01-13-2016, 12:44 AM
Sometime back a neighbor borrowed a specialty power tool to trim the bottom of a door in place. He learned when at my shop of my interest in planes and when he brought the tool back he handed me a Bedrock 608C and a Bailey 5 1/2 C. Said he had a garage sale and no one bought them! (I was having a garage sale at the time so I never saw them.)
Anyway both planes (lever cap too) were painted black and the iron/chip breakers were painted silver. The tote and knob on both were black plastic. So I found a template on Lee Valley's site (thanks Mr. Lee!) and set about making a tote for the Bedrock and it turned out very well (rosewood from Woodcraft).
The reason for the post is that the template orients the grain more or less perpendicular with the slope of the tote rather than parallel with the base of the tote. So the grain on my new tote is obviously different than Stanley made them. Perhaps some with swirling grain would not be obvious.
I'm thinking Lee Valley, innovative folks that they are, believed that their grain orientation results in a stronger tote. The grain seems to be that way on my Veritas planes. Totes are sure prone to breaking. Do those of you who make totes follow Stanley's practice or the Lee Valley template? Any difference noticed in strength or opinion which is best? I need to make a few more totes.
Anyway both planes (lever cap too) were painted black and the iron/chip breakers were painted silver. The tote and knob on both were black plastic. So I found a template on Lee Valley's site (thanks Mr. Lee!) and set about making a tote for the Bedrock and it turned out very well (rosewood from Woodcraft).
The reason for the post is that the template orients the grain more or less perpendicular with the slope of the tote rather than parallel with the base of the tote. So the grain on my new tote is obviously different than Stanley made them. Perhaps some with swirling grain would not be obvious.
I'm thinking Lee Valley, innovative folks that they are, believed that their grain orientation results in a stronger tote. The grain seems to be that way on my Veritas planes. Totes are sure prone to breaking. Do those of you who make totes follow Stanley's practice or the Lee Valley template? Any difference noticed in strength or opinion which is best? I need to make a few more totes.