Popular Post gmercer_48083 Posted April 29, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 This is a simple hand router, that works surprisingly well and simple to make. I have used it for years, for making my wooden hand planes. It is quite accurate when using it. It can be made from stuff you probably already have. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted April 29, 2020 Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 I'm not trying to bust your bubble. But router planes have been around for years and years. Also, there are ton's of videos showing how to make one. They are actually a simple tool to make. You did a nice job with yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted April 29, 2020 Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 Interesting project and well thought out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 29, 2020 Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 Nice presentation, too. I've thought about making one of these, and the info you offer on the cutter gives me more motivation. Thanks for sharing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted April 29, 2020 Report Share Posted April 29, 2020 The cutter is brilliant. Is there a way to post a link to be able to download the pdf? I've always wanted a router plane but i just can't bring my self to buy one and no one wants to get me one for a gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 5 hours ago, Chestnut said: The cutter is brilliant. Is there a way to post a link to be able to download the pdf? I've always wanted a router plane but i just can't bring my self to buy one and no one wants to get me one for a gift. Just get yourself one. After you've used it you'll wonder why you didn't get one years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 50 minutes ago, drzaius said: Just get yourself one. After you've used it you'll wonder why you didn't get one years ago. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 Agreed. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 17 hours ago, RichardA said: I'm not trying to bust your bubble. But router planes have been around for years and years. Also, there are ton's of videos showing how to make one. They are actually a simple tool to make. You did a nice job with yours. Why so you think that would ‘burst his bubble?’ I see no claim that he thinks this is a new concept. He is just sharing some plans for the one he made, that can be made with a few scraps and things found around the shop. I think using the hex wrench to make the blade is a great idea. Might take a bit of fiddling to get the cutting edge nice and flat and square, but a great option for those that don’t want to buy a blade (or router plane itself). Embarrassingly, I have a nice Veritas router plane but I haven’t even used it yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 Look, there's a video of Paul Sellers shoving a chisel blade through a chunk of wood and using it as a router plane. It's not that his plans are bad, it's just that anyone can make one with 5 minutes of thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 44 minutes ago, JohnG said: Embarrassingly, I have a nice Veritas router plane but I haven’t even used it yet! Try it. You'll like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 32 minutes ago, RichardA said: Look, there's a video of Paul Sellers shoving a chisel blade through a chunk of wood and using it as a router plane. It's not that his plans are bad, it's just that anyone can make one with 5 minutes of thinking. Except that two experienced woodworkers on here (not myself) have already expressed their interest and appreciation for his plans. Feel free to PM me if you want to continue this discussion, but I won’t clutter up this thread any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 1 minute ago, drzaius said: Try it. You'll like it. I’ve been wanting to! Unfortunately my first order was stolen off my porch and by the time I got the replacement I had passed the part of my project that could have used it. Looking forward to the next opportunity though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 13 minutes ago, JohnG said: Except that two experienced woodworkers on here (not myself) have already expressed their interest and appreciation for his plans. Feel free to PM me if you want to continue this discussion, but I won’t clutter up this thread any more. I have no disagreement with his plans. His router plane seems to function the way he wants and expect's it to. I even like the design. I have no further need to be a part of this silliness. Anyone can make one if they want to Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 Nice design but for most applications you need a wider router plane than just 4 inches. My LN is 7 1/2" wide and sometimes I wished it was even wider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gmercer_48083 Posted April 30, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 Ok Take a deep breath...…….. I was trying to contribute to this site a PDF file that shows the same thing, BUT, this forum presently does not accept them. I have an email that I sent to Kev, and he is going to show it to Mark, and will let me know if there is going to be a change to accept PDF files. It only makes sense since most devices will view them. Anyway, in the mean time if you want a PDF file of this router plane just sent me your Email in a PM, and I'll send it to you. On another note I use this router plane with a narrow 1/8" cutter when I make side escapement planes as shown in the first photo. It is used to define the depth of the wedge area, and has to be quite narrow to pass through the mouth area in the body of the plane. This works nicely for that as well as the whole wedge pocket area. A simple block of wood has trouble securing a 1/8" chisel because the chisel is so narrow (as in Paul Sellers poor man's hand router). The chisel compresses the wood it's driven into when used and the depth of cut gets deeper when routing hard maple. It would work with a wider chisel and would be easier to make the cutting edge parallel to the sole. Thanks for all the comments, and as a new poster/member at this site, I wanted to contribute something to occupy others during the lockdown. You may already have all the stuff you need... and can try making one of you own. I can tell you I was gifted a Veritas hand router for Christmas and although it is very nice... I will still have to purchase an optional narrow cutter to accomplish the same thing. It also does not come with a cutter that is ready to use... It must be sharpened...polished for my liking to cut curls cross grain. Thanks again, Gary 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gmercer_48083 Posted May 2, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Update, Here is the pdf file for anyone interests to download and keep. Garys Hand Router.pdf 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted May 4, 2020 Report Share Posted May 4, 2020 Thanks for sharing the PDF this is really neat. I imagine that you could take it and make one what ever size you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmercer_48083 Posted May 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 23 hours ago, Chestnut said: Thanks for sharing the PDF this is really neat. I imagine that you could take it and make one what ever size you need. Yes, I made mine to hollow the wedge area down to depth when making side escapement hand planes. As a side note: to shape the Allen wrench easily I heated to cherry red (dull), then let air cool to soften the steel. Once softened it can be file or ground to shape. When you have the shape you want, reheat again, directing most of the heat around the heel (ankle) of the Allen wrench... allowing the red to grow toward the cutting edge, then quench quickly into a can of vegetable oil to cool. At this stage it will be very brittle so take care not to break it... treat it like glass. There will be carbon (blackened) all over the wrench that should be removed using fine sandpaper and to leave a shiny metal surface. The shiny surface is needed for the next step (annealing). To anneal, place the Allen wrench into a 375 degree pre heated oven for about 40 minutes... or until the color of the steel is a straw color (not hay color). Once it reaches a straw color, you can remove and let cool to room temperature. The annealing softens the outer portion of the steel while the internal part is still quite hard. It can now be sharpened with whetstones/diamond stones/or wet dry methods. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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