This illustration of a “Wood Router or the Old Woman’s Tooth” is taken from How to Make Woodworking Tools by Charles H Hayward, a book presumably dating from WW2 as it states that it is in complete conformity with the Book Production War Economy Standards. I decided to make something similar for the use of the local community shed, metal router planes being rather expensive to buy. Because it will be likely to be used by inexperienced woodworkers I modified the design to replace the cutting iron retaining wedge with a screw, which should make adjustment much easier.
I cut and prepared a block of ash, then chopped a through mortice using a 1/8” chisel, working from both ends (this required some patience!).
I removed as much waste as I could using a bandsaw then completed the shaping with moulding planes.
The cut-out was made by tenon saw and powered fretsaw, followed by a chisel.
The block was drilled and tapped M8 coarse thread to accept the screw.
The completed plane. Unfortunately, I found a couple of small shakes in the block so I reinforced it by drilling and inserting a couple of nails.
The plane in use. More of a scraping than a cutting action but it works.
I cut and prepared a block of ash, then chopped a through mortice using a 1/8” chisel, working from both ends (this required some patience!).
I removed as much waste as I could using a bandsaw then completed the shaping with moulding planes.
The cut-out was made by tenon saw and powered fretsaw, followed by a chisel.
The block was drilled and tapped M8 coarse thread to accept the screw.
The completed plane. Unfortunately, I found a couple of small shakes in the block so I reinforced it by drilling and inserting a couple of nails.
The plane in use. More of a scraping than a cutting action but it works.
- Rob