Tricked Out Shoulder Plane
Kevin Martini contacted me some time ago and said that he saw the Dovetailed Shoulder Plane we featured in ShopNotes 88. He had been looking for a project for him and his dad (Dan) to work on. Dan is a retiring machinist. You can probably tell where this is going. Let me just say that I was a little shocked (in a good way) when I saw
these photos. I’d say that Dan did a fantastic job!
Here’s what Kevin said about the construction of the plane:
Software was used to design the lettering and then output to a
Bridgeport CNC Milling machine with an engraving tool. The sides and sole were machined to fit. The brass sides were milled to size and the steel sole is just around .002 larger to allow for a tight pressed fit. The connector bolts have brass spacers inserted to maintain proper thickness. They were simply easier to use than bothering with rivets. The brass wedge was drawn up in AutoCAD and then exported to the CNC Milling maching with an end-mill. After
assembly, 320 silicone emery paper gave the shoulder plane
the final “spit and polish.”
I told Kevin that it looked awesome, but how did it work?
Here’s what he had to say: “I broke out the Tormek and sharpened the iron up tonight and got to use the plane. Paper-thin shavings with only a little bit of fussing. This baby is going to get years of love and use!”
You can read more here on the WoodNet Hand Tools forum.