# Making moulding planes - best floats to start with?



## Arminius (Dec 27, 2007)

I am planning to try my hand at making some hollows/rounds/rebate planes, and I am wondering if anyone else has tried this. I will pick up the DVD from Old Street, and am planning on investing in some floats from Lie-Nielsen. Can anyone suggest which floats I need to get started?


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## paratrooper34 (Apr 27, 2010)

Arminius, LN has a DVD on how to make those planes and on it, the man making the planes tells what floats you need. Very informative and detailed DVD. He shows step by step how to make them from working the blank to heat treating the irons. Worth the money if you are venturing to make those planes.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Look at the Iwasaki files too. Very much like plane floats and inexpensive.


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## Arminius (Dec 27, 2007)

Para - the LN DVD is the Old Street one. LN is coming to town soon, so I was thinking of getting it and the floats then. In hindsight, getting the DVD first would have made more sense.

However, I sent a version of this question to Old Street Tools and I was delighted to get a response back in less than a day. The specific recommendation was a push side float and the two edge floats - the cheek floats being nice to have but not critical.

Loren - I will take a look, I am not familiar with them


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## paratrooper34 (Apr 27, 2010)

Arminius, you are right, didn't realize Larry Williams company changed its name. His DVD is really awesome. I haven't tried making one of those yet, but I will someday. His DVD definitely inspired me.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

One will plane a surface down and one will act like a wide saw blade. The ones on the Lie-Nielsen site named as Edge Float and Side Float with be the most useful profiles. The flat one named as Bed Float would be nice but not as generally useful as the tapered one.

Push or pull will be a matter of personal preference. Either will work.


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## CalebJames (May 19, 2010)

The two that I think you must have is the push edge float. 1/8" will give you the most versatility. The triangular side float is the second in order of importance. I strongly suggest the pull. Easier to control and you can reach all the way in to where you want to start the work rather than trying to push in and stop right where you want. If you wanted a third a push or pull cheek float. Can reasonably work in a variety or places and sub as a bed float ok.


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