My wife thinks I'm nuts - and she's probably right

[Ken Werner]

I spent a few hours making and tuning a spill plane.

A spill plane does one thing only. It makes spills. Spills? They are long curly shavings used in the day before matches to say light a pipe or a lamp. You light it in a fire, and carry the fire to where you need it. Ebenezer Scrooge used one in the 1930s version of A Christmas Carol.

Anyway, here are the pictures. And BTW, I think the better half IS right. After all, I do have a lighter, and more than a few strike anywhere matches.

[Bill Houghton]

I mean, it's spozed to be fun, right? Kind of neat.

And Lee Valley thinks they're worthwhile (I bet yours cost less than Lee Valley's): http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...at=1,230,41182

[Bruce Page]

Learn something new every day.

I never gave it any thought what they did before matches.

Very cool

[John Toigo]

Cool. I found a few skew rabbits in some boxes of molding planes that were sitting around the shop & made some curlies with them. Got me thinking about a spill plane. The one you made is interesting. Did you have a drawing or sketch you worked from?

[Ken Werner]

John, I got my start here:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/tMaking/a...ill_Plane1.asp

[Rick Markham]

It's interesting that you posted this, After reading Garrett Hacks Handplanes I have looked for spill planes on occasion. Mostly as a novelty as I have a few friends who smoke pipes and love to go camping, I figured they would enjoy the concept. The thought never crossed my mind to make one, don't know why it didn't... I am building a infill smoother now from scratch. But thanks for the linky and the idea I guess I have a future project to amuse the gang with.

[Bill Houghton]

I never gave it any thought what they did before matches.

It was a real step up from carrying the hot coals in their hands, I bet.

[Jim Koepke]

I have used a skew rabbet plane to make these. I keep a few in a jar behind the TV next to the wood stove. They come in handy to light those candles that are in a jar after they burn down a ways. They can also be lit from smoldering coals when a fire needs to be restarted early in the morning. Then put them out and reuse them later.

Heck, if shavings are being made, may as well make some that can save a few matches.

jim

[John Keeton]

Ken, you Yankees are so ingenious - not to mention frugal!!! Neat plane and a nice build, though I am pretty sure Shelley is right about the mental state!

[Zach England]

The other day I was out of matches and had to light the BBQ. I found a skew block plane held upside down in the vise will suffice in a pinch. I was then able to transfer a flame from my gas cooktop to my charcoal grill without burning the house down.

[ray hampton]

It was a real step up from carrying the hot coals in their hands, I bet.

The fire-keeper were a very important person,this give a new meaning to the phase " my fire want out "

[george wilson]

If you make the plane just right,you will make what look like wooden soda straws.

The other option in the old days was a pair of pipe tongs. Some were elaborate,and some consider them a demonstration of the blacksmith's art.(I don't). A smoke jack requires much more skill.(Smoke jacks were clock like mechanisms that rotated meat spits).

I think the spills are better,as you could easily have a hot coal crumble on the rug or floor from the tongs,while trying to light your pipe.

[Ken Werner]

George, I don't know if the plane can be tuned better to get the "soda straw" spill, or if it's already a done deal. Any advice?

[Ken Werner]

Hey John, I'm not so sure about the ingenious, but you're right on the other two counts.

Caspar, thanks, I've stared longingly at the LV plane, but I'm way too cheap to drop $50 on it. It looks like quite a different configuration. As I've read about spill planes, there seem to be a number of different ways to arrive at the same shaving.