Moulding Plane Maker - Norman Bayliss (1962)

[Tellurian]

Has anyone seen this?
I've been getting interested in moulding planes again recently and it must have registered with the algorithm as this popped up whilst I was trawling through YouTube woodworking videos last night after my other half had retired for the night.
Quality isn't great but it provides a marvellous insight into how these things were made and of Norman Bayliss who was the last beechwood moulding plane maker at William Marples.

https://youtu.be/a97gcIs42K4

PS. How do you embed YouTube videos into a post?

 

[AndyP]

Barry just above where you type tour posts are a row of buttons, the last one is youtubeSSL. Before you select it go to the youtube video URL and copy the characters after the = , In your case a97gcIs42K4

Now select the youtubeSSL button and your cursor will settle in between two sets of closed brackets. Paste what you have just copied in between those two sets of brackets and, as they say around here, voila.

[youtubessl]a97gcIs42K4[/youtubessl]

 

[AndyT]

Now then Tellurian, I've been busy just lately and hadn't said Welcome in your intro thread. But let me put that right - if this is the sort of thing you are interested in, there will be plenty to discuss.

I rate that video as one of the most precious of the cine films that the late great Ken Hawley made for us, and isn't it fortunate that he was there to record the last years of traditional tool making. The right man, in the right place, at the right time.

For me, old wooden planes were a sort of "gateway drug" that led me into the world of woodworking before steam or electricity. Odd looking tools that weren't covered in our brief lessons at school, but looked worth exploring.

It's a fascinating world in so many ways.

 

[Tellurian]

I am getting interested in it. I have some mouldings that I need to recreate for our house so once I have the workshop sorted, I'm hoping to have a go.
Hopefully the rabbit hole isn't too deep...

 

[Cabinetman]

Be careful Barry it’s a long slippery slope you are starting on! Before you know it you will need a bigger workshop just to display it all on the walls of.

 

[AndyP]

I hope someone is making films of today’s wooden plane makers. I’d personally like to see a comparison on how the process has changed, if at all, in 60 years.
Come in Mr Edwards.

 

[AndyT]

I hope someone is making films of today’s wooden plane makers. I’d personally like to see a comparison on how the process has changed, if at all, in 60 years.
Come in Mr Edwards.

Some of the talented amateur makers have made some really good videos of their own work. I'd single out Stavros Gakos, eg here where he makes a special grooving plane - https://youtu.be/7sN2d5tHbCw. Strictly speaking, I suppose it's not quite a moulding plane but it's lovely to watch him at work.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I'm guessing Mr Bayliss was far, far quicker than the average maker today ...

The combination of the aim being to make an everyday tool not a piece of jewelry, and practice.

 

[Philly]

Sorry for the late reply, thought my ears were burning....
It's an interesting video, he certainly works at an incredible pace! I know planemakers used to be paid piecemeal, so making sure you hit your daily target certainly spurs you on. And making multiples of the same plane really helps - repetition builds muscle memory and gives confidence.
I work in a similar fashion but as I build many types of plane work at a slightly less frenetic pace. Having jigs and layout tools speeds things along and having job specific tools really helps. A DVD I found incredibly helpful is by Larry Williams on making Side Escapement planes - huge amounts of info and pretty much all hand tool focussed. Probably way too much information in one go but very enlightening!
If anyone has specific questions on plane making do ask away, I'll do my best to eleborate
Cheers
Philly

 

[Tellurian]

Glad to see you're still making planes Phil. I was wondering the other day who in the UK still is but you were pretty much the only plane maker I could find. I hope you have an apprentice.

I find moulding planes absolutely fascinating, their form and function seems to me to be perfectly evolved. Combination planes tried to replicate some of that function but I don't think very successfully (although I can't really speak from experience).
How they were made has always intrigued me hence finding that video pleased me greatly. I may have to look up some of the amateur videos mentioned to see how they compare.
One thing I had always wondered that the video answered for me was whether the spring angle was scribed before or after. Turns out it is before and I assume it then becomes a guide for the negative moulding plane to create the profile. However, it was so fast, I almost missed it.

 

[Philly]

Glad to see you're still making planes Phil. I was wondering the other day who in the UK still is but you were pretty much the only plane maker I could find. I hope you have an apprentice.

Thank you, yes been over 15 years now. I've got full order books and wish I could work as fast as Mr. Bayliss :lol:

One thing I had always wondered that the video answered for me was whether the spring angle was scribed before or after. Turns out it is before and I assume it then becomes a guide for the negative moulding plane to create the profile. However, it was so fast, I almost missed it.

You need to scribe on the spring angle first as you use it as a guide. One of the big problems I found when getting into plane making was the sheer lack of solid information. I learned most of what I know by copying old planes (sometimes successfully :lol: ) and the amount of questions that arise from building said planes. Coming up with solutions to those questions (and realising that simple solutions are often the quickest) was my education. I would certainly appreciated a few videos like this one to see how things were done!

Best regards
Philly