Recent content by StraightOffTheArk

I must admit to an unhealthy attraction to moulding planes - I sort of have it under control now and I've actually managed to sell a considerable number that I would never have a use for, but somehow they do have a way of multiplying! Some of the more complex moulding planes, especially if the...

Not strictly relevant, but I heard one theory that planes started as fine adzes being pulled towards you to create a thin continuous finishing shaving with the wooden body starting as a jig to hold it at the right angle - can't for the life of me remember where I came across this now though.

I used to have a Record 050 with a full set of cutters, but I sold it as I never used it and I have a Rapier 43 and a lot of odd cutters from joblots etc - turns out I don't have a 1/4" amongst my collection of odd cutters - oops! However, as you can see, it's not a problem for the wee beastie!

This is a pretty good overview of the making of a book, and at about 9.30 shows a proper book plough in use - same principle as my 'junior' though with rather more control. Here.

Absolutely right! It should be a purpose built press (that I still haven't finished yet...), but it's the same principle, just no need to fiddle about with unnecessary bits of wood. If you're interested, the video from DAS bookbinding I linked to above is very good, he demonstrates using it at...

The handle is not a screwdriver handle and the tool tip is not shaped like a screwdriver, but I'd say they have a distinctly awlish appearance...

To be honest, I don't know - I've only done a small amount and so far I've used a No. 4 iron that's got a bit more curve than you'd use for a jack, held flat on the press - it's surprisingly effective and oddly satisfying to see the strips of paper coming away. I think I've resharpened it once...

At the risk of making people 'grumpy', I think you've under-estimated the last percentage...

But also, if wooden planes were so much better, western woodworkers wouldn't have abandoned them! It's complicated of course, I prefer a wooden jack, but a bailey style smoother for ease of adjustment - I've been meaning to make a copy of one of those Marples planes with a wooden body but...

Here's the finished thing after a bit more tidying up and sanding and a couple of coats of the ubiquitous Boiled Linseed Oil. And a really terrible photo of it in use! I made the cutting edge round as all book ploughs seem to have this - the original Dryad iron is pointed, although the...

For a while now I've been interested in bookbinding, and one of the problems for inexperienced amateurs such as myself is trimming the edges of what will become the book. Those with the money and space would use a guillotine, next up is a bookbinders plough, which is also expensive although...

Thanks for the replies so far - I hadn't considered veg oil, not having enough linseed was why I didn't use a pipe for soaking the dowels. I need/prefer a wooden thread partly for aesthetics but also because they are less likely to damage a book/paper that inadvertently makes contact - no need...

Thanks - I bought this some time ago as a pdf and inadvertently deleted it - doh! It'll be good to get re-aquainted.

So I have a couple of thread boxes and I'd like some advice on setting up/using them properly. The modern one has a tap with it, the old one doesn't so I'm planning on threading a dowel with a conical point, sawing down its length and inserting an old bit of saw plate suitably shaped to scrape...

Well, I've actually done something, I've decided on the wood - some sort of mahogany that used to be a mantelpiece and given to me for helping in a hurried house move. The grain is about as vertical as I'm likely to get without buying some specially. I've also sawn it into boards - the...