J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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This post is related to Joel Moskowitz's thread about the Work Magazine article instructing the hand tool enthusiast of 1889 how to make his own patterns and subsequent castings to produce an infill smoothing plane.
For those new to the discussion, the original post can be found here.
To catch everyone up, I have started a list of woodnet members who have contacted me wanting to join the fun of purchasing a raw set of castings to finish and fit-out with the stuffing of their choice.
Here are the terms I have come up with to join the build (quoted from my post yesterday):
"$80 for one body and one lever cap in manganese bronze, the cap screw is not included. This price reflects the current cost for this alloy, new sand (to achieve the greatest surface finish/ solidity of casting), time to ram each mold, pour and clean the castings. I will remove all flash and gating. It must be said, the parts you will receive will be sound and dimensionally accurate, but will not be finished, nor complete. That is your fun to have. I have worked every angle to get the lowest price and have even considered quantity. I am estimating this cost for an order of 10 planes, minimum. If we cannot get that total, I can still do the castings, but we will have to reconsider the price at that time. Delivery is not included; I'm guessing a flat rate box will get the pieces to everyone at the lowest cost.
To those ready to commit, please send me a PM with your name and quantity you want so I can start a list. I will not collect money until the planes are cast and ready for shipment. I will not take any money until I am satisfied with the quality of the pieces. I have not decided on a deadline to sign up. We'll cross that bridge as the time approaches to pour."
GOOD NEWS! At the present, we have achieved my 10 plane threshold and the list is steadily growing.
Up next: A little more about myself, since I am altogether unknown to this community at the present, plus photos of the build as it progresses.
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James Uhrich
Sturnella Toolworks
info@sturnella.com
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J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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Now, a little more info, so I'm not a total stranger to anyone.
As I have mentioned in other posts, I was introduced to woodworking at the wee age of 5 or 6 through the patternmaking shop in my father and grandfather's small business. I fondly call the company ULCO, and am proud to be of such a clever bunch. The specialty of ULCO is producing steam locomotives of most sizes (the smallest being about 1/2 scale, the largest being full-size narrow gauge equipment) and anything else related to trains in general. To make such far-reaching ideas materialize, my grandfather, in 1948 decided he needed to make his own foundry and machine shop in the back yard. He did so, and did much more to boot.
Long story short, over time, my Dad took the operation over and is presently managing its operations with passion. One thing that people are always sure to tell me, "Those two have and are doing what they love." I agree and I believe it is a beautiful thing. I am grateful that I have grown up in such an environment of passion and craft. It is in my genes. Unfortunately, in some regards, trains do not stir the same passion in me. I have, however, taken that same passion and have applied it to woodworking.
The story doesn't end with woodworking though. I think I may have been tainted with the metalworking bug too. I almost love working with metal as much as wood, even though they are so very different (yet so similar, right?). To bring it all together, I have over the years toyed with making woodworking tools in my spare time. I have only done a few, but the urge keeps growing, and more are coming.
So, enough of that, here are a few photos...
The ULCO foundry a few years ago during an iron pour. This is what's called a 'double ladle tap'. I've been on the ladle crew for iron pours since I was 14.
A run of plow plane irons in the rough, awaiting milling. O1 steel.
The plows in eager anticipation of their irons. QS Beech.
I made this smoother out of boredom while living in New Orleans (possible?!?). Bronze sides pinned to a steel sole. Some kind of rosewood - I don't remember.
All of the metal elements were scrap. The sides were 100+ year old worn-out slides from a steam locomotive.
I lost a girlfriend over this plane. Another long story.
Edited by J. Conrad (04/23/12 09:25 PM)
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BaileyNo5
Member
Registered: 11/29/09
Posts: 2627
Loc: Calgary but confess I'm Okie
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Sounds like an interesting story and that's a beautiful smoother - hope ours turn out as well! Thanks for posting.
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True power makes no noise. Albert Schweitzer - It's obvious he was referring to hand tools
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J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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Sorry for all of the background stuff. I hope it's been a good chuckle...
Here are the photos I currently have of THIS project:
A SolidWorks rendering of the body. I used scaled images from Joel's pdf to sketch the sole and side profiles as accurately as possible. Everything should be to scale.
This is a good representation of the bed angle and such.
A chosen chunk of Cuban (?) Mahogany to make the pattern from. Nail holes aside, it's good stuff.
After jointing one edge.
Just a rough layout of the major parts needed.
According to the article, the sole is 5/32" thick. Just like furniture, plane to the scribe line!
Pasting a 1:1 sole drawing for accurate layout, then roughed to size.
After planing JUST to the perimeter, scribe the mouth on the sole.
I have removed the part of the drawing where the mouth and "frog" dwell. The sole is twice as thick just behind the mouth.
Here I have glued a scrap form the sole profile in the location just behind the mouth. This will be trimmed next.
To be continued...
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James Uhrich
Sturnella Toolworks
info@sturnella.com
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wood1351
Member
Registered: 02/22/10
Posts: 398
Loc: Puget Sound
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That is a fine looking holdfast. Who made it?
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Amos
Member
Registered: 09/16/05
Posts: 546
Loc: Chesapeake, VA
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I want to hear the plane/girlfriend story.
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www.chesapeakewood.wordpress.com
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J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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It is a fine holdfast. I spent a couple days at the blacksmith shop of Peter Ross last summer. I was there for a plane making class taught by Bill Anderson at Roy's school. I think you can get them from Peter through a message via his website.
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James Uhrich
Sturnella Toolworks
info@sturnella.com
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J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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Amos said:
I want to hear the plane/girlfriend story.
I'll need a couple beers to get that story started 
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James Uhrich
Sturnella Toolworks
info@sturnella.com
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J. Conrad
Member
Registered: 04/11/06
Posts: 98
Loc: Colorado
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We have officially reached the 20 plane order mark. I am now setting the limit at 24 TOTAL. That means there are now 4 spots left for this run.
If you want to sign up for this, don't wait too long. I'd love for the list to stretch to eternity, but I have a day job 
I will officially close the list once 24 planes are spoken for.
Thanks to everyone involved so far. The encouragement and interest is heartening.
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James Uhrich
Sturnella Toolworks
info@sturnella.com
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Amos
Member
Registered: 09/16/05
Posts: 546
Loc: Chesapeake, VA
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I'm in. PM sent.
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www.chesapeakewood.wordpress.com
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