Shop made tools

[outofstepper]

So I'm just getting started. Don't know how I picked up the bug.

Somehow I stumbled across some WoodWhisperer vids on youtube and the

next thing I know I'm signed up at Shannon's school.

I have to admit one of the things that drew me in is the quality of work

I was seeing with such a small, basic tool set. I've been watching Norm

for years on the weekends -- you HAVE to have all that stuff to do nice

clean work. Right?

So the small basic tool set is turning into everything LV and LN sells.

I've only got 2 or 3 planes, to be honest, the basics, but oh do I have my

eye on some more. Just one or two more planes -- I swear.

Anyway, long story short, I'm getting a blast out of making tools that I can.

Somehow there's this cloudy logic that I'm saving money so I can buy more

toys.. i mean, tools.

So far I've manage to frankenstein together two bronze mallets, a dovetail guide,

and a marking knife. All 100% recycled. I had some bronze lie'n around.

I mean, who doesn't? The handles are from an old broken shovel. I think it

might be beech? The knife, of course, was an old file.

[cormier33]

What a great set of home made tools you have there!

You are going in the right direction, I don't think you can do much better than LN or LV.

[jHop]

Blacksmiths, from days gone by, would save just about every scrap of metal they ever could. You never knew when your scrap pile might yield some gem that will be exactly what you need on your current project.

Woodworkers are not really that much different.

Congratulations on beginning this trek! You've got a great start, and are farther along that I am.

[Bob Rozaieski]

Toolmaking can be EXTREMELY addictive. But it's fun, and you might be surprised at what you can make yourself. Cheaper? In some cases, absolutely. In others, not really, but lots more fun than buying them. I've made a few tools myself. Here are some of the more exciting ones:

There's more, but these always draw the biggest OOOOOs and AAAhhhhhs when I demo or talk to people about my tools. A lot of folks just can't believe you can make your own (especially the saws).

[outofstepper]

Bob.. dang. All that stuff looks great! They're right about the saws, by the way.

Beautiful. Where do you get the blade? Cannibalize larger saws? That plane's nothing

to sneeze at either -- but curious, on the hammer (I can't tell from the picture).. is

that an oval handle? If so, you shape that the hard way? offset your lathe tail?

Great stuff.

-Tony

[Bob Rozaieski]

Bob.. dang. All that stuff looks great! They're right about the saws, by the way.

Beautiful. Where do you get the blade? Cannibalize larger saws? That plane's nothing

to sneeze at either -- but curious, on the hammer (I can't tell from the picture).. is

that an oval handle? If so, you shape that the hard way? offset your lathe tail?

Great stuff.

-Tony

The saw steel somes from 1095 spring steel. You can order it in rolls from places like McMaster Carr. The dovetail saws were actually made from the spring steel in old blued drywall taping knives. The steel in these is softer (definitely not 1095), so they need to be sharpened more often, but it's also easier to work than harder 1095. The brass hammer has a tapering oval handle all done with a drawknife and spokeshave at the shaving horse.

[jHop]

When's your next class on hand made tools, Bob?

[superdav]

How did you attach [what looks like walnut] to the brass hammer?

[Bob Rozaieski]

How did you attach [what looks like walnut] to the brass hammer?

I drilled and tapped the end of the brass for a #10-32 threaded rod, drilled and tapped the walnut, glued the threaded rod into the walnut with CA and then screwed the two together. The walnut end is replaceable if and when it eventually becomes damaged.

[raruss1]

A Krenov style plane with a 52 degree bed angle to plane that figured stuff and a plane hammer for it. I wanted to do wood on one side like Bob has but at the time I made it, I did not know how I would attach the wood. Maybe I will make another

[baok]

So I'm just getting started. Don't know how I picked up the bug.

Somehow I stumbled across some WoodWhisperer vids on youtube and the

next thing I know I'm signed up at Shannon's school.

I have to admit one of the things that drew me in is the quality of work

I was seeing with such a small, basic tool set. I've been watching Norm

for years on the weekends -- you HAVE to have all that stuff to do nice

clean work. Right?

