Wood Plane iron (blade) "group buy" help - machine / heat treat

[hazmat]

On a WW forum I visit, a few of us are exploring the idea of making some plane irons to build some "woodies" - similar to these pop mechanics wooden planes

We are trying to keep the cost down and are looking for someone willing to do the machining and / or heat treating in exchange for some irons (if they happen to be a woodworker as well) or modest compensation. Looking to get 1/4 thick by various widths (up to 2") 02 tool steel cut to length, the bevel rough machined & heat treated. I'm also trying to find out if we should even bother to rough the bevel - most WW's generally have a low speed or wet grinder that they should be able to put the bevel on w/o overheating the steel.

Here is the thread on the other forum sawmill creek

If anyone is interested in getting in on the "group buy" reply here. If you're interested in the machining / heat treat - reply or PM me. Don't have a feel for quantity yet, but I don't imagine it will be real big (proabably a dozen or so of each of the widths).

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm curious what the advantages are to a hand plane? 90% of the time I just use my belt sander.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[hazmat]

It's quieter and more romantic

Seriously though, a properly tuned hand plane (it takes a fair amount of effort) is faster than an orbital sander and produces a nicer finish than a belt sander.

I use hand planes to clean up machining marks (table saw, jointer, planer) and to adjust joinery - rabbets, miters, tenons etc. It's pretty tough to power sand a tenon and keep it flat.

 

[Egon]

Find and use some leaf springs?"

Eddie: The wooden planes come in many different types for different purposes. The belt sander cannot compete with all of them.

Note: For some woodworkers mention power and it could become ugly. IE, finishing is not done by sander but by metal scrapers.

 

[Dozernut]

Eddie
You should watch Roy Underhill on the Wood Wright's Shop on PBS. He is a little spastic due to the 30 minute time constraint of the show, but he makes some wonderful things with basically four tools: a saw, chisels, hand planes and shaves or scrapers. I use planes, draw shaves and scrapers a lot and if kept sharp and tuned, they will out perform a power sander. A big bonus is that hand tools will not produce all that fine dust and some wood dust is carcinogenic.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks guys, I was wondering what I was missing out on. hahaha I'm not much of a woodworker, but every now and then I get the urge and have fun with it for a little while. Usualy by the time I finish my project, I'm ready for soemthing different. I must be a little ADD. hahaha

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Cliff_Johns]

I'm curious what the advantages are to a hand plane? 90% of the time I just use my belt sander.

Thanks,
Eddie

Hand planes are for finesse.
Belt sanders are for generating sawdust.

Really, it's pretty hard to trim a hundredth of a tennon that's a bit tight or a drawer thats a bit fat with a belt sander.

Also, for me, a hand plane gives me feedback as I'm using it, sanders and power saws and routers give me feedback when I'm done (and it's too late to correct).

Still, I have a belt sander, and I have used it at times. You need to use the right tool, and sometimes the plane is just the right tool, but you can get by without ever owning one.

As a general statement, I go for the quietest tool that will do the job effectively. Noise makes me tired.

Cliff

 

[EddieWalker]

Cliff,

I use my orbital sander for finess and if I really want to fine tune a piece of wood, I use sand paper.

Of course, I love the smell of sawdust in the morning!!! hahaha

Eddie

 

[czechsonofagun]

Hand planes are for finesse.
Belt sanders are for generating sawdust.

Really, it's pretty hard to trim a hundredth of a tennon that's a bit tight or a drawer thats a bit fat with a belt sander.

Also, for me, a hand plane gives me feedback as I'm using it, sanders and power saws and routers give me feedback when I'm done (and it's too late to correct).

Still, I have a belt sander, and I have used it at times. You need to use the right tool, and sometimes the plane is just the right tool, but you can get by without ever owning one.

As a general statement, I go for the quietest tool that will do the job effectively. Noise makes me tired.

Cliff

What about power planer? There is not easier way to make door to fit in the frame. It will cut across the wood too without damage.

 

[Dusty]

When I was 12 years old, my grandfather had died. He was an old school cabinet maker. I remember his tool box of wooden planes. It looked more like a steamer trunk, just filled with every type of plane that you could imagine. He used the planes to make moldings, etc. I was too young to know anything about woodworking, and no one in the family had any interest, so I have no idea what ever happened to his tools. I guess that he was in his 80's or older when he died, so those tools must have also been quite old at that time. I remember watching him work his craft, and only wished that he had taught some of it to me. All of my woodworking skills, I have learned the old fashioned way.... trial and error.
Dusty