European Woodworking Show

Hi Folks

This weekend it's time for the European Woodworking Show, without doubt the best woodworking event in the UK (and Europe!). I'll be there showing my wares as well as demonstrating Lie-Nielsen tools so do make sure you pop by the bench and say "hi!".

The show is held in a wonderful setting at Cressing Temple, Braintree, Essex - there are two massive timber frame barns and beautiful surroundings. This is the third year of this show and there are some the best craftsmen and demonstrators from around the world attending - don't miss it!

Cheers

Philly

Happy Anniversary!

Hi Folks
This month marks an important date for me - it is five years since I launched Philly Planes! It has been an exciting journey so far (especially in this finacially troubled world) but I'm pleased to say that we are busier than we've ever been! So I just wanted to thank all my customers past and present for their support and business over these past five years - I couldn't have done it without you!

This weekend I will be at the Yandles Woodworking Show near Yeovil - I'll be bringing along a new Toted Smoother for customers to try out. I really like this plane and I look forward to hearing peoples responses to it after they've had a go. So if you are attending do pop by and say "Hi" - I'll be on the Classic Hand Tools stand.


Finally, a couple of pictures of smoothers that have left the shop recently. One in Box (with some amazing figure!) and one in Blackwood.

Cheers
Philly

Website Back And Lefties...

Hi Folks
After a short absence the Phillyplanes Website is back up - we've had a small series of disasters (hacked site, broken server, holidays...) which meant the site was offline for over a week. I'm pleased to say we are back up and running and I've taken steps to ensure it should not happen again. Thanks for your patience!

The new "Toted Smoother" is available on the website and we also pleased to offer our "Moving Fillister" plane in a left-handed model at no additional charge. Please drop me an email if this interests you.

Cheers
Philly

Web Site Problem

Hi Folks

I'm having web site problems at the moment - they are being resolved as we speak and the site should be back ASAP. Otherwise things are business as usual and I am beavering away in the workshop on yet more planes - please email me if you have any questions while the web issue it sorted.

Cheers

Philly

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

Small Planes

Hi Folks

I recently had a commission for a pretty unique plane - a Classic Smoother in African Blackwood. But half size! No big deal you may think, but it was quite a challenge. I have made a good selection of specialised tools for making planes but most were too big to use on this plane. So I ended up making yet more tools. And I often mutter to myself when working down in the throat of a plane how little space there is to work - with this plane there was even less!

But she came out well and the customer was very pleased - it now lives with in his collection of special planes.

Cheers

Philly

Long Planes....

Hi Folks
Bench planes work best as a team - using a smoother to do all your planing work is not the most efficient way to work. A Jack plane will bring a rough board quickly into a workable state, ready to be made "tried and true" with a Try plane. The Try plane (or Jointer) has the longest sole of all bech planes and excels at making surfaces and edges flat and straight. The longer the sole, the truer it will plane. Even if you use machines to prepare your timber you will be surprised just how far from true those boards can be - a quick swipe with a Try plane will reveal the truth!
We had a quite a few long planes leaving the workshop over the last few months, some 30 inches long. That's longer than a #8! We are also able to customise planes to your intended purpose, so high/low pitch angles, different blade widths, timber choices and even 18 Century features like offset totes are available - you have only to ask.

Back to the bench....
Philly

High Angle Planes

Hi Folks
When it comes to working timber with difficult grain (and it's always the pretty timbers that are the hardest to work!) a sharp iron and a tight mouth sometimes isn't enough. And that's when a high angle plane makes all the difference. My "Coffin Smoother" plane is bedded at 55 degrees - this is a great angle for a smoother as it has a positive effect on tear-out but is still pretty easy to push. But the toughest timbers sometimes need more and 60 degrees is what you need.
A customer asked for a pair of planes with 60 degree beds, a smoother and a Try plane. The smoother (above) is made from English Box, a very slow growing and dense timber. Box was used for the finest grade planes and tools in days past and I was pleased to be able to make this plane from this wonderful timber.
The second plane is an 18 inch Try plane in Goncalo Alves and this is an excellent tool to compliment the Smoother. The longer sole allows you to easily flatten boards, and, as the plane has the high angle bed, tear-out is not an issue.


Cheers
Philly

Les Paul...

Hi Folks

As most of you know I play guitar as well as make planes. Being a woodworker who plays guitar, the first thing people say is "have you made your own guitar?" and over the last year I have finally been making a guitar or two for my own enjoyment, not just to be able to answer "Yes" to the question ;)

This week I have completed a guitar I've always lusted after - a classic cherry sunburst Les Paul. I think it came out rather well for a humble planemaker - I won't give up the day job just yet, though.

