Winter Smother with Macassar Ebony, Patina'd brass

[Ron Brese]

Just completed this morning. I don't have time to post a lot lately but thought I would post this as a tribute to my friend Fred West. Wish it was mine....alas I get to have them all for a little while. Just before I pack 'em in a box and send them away.

8" True Smoother length, 1.875 wide iron, 50 degree pitch.

Ron

[Steve Voigt]

Very lovely Ron. I really like the way the patinated brass complements the wood.

[Greg Fletcher]

That is a work of art. It's almost a crime to put it to work.

[David M Anderson]

Beautiful, that is a work of art.

[Daniel Rode]

My thoughts exactly.

Beautiful, that is a work of art.

[Peter Pedisich]

You can keep your Bentley's, Ferrari's, Hinckley's…
If I ever have such money I will surround myself with tools I can use, like this.

[Ron Bontz]

Well another beauty, Ron. Crisp where it needs to be. But soft and flowing. I do like the subtle antique brass look with this one. Another 410 stainless?

[Rick Markham]

Now that is one sharp looking plane!

(someone had to say it)

Gorgeous work Ron, the lines and curves of the tote are the perfect blend of softness inviting the hand with crisp lines that really stir the soul!

[Chris Vandiver]

That is one very nice looking plane! Superb really.

[Brian Holcombe]

Gorgeous work!

[Ron Brese]

Well another beauty, Ron. Crisp where it needs to be. But soft and flowing. I do like the subtle antique brass look with this one. Another 410 stainless?

Ron I have made this tool in stainless but this one is the standard version from 0-1 tool steel. Also I've started using 440C stainless in lieu of the 410. The 440C (knife makers steel) has a higher carbon content and the chips seem to break better, plus it seems to be a bit easier to surface grind. Of course I've not experienced any stainless that was easy to grind.

Ron

[george wilson]

Great work,Ron!!! I can see the pins are a slightly different color from the sides of the plane. Are you making them from the exact same steel as the sides? The next time I make a bronze or brass plane,if I can't get the same alloy in round stock (even at that,there could be variations in the alloy) ,I plan to saw some square strips out,turn them round,and make any pins I use from them. Might be the only way to really get them totally invisible.

Extremely nice,neat work and excellent design on the handle and knob.

[Ron Brese]

George I've found that even when you assure the same alloy, when the side starts developing even the slightest patina and the light hits just right you'll still be able to make out the pin profile. In that one picture the light strikes the side of the plane in just that way, turn it slightly angled another direction and they're gone. It's one of those things I was a bit obsessed about for a while. I'd certainly be interested to see what results you get from the technique you describe.

One other thing I've noticed. When I started interspersing taper pins with the threaded pins your eye tends to pick up on the different diameters of the two pins when the light hits just right. The taper pins go in zero clearance and I persist with their use because I think it's a quality/longevity component.

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments.

Ron

[george wilson]

Yes,you are right,Ron. When you hammer that metal,it gets compressed and will look a bit different no matter what you do about it. i have seen that happen even when a brass screw is tightly screwed into a countersunk hole. A ring is visible where the brass got a little compressed around the edges.

I guess we are just screwed!! Perhaps a thick coat of flat black paint over the entire plane?

[Jim Koepke]

Very elegant. Wish I could build or budget such a plane.

jtk