Making a lever cap - need advice

[don wilwol]

I made my first cap out of steel . I've made a few since. Low carbon like 1018 is decent to work with and it's what a lot of plane makers use. Brass or bronze is a little easier though. If you look through my "infill in process" thread you can see them.

[Mark Kornell]

If you're looking for a cutter to put a groove in brass, consider a round-nose end mill. I wouldn't cut metal with a router even if you can find a collet adapter, as the bit speed is too fast. But a series of cuts using a drill press followed by some filing/sanding would work well.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I'm a little conflicted, I was under the impression that brass works well with carbide tooling, here is why I thought it's ok, especially for a 2mm deep groove
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=239301

[Zander Kale]

I agree with the responses I've read but I'll reply anyway.
I use 3/16" (basically 5mm) cross pins for 2" irons often, never had a problem. I do use O-1 steel as that what I can get in drill rod (basically ground nice and round, unlike what you would get at the hardware store). I think silicon bronze welding rod would also work. Probably brass too.

1) I've made a stainless infill (304). It can be a pain to work but polishes beautifully. I ran a 3/8'x16 tap through the 1/2" lever cap and it was tense but worked just fine. Beware that stainless work hardens very fast so you need to be pretty aggressive when you machine it.

2) On a milling machine with a round bit (see photo below) or use chainsaw sharpening files. Hacksaw or use a triangular file to make a starter groove, then use the round file to shape it.
DO NOT use a router on steel but routers work OK on brass. Jigging could be an issue and brass chips are very hot.

3) I like mild steel for lever caps. Cheap, workable and more than strong enough. You don't need to coat them but it is nice. Chemical bluing looks good.

Here is the lever cap I just made, which I'm assuming is somewhat like what you have in mind. It is mild steel and brass with a groove for a 3/16" cross pin. The screw is stainless. Note that it has a mild arc, which I like.

[george wilson]

If you bandsaw brass,DO WEAR safety glasses. The little chips bounce around,and you don't want one in your eye.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Zander I really like that ! I'd love to see the plane, if it has one yet?


I decided to try an idea I had before going out to buy thick brass and a router bit and files, here it is: what do you think of the idea and all?


* it's epoxied together. the screw came out too high up and projects too much from the bottom, but it's only a prototype. if I decide to go this way the top will also have a layer of veneer to conceal the screws.
the screw also needs a head, but I'm quite happy with the way the stud came out, just a file on the drill press.

BTW I bandsawed the brass, cut's almost as good as wood! thanks George! but given, it was only 3mm thick. do you think I can cut 10mm thick or should I not try?

anyway here are the pics :

P4280353 (1280x960).jpgP4280348 (1280x960).jpgP4280349 (1280x960).jpgP4280352 (1280x960).jpg

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Matthew

I am not sure if this helps, but this was an article i posted several years ago on making lever caps and lever cap screws with the usual woodworking equipment only ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...0Backyard.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matthew N. Masail]

Hi Derek,

I've read you blog many times. love it. but as you can see the plane body already have a cross pin located way to far out for your methoud. I'm thinking maybe I'll just use a wedge

[george wilson]

Matthew,I don't know what bandsaw you have. I can cut 1/2"(13mm) brass on my old 14" Delta with 6 tooth per inch,1/4" Lennox blades just fine. I use a used blade,but,somehow,cutting a little brass actually seems to sharpen the blade! Possible that the brass gets compacted into a "false" or built up edge on the teeth. I wouldn't count on the "resharpened" blade to last too long,though. The impacted metal will wear down.

In cutting metal on a metal lathe with HSS cutters,the metal you are cutting always builds up a false edge of impacted metal,pressure welded onto the cutter,which is doing the cutting,if you are doing a lot of cutting or taking heavy cuts. This false edge gets pretty prominent with the high pressures found with metal cutting machines. It has to be ground off eventually.

[Matthew N. Masail]

Thanks for the info George! I'll be experimenting with making lever caps on and off now. I have plans to make "infill' planes (first off a panel plane) but only the sides will be brass, the infill itself will form a wooden sole. but I won't do so until I have a lever cap worked out. thanks again!

[Zander Kale]

I really like your idea of brass and wood for the lever cap and think it would work very well. Glue alone would also probably be just fine, just be careful if you glue and then shape [with power tools] - brass gets hot, conducts heat well and can cause the glue joint to fail (I've tested this more than once).

Thanks for your complements on my lever cap. The plane is just about done, I'm waiting for the finish to dry to the final assembly and adjustments. Here is a early test photo:

[Russell Sansom]

I would add something not mentioned so far that might be food for thought about wearing eye protection.
To twist it around just a little: You would far rather get a chip of ferrous metal in your eye than brass or SS. I'll just leave it at that.

[Chris Fournier]

SS is for the big boys who have metal working shops and understand the various alloys and how best to machine them. SS does not suffer newbies or fools - I've been both!