3D Printed Hand Plane

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hi All,

I recently came across this rather unusual small cast iron hand router plane with 4 blade positions; I suspect that this is user made and have never seen one before. No makers marks anywhere on it.

I think it is rather a nice take on the Stanley 271 and Record 722 models.

I decided to have a go at making one (or more!) using my limited Fusion 3D skills. It turned out to be a bit harder than I had at first imagined but I learnt a lot on the way. Particularly use of the Align and Combine tools.

I still have a lot of trouble getting the correct build sequence in the timeline.

Here are the first two prints after several aborted prototypes:

Just finished a run of 8 sets of brass bushes to be a tight fit in the base; scored the sides with a Dremel to help key the Loctite fixing.

Still pondering the best way to make the cutters;

Should I A: make the cutter tips separately and weld them to a M steel shank?

or

B: make the whole cutter out of tool steel rod and "forge" the end and bend?

Suggestions welcome!

Cheers Martin

[File HandleParticipant @filehandle]

I have made similar, but cruder router planes with ground allen keys as the blade.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Paul Sellers on Youtube has some information on router plane use and making, he shows one where he did indeed use an allen key for the blade. Not a router cutter but I have bent and "forged" the end of some silver steel to make an internal hollowing out chisel for hardwood and despite using very unscientific methods it did cut quite well.

One warning Paul Sellers videos are addictive………

Dave

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

AKA "Granny's tooth plane" I think.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Or "old woman's tooth".

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Welding a tool-steel to mild-steel may work but risks a brittle weld.

As you've made the cutter-holder cylindrical, the forged form may be easiest but you could make an insert-tip from gauge-plate, oil-hardened and tempered; screwed to an inclined, rectangular rebate milled in the end of a mild-steel holder.

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Nigel,

I take your point about a brittle weld, (especially with my welding skills!)

Some of the larger cutters for the Stanley No:71 Larger hand routers have one blade with a detachable tip to make honing easier.

The standard cutters for 271 & 722 planes are just bent (as is the original cutter for this one)

I think I will take a look at re purposing an Allen key as my first thought, thanks for that idea guys!

Will keep you updated as I progress.

Cheers, Martin

[Ian BurksParticipant @ianburks19652]

I made a granny's tooth from offcuts of oak. My design is different in that the blade is straight but at an angle. This makes for a very rigid tool as the blade is supported right down to the sole plate.

For the blade, I bought an old chisel (with a cracked wooden handle) for £1 but the blade was marked "Sheffield Steel". I cut the tang off & welded a short piece at rightangles. This engages with a knurled thumbwheel for fine depth adjustment. The weld is well away from the business end – where the tang used to be. In addition, sharpening is easy – like a regular chisel.

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