| Project by Philip Edwards | posted 237 days ago | 1297 views | 13 times favorited | 40 comments | ![]() |
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HI Folks
I’ve been busy making wooden planes for the last couple years and have been slowly becoming more and more involved with the metalwork side of things. This has culminated with this recent commission – a toted smoothing plane similar in size and shape to a Norris A5.
The sole is 1/2 inch thick brass attached to the body by a sliding dovetail joint (a feature I have been using a lot on my recent planes). The iron is pitched at 55 degrees and is a 1/4 inch thick O1 high carbon steel – a monster blade!
In use it takes the finest of shavings with ease. The substantial weight of the plane (Blackwood is an amazingly dense hardwood) means you only have to push the plane forward in use – the plane sits down on the work with no help needed from the user.
It was a lot of work polishing the timber (any scratches or imperfections are exaggerated by the gloss black) but well worth the time and effort – she looks amazing.
Hope you like,
Cheers
Phil
www.phillyplanes.co.uk






























40 comments so far
spanky46
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736 posts in 281 days
posted 237 days ago
A work of art! Nice job and a cut above!
-- spanky46 -- Never enough clamps...Never enough tools...Never enough time.
Roger Strautman
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534 posts in 1024 days
posted 237 days ago
That’s one mighty fine piece of usable artwork!! All the lines in this plane are complimentary to each other. The finish is second to none! Keep them coming! Thanks for sharing!
-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"
Les Hastings
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950 posts in 664 days
posted 237 days ago
Awesome work Philip, well done!!!
-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)
Scott Bryan
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20514 posts in 712 days
posted 237 days ago
Phillip, that is a gorgeous plane. It is almost too pretty to use. I know that, if it were mine, the first scratch would be just like getting a scratch on a new car. Great finish as well. And I really like the dovetailed joint as well. It is not only a nice joint between the two material but it also adds a nice detail to the plane’s appearance.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
woodworm
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8135 posts in 481 days
posted 237 days ago
Not only it takes fine shavings, its does look very fine indeed.
Great wok!
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
RobH
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460 posts in 940 days
posted 237 days ago
Absolutely awesome. That is a beautiful tool. Anyone would be lucky to have that in their collection.
Keep up the good work, and keep showing the pictures.
-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA
Brad_Nailor
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1209 posts in 848 days
posted 237 days ago
thats almost too nice to use! Great looking plane!
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
mranum
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94 posts in 307 days
posted 237 days ago
Awesome job! How do you dovetail the sole like that?
-- Just remember,it was a lone amatuer that built the ark, and a team of experts built the Titanic.
Philip Edwards
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235 posts in 1330 days
posted 237 days ago
Thank you all for the kind comments!
Mranum, I mill the dovetail on a metalwork mill – no other way, I’m sorry to say.
Best regards
Phil
CharlieM1958
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7591 posts in 1109 days
posted 237 days ago
Just beautiful.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
cypresswoodworker
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86 posts in 237 days
posted 237 days ago
Great job Phillip brillant work !!
-- If at first you don't succeed...Buy another tool !!
stanley2
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278 posts in 686 days
posted 237 days ago
That’s a beauty and I liked your ‘Maloof’ chair too
-- Phil in British Columbia
Texasgaloot
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467 posts in 591 days
posted 237 days ago
Brilliant, Phil! True art.
-- There's no tool like an old tool...
lclashley
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243 posts in 1005 days
posted 237 days ago
Phil! It’s so beautiful I had set the firtst pic as my desktop wall paper. Nice work!
WayneC
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5943 posts in 988 days
posted 237 days ago
Thanks Phil.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
mart
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168 posts in 515 days
posted 237 days ago
Phillip,
You are truly a talented and gifted artist. Thank you for sharing. It is a beautiful plane.
Mart
Douglas Bordner
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3424 posts in 954 days
posted 237 days ago
As planes go that is a Maserati. Beautiful and sleek. Great job, Phillip.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Dennis Zongker
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1014 posts in 482 days
posted 237 days ago
Incredible! Beautiful craftsmanship!!! Thanks for posting.
-- Dennis Zongker
a1Jim
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16474 posts in 468 days
posted 237 days ago
Outstanding work of art.
Jim
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
FlWoodRat
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580 posts in 800 days
posted 237 days ago
Phillip. You work is outstanding. I’d love to see the sole of this plane.
