Note: This is a classic reprint of an article from NEWS #017, June 1994 and NEWS #019 October 1994.
The recent lecture by Kenneth Roberts for TTTG on Spiers and Norris planes generated discussion among the audience. This has prompted me to record the following observations on wood lined metal planes. I hope other members will be encouraged to share their knowledge in this newsletter. Roberts' “Scottish and English Metal Planes” reprints Spiers' and Norris & Son catalogues and his essay on the subject.
What is a wood infill plane?
It is any plane with a channel shaped body, of sole and sides, infilled or "stuffed" with wood. The metal shell or body can be formed by two processes;
- Casting in ferrous or non ferrous metal.
- Fabricating plates of brass alloy, iron or steel.
Cast wood infill planes
Cast planes can be either cast iron, brass, bronze or gun metal.
Cast iron
In the second half of the nineteenth century the industrial process of casting iron was perfected. Before this date iron castings vary in quality and are brittle. Later castings are fairly uniform in quality. The perfection of iron casting was due to the development of the process of annealing castings. These "softened" castings were malleable, that is much of the brittleness was removed. Such castings can be easily filed or machined and are capable of taking fine detail from the "sand". As the technical possibilities of iron casting were expanded the new trade of the pattern maker developed to fully exploit the possibilities of malleable iron. The late nineteenth century was the era of cast iron. The capabilities of the Iron Foundries gave tradesmen the chance to obtain relatively inexpensive iron planes. Such planes could be purchased as;
- Complete planes:
From about 1860 several plane makers offered cast iron and later malleable or annealed iron planes. These firms included Galloway of Edinburgh, Slater of Clerkenwell, Buck of London, Preston of Birmingham and later Spiers and Norris. The better quality of these cast planes are equal to fabricated, i.e. dovetailed planes.
- Castings from patterns:
Joiners and cabinet makers could make up a pattern and have these cast by a local foundry. The casting would then be filed up and, stuffed by the owner. Magazines such as English Mechanic published articles in the 1870s on how to make such patterns and how to finish the castings. These articles stress the importance of "grey iron", "scotch iron", soft castings or annealed castings and warn against common hard or brittle cast irons.
Scots planes of this period are often found in gun metal. I believe this is due to ships joiners having access to the non ferrous foundries serving the Dockyards along the Clyde. These planes are often stuffed in walnut.
- Machined or Finished Castings:
From 1870 finished castings were available from several suppliers- There would clearly be a good profit for a factory to have a quantity of annealed castings made and then take them to a machine shop for finishing. Tradesmen could buy and finish such a machined casting for half the cost of a complete plane. These items must have sold very well. The tool merchants also supplied the irons and lever caps, the wood stuffing came from workshop "scrap"'
Brass alloy Cast Planes
Cast brass planes are known from the eighteenth century. Before the perfection of annealed iron castings brass was the preferred metal for casting planes. Such planes however wear quickly and sweated on soles of iron are often found. As early nineteenth century fillister plane stops have sweated iron faces I can see no reason why brass planes with iron faces could not have been made by, at the latest, the early nineteenth century. Such planes would however have been very expensive to make. Even at this early date a fabricated ferrous plane would have been cheaper to make than a cast brass plane faced with iron.
In the second half of the nineteenth century gun metal planes occur. By this date foundry techniques have been improved to allow quality gun metal and annealed iron planes to be produced in quantity. Gun metal cast planes were expensive due to the higher cost of the brass alloy. Their advantage was in the unbreakable nature of the metal and in its greater weight and stability.
In the first half of the nineteenth century cast planes had two disadvantages:
- iron Planes were brittle
- brass Planes were expensive.
This period saw the perfection and subsequent cheapening of the industrial process of making wrought iron plates. As fabricating boxes from sheet metals was a common technique to many industries it is obvious that this cheapness of materials could be exploited to overcome the disadvantages of early cast planes. After 1870 the introduction of mild steel and rolled mild steel plates allowed fabricated planes to continue to be produced as an expensive alternative to annealed cast planes. In the USA the response to these new materials was different. Because the Civil War had led to the development of quantity production machine shops the American plane makers exploited annealed casting and abandoned the practice of lining planes with wood. This produced a plane almost as cheap as a wood plane but a plane easier to use. Eventually, i.e. after two World Wars these USA planes totally displaced wood planes and the United Kingdom wood lined plane.
