Not bad for £4

[MickCheese]

This is a gloat.

Just won this on ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160862939...WNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_500wt_949

I have sharpened the blade and it cuts perfectly.

I do need to learn the technique for setting the cut depth?

Made by Mackay, Burley & Heys of Glasgow.

My little bit of research suggests this was made prior to 1880, could that be right?

So even with the £4 postage I think it's a bargain.

Mick

 

[AndyT]

I'm so glad to see one of these go to a good home! Really good tools, and most of them don't get even a single bid. £4 is very reasonable for the postage too.

You'll get the setting technique with a bit of practice. Try getting the iron a bit shy, with the wedge nearly tight, then a final knock on the wedge can advance the iron a smidgeon as it all locks up nicely.

Does it have the really nice mark with a snake eating its own tail?

 

[MickCheese]

No snake I'm afraid, just a plain stamp, a bit wonky, front of the plane and upside down.

It just cuts beautifully.

Mick

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

Lucky for you I did not bid on this one too . I saw it and thought of course other people are going to bid on this and it will go for 20 or 30 pounds plus postage. But nobody did.
Hopefully I will find one for 4 quid too, soon! What a beauty!
I am pleased that it has gone to some one who will use it. Too many minted collectors out there are picking off good hand tools to add to the enormous collection.

Gerard

 

[MickCheese]

Gerard

£4.01 would have made it yours, I only put £4.00 as the minimum just as a holding bid with the intention of going back at the end but was working so didn't find out until the next day that I had won when I looked at my emails.

I am very pleased. It's the first wooden plane I have tried and am very surprised how well it works, why did we ever go over to metal ones?

Mick

 

[jimi43]

Absolutely superb maker...iron is wonderful...a Rob!

Keep at it with the setting...you'll get it Mick and when you do...it will be a little darling!

I picked up a matched pair of Buck (London) T&G planes the other day...again on FleaBay but I have yet to fettle and photo as I have been playing with my other two new toys...

When Douglas bought his Ann Moon jointer woodie I tried it out in his shop and it was a real darling! And again...a rare and wonderful maker.

I fear I shall not complete my Jimi Seaton chest if the popularity of woodies gets out more...the prices are rising rather fast!

Jim

 

[Richard T]

Mick - you probably know this but the easiest way to retract the iron if you've tapped it too far forward is to tap the top of the plane at the front where sometimes a strike button is added for protection. (Whilst holding it by the handle with your other hand)

 

[MickCheese]

Richard

Thanks for that, whilst I did sort of know that a reminder is always welcome. There is no strike button but having had a little practice it is actually getting a little easier to refine the projection of the blade.

Mick

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Another little tip is to strike the plane on the heel when you want to remove the wedge and iron. Using a mallet for this helps to avoid bruising the plane. Then when setting again, set the iron back a bit and push the wedge in by hand, the tap the iron with a small pin hammer or similar, on the end for depth, and on the sides for lateral adjustment. Tap the wedge in gently after each adjustment. You may need a few test cuts to get things spot on. When they are spot on, tap the wedge again, gently, and off you go.

Another tip, which may or may not be practical, is to use a bench about 3" lower than your usual one. It helps to 'get over' the plane, and you can use your legs more to provide the drive for the cut; just using your upper body is OK for a short time, but tiring on a long job.

You're right about the woodies, though - I've had a woodie jack for years that I'm very fond of. It shifts waste in no time.

I did buy a try-plane off the bay a few months ago, but bought a dud, unfortunately (can't win 'em all). Can't decide whether to try and buy a decent one, or invest the time in fettling it - it may be crazy, but I'm rather leaning to the latter.

 

[AndyT]

Another tip, which may or may not be practical, is to use a bench about 3" lower than your usual one. It helps to 'get over' the plane, and you can use your legs more to provide the drive for the cut; just using your upper body is OK for a short time, but tiring on a long job.

At risk of stating the obvious, but if you want a lower bench, don't start sawing bits off the legs, just put some planks down to make a higher floor to stand on.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Another tip, which may or may not be practical, is to use a bench about 3" lower than your usual one. It helps to 'get over' the plane, and you can use your legs more to provide the drive for the cut; just using your upper body is OK for a short time, but tiring on a long job.

At risk of stating the obvious, but if you want a lower bench, don't start sawing bits off the legs, just put some planks down to make a higher floor to stand on.

Not obvious at all, but an excellent piece of lateral thinking (or given that we're talking about relative heights of floor and bench, vertical thinking....).

It might be worth bracing the temporary floor back to something solid like a wall, though. As you shove forwards with the plane, your feet will shove backwards, and if the floor's not fixed, it might take off backwards!

 

[sdbranam]

Nice! They're fun to use once you get the skill down. It's a bit like learning to plane all over again since they feel awkward in the hand initially.

Here's a blog post (in 2 parts) I did 2 years ago on learning to use woodies: http://www.closegrain.com/2010/05/taking-adam-cherubinis-challenge.html. The second part includes 3 short videos of edge jointing oak (showing fine depth adjustment with a plane hammer) and face jointing southern yellow pine and oak.

 

[MickCheese]

Steve

Thanks for that, the videos are very useful and well presented.

Mick