A13 dovetailed infill plane continued (8)
Shaping front bun on the A13 smoothing plane
Corner rounding after shaping the bun.
Polishing front bun prior to oiling
Here I am using the DTI to replicate the angle of the frog, this enables me to trim the blade bed studs on the same plane.
Once the level of the frog/plane bed is established then I can level off the bedding studs. I like to leave these about 2 thou high to allow for settlement. As I have said earlier, the reason for this system is so that the blade will be supported in the places that matter. There is little risk then of coming to rest on any unwanted debris or irregularities.
This is after completion of all bed levelling.
Showing the dovetails ready for filing off – I think not 
An interesting view after the sides have been milled. Showing the true form of the dovetails and rebate that the sides come to rest in. At this stage the front and rear ends still require chamfering and edge polishing. Also the sides and sole require lapping.
It is nice to go to my stock cupboard and find components that I made earlier. I dread having to make more when they run out. Notice that the banjos are ball generated so that the whole item is made from one piece.
Completed adjuster which goes in most of my infill planes, mainly A13, A6 and A1 – having a slightly longer stem.
Ready for boxing up and sending out.
Is that all there is to it, then?
Kidding.
Thanks for the journey into your plane-making life, Karl – it has been an amazing trip thus far. The amount of time and level of precision that goes into each plane is almost unfathomable by me…
Comment by Ethan Sincox — August 20, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
Hi Ethan
I am afraid that is all there is to it
Thanks
k
Comment by admin — August 20, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
Hi Karl,
Absolutely stunning work! Thanks for sharing these photos and descriptions–wonderful to see!
I do have a question about the adjuster: I have only seen a few original Norris adjusters but I thought that they had a screw across a slot to adjust the fit of the threaded stem through the round pivot block. You do not seem to need such adjustment, I assume due to a better fit of the threads.
Is there a standard that you cut the threads to here? What class of fit are you trying to achieve?
By the way, making the banjos out of solid stock make sense to me since attaching the ring to the threaded rod would be challenging any other way!
Thanks again!
Brian
Comment by Brian Ogilvie — August 24, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
Hi Brian
Thank you very much for the nice comments.
I have only seen a few of the Norris adjuster’s with the thread clamping screw you describe. On my adjuster both the threads on the male part are cut with a 1/2″ coventry die, using ordinary taps for the female part. All in high spec high speed steel. I feel that it is very difficult to get a perfect thread fit with just cutting and where two similar metals are involved there is a tendency to pick up. There will always be a problem with back lash especially as there are two threads to deal with. With the screw you may reduce the backlash but not eliminate it. I make my adjusters with a better tolerance all round to elimate as much backlash as possible. If you do try to get them too tight they will lock.
k
Comment by admin — August 24, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
To misquote Col Hannibal – I love it when a plane comes together!
Comment by Torch02 — September 7, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
Hi
Don’t we all
k
Comment by admin — September 8, 2009 @ 9:25 am