Galoot Block Plane - WIP

[jimi43]

Well...since reading Derek from Oz's fantastic thread "Galoot Smoother II", I have learned three things...

1) What the hell "Galoot" means (yup...sheltered life I know!)

2) That describes me exactly!!!

3) I wanted to build one!

So....since I have more smoothers than I need and don't have a decent block plane I thought I would take a very "not decent" one and make my very own Galoot Block plane....

If you have read Derek's thread which I partially hijacked you will remember this Stanley 110 which was scheduled for the bin....

A mate gave it to me and it had a broken wheel and a pretty rubbish body as you can see!

I fettled it up a bit and it came out really well but could do with further work later...

I didn't want to waste too much time at this because I wasn't sure how it would come out....

Next was the issue of the wood to use for the infill....which was quickly solved by our dear friend John...(benchwayze) when he so very generously offered me this gorgeous piece of mahogany he had going spare:

It was perfectly cut and arrived really quickly despite the snow! I really was nervous about cutting it up as it is so very easy with mahogany to get the "terrible mixed grain" scenario if you are not careful and I really wanted to bring out the beautiful grain whilst keeping the cut strong enough for the front tote...

So today...the first day of my leave...I bit the bullet and took the saw to it...cutting the approximate width from the original block:

This was then cut at the correct angle to give a right angle between the frog infill and the tote infill...the plan being to keep the original slope on the frog....

I was really dying to try out my Aled shoulder plane build and this project gave me the ideal opportunity since the front step will be retained and so the infill tote needs to be cut to fit this flush:

I wish to point out that I don't use a plane like this! I had the camera in the other hand as my trusty cameralady was at work...boy Aled...is your plane SUPERB!!!

Nice fit!!

I ground the "STANLEY" name off the front of the tote but retained the original knob stub because this is probably going to be the only thing that is going to hold the new infill on! I think I will epoxy the tote in and see how it goes...I might put some brass studs in but not sure I have the room yet...

Even though the weather is FAR warmer and the shop was up to 50 degrees today with a little heating...I decided to take the job inside and finish off the infill with the little Greaves plane and progressive work with 3M Micromesh....I wanted to get this mirror finish without any actual finish yet to see how the grain turns out...I was not disappointed!!

I am going to leave the detailed work until tomorrow, some bevels and counter curves like Derek's beautiful work...

but I am rather pleased with the job so far....this is going to be a nice plane...

That's all for now folks...

Jim

 

[lurker]

Interesting! Cos I have several of those lying around.

I'll be following your WIP closely Jim.
Personally I think I'd have made the front tote block flush with the sides (more overhang).

 

[bugbear]

I wish to point out that I don't use a plane like this! I had the camera in the other hand as my trusty cameralady was at work

Tripod and self-timer is the way (says Alf, of splendid WIP shots)

BugBear (with a tripod problem)

 

[wizer]

Watching this with interest as I also have one of those that I've been wondering what to do with.

 

[Alf]

BugBear (with a tripod problem)

Did you get your vertical camera holding in a tripod device* working in the end, btw? I was reminded.

Looking forward to seeing how this goes, Jim. Some years ago† I had a go at this with a no-name #4.5 - but didn't grind any of the protrusions away first. Fitting the infill was... exacting. And the end result was hideous in the extreme. Fairly sure I removed all traces of its existence for my own peace of mind. :lol: Yours is already 3000% nicer.

*I have a way with naming things
†B.C. Before Cohen. :wink:

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

looking nice ,your away to a good start then jim , i'm still looking for a donor plane at the mo to do mine, looking for something a bit bigger and a wee bit different , know it when i see it, unfortunately haven't been out since getting back from holland down with heavy cold and cough, honestly doc say i had to have the swine flu jab back in novemeber because i'm diabetic, i've been i'll ever since , i'll be glad to go out and get some fresh air hopefully soon .hc

ps keep the pics coming

 

[Modernist]

I think it would look nicer if the front of the sole was ground back flush to the infill accross the base and up the sides so there was no little "toe" sticking out.

Just a thought

 

[Racers]

Hi, Jim

Who did that to the nice (marples?) bevel edge chisel?




Pete

 

[jimi43]

Watcha guys...

Being on leave I posted this at some unearthly hour last night (morning) and read with interest the replies.

Firstly the block and overhang. I had been thinking about this and started out facing up the block oversized to see what it looked like and then comparing this with Derek's excellent Galoot Smoother II:

Obviously this is an aesthetic thing with possibly structural merit to a degree and I tossed this around in my mind for a while...and to some extent I thought that to be traditional it should overhang and be flush with the front base.

Tell ya what...See that large lump left...I will use that cut flush for another front tote and do one overhanging and flush and we can have a vote on it later today...

Camera...yup..I have a SLIK 88 which will do vertical and horizontal and the D80 does have a timer...but I was bleedin' freezing by that point and couldn't be bothered to go and set it all up....sorry Alf!!!

