Plane for small detail work

[Phil Mueller]

Well, since this is the last day for free shipping, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a LV mini block plane, but I can see some good use for the Ibex planes and the LN instrument plane is very tempting as well. This could be one slippery slope....

[Matt Lau]

If you go Ibex, try it with a cork:
https://maestronet.com/forum/index.p...finger-planes/

[Phil Mueller]

Thank you Matt. I've seen a number of posts on the learning curve to sharpen and set up these planes as well as modifications...that's the first one with cork...one used a golf ball, many mods from wood. I do believe there is one in my future. I'll see how the traditional mini works and go from there...

[Alfred Kraemer]

I have had the Lie Nielsen model makers plane with the flat sole. It is essentially a squirrel-tail plane similar to the old Stanley version, with one big difference: it is a low-angle plane! I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this plane since I bought it when it first came out about 10 years ago.
All our window trim has been fine-tuned with this plane. Despite its small size, the squirrel-tail handle allows you to apply quite a bit of force, so much so that on occasion I manage to push the blade back a little especially if it has gotten a little blunt.

Alfred

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Alfred...for adding more reason to go down this slippery slope! I do suspect one of those will end up at my front door sometime in the future.

While not my original need for a small plane, the curved sole Ibex models seem to be an interesting option for creating and/or fine tuning curved table legs, skirts, and other rounded pieces following a spokeshave.

[Rob Luter]

Following some major herd thinning, I'm down to four Block Planes that share all the duty for detail work. A Stanley Knuckle Joint #18, a Stanley Knuckle Joint #65, a LN #60 1/2, and a LN #102. No matter the task, one of those always seems well suited for the job.

[george wilson]

I have made many,many small planes for instrument work. You can make a simple wooden mini plane from a hard wood. I have used boxwood,but any good,hard wood will do. If you can't handle hardening and tempering the blades,make the blades FIRST from good quality hacksaw blades with the wavey teeth completely ground off the one side. then,make the plane to fit the blade you have made. Use the simple cross pin version to hold the wedge down.

[steven c newman]

Before:
square ends.JPG
During..
round over tools.JPG
And, after...
new edges.JPG
Stanley spokeshave, Millers Falls No. 56B, just to make a handle rest
test fit.JPG
In about the time it took to type this all out.....

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks George. Could you post a pic or two...would love to give it a try. No shortage of old hacksaw blades and plenty of small hardwood cutoffs laying around.
Appreciate it.

[Richard Line]

I haven't seen this approach mentioned in this thread. I've used it for working the occasional small piece. Put a regular bench plane (#4 or #5) upside down in your vice and then push the small piece of wood over the plane. Depending on the size of the piece, you can just hold it in you hand or make a small pusher block from scrap wood. Be watchful that you keep the pressure even over the full length of the stroke. You can flatten a face, or chamfer or radius an edge. Of course this isn't going to work with a curved surface, well, maybe a gently curved convex surface.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Richard. I have used that technique to fine turn long narrow strips to be used as inlays. It works very well. For small chamfers and the like, I'm thinking I would prefer taking the plane to the wood vs the piece to the plane. We'll see. I appreciate the reminder of that possibility.

[Matt Lau]

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f11/m...art-1-a-66587/

FWIW, I bought my blades from Japan Woodworker.
I want to make some of these one day!

[Brian Holcombe]

Ko-ganna are nice for this.