A delight, shared.

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Sam_Jack

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A delight, shared.

Whimsy; or, I’m getting soft as age creeps in; but I thought enough of a ‘delight’ today to warrant sharing it with some folk who may understand it. In my humble workshop I have what I call the healing shelf. On this shelf live those items which require mending, fettling or too much time to do now. I often hope the fettling fairy will turn up and all will be fixed; bright, shiny, sharp and ready to go to work – alas. On said shelf I have had, for almost 18 months now a couple of wooden ‘coffin’ planes; filthy and un-serviceable, the irons pitch black and sinister, out of square and some fool had made a pigs ear of the ‘grind’.

Well, the latest refugee from the scrap heap had arrived, another old, rusting hulk in need of attention. Sunday was quiet and my own, so I set to. The ‘tank’ was prepared and the rusty bits were duly immersed. I rolled a smoke and my eye landed on the healing shelf – why not? So I wrestled the cutter out of one of the ‘Matheson’ relics, separated it from the chip breaker and threw the whole lot into the tank. With time on my hands, I looked to the wooden plane – what a mess. Clearly it had been dropped, three dowels and screw to hold body and soul together; as stated, time on my hands – I got stuck in; more to see how the plane had been made, rather than in the interests of sorting it out. Well, one thing led to another and I sorted out the geometry, the mouth and the base; even cleaned up the body. Long ramble short, when the iron came out it looked halfway decent, and it felt ‘right’ the weight and the balance played a ‘fix me’ song. So as though led by some strange force, I put about four hours into the thing, made it square, sorted out the geometry then sharpened it. Wow.

Put the whole thing back together, fiddled about a bit to get the chip breaker in the right slot, then fiddled some more to get it set. Then I used it – what an absolute treat. I cannot express the feeling of ‘delight’ the first few full width, smooth as silk shavings gave me. I’m still smiling. It’s silly I know – a few shavings and a foursquare board in record time, with consummate ease; but how often in this life does an inanimate object, a chunk of wood and lump of steel make you smile – all day long.

I just wondered if among those of us who turn large lumps of wood into small lumps, there may be some who could share and understand my smiles. Daft ain’t it.
 
Not Daft at all,

I too share the pleasure of taking some un-loved relic and returning it to use.

My only trouble is I have so many 'unfinished symphonies' as my wife calls them that a major sort out is very mush the order of the next few weeks.
 
That's as close to poetry as I will read this year. Silk among the thorns.
'the irons pitch black and sinister'
Jesus. That's a magnificent line! You have a talent for the words there that reminds me of Heaney.
Or Roddy Doyle who I prefer and who i personally regard as a Proper Genius.
'He changed gear like he was pulling the heads off orphans.' :D
Beautiful.
Lovely post and captures the bit about making good an old tool and knowing the world is a tiny bit of a better place for it. Sterling.
Thanks for sharing that. Nice change from my everyday. Appreciated.
Chris
 
Well said, sir, was quite enjoyable. One day perhaps,I may find an old lump too. Possibility of being able to get it working as you did, remains, sadly, remote. Would be a 'delight' for sure, tho.
 
Fully understand. I have an old Matheson smoother and it is a real joy to use. I also have a plane bits n pieces shelf where they wait for a second chance. So good when the right bits meet up.
Regards
John
 
Thanks for the replies, they make me smile while read ‘em and hide my blushes at beer o’clock this evening. ‘Twas but a twiddle, glad some enjoyed it. However, I may have mislead you:– unintentional I assure you. My ‘delight’ was found in the actual using of the thing. The fixing is just grime, graft and a rollocking from Domestic Tyranny (DT) for washing dirty hands in the kitchen sink. (Tea towels are tempting ain’t they). No matter.

I have never used a wooden coffin plane – not in anger. I was surprised at the amount of ‘feel’ it gave me, the lightness of touch required and the ability to plane in a more comfortable position; more of a sit-up-and–beg style, so to speak. Don’t know, the whole thing just felt ‘right’ somehow. My intention was to take a few shaving and put the thing aside as a learning exercise – but I ended up smoothing and finishing some very nice Oak which is actually part of a job in hand. The finish was great, the effort seemed much less and I very much enjoyed doing it. Hence my ‘delight’ and some surprise.

But, I do now understand now why Grand Papa never let anyone touch his planes. Set ‘em up once and let them be. I’ve now set the two planes up – one slightly courser than fine; t’uther fine, and they do that job superbly – but that’s it. I reckon if you need to move a job along then you’d need a number of planes, of different lengths and set for task. With say a #4 – when at first contact you know you are set too course (or fine) it is a matter of a few seconds to adjust, not quite so fast with the ‘tap and try’ method. It’s a fiddle; great when ‘just-right’.

That said, I keep finding them in my hand, and the smiles keep coming. If you get the chance to use one, properly set up and tuned- you’d be wearing the same soppy grin I do. Total cost in Oz dollars about $6, for vinegar, salt, bi-carb, grit and 5 minutes juice for running the bench grinder; result priceless.

Cheers - Big smile.
 
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