Hurrah! for the Liberty Bell!

The Stanley Works was a behemoth, a force to be reckoned with, a standard-bearer for progress in the development of all sorts of tools for the professional craftsman, as well as the home owner.

That said, Stanley also made some junk.  I mean some real junk!  Then too, they made other stuff that just kinda is, ah, I mean, well…  I mean you wonder if they fell asleep in the marketing department, or what.  Many people think that Stanley’s line of transitional  bench planes falls into a category which might best be described as “what were they thinking?”

Personally, I like ‘em.  Hey, they’re light, plus they offer the same type of lateral and depth adjustment that was available on Stanley iron planes.  You could drop them from a scaffold and there was a pretty good chance that they would survive.  Try that with a Bailey type!  I have no doubt that they were great for carpenters in the field.  But I’ve gotta believe they were never taken very seriously by cabinetmakers and joiners.  My guess is that those two groups uttered the mantra “wood or iron, nothing in between”.

But there is one little subdivision of the transitional species that I find particularly appealing, the Liberty Bells.  They are unmistakable with their raised Liberty Bell boss on the lever cap.  There is no lateral adjustment and only a simple depth adjuster.  And, it is their simplicity that makes them something special, especially in the hands of someone with an imagination.

LB’s have a movable pawl that fits into the depth adjuster (stirrup).  This allows the iron to be projected well past the chipbreaker.  This is very difficult, if not impossible to do with Bailey design plane irons.  What this means is that the LB can be turned into one of the nicest little scrub planes you can imagine.  It has a 1 3/4″ wide iron and the depth can be controlled with the adjuster, a distinct advantage.

The moveable pawl also allows for the iron to be easily reversed, thereby allowing the plane to be used as a scraping plane in a pinch.  You might dig up an old iron, crown it ever so slightly and use it exclusively for scraping (try that with one you “bevel-up” planes).  One might also consider making a very heavy single iron for really fine polishing work.  The LB’s lever cap would allow for an iron of that nature to be used.  And, while we’re at it, how ’bout making a reversed toothing iron?  Easy enough.

The small LB smoother is an incredibly comfortable plane to use, even for a mugg with big hands.  The iron frame is made with a “tongue” that fits into the web of the push hand.  It has that “extension of the craftsman’s spirit” kinda of feel.  Okay, maybe that’s a little hyperbolic, but it feels good when you’re using it.

The other great thing is that these things are cheap (usually).  I’ve seen them with replacement bodies that make them look like little “objet d’ arts”.  Hey, these kind of tools connect us with our past and they are great little “multi-use” platforms.  Imagine.  Enjoy.  And remember, like so many other aspects of a woodworking vocation or avocation, you can heat your shop with the stuff you don’t like or screw up.  Life is good.

Progress is slow, but inevitable.

I’ll bet that headline made you think that this was going to be a really philosophical post, right?  Well, it’s just a little update on the lowboy that has to be completed soon, very soon.  The feet are carved.  (We are directly across from the Maumee River, part of the North American Goose flyway and there seems to be an inordinate amount of traffic through the backyard, hmm….could they be attracted… no!, don’t be silly!)  Anyway, here’s where I’m at:

I rubbed out the top and just had to see what it would like.  It’s not bad.

If you think the lowboy is nearly complete, you’d be wrong.  I’d say that it’s about 60%.  Draw bearers, guides and kickers have to be designed, manufactured and installed.  Knee blocks have to be cut, sculpted and installed.  Drawers have to be constructed.  Cockbeading has to be made and attached.  And then……….comes the (somewhat) astronomical task of finishing.  It will be a big job because the whole thing will be distressed then painted with three different colors of milk paint.  Then I’ll have to decide…oil? shellac? rubbing varnish? wax? – what will I use for a topcoat.

I’ll be glad to see this thing out of here.  I’m ready for something new.  Maybe I should buy a new Softail.

And just so you know that I always wax philosophical when completing these projects;

Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.  (Remember man, thou art dust and to dust you shall return.)

I’d better get busy!

What kind of animal is a Trifid?

First, what’s the correct pronunciation?  Is it trifid with a long “i”?  Or, is it trifid with a short “i”?  Well, Dictionary.com says the correct pronunciation is with the long “i” – like “try fid”.  Okay, we’ve got that part out of the way.

