Happiness is......

[British Red]

A razor sharp plane.

Had to plane a couple of doors today and took the time to remove the plane iron and put it over the water stones till edge went "ding". Carefully adjusted it on the work bench until it was taking off shavings that were even, full width and transparently thin with no effort and an easy " swoosh".

I may have been all on my own in a freezing cold workshop but I had a great big grin on my face

What daft thing makes you smile?

 

[swotty]

Sharp planes or chisels are certainly a joy. Its that swoosh noise you mention as a perfect shaving slices off...very satisfying

 

[Toddy]

Try seeing if the weight of the plane alone will shave a line off a sloping bit of timber

Today, happiness is feeling that I'm finally getting the hang of machine piecing and quilting. I've done it by hand for forty+ years, but I'm too sore to do it for long now. I was actually pleased at what I'd made and I'm a fussy besom about my sewing

M

 

[robin wood]

Oh yes a well sharpened and adjusted plane swooshing over clean wood and leaving a super polished finish is one of life's more refined pleasures. Hard to beat.

 

[demographic]

My two favourite tools are a low angle Veritas low angle block plane and a chalk line.

Plane because I like the varied angles I can sharpen it to which mean it can either cut end grain (bevel up low angle ground to a low angle as well) or curly grain (bevel up low angle with an iron ground to a high angle).

Chalk line? Magic tool isn't it. Pull it out, snap a line to mark the full length. Done.

Recently bought a secondhand Stanley no6 Foreplane (after having a 5 1/2 Jack for years) and I'm looking forward to treating it to a Veritas PM -V11 tool steel iron.

 

[British Red]

I know little about planes but l am trying to learn .

Could do with a small low angle block plane for end grain, but I am never sure what to look for.

 

[HillBill]

I like it when I'm grinding the bevels on a blade, and I'm on the final grit and see the burr appear along the length of the blade as i make that final pass., down to absolute zero.

 

[Fraxinus]

Some years back the company I worked for undertook the making of a bunch of ledged and braced Oak doors with the clients wish of " no machine tool marks and no use of sandpaper" my colleague and I got quite adept at sharpening our planes and had daily competitions to see who could produce the longest complete oak ribbon of a shaving. It cured me of my lust to machine everything and I will often look to hand tools for a task as often it is done before a machine could be set up. That makes me smile.

Rob.

 

[Fraxinus]

I know little about planes but l am trying to learn .

Could do with a small low angle block plane for end grain, but I am never sure what to look for.

If you angle the body of the plane to the direction you are pushing it, it effectively lowers the cutting angle of the blade making it easier to slice through end grain and wild grain in boards.

Rob.

 

[demographic]

If you angle the body of the plane to the direction you are pushing it, it effectively lowers the cutting angle of the blade making it easier to slice through end grain and wild grain in boards.

Rob.

Not necessarily a better thing to have a lower angle on the wild grain. Some of the best planes for wild grain have a higher than standard angle (York Pitch) which gives a type three chip.
That's also the reason why scrapers are so good on birdseye maple. Too low an angle can cause tearout.
Low angles are better for endgrain though.

Worth reading Leonard Lees* book on sharpening because it gives details on chip formation.

*One of the main men in Veritas.

 

[British Red]

So, asking those much wiser, I'm toying with a 60 1/2 as a small plane for end grain. Would that work okay?

I use a 4 1/2 Bailey for most jobs. Would like something much longer but they get pricey

 

[Man of Tanith]

I learnt how to use a sewing machine over the weekend courtesy of Mesquite's patient teachin.
made a couple pouches and most of an oilskin haversack.
big grin when i was done. New skill and completely opened my eyes to possibilities

Got no end of ideas for projects now

 

[British Red]

New skills are great huh? Good on Steve too!

 

[Fraxinus]

This framework was all cleaned up from sawn by hand with a Stanley Bailey 4 1/2 and a Record Jack 5 1/2 including knotty bits and end grain. I own a block plane but never needed a low angle one.

Rob.

 

[Mesquite]

I learnt how to use a sewing machine over the weekend courtesy of Mesquite's patient teachin.
made a couple pouches and most of an oilskin haversack.
big grin when i was done. New skill and completely opened my eyes to possibilities

Got no end of ideas for projects now

Sam did really well as well... not a single seam had to be ripped out and the end product was a neat tidy job

 

[John Fenna]

Sam did really well as well... not a single seam had to be ripped out and the end product was a neat tidy job

No pictures = it did not happen
And tell the lad to be careful ... it is addictive!

 

[British Red]

What's that thing on his face Steve? Its almost like a beard, but not quite...there's big bits missing......

 

[Mesquite]

No pictures = it did not happen
And tell the lad to be careful ... it is addictive!

Sam has a couple pics of what he did on Saturday but I'll get some pics of the finished man bag on Thursday

What's that thing on his face Steve? Its almost like a beard, but not quite...there's big bits missing......

I'd rather not say Hugh... It might embarrass the boy

 

[Man of Tanith]

Its a goatee Hugh
concession made to my beloved. She makes em for me so.....

 

[British Red]

Its a goatee Hugh
concession made to my beloved. She makes em for me so.....

Are you sure its not a Van Dyke Sam? Looks like there's a tache?