Does anyone in here make mini brass planes?

[Michelle_K]

Hi all
I am learning guitar making and borrowed a friends handmade plane. It was such a nice plane to use and would be really useful. I know thumb planes are readily available but I have not seen one like this so just wondered if anyone made them.
I have attached a picture.

Thanks

 

[Kalimna]

Not brass, but maybe these from Veritas might be the thing?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/veritas-deta ... sel=952919

Adam

 

[marcros]

not brass but...

wip-wooden-thumb-planes-t86839.html

 

[Mr_P]

Try googling krenov style planes usually in wood but I've got one made this way with brass sides and wood middle.

 

[dkaardal]

Making brass planes like that is actually very simple. Brass is cheap and soft, so cutting and shaping it is easy. Blades are easy to make and heat treat yourself as well, though you can buy them very easily also. Dictum has a pretty good selection of wee little plane blades if I recall.

I bought some brass plate, rod, and some escutcheon pins a while back with the idea of making myself some customised finger planes for my violin and cello work. I'd gotten pulled away on a baby cot project for the last 9+ months though. Might be time to get back to it.

Here's a pdf of one simple design, and as you can see there are very few parts to it. Lots of ways to tweak the design too - have a brass sole, add a brass wedge with a thumbscrew instead of wood...


http://workshopcompanion.com/Demos/...room_files/Making_Finger_Plane_Shop_Notes.pdf

 

[bugbear]

I believe (from talking to luthiers at craft shows) that learning to make such tools is a normal part of a Continental European Luthiery apprenticeship.

So your plane may plausibly be a one off.

EDIT; Michelle; I just looked again at your photo, and I believe your plane is much larger than typical thumbplanes; can you tell us the length, width and blade width?

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Whilst googling I just found this;

Regardless of how good it is "as delivered" it would be a fine source of "blanks" to develop your own tool, given the price.

http://www.dhgate.com/product/wholesale ... 3318192589

1 pc flat bottom mini brass planes
One flat bottom size:
Length: 42 mm. Width: 23.5 mm. plane iron width: 16 mm

US $21.12 (£18.47 at today's rate)

In fact dhgate appears to be heaving with the things!

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrand ... 0plane.htm

More googling; this customisation by my friend Scott Grandstaff appears to start with a plane very similar indeed to yours, although not identical. SInce AMT did quite a few "copy" tools (*), I wonder if your plane is an example of the plane AMT copied.

http://www.toolexchange.com.au/our-tool ... uot-cutter

(wow, look at that dreadful casting!)

BugBear