Alright, what’s trifid mean?  Well, going back to the word’s Latin roots we find that it means “divided in three”.  So, an animal with three toes has trifid feet, right?   ………..Hmmmn…..I can’t think of any animals that have feet with three toes, can you?  Okay…some folks refer to Trifid feet as Drake’s feet.  Let’s take a look, shall we?

Here’s the foot that I’ll be using on the painted lowboy I’m building.  It’s a pretty, classic trifid design.  But would you call it a Drake’s foot?  Eh…

Now here’s a duck’s foot from another part of the animal kingdom.  And, I do believe that  its design is a little more relevant to the result that I’m trying to accomplish.

One thing I’ve learned from this experience is that, ash is a great material and currently it is abundant.  For baseball bats, hurling and hockey sticks and other sporting apparatuses, it is unparalleled.  But low cost and abundance does not, necessarily, make a species easy to carve.  On the contrary!  Clearly, posts on sharpening carving tools will follow.

Wooden Planes – Tapered Irons (and how a back bevel can save the day)

I use old wooden bench planes daily.  I’ve got a full set of iron bench planes as well, but find that the wooden bench planes are much more pleasurable to work with.  They’re lighter, which is a plus when doing a lot of planing and wooden jointers are, usually, significantly longer than their iron counterparts.  And, the soles of wooden planes tend to burnish the surface being planed.

Recently I was asked if I found that antique American bench planes were designed only to be used in softwood.  “Well, of course not!” I responded.  I mean, look around you at the myriad of things built from hardwoods, from building frames to washbowl stands, during the period in which only wooden planes were being used.  But then I started thinking about it a little more.  Some of my wooden planes do seem to work better while planing softwood.  So, I started looking at their geometries.  I found that both iron and wooden American bench planes are, more often than not, bedded at 45 degrees.  (Most wooden molding and specialty planes are bedded with 50 or 55 degrees.  Wooden bench planes that were designed exclusively for use in hardwoods are generally bedded at 50 degrees, but angles as high as 60 degrees are not unheard of.)   

After finding that the bedding angles were the same, I began looking at the irons.  I have several wooden bench planes that use irons that are the same thickness throughout their entire length.  But most of my wooden bench planes have tapered irons.  That is to say that the iron is much thicker at the cutting edge than at the top.  The reason is that the portion of the iron below the chipbreaker screw slot has been forge welded into the upper portion of the iron, which is generally very soft steel.  It is not uncommon for the cutting edge to be two to three times as thick as the upper part of the iron.  But how does this affect performance, assuming that all of the irons are sharpened to their optimum?

A moderately tapered iron – about 2 degrees of taper

Well, the answer in reality is pretty simple.  It’s well known that a lower cutting angle produces better results (with less effort) in softwoods.  When the degree of taper is subtracted from the bedding angle, the total included angle or effective cutting angle is lowered.  In the case of the Japanese plane which uses an iron that tapers in the opposite direction (because the iron itself is wedged into the plane body), the taper angle would be added to the bedding angle, thereby raising the effective cutting angle.  So, once again, geometry provides the answer.

The actual cutting angle is 43 degrees, due to the 2 degree taper of the iron

Then it dawned on me.  Over the years, I had back put a back bevel on some of the planes that I used mostly in hardwoods.  Most folks who do a lot of hand planing, hone irons instinctively, depending more on feel than the protractor.  As most of my readers know, I’m very cautious about back bevelling irons as it increases the amount of energy required to push the plane, exponentially.  As I get older, I want to work less, not more!

The long and short of it this:  If you want to improve the performance of your old wooden bench plane with the tapered iron in hardwood, put a back bevel on it.  There, I’ve said it…back bevel.  Bejasus, bite my tongue!

And just one short note of caution:  bevel length looks suspiciously long on tapered irons.  Don’t allow yourself to be deceived.  Make sure that your primary and secondary bevel angles are correct and that you’ve got adequate clearance.

Go find yourself a nice old wooden bench plane.  Tune it up and have a ball.

Why can’t I get Dad’s bench plane to work?

I can’t count the number of times I have been asked by friends, acquaintances and customers to examine a bench plane that “just won’t work”.  Typically, one of two statements follows the request:  “I remember my Dad using this plane for years.  I just got it out of the box in the basement, sharpened up the blade on the grinder, polished it, but it just won’t cut right.” or; “Dad never could get this thing to work, even after he’d sharpened it on the grinder.  He said it was cheap and that he had just bought it to trim a door that was sticking.  He put it in a box in the basement and wound up buying a belt sander to do the job.” 

