Moulding planes in the making

I had three days off work and for the first two days I blew it, did nothing, had a complete mind block.

What do I build next?

I was going to do Greg’s glue brush, then I was going to make The Octagonizer Gauge also Greg’s post, but I need none of them right now. What I really need and have always wanted is a set of moulding planes ( Queen’s spelling) “molding” (revolutionary yanks version).

Do you think this is going to be easy, I think not.  I’ve been tackling this project on and off for the last 12 months, always looking for better ways of making them.

Without floats you don’t stand a chance using traditional build methods, but there is the laminated alternatives which is frowned upon but if you don’t have any other means of making them, it’s better than not making any at all.

1 year or so ago I looked at Matt’s post at lumber jocks and it seems simple enough, then I came up with another method that was even simpler but lol do you think I remembered what I did.  NOOOOOOOOO! and I didn’t even bother writing it down a big mistake on my part.  So I’m going to go with Matt’s approach and hopefully I can remember what changes I did.

I’ve practised with several pieces using structural pine, no point in ruining expensive good wood when you just learning.  I now feel semi confident that I can pull it off and I have a bit of European Beech laying around.

I face glued them to make them quarter sawn and to be the right height which is about 3 3/8″.

I want to start off with something larger which is simpler and then progress from there.

The heat treatment of metal is the biggest challenge I face.  I know nothing about metal, I know the process of the treatment but that’s theory.  Terry Gordon from HNT offered to send my blades with his to get heat treated free of charge, but where’s the fun and knowledge in that.  I graciously thank him for his generous offer but if I’m going to elevate my skills, I have to do it and screw it up and do it again until I get to the uh ha point.

First I need blades and then comes to mind another challenge shaping them, I was going to buy 01 steel and lo and behold only one place in this country sells them.  I called every place I found on google and only one company knew what 01 steel is.

So I asked David W for advice and he mentioned that the blade needs to be tapered and so he made a video for me on how to do it.

Ok now I need a belt sander, a power tool yuk but obviously necessary.  So instead and for now until I can figure it all out I have opted to purchase the blades from LN.  Price wise it works out more expensive but headache wise it’s a lot less stress.

If I pull this off and I manage to make them according to the 18th century design style like Matt Bickford makes his, then I’m going to make heaps and alot more of dedicated profiled ones.  If I get even better at it I want to add raising panel planes to that list as well.

I don’t believe by way of lamination there will be any issues, the grain is orientated correctly and shouldn’t pose any problems.  I’m also using hide glue which is flexible and the timber will not crack nor split at the joins.  Every timber moves whether laminated or not, the difference is, most laminated planes are laminated with different species and therefore  behave differently, but I’m using the same species cut from the same block so they will work harmoniously together.

I’m hoping this will work out in my favour, the end results should look better than these test pieces on the bottom.  These I copied from a 19th century style which shorter in length and height.  I only plan on making a half set as I don’t need a full set.

This will save me US$3750 or converted and God knows how much in shipping would cost me plus with added credit card fees AU$5200.  Mind you if I was a multimillionaire then I would spend that money and more on dedicated planes, but I’m not, like most craftsman of the yesteryears and today, we have no option but to make our own.

When I complete this one I will make a video on the next one.

Wish me luck and btw, I find it hard to believe that out of all the readers there are no finishers out there who was willing to answer my question.