Wooden Planes #7: Laminated Block

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lumberjocks.com/milwmr3.jpg

This one was an exercise in lamination.

6 primary species of wood – western maple, red oak, sapele, cherry, birch and walnut. Two pieces of each species, each piece at a different thickness, and some random veneer thrown in between each primary wood piece, for a total of 23 layers. The sole is white oak.

Glue is urea formaldehyde, so I could glue it up in one go. Didn’t think I could get it done with PVA.

The bed is 45 degrees, and was my first double iron plane. I somehow acquired an iron for the Lee Valley low-angle block, and decided to build a wooden plane around it. However, at 1/8” thick, I felt the iron was too thin to be on its own. I ordered a Stanley replacement cap iron from LV, and had to take a dremel to the slot in the iron to make them work together. The cap is about 1/16” wider than the iron, but that overhang doesn’t seem to interfere with the operation of the plane.

This is my go-to block plane. The weight is perfect, the iron holds an edge considerably longer than it should, and adjustments are surprisingly precise. (Perhaps due to the rigidity of the UF glue?)

Source: LumberJocks.com

Wooden Planes #7: Laminated Block