Starting the process....tooling up

This board is for discussing the repair and restoration of bamboo fly rods, makers discussion and construction techniques relating to same. Examples would be different techniques or methods used by restorationists and makers.

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dkp858
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Posts: 12
Joined: 02/14/21 14:01
Location: Midland, NC

Starting the process....tooling up

#1

Post by dkp858 »

This may take a while, planing forms, building a binder, building an oven etc...but I've started the process. I picked up an older Stanley 9 1/2 this weekend, with a rod makers groove. I was talking with a new customer about what he was going to do "in his retirement". He had been a sheet metal fabricator for a Nascar team and his job is going away. Long story short I started talking about getting started building bamboo fly rods and he suggested I get in touch with a friend of his. I called the friend, who is a member of the Carolina Flyfishing group and we start talking about planes and the rod makers groove. I tell him it was suggested to get one and that no one is selling them anymore. This guy is quite talented with a metal lathe and resourceful. I had read on this forum that maybe using a router and taking off .001 at a time would work. He tells me that a specific type of grinder would work, but he doesn't have one. This guy also makes reels, click and paw. I was interested in seeing his reels anyway, but last week he text me and says he has the Stanley with the groove if I'm interested. I go visit and we talk for about 2 hours in his shop. He actually used equipment owned by his uncle to create the groove. He did some research about grooves and problems about lifting nodes and tips so instead of the .003 in groove he made this one .0025. At some point I'll see how well this works, but down the rabbit hole I go................

BTW, if anyone is interested in adding a groove to a plane he is willing to do that.......pm me or email me

Dennis

mrampant
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Joined: 03/22/14 17:11
Location: south of Australia

Re: Starting the process....tooling up

#2

Post by mrampant »

I realise you have already done the groove but it really is not necessary. I actually found it a hinderance as the plane has to follow the cane in a straight line and I found it easier to angle it as I was planning.
If it works for you all the better.
Cheers,
Mark
He who shall not be able to make a trout fly, after studying these diagrams and directions, must be deficient either in brains or in manual dexterity. : Edward Fitzgibbon 1853

sanderson
Guide
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Joined: 06/29/20 19:55

Re: Starting the process....tooling up

#3

Post by sanderson »

Lie Nielsen still sells them...pricey though.

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fragmentum
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Joined: 02/21/15 11:50
Location: Missoula, MT
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Re: Starting the process....tooling up

#4

Post by fragmentum »

Grooving a good block plane is unnecessary. If you really want to have the center of your plane 'stand off' the surface of your planing forms, you can apply a thin strip of tape along the outer edge of the sole of your plane. Use a tape that is slick and durable, like Strong & Slippery UHMW Polyethylene Tape. This is about .003" thick so the dimension is correct.
https://www.amazon.com/TapeCase-423-5-U ... B01CL91OFM

The purpose of the 'groove' is to help prevent you from digging into your planing form with the edge of your blade, but there will still be instances of this happening, even on the edge of your form.

A comment on your find of an older Stanley 9½ block plane. Many of us are transitioning to 60½ lo angle planes for several reasons. #1 is that these planes have a better blade advance/retract adjuster that will move your blade in finer increments of adjustment over the older 9½ planes.

This is the old style adjuster:
Image

This is the newer style adjuster:
Image

#2: This newer style is on the G12-060 English made Stanley planes, and are found on the 'auction' site all the time. Make the wise choices early on...

dkp858
Member
Posts: 12
Joined: 02/14/21 14:01
Location: Midland, NC

Re: Starting the process....tooling up

#5

Post by dkp858 »

I actually emailed lie neilson and was informed via return email that they no longer offer the groove....

Don, based on your pictures I got an older style 9 1/2

sanderson
Guide
Posts: 342
Joined: 06/29/20 19:55

Re: Starting the process....tooling up

#6

Post by sanderson »

They must have dropped the grooved plane in last couple months. I love mine, really minimizes the nicks on forms.

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