More often than not, I find that “someone” has ground the primary bevel at an angle greater than the bedding angle of the plane.  While you can get away with this on a block plane (bevel up), it just won’t work on a bench plane (bevel down).  When the primary bevel angle is equal to or higher than the bedding angle, the iron can never be engaged in the cut.  So, the plane “skitters” along the surface.  The user will often set the iron “deeper”, only to find the plane binds completely.

There have been occasions when folks have presented me with a bench plane whose iron appears to have been ground with an acceptable primary bevel. But upon closer inspection, it appears that “someone” honed a secondary bevel that was so high as to eliminate an adequate amount of clearance.  Adequate clearance is generally thought to be a minimum of 12 degrees.

The next time someone tells you that his (or her) Dad’s bench plane just won’t work, check the angles, all of the angles.

A Bottom for the Top

A month ago, or so, I finished up a curly maple top.  It was really an experiment, trying to use a couple of different coloring methods.  The varnish is just about cured and it’s ready to be rubbed out.  When I put the top together, I had no idea how I would use it.  Some type of table, but I just wasn’t sure.

Inspiration came from several directions and it was nearly simultaneous.  Several weeks back, Mr. Jack Plane put  together an exquisite  elm lowboy.  BTW, if you’re not reading Jack’s blog ( www.pegsandtails.wordpress.com ), you’re missing a real treat.  Les and I had been talking about a highboy that he’s been wanting to get finished.  And, then he and I traveled to a SAPFM meeting where Jeff Headley presented a lovely miniature highboy.  It was obvious, the top would be perfect for some type of Queen Anne endeavor.  So lowboy it was!

I’ve never built a lowboy.  So, I decided that I’d do something that would be my interpretation of a “country” version of a Philadelphia lowboy.  What I had in mind was something with very little carving, trifid feet and the carcass would be painted.  Yes, that’s right, paint!  Milk paint to be more precise.  I’m thinkin’ like really early QA.  Think of an era when the William and Mary police were still looking for rural cabinetmakers who were putting together these demonic new designs.  Queen Anne, indeed!  The big plus here is that I can use some “less than perfect” ash here and no one need be the wiser.   So I merged a little Norman Vandal with several other designs and here’s what I came up with:

You can see that the lumber being used is not the best….  Maybe I’ll resurrect an older tradition here.

So moving along, today I rough finished the face section.  Because I work in a very limited space, the overwhelming majority of my joinery is done using hand tools.  (I love working with hand tools.  But I will have to admit that as I get older, there are a few very good reasons to occasionally ”plug-in”.)  The sliding dovetails in the face assembly appear to be a little “sloppy”.  Actually this design brings the leg posts flush with the rails.  At the moment the posts are still proud of the rails.  But, trust me, I spent the better part of today cutting these little buggers.

The next step will be to dissemble the carcass, then finish up the legs, shaping and carving.  I intend to cockbead the drawers (another method of disguising “less than perfect” joinery) and use W&M drop pulls.  The trifid feet are right out of Vandal’s book.  The big looming question is whether or not to do a shell on the center, lower drawer.  One thing you can count on is that (if I decide to do it), it will be a applied feature.  Have you ever tried to carve ash?  Stay tuned…

A Lathe by any other name still goes round and round

Several weeks ago, Mary and I went to visit  my cousin, Tim, and his wife, Diane.  Tim and Diane are potters.  Tim “throws” big pots, while Diane does built up and molded work.  You can see more of their work at www.millerspondpottery.com .

