first handplane

ok….in relatively quick succession, my second project. Its a hand plane. I didn’t really start with any preconceived ideas of what I wanted to achieve. all I knew – is that I wanted to have a go. I had a couple old chisels lying around and I wanted to make the most of the great cutting edges these old chisels offer. The timber I used for this build was effectively Australian wattle for the main body elements with the sides being made form tassy oak. the oak is pretty common – although the wattle was something that I managed to scavenge from a farmers paddock a few months back – and I always was intending to use it for tool handles or the like.

this is really an experiment in angles, tolerances through the mouth of the plane and just a good way to play with sharpening techniques on the old chisel. its an old “sorby – Sheffield blade – 1 1/4 inch I think??.

I didn’t really plan any specific dimensions in terms of its length, height etc. was more a case of watching something evolve and as its shape started to get interesting, I thought for a moment…”right – gee – that’s got a bit of a roadster fell about it”...so I stopped. The chisel still needs a good workout on my wet stones and the entire plane is about to get its third and fourth rubs of Danish oil. apart from that – I will look to cut the chisel stem off….so that the flat splay on the chisel becomes the “tapping” point for adjustments etc.

any thoughts or suggestions are very welcome. I really enjoyed this project, I am really keen to produce a few more…if not for the pleasure of making superfine shavings…. then at least for the pleasure of making a few planes. I know I haven’t got it setup to any degree of perfection – but I look to learn along an enjoyable journey.

-- regards, cyclops4069