Peter McBride
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Antique
and Old Tools
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Updated :- Tuesday, 21 October 2008
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Page 2
Making a dovetailed
infill bench rebate plane. page
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When I use the jeweller's saw to remove the waste I keep away from the
line on the back side about 1mm (1/16in), left below, to make certain I don't undercut.
That leaves one side with more to file away, and the other side close
to my line. I first put the plate in vice with the lower side away from
me.
I have a window at the back of the bench, and at night I use a desk
lamp to illuminate the far side of my surface. When I file I use that
light reflecting on the surface texture to keep my file work straight
and flat.
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I use three triangular files to clean these up, from coarse
to smooth. The smooth file has one face ground off, called a safety
edge. It means it won't cut on that face and creates a sharp cutting corner by exposing teeth which are
the best for getting into the corners of the dovetails.
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With the coarsest file
I start filing with the handle slightly tilted down and file until I
start to get close to the far side, watching and checking often so I
don't go below my line. A file will give it's own texture to the
surface, as will a couple of strokes in a slightly different
direction. A different file will also give a fresh surface to reference from.
Sometimes I will draw file across the surface to create that new
reference to see exactly where I'm removing metal.
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Below left I have taken the surface just up to the far side, then I
flip the plate around in the vice (center)....
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.... and file away the same as above until I just reach the other side,
which is just a fraction above the line. Then using the fine file with
the safety edge I get the internal corners nice and sharp, and work a
little on the sides of the dovetails. Then I draw
file across and see I have a small rise in the center, so I draw file
back and forth to remove the hump. An interesting thing happens when I
get up to the layout line. A fine wire edge which is created by filing
the brass just the same as when sharpening a plane blade when you know you
have reached the front of the iron. As I get to the scribed layout line,
the wire just starts to release and come away from the plate (below right).
That is a very good indicator to show when the line has been reached.
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The two side plates are ready. I don't do too much work on the sides of
the dovetails because I use them to mark the pins, so small discrepancies
in
their angles won't matter. It's time to start on the two pieces of steel
for the base....
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Page 3
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