Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Moravian plane reproduction
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
The Moravian planes were some different than the English planes, both in the commonly used lengths and where the blade is located. The "hand holds" made this plane convenient to hold and their low location made the plane easier to control rotation. The "decorations" were impressive. The blade is not Period correct. This plane was made to use and has a "modern" blade.
Re: Moravian plane reproduction
david weaver
Who made the plane? One of the workers at the moravian site? It looks much like the early dutch planes, which are easy enough to use, but more of a side affair, tugging more than pushing.
Here on the west side of the state, starting in the center (and having descended from PA dutchies - not anabaptists, but pa dutch), I don't know much about moravians other than it makes me think spatially of philadelphia.
But there's a gaggle of settlements that started around philadelphia and didn't make it to the center of the state where I grew up (Gettysburg, Hanover PA area).
Neat plane
John in NM
I like the aesthetics a lot.
Any idea what the mortise on the right rear side is for? I was going to guess its for a removable handle, but given the shape of the body that seems a bit odd.
It's for fingers...
david weaver
the push comes more from your front hand vs. your back hand (or maybe it's more accurate to say that it comes closer to equal amounts from both hands) and the rear hand needs a place to help push a little bit and relief for the fingers probably provides some reduction in hand fatigue.
Without it on a plane of this type, your rear hand will definitely feel arthritic after a while.
Re: Moravian plane reproduction
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Who made the plane
Brian Coe, Old Salem shop
and
plane--design.com
Re: Moravian plane reproduction
david weaver
Nice work on his page. The details around the top of the mortise and the scroll on the handle make it clear that it wasn't thrown together by some hobbyist.
click!
John in NM
suddenly it all makes sense 
Beautiful, but ...
Jesse Cloud
Why would someone go to so much trouble to decorate a tool meant to perform work? Most of the utilitarian work planes have little decoration.
I wonder if it were actually made for, and maybe by, a hobbiest or a collector.
It was common in..
david weaver
..some continental planes (dutch, german, etc).
I have no idea why, but it was not a matter of the planes being decorative or not intended for work, they were just decorated.
I'd imagine that the maker in this case had an older plane or six and took elements from them to come up with what he did (which is something we all should do as a default in some cases - not because we should just blindly copy things - but because learning about things through copying them is a way to get good ownership of makers details).
https://pfollansbee.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/some-dutch-planes/
(some of the carving work on those planes is exceptionally fine. I can only imagine what it looked like new).
More confusing as a maker...
david weaver
What's more confusing to me as a maker (albeit amateur) is the comment that a modern blade was used because it was intended for work.
A modern blade might be easier to find stock for, but there are some details in older blades that make them better for work in wooden planes unless you modify the planes to make up for (some of) them.
Re: More confusing as a maker...
Warren in Lancaster, PA
I wondered about that "modern blade" comment also. It is possible that Bill gave the information more importance than the maker.
Many historic sites forbid the use of old tools saying that these tools ought to be preserved and not used up. This attitude has been common for over forty years. It is kind of annoying if you are trying to do a demonstration and the appropriate tool is rusting in a warehouse.
A historic trades administrator at Williamsburg put on rubber gloves to show me an early 19th century turning chisel (skew). I had bought an identical chisel by the same maker a few months earlier for $8. I would not want to have to trade it in for some "modern" rendition.
Re: More confusing as a maker...
david weaver
Maybe Bill is just mentioning it with no real stress on the modern part and more like it needed a blade, modern is available and that's what was used (as in, it doesn't matter that it looks strange because looks aren't the main point).
I've heard the same thing about Williamsburg and other places, and just assumed it was a blanket policy. Not really a big fan of it at this point, as most of the tools are usable and often not in that short of a supply. I guess they want something easy to administer, but it doesn't pass the smell test - especially on common makers.
Many of the planes that I've purchased were sold from antique dealers marketing them as door stops or shelf decorations.
Re: Beautiful, but ...
Stuart Johnson
Pride, skill demonstration, journeyman or master display or any other reasons to name just a few. Look at some of the very ornate tool chests and try to explain why they hold the tools and are more useful than a plain well built one. Some of those in my opinion are definitely a pride and skill demonstration.
clarification
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Brian said the original was of a period that would have had a single iron . By "modern" I meant that Brian installed a blade with a cap iron/chip breaker.
The conversation went.....Brian is that double iron plane (could not see from my location during demo).
Brian, "No, double iron. Original would have been a single iron." I inferred he preferred a (more modern) double iron plane for a user. I did not examine the blade to see how modern beyond the invention of the double iron this blade/cap iron was. It was not Hock. It had engraving I could not easily read. I was sufficiently in awe of the decoration I didn't give the steel much thought.
Re: clarification
David Weaver
Makes sense. Thanks, bill. Most of the planes of that type that I've seen are marked 1700s or early 1800s. Don't know enough about them or the continental types to know when they went to double irons.
Since the guy's page says all surfaces are planed or scraped only, he'd have figured out the value of a double iron pretty quickly.
no need to wonder
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
I wonder if it were actually made for, and maybe by, a hobbiest or a collector.
It was built by Brian Coe, professional furniture maker and master cabinet maker at Old Salem. He uses it to prepare wood surfaces for furniture.
web site for business: plane--design.com
As stated, it is a reproduction of a Moravian plane made so long ago hobbies weren't invented yet. When I encounter way old European tools of any kind I am often struck by the decoration applied to them. In Florence, Italy a shop that did marquetry in stone was reassembled in a museum. The work bench was decorated and of a quality of fine furniture. The cast parts of machines were elaborately decorated. I have seen old German planes and levels made with elaborate and intricate casting. It's the way they once worked.
Question
david weaver
Did the presenter have any comments about the lifestyle, the speed individuals expected to work, etc?
The decoration on some of the items suggests that prior to transition to/through industrial revolution, maybe some folks felt comfortable spending time and resources on decoration, but it could also be a bad conclusion (maybe they felt obligated to adorn their tools in case they were seen by others).
For example, I remember thinking "why did people buy infill planes that cost five weeks' wages? There must've been an economic reason", but Joel M. posted in one of his blogs that there was social pressure to buy them.
Re: Question
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
Did the presenter have any comments about the lifestyle, the speed individuals expected to work, etc?
No However, the Old Salem Village had information on these topics. But I didn't ask many questions about these topics. Brian would likely entertain questions if you emailed him.
Re: Moravian plane reproduction
William Duffield
It was advertising, to demonstrate examples of the craftsman's skills to potential customers.
Here are some more pics of Brian's Moravian plane reproduction. It has darkened quite a bit in five years. Too bad I didn't record the name of the book discussing the original.