So the small basic tool set is turning into everything LV and LN sells.

I've only got 2 or 3 planes, to be honest, the basics, but oh do I have my

eye on some more. Just one or two more planes -- I swear.

Anyway, long story short, I'm getting a blast out of making tools that I can.

Somehow there's this cloudy logic that I'm saving money so I can buy more

toys.. i mean, tools.

So far I've manage to frankenstein together two bronze mallets, a dovetail guide,

and a marking knife. All 100% recycled. I had some bronze lie'n around.

I mean, who doesn't? The handles are from an old broken shovel. I think it

might be beech? The knife, of course, was an old file.

Cool! So how did you file that file? did you heat it up to soften

it first?

[outofstepper]

GregW, yes.. you have to anneal it first.. shape it.. quench.. then temper.

Dig around online I'm sure there's a lot of good info into turning a file into

a nice shiv.. i mean marking knife.

[snichols]

At the risk for showing my naivete, where do you get the brass for the mallets? I've made a few wooden mallets but would like to make a metal head and attach it to a wooden handle.

Thanks,

Shawn

[Bob Rozaieski]

At the risk for showing my naivete, where do you get the brass for the mallets? I've made a few wooden mallets but would like to make a metal head and attach it to a wooden handle.

Thanks,

Shawn

I've ordered it from several different places. Onlinemetals.com, Mcmaster Carr, and Reid Tool come immediately to mind, but I'm sure there are other places as well. I just ordered 5/8" round brass rod. You want alloy 360 for these. Look around and you might be able to find someplace that sells short lengths. Mcmaster doesn't sell any smaller than 3' long. I think I ordered this particular piece from onlinemetals.com, and was able to get a 12" piece.

[SamV]

Here are my two cents.

[outofstepper]

home made router plane in the works.. but I have a question.

here's the sketch:

here's where I am so far:

I'm thinking of adding some cutters at the front (see the first picture)..

basically like you see on rabbet planes. two sizes, 1/4" and 1/2" unless

I can figure out a way to make them adjustable.

Anyway, before I go to the trouble, I'd like to ask your opinions.. would

cutters help? Meaning, it'd be nice to plow a groove without first cutting

the walls. I've never seen them on a router plane. But heck, I've never

used a router plane.

The base is made of aluminum.. I'd hate to weaken it more than necessary.

If you guys tell me it's a bad idea I'll drop them.

Thanks!

-Tony

[Bob Rozaieski]

home made router plane in the works.. but I have a question.

here's the sketch:

here's where I am so far:

I'm thinking of adding some cutters at the front (see the first picture)..

basically like you see on rabbet planes. two sizes, 1/4" and 1/2" unless

I can figure out a way to make them adjustable.

Anyway, before I go to the trouble, I'd like to ask your opinions.. would

cutters help? Meaning, it'd be nice to plow a groove without first cutting

the walls. I've never seen them on a router plane. But heck, I've never

used a router plane.

The base is made of aluminum.. I'd hate to weaken it more than necessary.

If you guys tell me it's a bad idea I'll drop them.

Thanks!

-Tony

Skip the extra cutters. Router planes are meant for cleaning up grooves that are already established, not for making new ones. This is because the depth is controlled by making the distance between the bottom of the iron and the sole larger and larger until you reach the desired depth. There is no mouth on a router plane like there is on a rabbet plane. For establishing grooves, use a plow plane. The skate moves into the groove with the iron, making the job go faster and eliminating the need to constantly readjust the depth of cut like you need to do with the router plane. Alternatively, use a marking gauge and chisel and clean up the depth with a router plane (if you don't have a plow). The router would be used for truing up tenon cheeks or truing up the bottom of a dado that was cut with a saw and chisel. Honestly, I find very little use for router planes.

[outofstepper]

Bob, thanks for the feedback; I shelved the cutters.

Ever hear the expression "Bob's your uncle"?

Maybe some day when I get real good with the chisels this will become extraneous..

but for now it sure seems handy. Haven't put it through its paces just yet but some

test cuts look promising.

Pix attached. Still some odds and ends, but I'm calling this one done.

-Tony