# Wooden hand plane construction



## islandboy85 (Sep 17, 2011)

I plan on building a couple of block planes, jointer plane, and then some specialty planes. I've seen plenty of different designs. I'm curious though about the wedge design. There are some out there that make the simple to build cross pin and wedge design like the Krenov, but I'm a bit worried that the pin might leave something to be desired because wood shavings could get trapped under it (no personal experience, just a thought). It seems someone else thought about that too, because I've seen designs that have a rebated cheek cut into each side of the plane that the wedge fits into. This seems like a clean design. So, now we go high tech... Like this one http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/CoopersJointer.html I've seen a design for making a metal cap lever that is pinned or screwed into the side of the plane and uses a thumb screw to apply the wedging action. Obviously this would be the hardest to make. 

I'd live to hear your experiences or advice about the different designs of holding securing the blade into your plane. What would you make different if you did it again?


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

you certainly can't go wrong following Derek's advice. He makes so very nice stuff. Any of the designs you've mentioned will work. 

Here is a bunch of info also.

As for the krenov design might leave something to be desired, its a very popular design and if done correctly works very very well.


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## islandboy85 (Sep 17, 2011)

Thanks for the link. Pretty cool.


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

I noticed on Lee Valley that they now have tapered plane irons for wooden planes. Tapered irons work really good in molding planes. A wedge and hammer to adjust works just fine. I use the red and yellow padded Estwing hammer/mallet to adjust molding planes. It doesn't damage anything, and works great.


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## islandboy85 (Sep 17, 2011)

Tom King said:


> I noticed on Lee Valley that they now have tapered plane irons for wooden planes. Tapered irons work really good in molding planes. A wedge and hammer to adjust works just fine. I use the red and yellow padded Estwing hammer/mallet to adjust molding planes. It doesn't damage anything, and works great.


So they are thickness tapered over the length?


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

I think what you have to think about here is the original wooden planes had a tapered iron for mass and strength and where laminated.A later development is a plane iron with what is loosly called a chip breaker.A chip breaker was a thing that when I was a kid I was taught to call a backing Iron,and its job was to back up the plane iron and give it strength ie back it up.They transfered to a transitional plane and then to the all iron plane.Along the way the backing iron is now known as a chip breaker.


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

With thick blades, you don't really need a chip breaker. This explains the wedge over the length. http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=71259&cat=1,41182,43698&ap=1

I don't really have time to make planes, but I do use Japanese Plane Floats. Lie Neilsen sells them, but those have to be sharpened. Lee Valley sells the Japanese ones that I use. They leave the surface glass smooth, and work just like a mill file does filing metal. I would think that plane floats would be almost a necessity in making wooden planes.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Tom read my post and please try to understand that is exactly what I said.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Tom when you alter a post and don't say why, posts that come after yours don't seam to make sense.Plane floats are not Japanese but English and are originally known as cabinet makers floats.


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## Tom King (Nov 22, 2013)

The Japanese have been making planes for a while too. These work great, and not only don't need sharpening, but last a long time too. Lie Neilsen has a larger variety for different purposes, but they require sharpening out of the box.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=69096&cat=1,42524

Billy De, I edited the post to add the link, and got sidetracked with a phone call in the process of going to find the link. Sorry, I didn't realize it was all about you. I was merely trying to be helpful to the OP.


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## islandboy85 (Sep 17, 2011)

Hmmm, now you guys have me thinking about more tools I'll need to get so I can make even more tools. I kinda feel a little rustic and want to try to make my own. I just read this. Quite interesting, and would save me a bundle.

http://www.wkfinetools.com/tmaking/art/floats/floats1.asp


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