Project Information
Lately, I've added several new (old) wood planes to my not-yet-built tool box. A lot of older Stanleys can be had for reasonable prices via E-bay, but many have broken/repaired totes, so I decided to try my hand at making them for one of my planes, a Stanley # 4.
I got the idea to try while at a Rockler store where they had a bin of various wood cutoffs that were pretty cheap. (for anyone who might have seen any of my previous projects, you'll remember that cheap seems to the place I come from…heck, I think I was born & raised there, actually)
I bought a couple of blocks of kingwood that I was told was in the rosewood family, cost about $4.00 for both pieces, and thought I'd try some plane handles.
I traced the general shape of the rear tote and band sawed it out, then used a drum sander bring it down to shape, followed by hand sanding. The drilling was done using the old Shopsmith and making a jig by running my drill through the Stanley handle to get the correct angle, then locking it in place. I then made a small jig/block to hold the new piece in that position. I backed the drill out, and put my piece in & locked it down and drilled.This would have been just great, except that the drill I used wandered some and exited about 3/8" off center.
At this point, after taking several long, deep breaths, I resisted the urge to throw the handle against the concrete wall and then jump up & down on it until it was a pile of splinters.
Instead, (the aging process must have actually mellowed me out a bit) since I had drilled a 1/4" hole, I glued a 1/4" dowel in the hole and bought a shorter, better drill, and I re-drilled it… and it worked.
The front tote was turned, using a split Stanley knob as a guideline. I used a coat of Varathane cabernet stain, but that looked too red, so I applied a second coat of walnut, and finished with linseed oil.
I wasn't sure which way to run the grain for the rear tote, and since the Stanley totes seem the have it horizontal, and they all seem to break that way, I thought I'd try it the other way. I like the look better, and if it breaks, I guess I'll just make another the other way. -SST
I got the idea to try while at a Rockler store where they had a bin of various wood cutoffs that were pretty cheap. (for anyone who might have seen any of my previous projects, you'll remember that cheap seems to the place I come from…heck, I think I was born & raised there, actually)
I bought a couple of blocks of kingwood that I was told was in the rosewood family, cost about $4.00 for both pieces, and thought I'd try some plane handles.
I traced the general shape of the rear tote and band sawed it out, then used a drum sander bring it down to shape, followed by hand sanding. The drilling was done using the old Shopsmith and making a jig by running my drill through the Stanley handle to get the correct angle, then locking it in place. I then made a small jig/block to hold the new piece in that position. I backed the drill out, and put my piece in & locked it down and drilled.This would have been just great, except that the drill I used wandered some and exited about 3/8" off center.
At this point, after taking several long, deep breaths, I resisted the urge to throw the handle against the concrete wall and then jump up & down on it until it was a pile of splinters.
Instead, (the aging process must have actually mellowed me out a bit) since I had drilled a 1/4" hole, I glued a 1/4" dowel in the hole and bought a shorter, better drill, and I re-drilled it… and it worked.
The front tote was turned, using a split Stanley knob as a guideline. I used a coat of Varathane cabernet stain, but that looked too red, so I applied a second coat of walnut, and finished with linseed oil.
I wasn't sure which way to run the grain for the rear tote, and since the Stanley totes seem the have it horizontal, and they all seem to break that way, I thought I'd try it the other way. I like the look better, and if it breaks, I guess I'll just make another the other way. -SST