There is 16/4 maple on Highland lumber's retail list, but it's 10 bucks a be foot plus shipping, and you'd need to get some other qs maple for the handle.
There is 16/4 maple on Highland lumber's retail list, but it's 10 bucks a be foot plus shipping, and you'd need to get some other qs maple for the handle.
Would you skew the iron on your badger or just go straight?
PS I knew nothing about a badger plane before this thread. Must the iron be skewed to be a badger plane? How is it different than a rabbit plane?
Last edited by Judson Green; 10-30-2014 at 10:49 AM.
I got cash in my pocket. I got desire in my heart....
I'd skew it. I've never seen a badger plane that wasn't skewed. The only reason to skew a plane, well, there are two - first reason on something like a large moulding plane would be to engage a complex profile a little at a time and get a good cut start. I have no idea if any old cornice planes are skewed, though, most had handles for a second person or a hole to tie a rope on.
The second is because a skewed plane can shear off grain, instead of pushing or stripping it off. To get an idea of what I mean, take a plane and plane directly across grain on some medium hardwood. Then take the plane and plane with it skewed 25 degrees to the left. The cut will be miles better across the grain with the skewed plane because the iron is cutting the straws at the right side rather than engaging each straw all at once, stripping some of them from the surface of the wood.
I did get a hold of horizon, and they do have some beech. I'm waiting back to hear from them about the stock, it's sort of a slow process and the beech is expensive, and they said the next batch will be more expensive (more than 16/4 maple costs). I can understand their position, though, there's nothing nice about milling or drying 16/4 beech, and they hinted that they're only doing it because nobody else is and I'd suppose for them that it's probably not a money maker (they didn't say that) even at the high price.
However, nobody should order until I've completed my order
Hearne has 16/4 maple for about $10.50 a bd foot or something like that for boards less than 9". You could ask them to get as close to 8" as possible, as that would allow finishing two full width jointer/try planes and it would be easier to get a hold of than beech. The difference I've noticed between maple and beech is that beech is more forgiving and I like the way it grips the wedge a little better...and maple makes for a loud plane (but still a good plane)
I guess I don't understand how a badger plane is different than a simple rabbiting plane.
I got cash in my pocket. I got desire in my heart....
It cuts a show surface across the grain. A rabbeting plane is usually cutting a surface that will be covered in a joint if it's cutting across the grain.
(You'll find a lot of old rabbet planes are skewed, though, as are dado planes).
Well... you could make me a nice 18th c. single iron fore plane and I'll pay you handsomely for the effort! I need a new jack and don't have time to make it myself at the moment.
Your endgrain is like your bellybutton. Yes, I know you have it. No, I don't want to see it.
Single iron planes. I wouldn't know how they'd work
Just kidding. There's a couple of guys making them already, and I doubt I could make them better.
One of the things I'm going to make for me is a 2 1/2" double iron continental smoother. I really like those. Small sizes are everywhere. A big one would be interesting because you can two hand them.
Last edited by David Weaver; 10-30-2014 at 3:52 PM.
how about a toted smoother, 45 or 50 with double iron. I Imagine the lower CE (center of effort if to borrow a term from Derek Cohen) would help with the lower mass of a wooden plane and feel more like a no.4. Beech wouldn't be my first choice though for wight reasons, does it have to be beech? (I know I'm not following with the beech love... sorry)
It could really be anything, I guess. I just like the way beech looks, but don't love its (lack of) weight for smoothers (thus no coffin smoothers out of it). A handled smoother is not a bad idea, though they still do have a high center. The preference for continental planes in that size is that you can literally get two hands of power on them and the lack of weight isn't as noticeable. The ebony muji planes are about as heavy as a medium sized coffin smoothers, but you can use them in heavy work a lot better.
I may yet try some maple, but remember from making a couple of moulding planes out of it that it's not as friendly to a hand-tools-only type as beech, and errant strokes of a float or a chisel back into the grain make bigger nasties than on beech.
So how much more are they getting for the Beech? Interesting that they still have not answered two emails I've sent them. I'm sure I would do much better calling them but by the time Im out of work it is far too late and far too early when I go into work. I am with you on how nice Beech is to work with. I have come across some old 7/8" shelves that came from an old library that were torn out. I used a lot of the stock for the bottom shelf of my bench build an absolutely loved working it. It was like working with walnut but took a polish off my smoother like maple does. I didn't have to chop any mortises but planed a bunch of rabbets and surfaced them all down to 3/4" with hand planes, this ended up being some of my favorite wood to work with next to pear and apple.I did get a hold of horizon, and they do have some beech. I'm waiting back to hear from them about the stock, it's sort of a slow process and the beech is expensive, and they said the next batch will be more expensive (more than 16/4 maple costs). I can understand their position, though, there's nothing nice about milling or drying 16/4 beech, and they hinted that they're only doing it because nobody else is and I'd suppose for them that it's probably not a money maker (they didn't say that) even at the high price.
It's not that easy to get a hold of anyone by phone, either. Just south of $14 a foot for the current stuff, but it is almost out. They have more air drying to go in the kiln.
Well, that escalated quickly. My wood is coming early next week. I'll take a picture of it for anyone who is thinking about buying beech. The pictures of the stuff they sent me is pretty much dead QS - it pretty much matches the price, can't really complain.
It makes for an expensive hobby, though!!
Last edited by David Weaver; 10-31-2014 at 2:12 PM.
Pictures of the goods - a lifetime supply for a hobbyist like me. I'm stoked!
beech 1.jpg
beech2.jpgbeech3.jpg
Are you sure it is beech? (Just kidding). When I look at the endgrain of my rough sawn boards, the most obvious feature are the rays. In these small pictures on my cellphone I can't see them.
It sure looks like a big haul! Enough for a new career as planemaker.
Last edited by Kees Heiden; 11-03-2014 at 2:53 AM.