Here are some pictures of my first attempt at building a wood smoother.
The blade came from my woodworking group, who purchased some O1 stock, and other members cut, rough milled the bevel, and had heat treated and tempered. First impressions of it are good, seems to take a really nice edge.
The main body is made from some old osage orange that a friends father-in-law gave me in the form of long split logs (orginally intented to make self bows) This perticular piece had too many knots and bug holes to make a good bow, so I've been using it for other unqiue projects. Since osage is probably north americas hardest, and densest wood, and is highly resistant to moving from humidity and temperature changes, I thought it might make a good plane.
I used paduak for the sides because once I milled the osage blank from my log it wasn't quite big enough, so I though the paduak would look good with the osage.
The blade is bedded at a 50 degree angle. I used plans from a popular mechanics article for much of the plane, although I did change a few things. I also added some set screws to help in squaring the blade and keeping it centered in the mouth.
On my first test board, a lightly curled maple board, the plane worked quite nicely, producing no tear out. The only issue I'm having is the shavings aren't exiting the top very well, they seem to get bunched up? Anyway here are some pictures.
Thanks for looking,
John