Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

Joel

>contact Ray Iles in the UK - the old tool store. He probably has or can make a blade for you pretty easily and inexpensively.

THe trick is getting the width correct. (width of plane body + .006"

thickness should be about 1/8" not really critical except it will change the wedge position a little. beveled on all three sides but only to a knife edge on the cutting edge.

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Joel

Thanks for the info. I will contact Ray.

Something you said rang a bell for me ("beveled on all three sides"). This is the way all my shoulder plane blades are configured, including the blade for this particular plane. However, my HNT Gordon 3/4" shoulder plane (brass and Ironwood) is only bevelled at the cutting side. In other words, flat at the sides (although there is that smigeon projection). Any thoughts on why this should be so?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

Joel

>it's certainly less expensive to only bevel the cutting edge but I can't think of any specfic reason why all three sides should be beveled except tradition. There might be a reason but I can't think of it now.

Some advice from a blademaker

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I have made many of these for myself and others. Let me know if you need some help.

As for beveling all sides--there is a controversy about how large a shoulder plane blade should be. Some think it should be 1/64" wider than the plane. Some think it should be the exact size of the width. I think that BOTH opinions are correct. The blade should be made oversized and should be beveled BEFORE tempering. When the day comes that it is fitted to a plane, the sides should be carefully ground to match the plane. It is easier to match a beveled side because there is less material to remove. All Stanley #9x shoulder blades are like this and do not work worth a flip until they are fitted to the plane. Just my $.02 worth.

Re: Some advice from a blademaker

Steve knight

>the bevel keeps the back of the iron from rubbing on the wood. the plane will not sit flat with the iron less then flush with the body.

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

Mike Swindell

>You might find a local source for 0-1 tool steel or contact a local knife maker and have them heat treat it, perhaps a local blacksmith could also help. How about HNT Gordon - have you talked to him ? Just an idea.

Mike

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

MikeW

>Hi Derek,

The Gordons bevel down, higher angle shoulder planes with a healthy wedge down into the throat that allows removal of the blade at nearly a flat (lengthwise with the plane) angle.

The infill is a bevel up, the throat is small and in order to remove the blade the sides of the blade are angled to allow clearance for removeal--don't need/cannot turn the blade as much as the Gordon.

fwiw, I've seen old British shoulder planes made like the Gordons that have blade sides square. They too have a larger area/wedge allowing the blade to fully turn for removal.

MikeW

Re: Infill shoulder plane blade - advice wanted

MikeW

>Nice plane, btw...MikeW