Make a wooden fore plane from green wood?

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  • Curtis Grenier
    18 February 2021 at 8:16 pm #701788

    Hi, everyone! I purchased a hock blade for a #7, but I am unable to use it. (Honestly, I just don’t want to file the throat to accommodate the thicker steel.

    Then I had an idea: I am able to get a hold of some really thick slabs of green oak. Why don’t I try my hand at making a traditional wood plane?

    I know that we woodworkers have been using green wood to make all kinds of things for centuries. Why not tools?

    Matt Sims
    18 February 2021 at 9:47 pm #701796

    I would have thought that “green” wood is the last thing you want to use for a plane.
    One of the essential qualities of a plane is it’s straightness and stability… and being stable is surely one thing that “green” wood isn’t…
    Or have I got the wrong end of the stick here?

    Regards,
    Matt

    deanbecker
    19 February 2021 at 1:37 am #701826

    Japenese planes are made of oak. If you get riff sawn or quarter sawn cut it a little oversize and the smaller piece will dry quickly

    Larry Geib
    27 February 2021 at 7:55 am #702915

    I’m still at sentence 1 where you think the Hock blade is too thick.
    Two things.

    1) the frog is adjustable. Move it back.

    2) if the problem is the chip breaker clogging the mouth, I’m betting you didn’t buy a Hock chip breaker. It’s design without the Hump of a Stanley allows for more room. It also does a better job of deflecting the shavings in a sheet and makes the plane easier to push.

    Ok three things.

    3)Stanley lists its latest replacement blade thickness for Bailey planes as 2.4 mm. ( Stanley part 12-313) A Hock blade is listed at 3/32”, which translates to 2.381 mm for the fractionally challenged. Early Stanley blades were around 2 mm, but all these thicknesses are in spec for stanley Bailey planes

    If you are looking for an excuse t build a wooden plane, there are folks on the inter webs that are happy to sell you cured blanks in Red Beech or rock maple for about $20 a blank. Make sure you discuss grain orientation with them before you plunk down your money. I bought a batch some years ago and asked for a Photo of the end grain . Don’t use green wood. Failure is near certain. Air dried many years old and acclimated to your shop is first choice.

    You’d be better off glueing up thinner cured stock. Though not ideal, it’s probably fine for a first plane. You will learn a lot.

    • This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Larry Geib.
    • This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Larry Geib.
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