SLIK 88 is your answer to vertical though...great tripod that...(bootfair - fiver)

HC...I am diabetic too and missed my swine flu jab (did the "flu" one though) because I was a little sick. Glad I did now! I know EXACTLY what you mean about the "different" base. I was thinking only last night that the next one I do will not be a STANLEY base because they are so obvious in their design...like Fender, like Coke bottles, Nike ticks....and this makes it look hybrid.

I think that Derek's looks better because of the added bevel and I will be doing that also...but it would be much better if you could find a more anonymous one...what about a French or German one? HEY...there must be a super Swiss one out there? Imagine that engineering is superb!

Pete...yup a Marples bevel chisel...again a bootfair job...that had in its previous life been hit by a sledge hammer splitting the beautiful handle to kingdom come. It will be the recipient of a new handle when I source a knackered chisel of the same ilk....but until that day cometh...close your eyes mate...it CUTS beeeeutifully!

Cheers guys

Jim

 

[Racers]

Hi, Jim

I am glad you saved from further abuse, but next time cover the wound. :wink:

Get the IR remote for your D80, hands free shooting!


Pete

 

[bugbear]

BugBear (with a tripod problem)

Did you get your vertical camera holding in a tripod device* working in the end, btw? I was reminded.
*I have a way with naming things
†B.C. Before Cohen. :wink:

This?

BugBear

 

[Alf]

That'll be it. I'm assuming that's a 'yes' then?

And no need to apologise to me, Jim. I don't actually 'say' self timer and tripod; it's just what I do, most of the time. Occasionally I've been known to hold the camera under my chin and all sorts. :lol:

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

HC...I am diabetic too and missed my swine flu jab (did the "flu" one though) because I was a little sick. Glad I did now! I know EXACTLY what you mean about the "different" base. I was thinking only last night that the next one I do will not be a STANLEY base because they are so obvious in their design...like Fender, like Coke bottles, Nike ticks....and this makes it look hybrid.

I think that Derek's looks better because of the added bevel and I will be doing that also...but it would be much better if you could find a more anonymous one...what about a French or German one? HEY...there must be a super Swiss one out there? Imagine that engineering is superb!

well now , food for thought, a foreigner , hmm maybe, must admit I have been thinking along the line of bedrock , for the extra weight and higher sides think i can do more with it stye, might even try a jack size one but chop it down in length to suit . hc :wink:

 

[jimi43]

Ha! See you give a camera to a woodie and they make a tripod adaptor!

Superb!

Well....there was a point today when I wish I had not bothered with the "flush" front tote as it was really difficult to get the curve right inlaid and align the front and then cut the back but I finally managed it:

The only cock-up I made was to forget that the bottom channel should stop short of the front otherwise it would show...but it was too late when I realised:

I can sort that out with some coloured hot wax later...

I am off to polish this up to make a good comparison and put the fancy bevels in both but at this stage my mind is still split...

Later!

Jim

 

[Modernist]

That is so much better Jim. (IMHO) I think a trip to the linisher is called for and it'll look like it was always that way.

 

[jimi43]

The temperature is really dropping here so I decided to come in but so far without polishing...I think it does look better when it is flush....more like an old plane that way...

It does fit tight and really flush...but needs to be glued in first.

I think a dark stain will enhance the grain too....

Anyway...I am going to leave it at that for now...and get on with the frog infill....this is SO relaxing!

Cheers for the feedback guys....more perhaps tomorrow...

Jim

 

[Benchwayze]

Coming along nicely Jim... I'm watching with interest, although I don't have a spare casting about me...

I wait with bated breath.

Good Luck with the project of course.

Regards
John

 

[jimi43]

Cheers John...that piece of mahogany is really nice.

You have to watch the grain...which is why I spent some snow time reflecting on it....I found carving particularly challenging!

I was looking at the above picture earlier today and suddenly realised something. If I am to keep the flush tote...I need to file the sides back to square again...DOH!!!

I think it would look really nice to have a bevel/flush transition...

Later!

Jim

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

just bought my donor plane an old t5 jack plane (record) nice high sided with extra thick metal to add some extra weight to it . minds boggling away at the mo, as to how i'm going to set about this . I think first get some really top notch timber , (not sure what yet ) a visit to yandles one day next week perhapes if i can get out , then source a really nice thick blade somewhere, get all the bits first before it's started . hc

 

[jimi43]

Hi HC..

Glad to see that you have found your donor body...any chance of some pictures?

I haven't managed to grind my sides flat yet but I did get a chance to try to age the front piece a bit..it looked too new. To do this I went right through the 3M Micromesh range by hand rather than on a flat surface. This toned the edges a bit which I prefer to touch and to look at:

I suppose I should be thinking about an iron at some point...I think you have the right order in your planning...sort out all the bits, make sure it will work as a decent plane first, THEN tart it up!

I am too impatient for that...I guess I should learn to curb my patience!

More later....

Jim