JBark
WoW Member
Posts: 163
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Post by JBark on Oct 31, 2009 23:45:09 GMT -6
There are a lot of good articles, how-to's, material sources here on the internet. I've got a ton of them in my favorites just waiting for the day when I have the time to devote to making one or ten. I think back in my early thirties was the best time. Here's one: www.xmission.com/~jry/ww/tools/a13/a13.htmlJohn |
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admin
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Posts: 1,149
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Post by admin on Oct 31, 2009 23:49:46 GMT -6
Tim,
Speaking of the knurling getting all gooped up, which mine does regularly, I have another idea. Why not make the adjuster knob more like a cross so that you'd have even finer control, without the knurling getting gunky? I recall seeing some old spigot knobs that are a lot like what I'm thinking. A cross that is maybe 1-1/4 from tip to tip, rounded off so it's comfy. And, if it were put in behind the frog, you could just touch it a bit to advance the iron. (I don't see the point of the adjuster being up on top of the tote like the one pictured. I like it down between the frog and the tote so I can move it a bit as needed.)
And perhaps a front knob that a fella can actually use. the 'bun' type, they look more stylistic than utilitarian to me. A nice turned knob can still look good while maintaining the fancy. Maybe a walnut/quilted maple segmented knob? Polished to a high gloss of course!
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Post by Leo Voisine on Nov 1, 2009 7:39:54 GMT -6
Tim,
Tell ya what.
You do all the milling, and make the blades, and I will do all the CNC profile work AND the chamfers.
Do you have a surface grinder?
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 1, 2009 8:04:56 GMT -6
John - thanks for that link! Good walkthrough... although knowing me I'd do several things differently...  Teedge... a star knob might be an excellent example of a mod that'd be well called for. I'll experiment with that & see how it goes. I'm a little spooky about it being bumped out of adjustment, but it WOULD be more comfortable to use & wouldn't gik up so badly. Tim, Tell ya what. You do all the milling, and make the blades, and I will do all the CNC profile work AND the chamfers. Do you have a surface grinder? Man, I'm getting hungry for makin' these things now... I don't have a surface grinder yet, but I'm ready to start shopping for one. |
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Nov 1, 2009 9:41:23 GMT -6
Look what's happened - first we get a whole new forum, and now we've got Tim on the way to his first billion! Hofstetter Toolworks DOES have a ring to it, doesn't it? And with me as a customer, looks like you're an international conglomerate now!  |
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admin
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Post by admin on Nov 1, 2009 10:39:52 GMT -6
Andrew, we must also consider the benefits of being in the testing group of Hofstetter Toolworks, so that we get to use such tools and see how well they function, and then review them for absolutely no charge.
Right Tim? Tim?
TIM???
Dangit.
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Nov 1, 2009 14:36:07 GMT -6
He's too busy putting the postage on my plane, TJ - he'll be along shortly! |
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Post by brburns on Nov 1, 2009 18:58:06 GMT -6
That'd pe pretty cool
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lexrex
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Post by lexrex on Nov 1, 2009 20:59:06 GMT -6
I've run across a couple of online suppliers of big fat irons... but it'd sure be tempting to make my own so I'm not held captive by another manufacturer. I hate pizzing matches. I think Ron Hock will be around a while and a lot of folks like his irons. If you made the same sizes it might be a selling point. |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 1, 2009 21:16:13 GMT -6
Good call - Hock irons are some of the best-of-the-best, known the world over.
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Post by sachbvn on Nov 1, 2009 21:51:28 GMT -6
This is turning into....dare I say.... a damp dream? Shall we start making reservations?
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 1, 2009 22:07:26 GMT -6
Lemme get a couple good SketchUps worked out & we'll see what we can come up with. This may just turn into something furreal, furreal. I'm about to yank the trigger on either of two surface grinders available in my neck of the woods... then I'll need to set up another 1" belt sander and probably a loose-belt walking-beam sander. The metals are easy enough to get hold of, 'specially if I deal through Beems again... although I may need to find a source of 416 SS if Beems' surplus supplier doesn't specify which SS is which. Tempting to make some soles of the same brass as the side leaves, but thicker, too.
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Post by mapleman on Nov 2, 2009 9:34:57 GMT -6
TD,
I have a Preston style infill smoother --- I would be happy to send it to you for measuring, etc ---- to use as the real-world basis, if you like...
this is VEYR COOL! And oh boy am I in!
