New plane number 2

(the paper mock-up)

I am not exactly sure when I saw my first Bayfield rebate plane - but when I was asked to make a reproduction of one, I was thrilled. This plane rattled around in my head for some time - there were quite a few execution details to work out.

I am by no means a plane history buff... but the Bayfield strikes me as the missing link between a traditional wooden rebate plane and the infill versions by Norris or Spiers. The Bayfield has a traditional mortise running through the wooden body of the plane, the blade is bevel down, and has a conical side escapement. Spiers and Norris rebate planes use the metal sidewalls to define the edges of the “mortise”, they are bevel up and have an escapement that is perpendicular to the sidewalls.

The original Bayfield plane bodies were cast - which instantly informed how they made this seemingly impossible plane. I was going to make a dovetailed version instead. I also decided to make a rosewood “test” plane before working on the customers birds eye boxwood version.





Chopping out the mortise. I am glad I had the Rosewood plane to test my mortising on - Boxwood is much tougher.




Here is the plane assembled and ready for lapping.




With the sole and sides lapped and square, it was time to cut the mouth.




With the mouth cut, I focused on the bed of the plane and then the leading edge of the mouth. This was a tricky spot to work, but the fact that it is a bevel down plane, meant there was enough room to use some of my thinner profiled files to smooth the leading edge.

I left the boxwood infill proud of the sidewalls so I could file the cone shaped escapement. The pencil line notes the center of the infill. This is the line I filed to.



The above photo shows the filed cone shaped escapement. The blue tape is there in case the file slips:) This type of file work is something I love doing. It is an exercise in control and precision handwork, but is still a fairly organic process. You file some - take a look, file some more, take note of how the reflections change and file some more. Pure bliss.





The finished escapement. Oh - there is one other change from the original plane. The original Bayfield has a skewed blade and the client asked me to keep the blade square to the body. I was quite relieved - not because it is simpler to make, but because I am not convinced that rebate planes need to be skewed. Maybe my left-handedness was creeping in there too. Anyway - I filed the cone shaped escapement from both sides to meet in the middle - making it a left and right handed plane.



This is the set-up I use for filing chamfers.



Here is one side chamfered.





And some photos of the finished Boxwood filled Bayfield.

(Jill suggested I mention that the green in the chamfer is a reflection of our tree and not mold)

Curly birds eye boxwood... whoda thunk it?








Some photos of the “test” Bayfield infilled with rosewood.






















A few shots of the pair for good measure (these were taken before a coat of oil was applied to the boxwood).




















And a hint to new plane number 3;