Galoot Block Plane - WIP

[jimi43]

No problems John...I guess you and HC can fight over it! :wink:

Well...today I reckoned that it would be best if I actually put an iron in this baby and try it out on a bit of wood...but since I am going for a Bristol lever cap and since they are probably not made in this size and since the bits for my lathe are still "in the post"....I decided to build a full wedge to try the plane on some wood (just close your eyes on that bit!!)

I tried it on some sort of softy hardwood whose origin remains a mystery (probably a tad East of Dover) but it was to hand and I used the crappy bit of iron that was once made by Mr Stanley and is slightly...um...short...and after a bit of fiddling to get the blade right it produced some fine shavings...really smoothly with that telltale WHISH.....

The weight is more like a mini-smoother and aside from the fact that I had an ugly lump in my left hand...it felt really comfortable...the front infill is just right for the thumb but I might put a dimple in it....

I am going to leave it now and play with something else until the Isaac Greaves iron turns up...

I am however...really happy with the transformation...

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Hey HC...check this Spiers plane out...

HERE

That body is almost perfect for your donor modification!

Jim

 

[Vann]

Anyone know what size thread the hole in the side is please :?: , I need to make a handle to suite , I think the chances of finding an old is very slim .

I found that the front knob off a Record 735 softboard plane fits the thread in the side of my T5. Unfortunately I'm away from home until next Monday night so I can't go out and measure it until then. And it's not on recordcollector's web-site either.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[eoinsgaff]

HC, thanks for that. I'll be doing a bit more research before I add one to the list. I'm very impressed with the look though. Thats one very solid looking plane and all the more desirable for it...

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

it would be nice , but did you check out the bid price with eight hrs still to go , the two T5s that i have, one i'm going to cut down in length to do a 9" smoother with , the other will stay unaltered to use on a chute board , I have also just won a old dog in the starts ( still awaiting arrival it's a stanley no 605 bedrock that plane is what i am hoping to turn into something not unlike that spiers.

john, no problems with the boxwood if your interested go ahead an bid I will not bid against you, good luck .

vann , it's ok problem solved . hc 8)

 

[jimi43]

AH! No...I was just pointing out that the basic profile on that old Spiers is lovely and could easily be your T5 cut down...and chamfered.

Lovely old design those Spiers and Mathiesons

Jim

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

Lovely old design those Spiers and Mathiesons

they certainly are, but to get a real good one is getting really difficult nowadays and more to the point there bloody expensive, hence why I,m going the way I am to achieve some of them , one last plane to source now is I'm looking for a stanley bedrock 608c there is one on flebay at £250 over the top a bit, I think it has a buy it only price , but never mind plenty of time for that one .

Now I'm trying to source spiers/norris, lever cap & screw, blade adjuster, plus blade and chip breaker. anyone with any pointers/ideas on them would be most welcome . hc

 

[jimi43]

Now I'm trying to source spiers/norris, lever cap & screw, blade adjuster

HA! Arrived at the same point using different strategies...your one best I do believe!

The Greaves iron came today...I didn't check properly on the auction and it is blinkin' tapered isn't it!! DOH! But the width is correct so I can do some more playing around while I source a flat one. Nice bit of steel though! I will use it somewhere.

I want to put a Bristol lever cap on mine but not sure I would get one that small...it has to be a tad under 1 7/8" so I suppose I could file one down if it were close...let me know if you source the hardware and from where....

Jim

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

I want to put a Bristol lever cap

Is that from bristol design in bristol :?: are they still in excistance :?: , If so any contact no, or website please would be appreciated . I tried contacting them a few yrs ago and spoke to someone who just wasn't interested in selling me some lever caps then, I ask for a brochure and never received it so shelved the entire idea back then . hc

 

[jimi43]

Ah...ok I was using it as a term...should I have used "Norris" lever cap...

Well at least you know what I mean....

Apparently copies were made by a number of companies...a lot in the States...Shepherd Tools (now demised) is one I found...and someone suggested Ray Iles...I can't find it on their site.

I was right though...the Shepherd one was made 2 1/2" wide...and they used to mill the sides down to your spec to 2" after which they say the geometry looks wrong....I envisaged this before I researched it.

I have a drawing of such a cap and will probably make one by hand...I think it is pointless for my application to search for a baby one...I don't think such a thing exists. However for your one...I think SOMEONE must make one for old infill replacement parts somewhere...maybe someone here would know?

I had another play with my block plane today and it is so nice to shave with that I think for the time being while I do some more research I shall finish the wedge into something that actually LOOKS nice as well as works and use it like that for a while until I get a solution.

