A few weeks back, I picked two wooden body fore planes. I’ve only ever really
used metal body planes but I wanted to try a wooden body plane out and I figured
a fore plane is prob the best to experiment and learn with.

The first of the two planes can be seen here:

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308611?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308612?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308613?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

Everything about this plane seems great. Relatively flat sole, no splits or
cracks, the tote is solid and comfortable. Even the iron is in good shape.

The second of the two fore planes can be seen below:

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308614?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308615?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308616?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

This one is a bit wider and taller. The tote is nice, solid, and comfortable.
The iron is a bit nicked so I’ll have to grids it before sharpening, but I’m ok
with that. The blade is heavily cambered which you can see in this photo:

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308617?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

But here’s where I need help - the entire sole of the plane is also heavily
cambered:

https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0

I’ve not seen this before. Is there a reason for this heavily cambered sole?
Perhaps this was meant for boat building or some other specific task? I’m in the
dark but intrigued so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Dan 

-- 
I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food.

I'd use it as a scrub plane, particularly well-suited for work on wide 
boards. Maybe a bit more ergonomic than the usual scrub plane size, 
allowing a wider grip, hands more aligned with the shoulders.

FWIW
Don

On 2021-09-25 4:08 p.m., Dan Beck wrote:
> A few weeks back, I picked two wooden body fore planes. I’ve only ever really
used metal body planes but I wanted to try a wooden body plane out and I figured
a fore plane is prob the best to experiment and learn with.
>
> The first of the two planes can be seen here:
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308611?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308612?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308613?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> Everything about this plane seems great. Relatively flat sole, no splits or
cracks, the tote is solid and comfortable. Even the iron is in good shape.
>
> The second of the two fore planes can be seen below:
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308614?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308615?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308616?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> This one is a bit wider and taller. The tote is nice, solid, and comfortable.
The iron is a bit nicked so I’ll have to grids it before sharpening, but I’m ok
with that. The blade is heavily cambered which you can see in this photo:
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308617?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> But here’s where I need help - the entire sole of the plane is also heavily
cambered:
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> I’ve not seen this before. Is there a reason for this heavily cambered sole?
Perhaps this was meant for boat building or some other specific task? I’m in the
dark but intrigued so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
>

-- 
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral
philosophy; that is, the search for a superior
moral justification for selfishness.” –– John Kenneth Galbraith

"extremist individualism … an ideology that claims to be about freedom when
really it means selfishness”.

entire sole of the plane is also heavily cambered:
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
Someone just had a need for that shape. For whatever reason.

When I was doing my little staircase I needed one, so I just grabbed a 
handy jack and cut it and patched the mouth. Easy peasey

http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/homeplanes/gutterplane.jpg

see the stair rail?

http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/stair1.jpg

yours scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html

I’ve seen a handful of cambered woodies.  One I was certain wore that way
due to the peculiar usage, it was uneven.  I’ve also seen a gutter plane,
made to cut wooden rain gutters, then a few in between.  As Scott said,
could be cut to purpose, and others have mentioned purposes.

Is there a maker’s mark on the toe?  We can go digging in the history books
if so, see if they made anything cambered.  But that one has been cambered
a long time, the wood patina is quite uniform.

Kirk in Half Moon Bay, CA

On Sat, Sep 25, 2021 at 3:08 PM Dan Beck  wrote:

>
> But here’s where I need help - the entire sole of the plane is also
> heavily cambered:
>
>
> https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0
%2C0
>
> I’ve not seen this before. Is there a reason for this heavily cambered
> sole? Perhaps this was meant for boat building or some other specific task?
> I’m in the dark but intrigued so if anyone can enlighten me, I would
> appreciate it.
>
>
> --
Sent from my iPad, apologies for the Auto Correct errors. Kirk

Dan Beck wrote:

====snip====

The blade is heavily cambered which you can see in this photo:


https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308617?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0


But here’s where I need help - the entire sole of the plane is also heavily
cambered:


https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0


I’ve not seen this before. Is there a reason for this heavily cambered sole?
Perhaps this was meant for boat building or some other specific task? I’m in the
dark but intrigued so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

====end snip====

I agree with Bill Ghio that it is a backing-out plate. Did it come from an area
where wooden boats are made or maintained?

I had to have some planks replaced on my wooden boat a few years back, and the
shipwright doing the work showed me a backing-out plane and explained what it is
used for (fitting the back of the plank to a curved frame).

Peet Leenhouts has experience in this area. Pete, are you listening?

Cheers,
Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle USA

Thanks for the replies. I didn’t think about a gutter plane. Wouldn’t a gutter
plane be even more cambered?  I think it prob is a backing out plane. I did not
see a makers mark on it, but will look again.

Don - I was actually thinking of using it as a scrub plane when I bought it. It
was inexpensive enough that it was worth it to experiment.

FYI - I purchased this in Little Falls, NY which is directly on the Mohawk River
and part of the Erie Canal. I don’t know where this particular tool seller found
it, but if it was purchased locally, it would make sense that it was used to
make boats.

-Dan

-- 
I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food.

Hi Chuck, yes, listening. Having trouble seeing the plane (log-in trouble) but I
assume from the description that it is indeed a backing out plane, used to
hollow the back of a plank so that it fits more snugly to the curved wooden (or,
sometimes, bronze) frame to which it will be fastened. Most of the ones I've
seen, or used, have been coffin planes modified to a specific camber, but IIRC
Cecil Pierce in his book "Fifty Years a Planemaker" describes these planes and
explains how shipwrights frequently made their own from dunnage or whatever hard
wood was available.  A fore plane would be about right for somewhat larger
planks.
In passing, I might note that by "fitting snugly", it was shown to me that the
fit is within a sixteenth of an inch, if not even closer.  The whole point of
wooden boat construction is to tie the elements of the hull together so that
they act as one engineered unit, not just a collection of somewhat related
pieces.
WR/Pete LeenhoutsPort Ludlow WA   


-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Taylor 
To: Porch ; Dan Beck 
Cc: Pete Leenhouts 
Sent: Sat, Sep 25, 2021 9:14 pm
Subject: Re: [oldtools] What’s up with the wood body fore plane?

Dan Beck wrote:

====snip====

The blade is heavily cambered which you can see in this photo:


https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308617?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0


But here’s where I need help - the entire sole of the plane is also heavily
cambered:


https://groups.io/g/oldtools/photo/268441/3308618?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2
C0


I’ve not seen this before. Is there a reason for this heavily cambered sole?
Perhaps this was meant for boat building or some other specific task? I’m in the
dark but intrigued so if anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

====end snip====

I agree with Bill Ghio that it is a backing-out plate. Did it come from an area
where wooden boats are made or maintained?

I had to have some planks replaced on my wooden boat a few years back, and the
shipwright doing the work showed me a backing-out plane and explained what it is
used for (fitting the back of the plank to a curved frame).

Peet Leenhouts has experience in this area. Pete, are you listening?

Cheers,
Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle USA