Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Block plane conversions
Jim in Burlington On
>Anyone give thought to converting one or two of these cheap block planes into a different plane? Maybe making one into a rabbet plane. Or any other plane like a stanley 78 that you can pick up cheaply. I was thinking the 78 might be able make a beading blade to go on it. Surely a few of you have thought about Frankenstiening a few planes let's here your thoughts.
Re: Block plane conversions
Bill Houghton, raining again...in Sebastopol, CA
>Some magazine, can't remember which, had an article a couple of years ago about conversions like that - particularly using a 1-5/8" wide blade on a plane body for a 1-3/8" wide blade, like a No. 60-1/2. Maybe someone can remember...
Re: Block plane conversions
George Allchin
>Jim,
Yes I have done just the surgery that you are refering to. The tool users/collectors assoc. doesn't condone it though and that is why it has not been publicized......
I put one block plane in a Bridgeport and made it a low angle version. I also converted one to a rabbet plane. They both work quite well!
The surgey was really quite easy. The rabbet plane did require a wider blade to extend past the body on each side by .005". I also made it thicker.
Please don't turn me into the authorities.
George, in wonderful Springtime (hopefully) Michigan
Pictures please!!!
Gary in Central NY
>
Re: Block plane conversions
Angus Barclay, in New Zealand
>Hello Jim,
Yes, I have. The easiest conversion of all is turning a standard angle block plane into a low angle plane.
I can't afford new tools and in the old tool heck where I live, I've never seen a low angle block plane for sale in the wild. Standard angle planes (20 degree bed) are fairly easy to buy though, so I've converted a cheap non-adjuster standard angle block plane into a low angle block plane by the simple expedient of grinding the original bevel at a much lower angle (approx 15 degrees) and then using a substantial back-bevel to maintain enough strength behind the blade edge.
The end result is a plane that feels much better than a standard angle block plane when shooting or trimming end grain. As a small bonus, the geometry of the set-up also results in a tighter mouth.
The two disadvantages are that the blade isn't as well supported as a real low-angle plane, and that I have to be careful when reaching for the "low angle" plane that I don't accidentally grab the otherwise identical standard angle plane instead. Guess I should make one more modification and splash a bit of paint or magic marker on one of them!
The modification is just an extreme example of the David Charlesworth ruler trick and only took a couple of minutes when sharpening one day. If I wasn't naturally inclined to find easy solutions (a.k.a lazy), I would have done the job properly by filing or scraping the plane bed to make a low angle block plane.
regards
Angus Barclay
Re: Block plane conversions
Patrick Gibbons, Houston, TX
>I once converted a 60 1/2 into a hammer plane. The handle was a simple job of removing the adjuster and replacing with an ash handle. I hardened the adjustable shoe in my HastiBake and replaced the flimsy blade with a 1 1/2" piece of 10L14 steel. I rigged a claw to pull nails with the cap. This doesn't work quite as well as a real hammer but it only took me about 20 hours to complete and you never know when you might be a contestant on Survivor and need to convert a 60 1/2 left by some nameless WWII CB on the island into a useable hammer.
My head is spinning...
Jim Reed @ Tallahassee
>with the possibilities! Looks to me like the #78 would make a perfect beading plane. Also would be nice to have a few different sizes (1/8,3/16,1/4,3/8,1/2) so you could have a set. Now I have to go into the shop and grind up some blades. Thanks for the excellent ideas!!!
I built a #1 ....
Derek Cohen (in Perth Australia)
>.... out of a #60 1/2.
It went from this
To this -
Of course i had to cut 1/2" of the end, but you can't tell the difference from the real thing. Just look at the end result!
Regards from Perth
Derek
Well...
Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA
>I have to admit to cutting the front off a 78 to use as a chisel plane.
I did the same thing...
Hoa Dinh in Alameda
>but very little surgery was required.
It went from this:
to this ;-) :
Re: I built a #1 ....
wayne anderson
>....Little late for April Fools, isn't it? -Wayne
Re: Well...
C.R. Miller
>Ya didn't have to do that, Scott. perfectly good #78 Chisel planes are plentiful on eBay. What is it the sellers say? "Good condition with only a bit of surface rust"
Oh, yeah.....and no front!
Yeabut...
Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA
>Mine was a "Barn Fresh" one!
What about the BOX?
Jim in Burlington On
>Did you build that box out of antique carboard with a perfect label?
Re: Block plane conversions
William Duffield, on the Cohansey
>You could convert it into a chisel, with a couple of leaves made from wood, or even from the lever cap. With what you have left over, you could make a paperweight, or a doorstop, or even a sanding block.
Re: Block plane conversions/pics soon
George Allchin
>