The Woodshop Shed

Molding Plane - warped to useful

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


I received this beading plane as part of a package deal, it came with the wedge and iron, but it had no boxing and was unusable in it's condition. As I have quite a few good beading planes, I decided to experiment with it and figured I had nothing to loose.This was my first experience with steam bending, and I wasn't concerned with an adverse outcome should I somehow destroy the tool.Picture 1 shows the final outcome, a viable beading plane that will be a “user”, but more importantly I've determined I can save a few other planes in the same condition – warped.The other pictures show: how warped it looked from the heal, how warped the maple boxing I made contoured to the plane, how warped the body is compared to a ruler, my “steam box”, and the clamp-up after steaming.My steam machine was a roaster set to 450 Degrees, I left the “soup” to boil for an hour and a half, with the plane setting on a wire rack to keep it out of the water. The wire rack was a dollar store napkin holder:
The clamp up was between two 2X4's, with plastic card shims to over bend and help avoid what is referred to as spring back when the clamps are removed. I let it cool for 24 hours just to play safe. The shims are the leftover gift cards, old AAA member cards, AARP cards received in the junk mail, etc.
Final result, a useful plane with nice straight boxing.

0 comment(s)