Cousin Tim with one of the jardineres he “throws”

While watching Tim at his potter’s wheel, I was struck by the realization that it was very much like a lathe with a vertical axis.  Of course when someone mentions potter’s wheel to me and I immediately think of Demi Moore in “Ghost”.  But as Tim explained it to me the actual process of throwing big pots is very similar to bowl turning, especially segmented turning. First a block of clay is “mounted” on the wheel and the shape is “pulled” up.  Now you might think that the big pot above would be “pulled” all in one session.  As with so many things in life, what you think isn’t always the way it really works.  Remember, clay is a plastic material and subject to the rules of gravity.  Perhaps a fourth of the overall height is established in the first session, then the vessel is set aside until it reaches a state that potters call soft leather hard.  Why do call it that?  Because the material is still pliable but can support a greater load without deformation and feels like leather.  At this point the potter adds coils of clay stock to the top of the vessel and blends them into shape.  The process is very much like adding segmented ring sections. Another big misconception many folks have is that the potter does all of the work with his hands.  I noticed that Tim had a shelf full of tools, many of which looked vaguely familiar.  He explained to me that the final shape is really a result of  “trimming” , the part of the process in which tools are used to remove stock.   Trimming, I found, was very similar to turning.  The big difference being that Tim uses no tool rest.  He simply anchors his elbows into his body for support.  Finally, Tim said “sit down and give it a try”.   So I did.

Many of the tools Tim uses are like hook tools used by some woodturners. Note the four jaw “chuck” on top of the wheel

Of course Tim tried to convince me to go home and build a wooden framed “foot” wheel and take up yet another non-revenue producing avocation.  I must admit it’s pretty interesting stuff.  But I think I’ll stick to woodworking and let Tim and Diane take care of the pottery.  By the way, professional pottery making takes up every bit as much space as woodworking.  It’s probably not something you can do in a one bedroom apartment.

Diane in the glazing area

I’m sure Mary and I will be heading back down to Miller’s Pond before too long.  It’s an idyllic spot and there’s a lot to learn from fellow crafts people.  I’m always struck by the similarities between crafts and how good ideas universally impact almost every area of endeavor.      

Getting away from pottery for a moment, Matt (a fellow pole lathe devotee) is selling a Underhill style lathe at a very good price.  If you’re interested go to his Craigslist listing cedarrapids.craigslist.org/tls/2984451622.html

Getting the color right

If you’re building a piece to match existing furniture, you have a color challenge.  If you’re replicating an architectural detail, you’ll, very likely have a color challenge.  So what do you do? Obviously, you can’t paint everything.  Do you run down the street to the local  finisher’s shop and have them take care of it for you?  Eh?  Maybe, if you live in New York, Paris or Budapest.  But it ain’t happenin’ where I live.  Plus, I just don’t have that many customers who are willing to see signicant increase in cost to get a really incredible finish.  So..we do the best we can. 

Color is a big stumbling block.  If you can get it right (or even close), you’re halfway home.  If I’m working with bare wood, I’ve gotten in the habit of using artist oil colors for staining.  They’re simply mixed with BLO (boiled linseed oil) or raw linseed oil.  If you go the raw route, you may want to use a little Japan dryer (usually not more than 5% by volume).  With just several colors, you can match, or create, an amazing number of stains.  Your basic color kit should contain raw umber, burnt umber, raw sienna, burnt sienna and ivory black (some folks prefer Payne’s grey).

You’ll want to be aware that colored fill and/or overglazing might come into play when trying to analyze a color match.  After you’ve determined which color is best suited for the match, you simply mix a small amount with the medium (i.e. BLO).  Treat it as you would any oil stain.  Apply it liberally and wipe the excess away while it is still moist.  Allow adequate drying time (8-24 hours) before re-coat.  You may find that you are unable to produce as dark a color as you require.  In this case, try the addition of a little black (blue may sometimes be added to “cool” a color).  Also, the level of reflectivity will change the perception of color darkness.  Experimenting with top coats is a valuable expenditure of time when trying for a correct color.

Another method of darkening a finish is to color the top coat.  Colored varnishes have been used for centuries.  Various colored resins will affect spirit varnishes (shellac).  And, dyes which are soluble in oil, spirits or water can be very useful.  There is only one caveat about using colored top coats; lap lines can be a significant problem.  So, practice your brushing or spraying technique.

when the entire balustrade has been polished with a dark wax, the new balusters will be unidentifiable

Milk paint is another vital tool in the shop.  When mixed as a diluted wash, it can provide beautiful staining results.  However, it will raise grain.  Mixol is a product that can be used to color just about any medium.  It is fairly expensive, but very effective.  And, it offers the craftsman a huge range of color choices.  Chemical dyes (i.e. lye, potassium permangenate, nitric acid, etc.) can produce incredibly beautiful, transparent and permanent colors on wood.  However, proper selection requires an understanding of the chemical reactions involved and how effects vary from one wood species to another.  Experimentation is a must.  Also, chemical staining requires additional safety and handling considerations.

