Tuesday, August 02, 2011

New Plane - Toted Smoother

Hi Folks
A plane I get asked for a lot is a Smoother with a handle. Over the years I've made a few for customers and a few for myself, trying out different styles. I am pleased to say I am finally happy with the shape and feel of the plane, so let me introduce the new Philly Planes "Toted Smoother".

I am offering this plane in two timbers - Goncalo Alves (as in the pictures) and traditional quartersawn English Beech. It has a 50mm wide iron, a chunky 4mm thick from O1 high carbon steel. The plane has a 50 degree pitch and, combined with a tight mouth and that lovely thick iron, makes for effortless smoothing. The Tote is extremely comfortable to hold and makes planing for extended periods a cinch.

The plane also features a rosewood strike button. As well as looking extemely handsome, this button is essential for releasing the wedge and adjusting the plane - without it you would need to tap the rear of the tote with a hammer. Instead the strike button takes all the wear.


A wooden smoothing is a fairly rare beast and I hope this model will appeal to users who maybe are used to using metal planes - the grip will feel instantly familiar. The plane will be appearing on the website in the next day or so - you can email me direct if you are interested in purchasing one. The price will be £230.00 plus shipping.

Cheers
Philly

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks really nice, Phil.

Cheers ;-)

Paul Chapman

Philly said...

Thanks Paul!
Philly

Luke Townsley said...

There is something about this plane that intrigues me. Maybe it is the styling. Maybe it is the wood. Maybe it is just that I am not sure if I would like it or not but would really like to try it out to find out. Anyway, its a very attractive looking plane. I'm not a prospective customer at the moment due to finances, but I would like to see a 5 minute video of this one working, sort of like Gary Nava does with his instruments.

Anonymous said...

I can attest that it is as nice as it looks since it is the one Phil made for me. I guess that would be #1 off the assembly line. The wood is Goncalo Alves and it has this neat looking horizontal streak that really brings out the rich colors of the wood. Functionally, it feels great in the hands, has ample muscle, and works like a dream.