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Thread: German Style Smoothing Plane.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Australia
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    2,534

    German Style Smoothing Plane.

    The following Smoothing Plane has been sitting in my workshop for the last 5yrs waiting for an opportunity to be fettled in and put to use. Today was that day. The sole of the plane needed a light dressing back, the irons wooden bed and wedge abutments were received a fettled in, and the double iron was de-rusted and prepped for use. The sole of the plane then received a rubbing of wax and was put to use on a short length of wedge stock that needed to be hand thicknessed down from 1" to 5/8". Thick or whisper thin shavings, this smoothing plane managed it effortlessly. This post should be treated as a kindly reminder that you don't need to spend a lot of money on a premium brand bench plane.

    Stewie;



    Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 05-26-2017 at 4:34 AM.

  2. #2
    Stewie,


    Nice, I find the German style horned planes the most comfortable to use and at least here in the States very cheap.

    ken

  3. #3
    Looks like Tassie Oak Stewie? A beautiful wood to plane. I have a plane needing similar treatment, what did you do to the sole?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Trussville, AL
    Posts
    191
    I agree. I have, and use, a couple Primus planes that I guess can't be classified as cheap but also have the Gents Plane that LV used to sell. (Maybe they still do I'm too lazy to look) I think I paid $40 for it when I bought it. That little plane is my go to for quick work. I find the ergonomics of the horn much better than a bailey style knob and the slickness of wood on wood can't be beat.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Marietta GA
    Posts
    1,120

    Primus English Pattern Jack Plane

    I have a German Primus English Pattern Jack Plane that I bought years ago to help with flattening my rock maple bench top.
    It worked great once I got over the learning curve on how to set the blade, and how to adjust the tension spring.

    It works great as a jack and with the very good blade setting capability, it can be used as a super smoother ( ala David Charlesworth's technique with a #5 ).

    The steel is very good and keeps an edge through most of my projects and is fairly quick to hone back to top form.

    Highland Hardware was the source and is currently priced at about $270 with tax or so.

    The sole needs very little maintenance and I just use a card scraper to tune it back to needs. Maybe do that once a year just for giggles.

    Enjoy!
    Last edited by Terry Beadle; 05-29-2017 at 2:08 PM. Reason: correction

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Vancouver Island BC-eh!
    Posts
    615
    Lovely golden patina on the wood of that plane, and a good thick iron.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Australia
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    Not too bad for my 1st attempt at shaping a German front horn. English Walnut. Left handed plane. Next on the list is to place an order for a quality brand German parallel double iron.

    The tote is just sitting in position for the photo. The front of the planes main stock will be stepped down to receive the tote, no different to the other German plane I recently refurbished.

    The tote will be glued into position.

    Titebond No-Run, No-Drip provides a strong initial tack and fast speed of set, yet allows realignment of working pieces. It also develops a bond stronger than the wood itself, offers excellent sandability and is unaffected by finishes.








    Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 05-30-2017 at 1:56 AM.

  8. #8
    Very nice shaping. Is that horn sitting in a mortise? Otherwise, the glue joint will mostly be end grain to long grain.

    I have an E.C.E. primus jack that is a bit strange to adjust but works really well for roughing. It's one of the few planes that I bother to camber, and it can do some serious hogging.

    I also have a more traditional german "Holzhobel", but with a lever cap instead of a wedge, and an adjustable mouth. It had a heavy varnish on it that was flaking off. I planed/scraped/sanded it away and refinished with BLO. It's very comfortable to hold:



    The chipbreaker is really thick and heavily curved, and it bends the iron when tightened. But it doesn't seem to affect performance... works great in testing so far.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    USA
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    Is that typical for a horn to be just glued to endgrain? I would have guessed a dovetail slot that the handle fits into. Kees?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    springfield,or
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    644
    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Barry View Post
    Is that typical for a horn to be just glued to endgrain? I would have guessed a dovetail slot that the handle fits into. Kees?
    I have a scrub plane with the horn style handle. It looks to sit in a sliding dovetail that is glued.

  11. #11
    Yes Michael is right. It sits in a sliding dovetail and the bottom in a round mortise.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    9,467
    Ditto to sliding dovetail.

    I built one of these some years ago



    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
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    Derek; that laminated jointer decided to have little babies.

    I have a test glue up prepared. Matching grains and wood types. I will check it tomorrow morning.


  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Williamsburg,Va.
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    12,402
    Indeed: I have seen those planes with the horn removed, came loose, fell out, or whatever. They do have a sliding dovetail to hold them to the body.

    Seems like a well fitted dovetail plus glue ought to offer good strength.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Australia
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    The end grain to long grain Titebond Glue test proved reasonably strong, but doubts remained whether the joint would fail over the long term with seasonal movement. The decision was made to mortise in a Jarrah dovetail keyway with outside facing long gain. That will achieve a later long grain to long grain glue joint when the front horn is permanently glued in position with Hide Glue. I went ahead and ordered a 1 5/8" double iron from LN. There was just way too much hassle trying to purchase a double iron of that width from ECE in Germany. I will hold off any further progress until the new double iron arrives in the post.

    Dovetail key after being glued into position.


    Test fit with the front horn.
    Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 06-01-2017 at 1:58 AM.

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