The shipwright’s planes

[formariz 11,987]

As I indicated in the previous thread regarding the shipwrights tool box, my friend Ed’s father was a master shipwrights. Out of necessity he was also a very talented and prolific plane maker. I have dozens of planes made by him most of them showing extraordinary wear. Along with them also old irons worn down to the point of inutility. There are also quite a few planes started but never completed and carefully selected pieces of exotic woods for others.  He experimented with different plane making methods along his life. Many of them have interesting and clever repairs made from items such as copper rivets which would be readily available to him. All of the planes I have from him are usable and  extremely well made many which I use frequently along with my son who has a few also.

Most of Ed’s planes are of the Razee type, typical of the shipbuilding trades. Also my favorite type to make and use. The low position of handle behind cutter places not only more downward force but also more effective pushing force directly behind cutter. It also allows for much easier use in awkward places such as planing overhead while standing on a scaffold as it is common in shipbuilding.

Plane making has been also a big part of my life and it has been an honor and privilege to have inherited Ed’s planes from which I have learned  much. 

Below are just a few kept handy from what I have from him.

 

 

 

This incomplete plane is made from an incredibly dense , heavy ,and nasty piece of unknown exotic wood. It weighs 3Lbs as it is. This wood is so hard and grain so nasty that it took sheer determination to work on it. The difficulty in using such a nasty piece would have been rewarded with an extremely durable plane. Every worked surface was immediately sealed with an epoxy “wash” to seal it and preventing cracking. Even the tote mortise was temporarily filled with a plug. All an indication of the mastery and knowledge of the maker.

 

 

 

Incomplete planes and carefully  selected and saved blocks of assorted exotic woods for future planes, with ends sealed with wax and epoxy. Some have notes written on them regarding piece peculiarities to be taken into account when working on it. 

Block in front is 2-1/2”x2-1/2”x18” and it weight a little over 7 Lbs. 

 

 

Clever repairs on obviously favorite planes. Ed’s planes were work horses and not show ponies. Under plugs are copper rivets. This one was another method of plane making by cutting block in half, cutting the abutment and wedge slots and then gluing two halves back together. Easier and faster than chopping a solid block but prone to failure at joint due to the constant striking of block to adjust blade , reason why this one needed repairs. Obviously Ed was not impressed with this method for it is the only plane made this way. It did however seem to be one of his favorite workers due to the wear on it and the trouble of repairing it. It is made also from an unknown dense exotic wood and it weighs over 3Lbs. 

 

 

On the longer planes Ed would often laminate the bodies and handles out of different pieces. Business end of plane( bottom) is always a hard dense species. This method would make a more stable plane less prone to warping than one whole solid block. The laminated handle would also be more resistant to breaking when plane was dropped as it would normally happen when working off a scaffold. 

 

plane made out extremely dense Live Oak along with block for another one

[Pullstart 62,841]

I love these posts Cas!  Thank you for taking the time to show us a glimpse of your woodworking knowledge!

[ebinmaine 67,455]

Agreed.  

 

Incredible.  

[8ntruck 6,998]

Always learn something from your posts like this one.

 

Thanks