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Another Roman plane #1: Taking shape

Blog entry by YorkshireStewart posted 225 days ago 555 reads 2 times favorited 15 comments Add to Favorites Watch
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In the first couple of centuries or so A.D, The Germani tribe was dominant in northern Denmark. Following military victories, it was their tradition to hurl war booty into the nearest bog!

Just near Odense, is a massive bog called Vimose containing a considerable quantity of these war booty sacrifices. In the 1860s excavations took place there and the peaty conditions preserved a large number of wooden objects including two wooden planes, probably made by the Romans, now known as Vimose A and B. Vimose A is in remarkable condition and I am currently making a reconstruction, in boxwood, the same material as the original.

See the December 2008 issue of The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association for a paper on this and other planes from the first millennium AD.

The plane measures only about 10” long x 1.5” wide and has a sole that is hollow which indicates that it was used to make handles for spears and lances.

The replica will eventually be placed in a private museum in Yorkshire.

I am grateful to the most helpful south of England woodturner George Foweraker kindly providing the beautiful piece of boxwood when I couldn’t locate a suitable piece. Carving is pretty well new to me, but I was pleased with the way that the boxwood worked.

Here’s the progress I’ve made so far

I’m awaiting some information on the exact angle of the iron from Denmark’s National Museum before I can finish the task…... Some time later Here's the finished plane

Oh, and here’s my first Roman Plane.. Click for details

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems


15 comments so far

View woodbutcherer's profile

woodbutcherer

30 posts in 347 days


posted 225 days ago

Ooohhh!!

I loved the last Roman plane. Seeing a new one take shape has me giddy as a school girl!

I am jealous of you for having the right contacts to be able to replicate these objects.

-- POST NUBILA SOL - After clouds sunshine

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7597 posts in 1110 days


posted 225 days ago

Fascinating!

I’m sure the replica will be much finer than the original!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Karson's profile

Karson

25792 posts in 1292 days


posted 225 days ago

Stewart. A fantstik trip you are taking.. I’m very glad that you are doing this for a museaum.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View kiwi1969's profile

kiwi1969

600 posts in 333 days


posted 225 days ago

hope you will give us a demo before the museum gets it!

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

14914 posts in 743 days


posted 224 days ago

Another great job Stewart. Those Romans sure were craftsmen.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View rtb's profile

rtb

678 posts in 605 days


posted 224 days ago

WOW

-- RTB. "dumb animals are not stupid they simply can't talk "

View badger's profile

badger

41 posts in 237 days


posted 223 days ago

Amazing! I love history and recreating period crafts, so this is right up my alley.

badger

-- "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe." -- Jango Fett

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

782 posts in 793 days


posted 223 days ago

Glad it’s given some pleasure folks. It’ll certainly get some use before the handover kiwi1969; I’ll report back. I often use the one with the metal soleplate.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

View badger's profile

badger

41 posts in 237 days


posted 222 days ago

Other than that article (which I am working on getting a copy of eventually) what are some good sources for information and pictures of early (medieval or roman) planes and woodworking tools?

-- "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe." -- Jango Fett

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

782 posts in 793 days


posted 221 days ago

View badger's profile

badger

41 posts in 237 days


posted 216 days ago

Thanks! I’ll take a look through those.

-- "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe." -- Jango Fett

View JoeHe's profile

JoeHe

8 posts in 589 days


posted 211 days ago

I really like this plane. Quite beautiful. You have done an excellent job on the reproduction.

View Dusty56's profile

Dusty56

3455 posts in 579 days


posted 17 days ago

Great job , Stewart….did you ever finish it ?

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

782 posts in 793 days


posted 9 days ago

Hello Dusty56 . Here is the finished plane. I should have provided a link before now!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

View Dusty56's profile

Dusty56

3455 posts in 579 days


posted 8 days ago

Thanks for the link , Stewart…it certainly came out nice : ) While I have your attention , Sir ….Happy Holidays to you and yours and keep up the fantastic craftsmanship !

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

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