Fabricated Planes
These can be made from Plates of
- brass alloy and a ferrous sole (either 2 or 3)
- wrought iron plates
- mild steel plates
Before the introduction of mild steel all ferrous fabricated planes were made of wrought iron plates. The method of fabrication was invariably dovetailing.
Screws
These are used for brittle castings or for planes stuffed by wood workers. Finished castings were available and men unskilled in metal working would naturally use wood screws. The use of screws on hard castings is self explanatory.
Rivets
These are used for dovetailed planes and for annealed castings. Skilled plane makers could easily rivet a malleable casting. Early planes are wrought iron and riveted.
Dating
If a screw is removed from a plane the form of the screw can be used to date the plane. The presence of screws as such is not an indication of age. The screw must be examined.
The Wood Infill
Planes can be stuffed with any hardwood. Commercial planes are invariably Rosewood. Earlier commercial planes are more likely to be Mahogany. Later commercial planes are rosewood, ebony or beech stained to resemble rosewood. Owner stuffed planes can be walnut, mahogany, satin wood etc. As these planes were largely used by cabinet makers, shop fitters, and ship's joiners exotic cabinet woods are to be expected.
Blades or Irons
The mouths of metal planes never "open". As a consequence irons should be of uniform thickness or parallel. The irons were of wrought iron steeled with cast steel. Most planes have irons by numerous Sheffield makers. In these the top is left black from the fire. Norris and Spiers supplied "all bright" irons. These were probably surface ground in a machine shop and not Sheffield ground by eye.
Blade Holding
Several methods of blade holding were used in metal infill planes:
- Wedge, either
- against side lugs cast with body;
- against fixed bar or pivoting bar (used by Slater).
- Lever Cap.
- Gun metal or brass with jack screw.
From the late nineteenth century the Lever Cap was the preferred method. From manufacturer's viewpoint it was probably the cheapest. Many tradesmen preferred wooden wedge. My preference would be wedge and Slater's pivoting bar.
As makers such as Slater did not issue Catalogues their products are deemed inferior. If you want a plane to use examine the quality of the item and forget the label.
Adjustment Mechanism
This occurs Solely on Norris planes. What is its advantage? To a man who can hammer set a plane it has no real advantage. The device was first patented by Norris in 1913. After World War I the adjuster gave Norris a market advantage. Long apprenticeships were gone, men had to be trained or retrained quickly. Like the Stanley the Norris offered quick mastery.
Setting non adjustable planes
A hammer used sensitively is capable of total control when setting a plane. Mallets etc. are not used. Planes are not damaged by hammers, they are marked by users who cannot use hammers correctly.
Types of Metal Infill Planes
The function of these planes is as follows:
Bench Plane: Smoothing, Panel, Joining or Jointing.
The terms Jack and Trying are not used to desciibe these planes. All sizes are finishing planes meant to produce fine shaving. It is the solidity of these planes and the freedom from chatter which achieves glass smooth results.
Mitre Plane: Low angle bevel up plane with fine mouth.
Used for finishing along or across the grain. Useful for end grain.
Rebate(Rabbitt): High angle for finishing rebates along the grain.
Shoulder: Low angle, bevel up plane.
Tenon shoulders, rebates across the grain'
Other Types: Bullnose Rebate, Thumb, Chariot are usually all metal.
Skew Mouth or Eyed Planes: Planes were available with skew blades to give a shear cut: mitre, shoulder.
Replacing Blades
New owners of wood infill planes search the world for suitable blades. For those wanting to use these planes the solution is simple.
-
- For the ultimate edge buy a heavy gauge German High speed steel Blade; wood Plane type; or
- Make a new iron from Non Distorting, Oil or Air Hardening alloy carbon steel. Harden and temper to 60-62 Rockwell C. Surface grinding should not be necessary.
Both will be superior to any old iron.
Modern Wood Infill Planes
Reproductions of these planes are available. I am not aware of any maker who fully utilises modern production methods or materials.
The ultimate modern plane would have this specification.
Bench Plane: Smooth, Panel, Jointing.
Body:
stainless steel plates, welded and surface ground.
Wood Infill:
plantation grown hardwood secured by stainless steel rivets tung-oil finish.
Adjustment Mechanism:
Norris type. Stainless steel and gun metal. 40 TPI thread.
Back Iron:
Stainless steel, with stainless steel screw.
Lever Cap:
Gun metal. Removable pivots.
Blade:
High speed steel. 60-62 REC.
N.B. Mitre, shoulder, delete cap iron, modify adjuster, optional wedge(wood).