The block plane is a modified & tuned Stanley 220, and the bench plane is a tuned #4 Stanley.
I wanted to practice box joints, so I made a quick & easy jig to use on the 10er Shopsmith that I keep set up as a dedicated dado saw. I have 2 stacked dado sets, each on it’s own arbor. One is 3/4” and the other 3/8” wide. That way, it’s a quick swap to the sizes I get the most use out of. (I do make zero clearance table inserts out of plywood when I use the saw.)
The box is made of red oak. The bottom is inset with a rabbet joint that was made with the dado set. The finish is a couple of coats of boiled linseed oil rubbed on, let to soak in, then the excess rubbed off. I like BLO as a “color” coat on oak. I think it really brings out the warmth without obscuring the grain as pigmented stain sometimes does. After thorough curing, I like Zinsser’s seal coat (2lb cut de-waxed shellac) for anything not subjected to water, so this box got several coats with a brush, using 0000 steel wool to rub out the second to last coat. Then I rubbed on the last coat with a cotton pad to get a smooth gloss.
I put a piece of paper on the bottom of the box, set the 2 planes on top of it & traced the outline of them on the paper. I then made a block insert that cradles the two planes from the tracing, and I had a plane box.
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
9 comments so far
CL810
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#1 posted 01-26-2011 04:04 AM
If your not his favorite customer already you will be now! Great idea.
-- "The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - FDR
WWilson
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#2 posted 01-26-2011 04:55 AM
Very nice project. Did you have any problems with the Red Oak chipping out at the back side of the cut? Great work.
-Will
bigike
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#3 posted 01-26-2011 05:02 AM
cool project idea.
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://[email protected]
SST
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#4 posted 01-26-2011 05:05 AM
Chipping was not a problem. If you look closely at the pics, I clamped all 4 sides together in the jig & they were backed up by the jig.
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
Napaman
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#5 posted 01-26-2011 05:57 AM
very nice! lots of good picts—thanks…
-- Matt--Proud LJ since 2007
itsmic
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#6 posted 01-26-2011 08:59 PM
OK, I get it, a plain box, when I first saw it, I thought you where being humble, lols, well, it certainly looks great and looks to be the perfect fit. Good looking finish, your right it really brings out the beauty of the wood, thanks for sharing
-- It's Mic Keep working and sharing
albachippie
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#7 posted 01-27-2011 12:19 AM
I like this very much, thanks for sharing
-- Garry fae Bonnie Scotland
clrcopy
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#8 posted 09-02-2012 11:39 PM
VERY nice. I was just thinking of trying to build something for my 2 planes. very cool idea!
-- Doug Rowan, am I working the wood or is the wood working me!
SST
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790 posts in 5249 days
#9 posted 09-05-2012 01:44 AM
And done with a Shopsmith
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
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