What's new
What's new

Solid silver plane we made,wait for pictures,please

gwilson

Diamond
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Location
williamsburg va
I have to make a post,and go back to edit it to add pictures. Sorry,can't help it.

This is a solid sterling silver plane Jon,my journeyman,and I made for a retiring senior vice president in Col.Williamsburg.He had been a B-17 pilot,and was a nice guy.

Once again,this is mostly hand work. Machined pieces will show in the future. The nature of much of my work precludes machining,but there are pieces that combine machining and hand work.

It is made of 1/8" thick silver,and is an authentic style 18th.C. miter plane- for planing up miter joints.

It has a steel iron,of course(01),and has Brazilian rosewood wedge. The box looked a bit "empty" on 1 side,so I made a rosewood mallet for adjusting the plane,but mostly to fill in the space in the box.

We heard that the recipient wasn't known for keeping his things polished,so we sent it off and had it Rhodium plated,blade and all. Today,that alone would be very expensive indeed.

The iron on this plane has a "sneck" on it,which you strike with a small,preferably soft hammer,to back the blade up,rather than whacking the body.
 

Attachments

  • birney plane 1.jpg
    birney plane 1.jpg
    86.2 KB · Views: 871
  • birney plane 2.jpg
    birney plane 2.jpg
    84.9 KB · Views: 909
Beautiful work and craftsmanship!

I am sure he was/is very grateful. Must have made quite an impression on you guys to spend this kind of time for him!;)
 
Just part of our job,really,though I liked the VP. We were called upon to make gifts for many famous people. All the presidents since Reagan,the Queen,David Brinkley,Rockefellers,many. I'll eventually post more pictures of gifts for some of them. I do not want people to get the idea that we didn't make tools,though. These celebrity gifts were spread out over many years.

My job was to make tools for the museum's craftsmen. Gifts were nice because we could let go and do some really nice work for a change.
 
We also always made the hooks on the front of the box. sawing them out of thick brass and filing them out. I never got around to making casting patterns for these hooks,and made sets up several times,right and left handed.
 
Perhaps a "book"?

Your work is inspiring and obviously has historical relevance. Have you considered compiling your accomplishments at Williamsburg as a book or CD? Yes, I'm hungry for more.
 
Yes,many have asked for a book. I would like to do one,but it probably would be expensive. I only took photos of a very small fraction of my work.
 
If not a "picture" book

If not a full book with pictures of a majority of your efforts, perhaps an article in Fine Woodworking or a similar venue with the pictures you do have complimented with numerous sketches? I can't help but think your story needs to be told.
 
gw...

I know I posted to this thread about the plane you made...talk about a feast for the eyes...dancing across time...

Mitre planes are not common anyway--and this jewel is incredible, gw...

My cup of Joe is raised to you and your mastery work!

Joe
 
Thanks,all.I am glad you liked the plane. Looking at nice work,for me,is often the inspiration I need to make something too.

Exactamundo, gw...so thank you...as I move forward on my hand saws...and after seeing your planes (including the brass shoulder plane), your work certainly inspired me...and I am grateful, once again...

Joe
 
Peterson,the silver plane was not made with any fancy machine work. You could make one with mostly hand work.

On these type of planes,the originals were generally dovetailed. This one was silver soldered together,and was quite seamless. The old planes of this type usually have the sole divided into 2 parts,which are joined right at the front edge of the blade opening. That is the way this one was made. That way,the mouth can be made very tight. You just file the ramp angle where the blade lies on the rear half of the sole,and allow for the size opening you want at that time. Then,the pieces of the sole were hard soldered together. On the old planes,there is usually a small tongue and groove joint running horizontally to the sole,so that the 2 halves of the sole can't get out of alignment,because they were not soldered together when they were dovetailed. Maybe labor was cheaper than silver.The front face of the plane is also hard soldered on. A lower melting temp. silver solder was used to join the body to the sole,but still silver solder.

These planes are sometimes made with brass bodies and steel soles dovetailed together,to emphasize the dovetails. Since this was a presentation piece,which we were NEVER allowed sufficient lead time on,we could not afford the time to dovetail it anyway,but they usually were dovetailed.

Thank you for your interest.
 
GW,I just use planes...some of which are in their hundreth year(in use by my family),and don't study their origins.Is the above mitre plane the forerunner to the "low angle" block's that are on my bench?Or,does it do something else?Thanks for the pics,BWS
 
These type planes were used for planing up miter joints after they were sawn. Sometimes they were used with a jig called a miter jack. The miter jack had a carefully planed 45 degree incline on it. The wood was clamped in the jack,and the miter plane was used for carefully planing down the wood to fit that incline,without cutting the incline itself. Sometimes they glued thin paper to the incline,so you could start cutting the paper before you cut the incline.

I am sure these planes were also used for general smoothing if need be,though.
 
A "mitre jack" = a shooter then.We still do the same.....

My Dad's knickname was Jack.....still to this day,the fine'est carpenter I've ever seen(he owned Georgetown D.C.).Became the "eyes" for him and a cpl other geezer boys way back.So many stories they used to wear me out with.....and never once,got tired of hearing.....I became the "fitter".Thanks for the pics and info!BWS
 
gwilson,

I especially enjoy seeing your work - its a special treat to see fine hand made things and learn about how they are made. There are not many folks who can do this kind of work.

Thank you for showing us.

Henry
 
Thank you,Henry. There are a number of custom makers of high class planes. Seems to be a growing trade,though some of the most expensive ones can cost $4500.00 to about $7500.00. I am too poor to buy those!! Have to make my own!! :) The silver in this one by now is probably close to $2000.00.

Very expensive planes are usually bought by collectors.
 
Peterson,the silver plane was not made with any fancy machine work. You could make one with mostly hand work.

On these type of planes,the originals were generally dovetailed. This one was silver soldered together,and was quite seamless. The old planes of this type usually have the sole divided into 2 parts,which are joined right at the front edge of the blade opening. That is the way this one was made. That way,the mouth can be made very tight. You just file the ramp angle where the blade lies on the rear half of the sole,and allow for the size opening you want at that time. Then,the pieces of the sole were hard soldered together. On the old planes,there is usually a small tongue and groove joint running horizontally to the sole,so that the 2 halves of the sole can't get out of alignment,because they were not soldered together when they were dovetailed. Maybe labor was cheaper than silver.The front face of the plane is also hard soldered on. A lower melting temp. silver solder was used to join the body to the sole,but still silver solder.

These planes are sometimes made with brass bodies and steel soles dovetailed together,to emphasize the dovetails. Since this was a presentation piece,which we were NEVER allowed sufficient lead time on,we could not afford the time to dovetail it anyway,but they usually were dovetailed.

Thank you for your interest.

Well, nuts gw! Now, after my saws are complete, I want to try my hand at a Norris style dovetail smoother. Ohhh, the slippery slope calls. :D
 








 
Back
Top