Wooden Molding Plane Making DVD Choice

[graween]

Hi all.

I'm actually willing to make a few planes myself. Because this is something I want to do for a long time now.
I hesitate between two DVDs available on the market.

The "Making Traditional Side Escapement Planes - Larry Williams" and "Classic Plane Making - Hollows and Rounds by Tod Herrli".

Does some of you have them and could give a comparison ?

Thanks for the advices.

 

[Philly]

G
Yes, I have both.

Todd Herli's is a better starter DVD - he leads you through the whole process start to finish is quite enjoyable to watch. You never feel overwhelmed.
Larry's DVD is an awesome piece of work. Huge amounts of info, incredibly detailed and you will watch it over and over again and still learn new stuff. But it is pretty advanced stuff and Larry does go into a lot of detail. Also Larry isn't such a "polished" presenter as Todd (I don't think he'll mind me saying that :wink: )

So go for the Herli one first - and once you have a few planes under your belt get the Williams one.

Hope this helps

Philly

 

[graween]

Hi.

Philly thanks a lot for the info. I don't know but I was hoping that you had both and might answer me .... Don't knwo why maybe, caus' you're a plane maker ? :lol:

I was also wondering why the "Larry" DVD was much longer.

Does Todd explains how to heat treat the blades ? Because this is something I don't feel really confident in. The second thing I don't feel confident in is (without using lamination method) how to make a skew wedge mortice for fillester plane (small ones) ? I don't really see how to do this one ...

PS : Because the planes I want to make are round and hollow, a rebate/fillester plane and a panel raising plane. In order of interest. I'll start with the round and hollow then do the other ones.

Thanks.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Chaps

I will have to check these out, I really fancy a set of hollows and rounds.


Pete

 

[Philly]

G
My pleasure

Larry crams waaaay too much info into his DVD - I'm not complaining but he almost puts two DVD's worth og info in one DVD. :lol:

Todd does do the blade making and heat treating, and its very approachable and "do-able".
Skew mortise? Neither go over this - it is advanced stuff. Get a regular mortise and wedge sorted before you try the skew - its a pig :roll: And you need to build custom tools for making the skew mortise.

Hope this helps

Philly

 

[graween]

Thanks.
It helps. I was almost sure that one need to male special tools for thiny skew mortice ....
My first go will be on round and hollow. Enough difficult. Althoug already well shown on your web site (which I read at least once a week with others web sites).
Because I need them.
If it goes fine I'll give a try to regular plane than panel raising plane. Also because I need one.

I have a few books on the topic, the Finck one and Wheelan (Traditional). They're good intro. But the problem is the Wheelan give good advice, but I must see how it's done.

Thanks again.

 

[graween]

Of course a typo ...

Don't read male special tools but make special tools

PS : last time I spoke english was almost 10 years ago.

 

[Philly]

ha! No problem, G.
You'll enjoy the Herli DVD - he is a good presenter and you never feel you are "in over your head".
Looking forward to seeing your first planes,
Philly

 

[Benchwayze]

Of course a typo ...

Don't read male special tools but make special tools

PS : last time I spoke english was almost 10 years ago.

Your English is much better than my French Graween.

The last time I spoke French was in 1999, in Paris. I asked a taxi driver to take me to my hotel. (so I thought)

He laughed and said, in good English, 'I'll take you to the Metro, if you wish. But it's only a minute's walk round the corner.'


:lol: :lol:

 

[bugbear]

Does Todd explains how to heat treat the blades ? Because this is something I don't feel really confident in.

Heat treating is such a common task that it doesn't really matter how well it's dealt with in a moulding plane video, and I certainly wouldn't use it as a criteria to decide which video to buy.

Heat treatment information is widely available from other sources.

While we're on the subject does anyone (esp. Philly...) have an opinion on "Making Traditional Wooden Planes" by Whelan?

BugBear

 

[graween]

Thanks Benchwayze.
Paris is sometimes hard to find is way. Especially today with a strike going on ... (I'm in Paris Suburb).

Bugbear. I have the book. IMHO It's a good book. But there's not a lot of drawings. All is explained in the text. And sometimes they're some informations that I found are missing.
It's more a presentation book about wooden handplanes, how they were made, but does not go really deep in the process of actually making one.
But once started (in plane making) I think it's a good reference.
That's why I'm getting a video, to "see" how it's done. Once you've seen it and want details, then flip the pages of that book.
In comparison, the David Finck book is really more detailed about how to do, with many photos and drawings. But he only covers basic planes with the lamination method.

Let's sees what Philly and others have to say about.

 

[graween]

Forgot to say wod about heat treatment.
Yes I've been trough many informations on the web explaining the details and how to do. But again I never seen it done.
But I'll give it a try, as I think it's not that much rocket science. Just don't want to burn myslef of set the house to fire :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

One thing I would like to see is the dovetailing of metal.

I have read up on it and Jim Kingshott's book, 'Modifying Tools', gave a well-illustrated description. But it would be nice to watch someone doing it.

 

[Philly]

BB
Whelan - it's a frustrating book, for me. Lots of useful info and good projects.
BUT.....each chapter was writen at a different stage of the authors woodworking career. He uses many different methods (changing with each chapter), and the whole book feels like it was writen over many years and is disjointed.
Worth having, don't get me wrong. Just not all it should of been, especially when you read his tour-de-force "The Wooden Plane" book.
I also get the impression that a lot of the planes he made were for sitting in a display case (you listening Waka :lol: ) instead of being users.

Only my thoughts,
Philly

 

[Racers]

Hi, chaps

I have done hardening and dovetailing it's not to difficult to do, the hardening is easy as long as you have enough heat a MAPP torch or a barby and hair dryer

You can't go far wrong if its not hot enough them it won't go hard so get it hotter.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

Forgot to say wod about heat treatment.
Yes I've been trough many informations on the web explaining the details and how to do. But again I never seen it done.
But I'll give it a try, as I think it's not that much rocket science. Just don't want to burn myslef of set the house to fire :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53ZeRtF5t44

free!

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

BB
Whelan - it's a frustrating book, for me. Lots of useful info and good projects.
BUT.....each chapter was writen at a different stage of the authors woodworking career. He uses many different methods (changing with each chapter), and the whole book feels like it was writen over many years and is disjointed.
Worth having, don't get me wrong. Just not all it should of been, especially when you read his tour-de-force "The Wooden Plane" book.
I also get the impression that a lot of the planes he made were for sitting in a display case (you listening Waka :lol: ) instead of being users.

Only my thoughts,
Philly

I'm amused by the number and range of complex power tools he uses to make simple planes

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

Hi, chaps

I have done hardening and dovetailing it's not to difficult to do, the hardening is easy as long as you have enough heat a MAPP torch or a barby and hair dryer

Heh. Or a cast iron barby with a proper air intake, and a leaf blower...

Goes well, most "forge like"

BugBear