Mini Block Plane with Skids

[Malc2098]

Has anyone tried out this little blighter? I could find the BrIdge City version on Banggood for £98 or on their own EU site at €69.




This little version is much cheaper.





I also grabbed the setup blocks on a special offer.

I am using them to make up my binding stock for my current ukulele heirlooms project. The rebates for the binding are cut using rebate bearing cutters, so the dimensions of the bindings are dependent on the the combination of bearing and cutter. As I am working to a notional thickness of 1.5mm, I find my drum sander isn't always consistent with such small thicknesses. So I thought I'd give this combination a try.

I'm getting to like it.



Obviously I had to give the blade a good going over when it first arrived, but it seems to hold its edge well enough on the Paduak I'm using.




I will glue the bindings in to their rebates slightly, about 0.5mm, over size, and scraped down to the instrument rim.





The combination is accurate enough for me. I'll take 0.1mm out on the planing.




And on my setting up the plane with the blocks.


The cheapest Padauk binding I can find in the UK is about £2 per strip, some is even advertised at £5 per strip. An instrument needs four strips. So, you can see why I now choose to make all my own timber components for my instruments (apart from kerfed linings), which I think makes them quite special.

 

[Dr.Al]

That's a nice little plane. I'd seen one of the eye-wateringly expensive Bridge City planes with skids & thought it a good idea for hand tool thicknessing small stuff (e.g. Kumiko slats), but would never be able to justify their price tags.

 

[PAC1]

And for inlay stringing

 

[duke]

That's a neat setup Malc, I have never seen a plane with a skids before.

 

[Mike G]

Ne to me. Looks a neat idea. I've seen the inverse....a jig in which the skids are built into the sides of a box thing, producing the same result, but I've never seen a plane with its own built-in depth stops like this.

 

[Dr.Al]

I've seen the inverse....a jig in which the skids are built into the sides of a box thing

That's how I've done it before:

 

[Steve Maskery]

Have you got a link for that, Malc, please?

 

[Woodbloke]

I saw those BC skid planes some time ago with (as others have said) an eye watering price. In my experience, planing Paduk with a standard angle blade is very chancy as the stuff will tear out at the drop of a chapeau. On the other hand, if you select a nice crown cut surface it planes really superbly. I generally always finish the stuff with a small LN bronze scraper plane - Rob

 

[AndyP]

ideal use of the drum sander surely?

 

[Malc2098]

Have you got a link for that, Malc, please?

Here, @Steve Maskery

 

[Malc2098]

ideal use of the drum sander surely?

I have found that I don't necessarily get consistent results at this thickness (Thinness??), Andy. It is outside the spec of the machine. And the sander leaves sanding lines. I haven't yet bent or fitted any of these yet, but the plane does leave a nicer finish than the drum sander.

I might use the DS to hog off and then this use this plane to get it down to actual thickness.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Here, @Steve Maskery

Thank you very much.
S

 

[Malc2098]

My holy trinity, although I occasionally get the No 6 out.