A new handle on a fine and now restored very old Johnson wood block plane, introduces a new tool to the workshop, it will be well used on Johns Iroko drop keel foil in the morning.
Simply a simple tool that is one of the best tools that I own.
The new handle was bonded in with epoxy and graded teak wood flour to ensure a good bond on the lower face of the handle, this will never fall out ever again, a little progress in wood plane making!
Epoxy glue will bond this handle in solid.
At this time I was not to know how special a wood working tool that this would turn out to be.
The front of the planes handle socket is square, while the back is round and on an angle leading to the back of the plane, making a slight wedge shape on the square end of the handle forces the new handle into the back of the plane socket when it is tapped home with a hammer.
Modern type router tools are very handy for such shaping, be very careful how you hold the item to be worked on,you must offer the wood up from the correct side of the cutter.
So a new beech wood handle had to be fashioned, I used the handle on my number 6 Stanley (bailey) metal jack plane as a pattern, that plane is 445mm long, while the Johnson wood plane is all of 610mm long, thats a nice length for doing foils and jointing work.
I thought to just try this old plane and see how it handled wood like Iroko, known for its hard and interlocked grain, sharp tools are a must, I was amazed at how this wood plane took off wood and with its wide blade and long base, makes for a very fine and straight finish.
I was not expecting to do this job today, rather start shaping the drop keel in Iroko for Johns Didi Mini Transat Cruise, things sort of said I need a handle on Dudley's old Johnson wood plane, using with as a trial on the finishing side showed me the plane is a 'whistler' so sharp is its blade that it makes a whistling sound as it removes shavings.
November 2017,
Simply the best!
Roy
Simply a simple tool that is one of the best tools that I own.
The new handle was bonded in with epoxy and graded teak wood flour to ensure a good bond on the lower face of the handle, this will never fall out ever again, a little progress in wood plane making!
Epoxy glue will bond this handle in solid.
At this time I was not to know how special a wood working tool that this would turn out to be.
The front of the planes handle socket is square, while the back is round and on an angle leading to the back of the plane, making a slight wedge shape on the square end of the handle forces the new handle into the back of the plane socket when it is tapped home with a hammer.
Modern type router tools are very handy for such shaping, be very careful how you hold the item to be worked on,you must offer the wood up from the correct side of the cutter.
So a new beech wood handle had to be fashioned, I used the handle on my number 6 Stanley (bailey) metal jack plane as a pattern, that plane is 445mm long, while the Johnson wood plane is all of 610mm long, thats a nice length for doing foils and jointing work.
I thought to just try this old plane and see how it handled wood like Iroko, known for its hard and interlocked grain, sharp tools are a must, I was amazed at how this wood plane took off wood and with its wide blade and long base, makes for a very fine and straight finish.
I was not expecting to do this job today, rather start shaping the drop keel in Iroko for Johns Didi Mini Transat Cruise, things sort of said I need a handle on Dudley's old Johnson wood plane, using with as a trial on the finishing side showed me the plane is a 'whistler' so sharp is its blade that it makes a whistling sound as it removes shavings.
November 2017,
Simply the best!
Roy
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