-- I love the smell of sawdust in the morning....
Edward E Nock II
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41 posts in 1035 days
posted 237 days ago
Man you are right down my alley!!!! I love what you have done. With 5000mi away I won’t be able to visit, at least not now. The dove tail connection is fantastic. I would like to know where you got the brass knobs. I made an inlay plane & couldn’t find a brass knob. Please help!!
ED
-- ED NOCK
Karson
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25786 posts in 1291 days
posted 237 days ago
Phil: Another beautiful plane. A great job on this one.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
PineMan
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57 posts in 485 days
posted 236 days ago
Excellent looking job!
-- I never started a project I couldn't screw up.
Bloonose
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40 posts in 441 days
posted 236 days ago
As we say in Scotland, ” A Stoatir”
Doug S.
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305 posts in 599 days
posted 236 days ago
Excellent job. I’ve been mulling about the idea of trying to make a few roundover planes and posts like this just keep pushing me closer to the edge of what I’m sure is a very deep chasm.
-- Use the fence Luke
Philip Edwards
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235 posts in 1330 days
posted 236 days ago
Thanks again – I’m blown away by your responses! :)
Ed – I make the brass knobs on my metal lathe. In fact, the complete plane was made from scratch, including the iron. If you are interested in a brass knob drop me an email!
Cheers
Phil
WayneC
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5943 posts in 988 days
posted 236 days ago
Do you have anything currently in the pipeline? It would be nice if you could show us some photos of a plane like this in progress.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
Blake
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2749 posts in 765 days
posted 236 days ago
I agree, some progress photos would be great. MAN this is incredible.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
scottb
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3403 posts in 1217 days
posted 236 days ago
quite the beauty Philly! Fantastic!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
cobbler
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242 posts in 681 days
posted 235 days ago
That`s one fine looking hand tool.
It leans toward the art side of woodworking.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
-- ''Carry on my wayward son''
Matt
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178 posts in 263 days
posted 229 days ago
Makes me want to go out and buy a big hunk of brass! haha
Phil, that’s gorgeous. Your site is awesome too. Keep up the good work.
I love that thing.
-- Matt - My Websites - http://www.bestinwood.com - Hand Tools :: http://www.workshopgarage.com - Small Shops
kolwdwrkr
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2242 posts in 481 days
posted 229 days ago
Very nice.
-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~
Philip Edwards
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235 posts in 1330 days
posted 229 days ago
Thanks again, Gents!
I’ve just returned from a woodworking show and Folks response to the Blackwood plane was the same as yours – especially as they got to make shavings with it!
I’ll be making another one soon – I’ll post some pics of its construction as it comes together.
Best regards
Phil
Moai
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721 posts in 284 days
posted 225 days ago
exquisite work!
May I ask Philip, do you make your own adjusters or do you find them somewhere?
-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.
Matt
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178 posts in 263 days
posted 214 days ago
I’m curious about what type of steel you typically use for your plane bodies. Also, any good links to how-to’s on making floats? Too many projects, so little time!
-- Matt - My Websites - http://www.bestinwood.com - Hand Tools :: http://www.workshopgarage.com - Small Shops
Dusty56
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3454 posts in 578 days
posted 40 days ago
I wasn’t aware that Rolls Royce was making hand planes ! Absolutely beautiful 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 .
studie
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90 posts in 37 days
posted 35 days ago
Almost unbelievable but the picture is for real, right? So glad to behold people are making tool jewelry like this!
I know that much effort is in the finishing of such dense hardwood, sanding can be relentless but the results are out of this world like your planes!
-- $tudie
jcees
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553 posts in 690 days
posted 12 days ago
Freakin’ awesome work, mon ami. I take the summer months off of woodworking because of the heat/humidity here in Central FL so I’ve been out of the loop. Again, that’s a pretty pretty plane.
Did you make the Norris adjuster or purchase it?
always,
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
bigike
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158 posts in 179 days
posted 12 days ago
i’d love to see this bad boy in action?
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop,www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com
Philip Edwards
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235 posts in 1330 days
posted 11 days ago
Thanks Guys! Yes, the plane IS for real! I’m going to borrow a camcorder off a friend and make a little video of it for you.
JC – I make the norris adjuster from scratch. In fact, the whole plane including the iron is made from scratch. Have a look over at my website for more details….
http://www.phillyplanes.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=23
Cheers
Phil