Not an Infill

[Sheffield Tony]

Mr Cain says it's dangerous to quench in old motor oil because of petroleum impurities which could ignite and I have to say it's frightening enough in chip oil in a large vat.

I hasten to add that when I said I used castrol GTX I meant new, clean engine oil. Never used ! Used motor oil is full of corrosive, carcinogenic rubbish and is fit for nothing but proper disposal / recycling. I'm sure vegetable oil is nicer to use.

 

[jimi43]

Blimey Jim - I thought you must have locked yourself in the observatory and that I'd have to make nothing less than a jointer to lure you out.
The sole is very slightly thicker than Ron Brese's but Karl's still look thicker to me.

I am still trying to meet the face and bevel on the iron. I must get a decent grinding wheel of a good diameter.

I preheated to gas mark 6, baked for an hour and took it out of the oven. This is a non - critical heat change; at school I was taught to quench here, as seen in Tony's axe making thread.

It was quite a relief that the only flame I got with the chip oil was coming off the gas from the bubbles and not the whole mass of it. It had only been pre warmed and was not hot. Maybe worth thinking about not doing too many in quick succession or it might well get too hot ... ?

I'm quite surprised that no one has mentioned that planes like this 'don't have snecks' or maybe they do? I've never seen one but I don't know why. I have seen lots of gorgeous, non adjuster planes that one would not dream of tapping with a mallet ... how to retract? Dunno. Still, it's the first iron and an experiment.

Back to grinding - and early onset Arthur Rightus...

HA! Actually Richard...in between the building of the observatory proper (click to see so as not to hijack thread)....I have actually made a super thick iron for it..(no sneck!). Real men know how to gently release lever pressure and wiggle!!! :mrgreen:

I have also distracted Douglas by dragging him to Morgan Timber and purchasing the most amazing slab of Tulipwood and get him to make the doors (click to see doors)

So I am still working in wood inside the "warm room"...just not the delicate stuff you need for plane making!

I have to make an adjustable spokeshave blade...the one with the thin slicer with the pillars of threaded iron at each end. That'll be a laugh too!

I guess I do the iron hardening a different way..ala Tubal Cain. O1 steel heated to 780 degrees for 1 hr/inch thickness and then swift slide into room temperature chip oil...then into 250 deg oven in the "off" mode and allow to cool to room temp at the speed of the oven. Seems to work pretty good. I only really do one iron at the time and the oil is in a huge vat which should be more than adequate. I doubt the temp of the oil rises much at all during the run.

Anyway...love your new projects...must chat about one I have with a guy in Sheffield on iron lamination...might make an interesting discussion.

Cheers

Jimi

 

[Richard T]

I have been lapping the sole. 5 strips of double sided tape each time to hold down paper off a wide, 5m roll. A real waste of tape. After 6 goes I am maybe only half way there.

After many minutes of frustrating Googling, my searches for 'self adhesive abrasive/emery etc' have come to nought but disks.

What I really want is a nice, wide roll of sticky backed stuff like Frank Klaus uses for lapping and water stone flattening. Is it just an Americorn ferrnominum?

Does anyone know off hand where such a thing may be bought from - in the UK if poss.?

 

[Racers]

Hi Richard

This is my set up for lapping, no tape needed its just pulled tight and flat by the clamps.






Pete

 

[Richard T]

Thanks Pete

Don't you find it rucks up a bit? When I have tried this in the past it has always moved and rounded the job a little until I started to stick it down. Or does your ingenious use of stretch - clampage stop this from happening?

I could have easily rigged up a clamped operation on the marble table top I have been using but I notice this morning that my Mother has thoughtfully covered it in Geraniums. I will employ the table I took off the band saw if I can find room somewhere. .

 

[Racers]

Hi Richard

Its pulled very tight by the clamps no rippling at all.
I leave it on the role and just pull an fresh length through when its worn.

Pete