Miller 50 Plane Progress

Other side

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>Now as I look at the chipbreaker, it looks wrong. Good thing I just pressed fit. Better get the dang thing right before I start the peining. This is too much fun, but my fingers are getting tired. More tomorrow.

Re: Other side

Mike G.

>Sweet Jim.

Mike G. in SC

Clarification, Jim.

Tom Colligan

>Is this the Paul Hamler plane? If so, why are you calling it a Millers 50?

What is the dremel attachment you used? I've ordered one from Paul but I thought only some scotchbrite scrubbing was needed and then the patina applied. (Paul said he uses a brown patina called Jax from Rio Grande if I understood him correctly.) Tia, Tom.

Very nice!

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Mine showed up in the mail today! I'm so stoked!

Please put me down for a set of blades Jim. I'm watching your progress, as I wipe the drool off my mouth. Need to finish a computer table before I start mine...:^(

Details for those following (long)

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>Sorry. I thought the audience was keeping up as I zoom down the pike. Here is the recap. Paul Hamler made some reproductions of the Miller #50 plane and is selling kits. I bought two from him and am in the process of refurbing them. The pictures show one of Paul's kits in transition. Here is the process I have followed. First I carried the plane to Friday show & tell at the office. Next I took it apart and started working on the body with small files. There are casting edges that need to be knocked down. It is not hard, just tedious. Next I used a white stone in the Dremel to work on the big sprue plug on top of the tote. The plane body was wrapped in a shoprag and clamped into a metalworking vise as I worked the wheel on the sprue. The Dremel wheel is pretty agressive and I was afraid I would go too far, so I finished with a coarse file and then a fine file. Ditto on the bottom sprue. Next I went over the plane with some used (dull) #220 aluminum oxide sandpaper. Now I am down to the Scotchbright (green) pad phase. Everything is going pretty well and I am about three hours into the cleanup.

Blades

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I am designing the set now. I am thinking about plows from 3/16 to 5/8, a 1-1/4 fillister, and maybe a bead. No reason for a tongue, but it would look cool.

Yea! Good on you Jim,

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Looking forward to getting a set of them. Please keep us (me) informed on your progress. I can't wait to get started onn mine. You doing the twins both at once, or one at a time?

The twins

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I originally planned to do them both together, but then I ran into the blade issue. I think now I need to halt #1 and work on blades.

What's a "sprue?" "Sprue plug?"

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: Miller 50 Plane ****

mikew

>Thanks for the rundown, Jim!

My b-day present came yesterday. I figure I'll work on it in the odd moments over the next week, then I'll worry about making some other width blades from my O1 stock.

I'll just add a few larger widths. I will most likely use my Record 050 for the beading work and plow widths below this one. Maybe. It's weight is wonderful. Incredible workmanship.

Take care, Mike

Re: What's a "sprue?" "Sprue plug?"

Dale Stansbery

>When molten metal is poured into a form, the metal also fills the hole provided to pour into. This is excess to the original form, so has to be removed, and is called a sprue. There are generally more holes to let trapped air escape during the pour, and the molten metal will come out and form sprues there as well.

Re: What's a "sprue?" "Sprue plug?"

mikew

>Hi Pam,

On the picture I posted down below, you might be able to just pick out one of the sprues on top of the handle. It is rectangular. Paul grinds them down, but a little file work is still needed to even/flush them off.

Take care, Mike

Thanks, Mike & Dale.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Time to shine 'er up

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>

Re: Details for those following (long)

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>I don't think it's an issue of "keeping up", but one of normenclature. I do feel that perhaps Tom might be confusing "Miller's #50, for Millers Falls #50, when of coarse what is really meant is Millers Pattern #50.

Easy to cause confusion, at least it did me before I learned that Millers Falls and Millers Pattern where two seperate entities.

T.O.