Shaping the convex sole of a chair-makers plane

 

It has been an interesting week. Two weeks ago I called around to my usual hardwood suppliers asking if they had on hand, or could order, beech or boxwood. Up now I have made the majority of my handplanes using quartersawn cherry. The beech I am using in the laminated body of the chair-makers plane was cut on a neighbor's property. All well and good, but I need to establish a more reliable supply. The word I got back from a number of dealers was that both species of wood was unobtainable. I was able to purchase some quartersawn cherry, which was a start. Then I remembered friends of mine mentioning a guy up country who carried hundreds of species of exotic hardwoods.

Thursday found me driving two hours north to Mexico, Maine, on the lookout for Rare Woods, USA. Rare Woods does indeed carry almost two-hundred species of imported hardwood. I walked by pallet loads of wood species I have never seen before. I could have spent the day there, but focus, focus! There is nothing nicer than being able to personally inspect and rummage through a pile of quatersawn european beech looking for, and finding exactly what I wanted. Boxwood was pricey, $10.00 a pound. The chunk I bought cost me over $100.00. But, all in all, it was worth it, as the piece of wood should provide enough boxing material for a lot of planes. On top of what was already a great day, I found out that the owner of Rare Woods also sells antique tools which he picks up at auction. I walked out the door with an early Disston #7, with split-nuts, a Henry Disston, no son or sons, etching on the blade, and a Disston eagle medallion which dates the saw to 1860-1865. A great find for $19.00.

 

Back in the shop. Yes I did finally have to leave Mexico. The drive there and back was beautiful, trees at the height of fall color, and next to no traffic. My small chair-maker planes listed on ebay have started to sell. So I started work on another batch of ten of the planes. The stock is glued up using tiger maple for the cheeks and american beech for the in-fill pieces. In the photo above I have rounded the convex curves on the sole of one of the planes using a spoke-shave. To save my back from bending over all day, I am using the small detail bench, made earlier this year, which clamps to my large work-bench. A good day work.

Thanks for dropping by.