Paul Hamler's Miller 1882 Patent #50 Plough

[MikeW]

One of the spendy vintage plow planes one can find is an original 1882 Miller Patent Plough Planes.

Paul Hamler specializes in miniture reproductions, but also makes full size planes. Paul made a few hundred finished Miller plows and is offering 80 as "kits." I put "kits" in quotes because there isn't much to do. They are spendy at $400 US, but I have always wanted one ever since I saw the ones he made a few years ago. My kit arrived Saturday.

Cast from silicon-bronze, once cleaned up, here's a picture of what it should look like.

Comes with a single 1/4" blade. I have some O1 which is the correct thickness [1/8"] and so will make a few more widths myself. This was a birthday present and I look forward to the 4-6 hours to clean it up, file off some of the casting's rough edges, sand and apply the finish and linish it.

The weight is wonderful and is now the largest metal plow I own. And it is the last one I'll purchase :wink:

Take care, Mike

 

[Nick W]

That is sweet. I am very jealous.

 

[Colin C]

I dont like it at all [-( [-( :^o :^o :^o :wink:
By the way I cant wait to see the pic's when its finished

 

[Paul Chapman]

That looks lovely, Mike. Hope you'll post some pictures when you've finished it.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wayne]

Mike,
I rather like the looks as-is. If I were to buy one unfinished as you have, I might be tempted to just carefully file away the sprues, etc. and simply polish the highlights with a semi-hard felt wheel charged with compound. Just a thought... -wayne

 

[MikeW]

Hi Wayne--nice to see you here!

Hmm, seeing how I am going to start out by smoothing/polishing the high points [well, following filing and sanding] anyway, it might just look great. The bronze color is a nice brownish color. Might serve the same purpose--and be less work!

I do love the weight of this plow. Have I mentioned that already? :lol:

My granddaughter was messing around with it today. She decided it was pretty. So I think we'll make it a project to work on next weekend when she is here again.

Take care, Mike

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Superb! There's something special about using a beautiful tool for fine work.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Wayne

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Philly]

Hmmm.......Nice, Mike!
I've been following these on WC, very pretty.
I guess you are o.k. for files?? :wink: :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[MikeW]

Hmmm.......Nice, Mike!
I've been following these on WC, very pretty.
I guess you are o.k. for files??
Cheers -- Philly

Hah, we do have just one or two somewhere around here... :wink:

It'll be a fun project. Cut and ground out some O1 for a couple blades tonight. Got to make a holder to mill the grooves in the back. I'll use the existing one to work out the angle the new ones will need to be held at to cut the tapered grooves to ride the skate.

Then I will swipe some peanut oil form the pantry and get to play with the torch...

Take care, Mike

 

[MikeW]

Here tis...

Color pictures will happen with it in use. Need to make two more irons. Need to make a couple doors and I'll use it for the grooves.

Take care, Mike

 

[Philly]

Nice!!!!
How long did it take to clean up, Mike?
Cheers
Philly

 

[Paul Chapman]

Very nice, Mike.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MikeW]

Hi Phil, a total of about 3 hours or a bit less. I'm fairly certain I did not do as nice a job as some of the folks doing them. I used my wonderful 050 as a guide--and I mean that in a good way. I figure it's as pristine a job as I need.

Not perfect as regards removing every casting seam in the hard to access areas. "Blended" in would be a good term for those places. All else was filed, sanded, and a buffing wheel on a Dremel went over most all of it.

The skate was filed pretty true and flat on the bottom over its length. That's important obviously. Same with the fence. The fit of the iron on the skate tweaked a little.

I chucked the Rosewood knob on the drill press to quickly sand the knob, Teak oil and a bit of shellac.

Then a liberal dose of wax over the whole plane and buffed off.

Take care, Mike