case for a router plane project?

[bandit571]

Ok, decided to finish a cutter for that "Coat Hook Plane"


It came with a 1/2" cutter, but I also wanted a slightly narrower cutter...had one started..
 

   
had to go back upstairs, and bring a cup of water to the shop...Ground the top down til it matched the old cutter, and rounded the top a bit...needed to cut a slot, though..

Used a Dremel, with a cutting wheel to start the slot.  Turns out I also had a grinding wheel for the dremel at the exact width for the slot...

   
If you look right above the lefthand handle...you can see a test drive strip made by the new cutter.   Width of cutter..0.350"   3/8"?

Now, my Stanley 45 has it's own wooden box/case....and a group of three other planes have theirs..

   
I have to tear down the Ward's #78, but..

   
There is also room for a Stanley #39, 3/8" dado plane, and an Auburn Tool Co.  No, 181 skewed rebate plane...and...the lid even shuts..

   
So....may start on a wooden case for the Stanley No. 71-1/2? 

   
Might have enough wood for it.....haven't decided about the "other" router in the picture...would have to include  enough room for the plunge base, too...


Might give me something to do this weekend?

[Arlin Eastman]

That is one nice 71

[stav]

I'm always amazed and the speed at which you can decide on what you want to do and get it done.  I spend way too much time contemplating and planning to ever get anything started.  

Nice work on the router plane.  That is one that is on my list.

[bandit571]

Found this image on the inter-webbies....might be an idea?

   
Might adapt this to my #71-1/2 router....I think I could cobble something better?


Stay tuned..

[bandit571]

Ok, decided a bit of layout work was needed, to get a few sizes figured out...
Found a bit of 1/4" plywood, that might do for the floor of the box....drew 2 lines..

   
1/4" in from the edge, to show the grooves in the sides, to house the bottom....then a few more lines
 

   
To show what I thought was enough room for the plane....it wasn't...more lines...
 

   
When I outlined the plane..I noticed the bit holder wasn't in there...so

   
More lines were added to allow the bit holder it spot.  Then I could see about what sizes to cut the sides of the box to.   First the plank needed some work..
 

   
Looks nice?   one end is wider, than the other, edges were wavy
 

   
The other edge wasn't as bad.    After making sure the tablesaw's blade was 90 degree to the table (it wasn't ) I set the rip fence to the narrowest part of the board, set the "good" edge to the fence, buzzed off the worst....reset the fence a hair, and made to other edge parrallel to the first..and straight.  Board was a bit too long to cross cut on the saw....so 

   
Mark a line, Disston D-8, 11 ppi cross cut saw for a little Cardio Workout...soon had 4 pieces to lengths needed...
 

   
Seemed to be a bit too tall, set up the plane...

   
Needs a little off the top?
  Decided to at least take the darker grain off....buzzed all four to about 4-1/2" wide..

   
So...now we are about ready to do a few half blind dovetails?  Hand tool..vs...power tool?  
  I use what I have on hand, doesn't really matter that much...

So, next episode will be the dovetail part of the build

Stay tuned

[bandit571]

Ah-righty-then
...Dovetails...Using a router, to build a box for a router plane....works for me
 
First, need some stop lines marked..

   
The one on each each, shows where the dovetail "sockets" will stop, line is knifed in.   The two lines in the middle are where the router's base will stop...

   
So, when it is clamped into the vise, the line is set to the top of the jaw....marks are made with a bevel gauge set to the same angle as the bit used..

   
I marked out 2 half pins, and a full pin in the center.   I put on the goggles over my glasses, and carve out two sockets..
 

   
Makes a mess, don't it?
  Then a clean up with a chisel, or two..

   
Then use these pins to mark out the tails.   Bandsaw to make the cuts, as I can see the lines better, and stay on the waste side better...more line I leave, the tighter the fit..sometimes tooo tight
 

   
Got all 4 corners done..

   
Decided, for some reason, to make sure the panel for the bottom would fit...it was long enough....
 

   
But not wide enough....made a new plywood bottom panel.   Corners are done, need some grooves to house a bottom and a top panel....and a couple more grooves..
Reset the Stanley 45...

   
Depth of cut was too shallow, fence was too wide...set the fence 1/4" from the cutter, depth was ~5/16" deep.....then figure a way to hold the sides still, long enough to groove them.....3 times.  

Stay tuned, we about to get groovy..

[bandit571]

feeling groovy....( showing me age?
)
Hold downs for the sides...

   
A  backstop, and a couple screws.   Plough a groove for the bottom and the top panel to sit in...rotate, reclamp, plough again

   
Long sides needed screws in other spots, but..

 

   
Even the groove for the top was done.  Test fit the bottom panel, while planning the last grooves..

   
Seems to fit
...decided to check on how the plane and bit hold will fit in...

   
Then made a raised panel, for the lid...cut the blank the right size ( this time)   and reset the saw..a LOT...

   
Plywood as a zero clearance device ( keeps things from falling down into the saw
)  Fence set 1/4" from the blade.   Blade was tipped 15 degrees...1/4" is between the fence and the bottom of the blade.   Run each edge through...it leaves that little wedge behind...
  

   
Then the Stanley #3 to back bevel the "inside" of the panel, for a better fit....dry fit ( did NOT drive the parts all the way together, was too hard to drive them back apart)

   
There are 2 more grooves to be made...one before a glue up, and one after the glue dries..

   
Inside ones are done.   With a slight over lap, and a sharp knife, once the outside groove is milled, I can cut the lid free, and leave a dust seal...but, right now, I need to do a glue up...and let it sit a day...

   
I left the lines, to show where to set the Stanley 45 to....to mill the groove, once this forest of clamps leaves.  


Stay tuned

[bandit571]

Note to self:  Next time, cut the inner groove to half the thickness of the sides...1/4" in a 3/4" board will NOT do.  

Ok...clamps came off this afternoon...ends of the box needed planed down level

   
As front and back didn't need anything done....yet.  Reset the 45...fence was slid a little bit, to line up with the layout lines, BEFORE I planed them off
 
Fence was also lowered a bit...

   
Seemed to help guide the plane...Ran the groove all the way around....then tried the utility knife to cut the lid off....nada...tablesaw reset, then the lid came off.  
 

Lid did not fit down on the seal...seal was too thick....reset the 45..fence and cutter depth

   
Work my way around, test fitting each time, until the lid DID fit.    Lid need a spot of glue in one corner...vise to clamp it one direstion, and a clamp to clamp the other...

   
Then more clamps, to glue in the cutter holder.. 

   
Then drill a hole to hold one cutter...without drilling all the way through to the bottom of the box..
 

   
Turned out that the pine runners I was going to set under the plane were way too tall....cut 2 plywood strips from the "pattern", and then a test fit of the plane..

   
turned out, the thumbscrew was too long....fix that.  and grind a new point on the end.  Even put the router plane to work...had a few high spots to lower...

   
Then dug around for some hinges...

   
I think these will do...then sweep the floor..

   
Made a bit of a mess today.   Waiting on glue to dry..again
  Maybe install the hinges, and find a latch tomorrow?


Stay tuned

[bandit571]

Hinges were installed this morning, once I dug out the proper tools....besides a chisel & mallet...

   
And...

   
Then fill up the box...

   
Then close the lid...notice anything..
  

   
Had to run over to menard's, today...and pick up another one of these latches...

   
Need to do a final sanding, install the latch, see about the battens under the plane....and maybe a finish?

May wait until tomorrow
  Stay tuned

[Arlin Eastman]

This encourages me to build a few of my own that need it.