By the way, what do you think of the headstock logo?

Cheers

Philly

Custom Planes For Custom Furniture?

Following on from the last blog entry about customising a plane order, a recent customer wanted a Moulding plane of a specific (non-standard) size for a commision he was building. Joel Marshall is a furniture maker in Bristol and was working on a design for a coffee table. The design (see below) has radiused corners as a feature and he contacted me about building a plane to make it possible to cut these curves by hand. I was quite happy to do this and he in turn told his customer he was getting a traditional hand plane made specifically to build their table - the customer was very pleased about this!


As you can see, the table came out beautifully, a testament to Joel's skills. You can see more of his work on his website, here.

Philly

Left Hooker

Hi Folks
I often get asked to make small customisations to planes when customers are placing an order. One I occasionally get is "can you make it left handed?", and the answer is "Yes!". As I make each plane one at a time its not exactly a problem to make these changes, although making a left handed plane does involve me being extra vigilent - it's way too easy to make cuts on the wrong side or wrong direction. Each operation has to be checked and double checked to make sure its properly oriented, especially on a skewed iron plane like this Fillister. It's also quite funny watching me test drive a left handed plane (although I am becoming slowly ambidextrous)
So here we have a perfect example of a custom order. A Moving Fillister plane, but made from Rosewood. And left handed, off course!

Cheers,

Philly

And Then...

Hi Folks
Here's another couple of planes for your enjoyment. First up a Moulding plane.
This one was a commission for a furniture maker who was asked to make a piece for a customer with a 20mm radius on the edges - I was happy to make a 20mm radius Moulding plane for him to do this, making for a happy customer.

Next is a Coffin Smoother in Beech - I'm really pleased with the shape and proportions of my smoother. It's very comfortable in the hand and allows you to grip it in many different ways, something that isn't possible with planes that have handles. And the traditional choice of Beech makes for a handsome plane!

On the bench is something in Rosewood. Pics soon!

Cheers

Philly

P.s. - The title refers to a scene from one of my favourite films, "Dude, Where's My Car". Chinese takeout anyone?

First Out The Door..

HI Folks

The first planes of the year are on their way - a Miter Plane and a Panel Raiser.

The Miter Plane was one of my first models, and I've subtly tweaked its styling over the years. It's a low angle plane with its iron seated bevel down at 38 degrees. This is 7 degrees lower than a standard bench plane and makes a significant difference when planing end grain, a job this plane was designed for. Its big sides have a large footprint when using it on the shooting board, making it very stable. And the monster 6mm thick iron adds some real heft to the plane!

The Panel Raiser is a very tricky plane to make due to its skewed iron and profiled sole. I've made a few over the years and always look forward to the task - it makes for a very special plane. And to make your own raised panels without the danger of spindle moulders or large router bits flying about makes a lot of sense
!

Back to the bench.....

Philly

New Year

Hi Folks

A Happy New Year to you all! Can't believe I've been so behind with my blog - needless to say my resolution is to remedy that! 2010 was a very busy year for me, even though the world seemed to have closed down with financial shock. Hopefully we are on the road to recovery and 2011 will be a much more positive year.

So - to begin the year a video interview with your truly. Many thanks to Tom Sustins from "The Wood Haven" forum for coming down to see me at the workshop and taping this interview. There is also a 'shop tour and some helpful tips and hints which will be coming up soon in additional clips. It's well worth taking a look at the Wood Haven forum - a very welcoming place and a hive of shared knowledge.

I have some new plane models in the pipeline and these will be introduced in the coming weeks - more news soon!

Cheers

Philly

Rosewood

Hi Folks
Thought I'd share a photo of a Mini Panel Raiser that has recently made its way to a new owner. Made from a piece of Rosewood I've been hoarding away for years, it looks pretty stunning. And the customer is rather pleased, too, so I'm a happy camper.
I have some other exotic timbered beauties on the bench at the moment - more pics to follow.... ;)
Cheers
Philly

Irons and More Irons

Apologies for the lack of blog entries lately - between building planes, playing with the band and taking a small holiday the month has disappeared!

First up - planes. Moving Fillisters are the current fave - I've shipped two and have a few more underway in a selection of timbers. Pics of some special planes coming soon!
I recently made a Coffin Smoother for Richard Maguire, maker of fine workbenches. He wanted the plane made with an early 18C style iron with the rounded top, which I was happy to oblige. If you would like your plane with a similar iron just let me know when you place the order - no extra charge for this.




