Since the guy with the welding torch certification is on leave for the next couple weeks, I am unable to heat treat the irons for my new moulding planes.
Or am I?
Larry Williams shows in his DVD heat treating some plane irons using a regular propane torch that you could get anywhere. While I was at the big box store today, I was looking at those. For a lot more money, though, I could get a MAPP torch which essentially is butane. This particular torch gets much hotter than a wimpy propane torch, more than 2300 degrees centigrade!
This ought to heat treat the crap out of my plane irons!
I decided it might also be a good idea to get a new fire extinguisher. |
I think I'm all ready to go now: I spent my lunch hour the other day at the Army's woodshop grinding the untreated irons on their powered grinder, and finished the shaping today with a file. I think I have them pretty close. My guess is shaping them with a file is much easier than doing it after they are hardened.
The round, |
And the hollow. The iron is a bit overly proud here as I thought that would make a better photo. |
Here is the endgrain of the cherry plane blank. |
A little closer every day. |
can't wait to see the heat treatment!
ReplyDeleteBBQ'd irons, coming right up!
DeleteExcellent. Once again, you jump farther ahead of me on this project... Don't forget, you can also use that MAPP torch to try out that Raney Nelson, burn & wax finish, after talking with him at handworks I'm dying to try that out.
ReplyDeleteI missed speaking to him, but am curious. Is it in the blogosphere somewhere?
DeleteIt's in the April PopWood and teased here http://www.daedtoolworks.com/surface-envy/
ReplyDeleteIt sounds pretty easy after talking with Raney. Basically wave the torch over the wood till it darkens to the color you want, then immediately apply some beeswax (or similar) with a scotchbrite (or similar.) makes for an interesting look, especially on ring porous woods like oak.
Oops! I guess I just let the world know my subscription has lapsed!
Delete