later, john
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 2, 2009 10:29:23 GMT -6
Just a series of photographs would be good, John - if you'd be so kind as to email me a set. I can extrapolate measurements from that pretty easily... and proportion is more important than exact measurements at this point, except for iron width. If you would, I could use one side view (either side), a front, rear, top, and bottom view... and if the tensioner is removable without too much fuss (don't strip any screw heads!) it'd be good to get a peek at it, too. I think I've got it pretty well figured out otherwise. Thanks! |
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Beamer
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Post by Beamer on Nov 2, 2009 11:21:06 GMT -6
I knew I forgot something last time I was at my mineral dealer. Next time I'm there, I'll tug on their ears about the stainless grades they have. I'll also look into the brass plate supply. So far, you've seen the largest shape I've seen - they might have some plate somewhere, though. And if they don't, I found another store not far that might have something, too. |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 2, 2009 11:55:01 GMT -6
That brass flat bar - exactly as shipped - is almost what I'm looking for, Jason. A little wider would be good, and possibly not quite as thick. I've got a prototype model going in SketchUp right now; without having any clue, I unconsciosly designed one off the cuff that happens to be (by pure coincidence) an almost identical duplicate of the Norris A13 smoother. My prototype calls for brass side plates just less than 1-3/4" wide, 8" long, and 3/16" thick. The flat bar you'd sent last time was 1-1/2" wide, 8" long, and 1/4" thick... DANG CLOSE. I could work easily with 1/4"-thick stock; that'd give me more room to mill the sides flat & even add a little more strength after rabbeting it over the dovetails. I could use 416 stainless flat bar 2-1/2" wide & 8" long & 1/4" thick for the sole... based on a 2" iron. If I downstepped to a 1-3/4" or 1-1/2" iron, I could use a (1/4" or 1/2") narrower sole. I'm thinking Brazilian rosewood, or possibly bocote. The bocote would be a much more "vivid" wood for it - definitely a show-and-go piece. Mahogany would be good for bigger planes, since it's lighter in weight, while maybe ebony would be better for little block or thumb planes. I gotta' watch it here... I MAY POSSIBLY get excited & make decisions best left for wiser moments... |
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Post by mapleman on Nov 2, 2009 12:37:11 GMT -6
Timmer, i will certainly get some pics to you -- give me a day or two though... wondering... is SS a good choice for the sole? only reason i ask is because fettling, no matter how well you construct it, might be necessary down the road. and i think the typical hobbyist would not have the ability to fettle SS... just wonderin' out loud s'long as yer just sketchin'.... that is one of the beauties of brass or cast iron (and i suppose bronze) is that you can adjust as need be... waddya frink? john |
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admin
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Post by admin on Nov 2, 2009 12:42:37 GMT -6
So far, it sounds like you're on the right track. Stainless is the way to go with the sole if you ask me, polished to a high sheen so there's no sliding resistance there. Also, I'd like to direct you towards making it so a fella could use it for hours even in hard wood. Too many seem to be built for just a few passes, whilst some of us are still planerless and would much appreciate the ability to use it for hours and hours as I've done in the pass. My bench plane is a little on the hefty side, and terribly nose heavy. After about an hour of that thing, I'm ready to call it a day. I'm pretty sure you've already thought of it, but what about on the sides of the body milling a T-slot maybe 3/16" wide and putting a piece of steel in there, just to break the mold of brass sides and steel soles. And, if a fella were inclined to use the plane with a shooting board, it'd wear better than the brass. It'd make the thing look three times as classy, and it would make folks immediately recognize it as a TD Original. TJ. |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 2, 2009 12:54:25 GMT -6
Timmer, i will certainly get some pics to you -- give me a day or two though... wondering... is SS a good choice for the sole? only reason i ask is because fettling, no matter how well you construct it, might be necessary down the road. and i think the typical hobbyist would not have the ability to fettle SS... just wonderin' out loud s'long as yer just sketchin'.... that is one of the beauties of brass or cast iron (and i suppose bronze) is that you can adjust as need be... waddya frink? john One of MY planes... will never want for fettling. No way, nohow, never. Not unless it's dropped on a concrete floor, in which case it'd be best to send it back to the manufacturer for a complete evaluation... No, no fettling - in fact, it'd wreck one of the important features of my planes - the whole toe, ahead of the iron, is recessed 0.001" to 0.002". Fettling would remove that recess and put the plane back in the same category as all the others. That stepped sole is a TDH original... makes excellent sense when it's carefully considered. The plane iron is set exactly flush with the HEEL of the sole, and the sole's toe recess provides for a shaving one to two thousandths thick. When used strictly for smoothing in the middle of a board, the iron will pick up only high spots, barely touching truly flat surfaces. When used to reduce a surface, it's started at the end (or side) of a board with the toe lying flat on the board. The iron will bite fully one-two thou there, and when the sole behind the iron touches the board it'll land on that newly planed surface exactly. Just like the infeed & outfeed tables on a tailed jointer. BUT... if a fella were to ever WANT to needlessly fettle one of my planes, and undertook to retain that little step, 416 can be "scaried" nicely. |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 2, 2009 12:56:25 GMT -6
I'm pretty sure you've already thought of it, but what about on the sides of the body milling a T-slot maybe 3/16" wide and putting a piece of steel in there, just to break the mold of brass sides and steel soles. And, if a fella were inclined to use the plane with a shooting board, it'd wear better than the brass. It'd make the thing look three times as classy, and it would make folks immediately recognize it as a TD Original. There's an idea - a "racing stripe". I'm gonna' toy with that while I've got the model open in front of me. I've never seen a wear strip on a plane before, and I think quite maybe it has a place. Maybe two - one low, near the dovetail, and one higher. |
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