Why I do it

[camp10]

Very nice. I love how the base turned out.

I'd love to hear about that handplane you used on the top.

[Hank Knight]

Very nice. I love how the base turned out.

I'd love to hear about that handplane you used on the top.

Good morning. Thanks for the compliment. It was a fun project. The pine was so pitchy that it gummed up my sandpaper, so I resorted to a hand plane for the final surface before I applied the finish. I actually prefer a hand planed surface to a sanded one. I think it gives a crisper or cleaner appearance to the wood grain. My favorite finish plane is an old Norris A5 that you see in the photo. My daughter found it on Portobello Road in London and gave it to me years ago. Portobello Road is London's huge flea market. The plane was in very good condition except for the finish on the wood infill, which looked pretty ratty. I removed the finish and refinished it with polyurethane. I know this is a no-no for collectors of vintage tools, but this plane was going to be a user, not a show piece - and it's a great user. Once I learned how to set it up and adjust it, it out performs every other finish plane I own, especially on difficult grain.
These planes were made in England from the late 1800s through the mid 1900s. Mine is a post World War II vintage. It has a beech and walnut infill and a cast steel body. The post war Norris planes are relatively inexpensive compared to the pre-war versions with dovetailed sides and rosewood infills. The pre-war models are sought after by collectors and command high prices. The post war models like mine are not as hard to find and are much more affordable.
Thanks again for your comment.