AuroraWoodworks's Blog at LumberJocks.com http://lumberjocks.com/AuroraWoodworks/blog Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:42:07 GMT Infill plane construction #2: Opening my mouth http://lumberjocks.com/AuroraWoodworks/blog/18137 I finished making the vertical cuts for the dovetails in the sole plate. I clamped a piece of scrap wood cut at 75 degrees as a guide for my hacksaw blade. The guide block began to wear and lose accuracy after a couple cuts. At that point, I made enough guide blocks to use a fresh one for every cut.
Hacksaw guide
Before removing the waste form the dovetails in the sole plate, I decided to open the mouth. It was easier to clamp the sole plate in the drill press vise with the sides still intact. I used a small diameter drill bit to perforate the perimeter of the mouth opening. I then drilled as much of the waste as possible without letting the bit wander. I tried to knock the remainder loose with a cold chisel, but it didn’t want to pop free. Now I’m left with the task of filing out the remainder of the waste.
Filing the waste
After I clean out the mouth, I will then remove the waste from the tails in the sole plate.

]]> Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:42:07 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/AuroraWoodworks/blog/18137 AuroraWoodworks AuroraWoodworks Infill plane construction #1: And so it begins http://lumberjocks.com/AuroraWoodworks/blog/17495 I was browsing the Popular Woodworking web site about a week ago when I innocently poked on a link to infill plane maker Sauer and Steiner. The site described how the dovetailed metal bodied planes are made using hand tools that most people already have. That was all I needed for motivation. I already own a hacksaw and a bunch of files. Never mind that I’ve never done any metal work or the fact that I already own two Stanley #4 planes, I’M GOING TO BUILD AN INFILL PLANE!

An internet search turned up a basic diagram of a Norris A-13 smoothing plane. I will make the sole out of 1/4” mild steel. After a trip to the “home center”, I was armed with a fresh pair of hacksaw blades, needle files, and a piece of 1/4”x4”x12” plate steel. The sides will be made from 3/16” brass, which had to be ordered online. They should be in my mailbox next week.

Humble beginnings

The first step is to layout the inside width of the sole. I am going to size the plane for a 2-1/4” iron. I made a template out of scrap wood the width of the inside of the plane. I used that to scribe the layout lines on the sole plate. This will be the bottom of the dovetails where the side plates butt against the sole.

That’s as far as I got last night. Next will be laying out the dovetails and cutting some guide blocks to help with the hacksawing and filing.

]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:58:27 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/AuroraWoodworks/blog/17495 AuroraWoodworks AuroraWoodworks