I am on the lookout for a suitable brass knurled bolt though...if anyone can suggest a source..

I received my countershaft assembly today for the ML1 so am playing with that for a while...maybe I could end up turning up my own screw!

Cheers

Jim

 

[Philly]

Jim
I can sort you out a knurled knob or even a brass lever cap if you need. Drop me a PM,
Philly

 

[head clansman]

hi jim

what width lever cap are you after , any chance of seeing yor drawing. hc

 

[head clansman]

hi philly

Don't know of any 2" lever cap do you preferable steel if possible .hc

 

[AndyT]

hi jim

I want to put a Bristol lever cap

Is that from bristol design in bristol :?: are they still in excistance :?: , If so any contact no, or website please would be appreciated . I tried contacting them a few yrs ago and spoke to someone who just wasn't interested in selling me some lever caps then, I ask for a brochure and never received it so shelved the entire idea back then . hc

They are definitely still in existence and still trading. I'm sure Charles Stirling would not disagree if I said that he has still not got around to the web though. His site is useful for two things only - to show you a glimpse of some of the shop, and to give you his phone number.

I'm sure he sells Norris adjusters, and he has a huge range of new and old blades of all sorts.

http://www.bristol-design.co.uk/

 

[jimi43]

WOW! I only went outside to play with the Galoot and what happens!

Man...this place is astounding...Philly...that would be fantastic..I will PM you.

HC...this is the diagram:




CLICK ON PICTURE TO EXPAND TO FULL SIZE PDF

Plans and diagram courtesy: Jim Yehle - Salt Lake City

It is great to hear that Bristol are still in business...I seem to remember that info before in a thread....am I right? Excellent!

I didn't really thing this little baby was worth going to all the trouble half way through as I began to think that the 110 was rather small for a first attempt but I have been out today with a fully fettled Isaac Greaves iron in it (all be it the wrong geometry!) and boy...it is transformed!

I have a small 60 1/2" and that has been good to me over the years but this is something else. The added weight and ergonomics make a heck of a difference.

Firstly I tried it with opposing grain on the spare piece of mahogany that John kindly gave me for this project...it still had bandsaw marks in it so it was an ideal test. When I used my No. 4 before it was not very good with the opposing grain and tearout was small but evident...

This little darling just WHISHES through both direction!!

Very fine lace like shavings...and the iron isn't even set right yet...

Then I moved on to end grain oak....a bit of a challenge I know....

I was amazed!

I did expect tear out on the opposite side as I didn't chamfer it but there was hardly any and the inset along the grain piece shows that it coped with both together....so onto along the grain with end grain inset again oak:

Slight grab over the end grain but nothing to worry about and the blade wasn't exactly set perfectly...I can't imagine how it would perform with a fine adjuster and a proper lever cap....

So...there you have it....in action...am I please...darn right I am!

I wanted to be sure that it was worth all the effort installing further hardware and I am more than happy it is!

Cheers guys for your help so far and encouragement....this is FUN!!

Jim

 

[head clansman]

jim

there you go , it coming together real nice cant waite till i see it all finished . hc

 

[jimi43]

As I consider the options I thought I would do the "invalid" test and hit some pine...just because...and because I wanted to see those pretty ribbons...not disappointed....

Not too shabby for an old crappy Stanley ready for the bin....

I had to stop...I was filling up the workshop with shavings!!



Jim

 

[jimi43]

I kept looking at that beautiful mahogany that John gave me turned by me into an ugly wedge...

I had my tax return to do...got half way through it and my brain fried so I decided to leave the rest until tomorrow and get some relaxing time in the shop...sod the weather!!!

Thought I would see how sharp those old chisels really were...mahogany isn't the most recommended wood to carve!!!

I was born in late March...can you guess what it is?

My first attempt at wood carving....just as a stop-gap before the hardware is sorted for the Norris type lever....but I had to find something to take my mind off the Inland Revenue!!!

Cheers guys and gals....

Jim

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Jim

Good progress so far. Looking forward to seeing it finished off with a decent lever cap. Philly will sort you out, I have no doubt. However, on reflection, his work is really very ordinary and, so, if you are of a mind to make your own, try http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMa...aps and Lever Cap Screws in the Backyard.html

I am not surprised at the performance you are getting. What bevel angle are you using and what is the angle of your bed?

My little smoother is one of the finest I have ever used - and I have used some really special planes (and own a few too). Secure bedding and a decent, thick blade work wonders!

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Smudger]

That's it. I'm giving up. Anyone got any stamps they want to swap? Fishing rods?

Derek, that is superb, both the concept and the execution.