The best text that I’ve found on many specialty methods of coloring wood is “Classic Finishing Techniques” by Sam Allen.  “Flexner on Finishing” is alway a great resource on finishing.  And, “The Natural Paint Book” is a very interesting overview of many coloring methods.

Finishing is hard work.  But many times it is the attention to and expertise in finishing that separates the master woodworker from the gifted amateur.

Just when you think you know it all…

Albrect Durer’s self portrait used to communicate an ailment to his physician

 ”Hey, I’m a pro, I’ve been woodworking for more than fifty years.” 

 ”I know the drill.”  

“I’m in control when I’m working.” 

“Trust me, all that stuff about woodturning being a dangerous activity, well that’s way overstated.” 

What does all of this have to do with Albrecht Durer’s self diagnostic portrait?  Well, just when you’re thinking that you know it all, the “woodworking gods” look down and come to the decision that you, the very experienced woodworker, need to be reminded that you’re simply not really in total control in many of the things that you’re doing.  Much of the time we’re “skating very near the edge” and until the ice breaks, we don’t realize how near disaster we are. 

A couple of weeks ago I was turning a natural edge bowl out of “dripping wet” cherry.  I’ve done a good number of these bowls and this one was coming along nicely.  I was finished all but for the sanding, when I decided that I’d increase the rev’s a little to “centrifuge” some of the remaining moisture from the end grain in the “winged” portion of the bowl.  I was standing behind the rest, marveling at the feeling of “spray” coming off the bowl when a sound like a rifle shot rang out.  I felt a “thump” on my turning smock and looked to the chuck only to find it empty.  Apparently, there was a buried check in the tenon that was that was being held in the chuck.  The uneven forces placed on the bowl during rotation had levered the check to the point of complete failure and the bowl shot out of the chuck like wooden shrapnel.  Fortunately, no one, with the exception of myself, was on the receiving end of “flying debris”.  But, here’s where Durer’s image comes into play: 

 Luckily my face and hands were well out of the way.  But the lesson was pretty darned clear – use good safety practice any time you’re working around any kind of machinery.  The more experienced we are, the more apt we are to “push the envelope”.  So I’m taking this as a welcome reminder to always stay well within the safe turning speed range which is easily determined by finding a number in the range of six to nine thousand when you multiply the starting diameter of your work by your intended operating r.p.m.  Now, that said, you can be operating well within safe limits and something can go wrong (unseen check, for example).  This fact alone, supports the notion of using the proper safety gear.  Always protect your face and eyes.  Don’t wear loose clothing, especially big sleeves.  Be careful with gloves.  Be VERY careful when sanding.  Use paper towels (not cloth rags) for polishing. 

When all is said and done, turning is a safe pastime.  But prudence should be your “constant companion” when you’re in the workshop.

(Please, no “baby fat” comments.  I’m trying to do a public service, after all)

Thank You, Eric Sloane

In recent years, many traditional woodworkers have become very well acquainted with names like Roubo, Besson and Diderot.  Through their writings and drawings, we find a very real link to our counterparts of past centuries.  But there is another name that should be remembered.  Eric Sloane influenced several generations of woodworkers and tool collectors with his wit, his wisdom and his superb illustrations.

from “Seasons of America Past”

Sloane was an artist of the Hudson River School of painting.  But he was also a student of meterology, American culture and tradition.  But, for me, his knowledge and expertise about America’s past and her early industries, is what shines so brightly.  Every book of his is full of drawings about the way things were done in the past.  Logging, farming, building beam presses, and so many other methods of coping, and thriving, with early American life, are all part of Sloane’s repertoire.

from “Once Upon a Time – The Way America Was”

If I had to venture a guess, I’d have to say that “stewards of the past” like Roy Underhill, learned to rely on Eric Sloane, early on in their career.  Sloane turned out many books and, no matter what the subject, the traditional woodworker will find something useful to take away from each and every one.  There are three “must reads”: A Museum of Early American Tools; Diary of an American Boy; and, A Reverence for Wood. 

from “A Museum of Early American Tools”

Do yourself a favor, spend some time with Eric Sloane.  You’ll be glad you did.