I've also been making plane irons for customers - see the photo of a replacement iron for an infill shoulder plane. The original iron has seen some serious use and was completely used up - I was able to make a replacement for the customer which gives his plane another lifetime of use. If you need a replacement iron for a special plane or if you are thinking of building your own plane then drop me an email - I can make you a high carbon steel blade to pretty much any dimension.

Finding a little spare time in the workshop isn't easy when you are trying to be self-disciplined, but I've managed to do a little work on some projects. I've started a Maloof style rocking chair, which is a project I've always wanted to attempt. While in the States the other month I was able to get my hands on a set of plans and a DVD - this set is now available from Classic Hand Tools in the UK. I've got the chairs seat made up and the main components cut out - this week I intend to get the leg joints cut so I can fit them to the seat. I'll get some photo's taken once it looks like a chair :)

Cheers

Philly

European Woodworking Show

Hi Folks

No sooner is one Woodworking show over than another comes knocking!

Things have been busy at the 'shop - plenty of planes flying out the door. I've also managed to do a little timber shopping and have some lovely pieces sat on the drying shelves for the future. I've also managed to finish another guitar - this time a Les Paul. There's full step-by-step photo's of the build here..

Tomorrow I set off for the European Woodworking show in Essex. This is the second year of this event and it promises to be a corker! Hopefully I'll see you there - I'll report back with some photo's from the show early next week.

Other news - I notice Sawmakers Mike Wenzloff and the team have launched a new website for their wonderful saws. Well worth a look!

Cheers

Philly

Festival Of The Tree

Hi Folks

It's that time of the year again - time for the "Festival of the Tree" at Westonbirt Arboretum. This is a wonderful event in a beautiful setting- every possible wood related discipline is represented and there's tons of things for the family to do while you drool over the hand tools!

This will be my third year demonstrating at this show and I'm real excited this year to be demonstrating Lie-Nielsen tools. I'll also have a display of my own planes present, so don't panic.

If you are attending make sure you come by my bench and say "Hi"!

On another note, I have actually finished a project I've been working on for the last few months. It's an electric guitar - a Gibson SG replica. She's come out pretty well - I've put step-by-step on my Philsville site for you to see how she was constructed.

Cheers

Philly

Coffin Smoother Upgraded

Hi Folks

One of the things I like about my job is the chance to make more than one of an item - when I build projects for the home they are usually one-offs and I never get to make them again (without the mistakes!). But over these last few years I've made many hundreds of planes - I'm pleased to say that I am still improving and refining them. And I'd like to introduce the latest refinements to my "Coffin Smoother" plane.

With the popularity of my "Classic Smoother" model I've been wanting to bring my Coffin smoother into line with its traditional looks and chamfers. So I've subtly altered the shape and added interesting period details to it. And after much testing (by myself and dozens of eager volunteers at shows) I'm pleased to say it has made the plane not only more handsome but much more comfortable to use - the flare of the body fits the hand perfectly!

I've also upgraded the iron to a full 4mm thick high carbon steel - its a BIG iron without being ridiculous. And you notice it in use - the iron doesn't even blink on even the gnarliest of timbers. The iron is also now 50mm wide (about 2 inches) making it the perfect smoother for your workshop.

So I hope you like the upgrades to this model - its not just some "go-faster" stripes added to spruce it up. Its a ground-up improvement that builds on the lessons I've learned from building planes. And did I mention she's a handsome looking plane, too!

Cheers

Philly

P.s. And no, it's not called a "coffin smoother" because it was used to plane coffins - the name refers to the coffin shaped curves of the sole!

Back To It..

HI Folks

Since my return from the States I've been back at the bench, beavering away at the batch of planes. I've also had some interesting ideas for new models, and will be showing some prototypes over the next few weeks.


First up - a customer wanted me to build him a smoother using an old toothing blade that he supplied. I was quite happy to do this and was looking forward to using it - while at the Lie-Nielsen factory I had opportunity to use their #62 with a toothed blade to flatten some gnarly stock.
I'm pleased to say it came out very nicely and hope to introduce my own toothing plane model in the near future.

I've also shipped another of my flagship model, the PPA5. This one again in African Blackwood, a beautiful and dense timber. I am now out of any suitable large pieces of this timber, so if anyone knows of a UK supplier I would be very grateful.



The "Festival Of The Tree" at Westonbirt is help at the end of August - I'll there over the four days demonstrating my planes and also giving a talk in the Masterclass tent. So if you are attending please drop on by and say hello!

Cheers

Philly