Quote from: coolford on September 12, 2020, 03:29:12 PM
Jim--C---I like the beehive, obviously you and the plane did a fine job. I just bought my first plane off e-bay.  E-bay sent me a Happy 25 coupon (a coupon for $25.00 as I have been on line with them for 25 years).  However, I never bought a plane as for the most part have been a wrench collector.  As I only had a few days to spend the coupon I could not find a wrench of interest.  So, looked at planes and "buy it now".  Wrenches I particularly like are those marked "Revonoc". As I did not have a Revonoc plane in my collection of nearly 400 planes I decided to see if such existed.  Well, I found one and it is a 24" fluted plane with a good mark on the iron.  I'm going to restore it and it should look good since it has good wood and no pitting----just a lot of missing paint.  Oh by the way, if you will spell Revonoc backwards you will see why I like such tools.----Charles

Hey coolford,

Thanks for checking in!  Congratulations on your first eBay hand plane purchase. Hard to believe you've been on eBay for twenty five years and never bought a hand plane even though you have several hundred in your collection.  Over the years I've bid on many and won more than one or two.  For the most part I've been happy with the plane I received, but I can think of a couple that I sent back, which is a hassle for me and the seller.  Like I've said so many times throughout the thread, take a close look at the plane, disassemble it if possible, etc., etc.  Unfortunately eBay doesn't let you do that.  You have to ask the right questions, look carefully at sometimes less than clear photos, then ask more questions and pray nothing gets damaged in shipping (which has happened to me once).  I hope your plane arrives safe and sound.

I must admit that I'm not familiar with Revonoc planes/tools, but I can see why you're drawn to to them!!  What are the odds of that?  Well, I'd like to see the plane once you receive it and get it back into shape.  Make sure to post a few pictures.


Jim C.

Jim-C----Did a little checking on the Revonoc plane and compared it to Stanley, Sargent and Union.  Best I can tell, it was made by Union.  The Revonoc plane has no markings except the iron.  A similar Union plane is marked No. 8 but has no other marks except the iron.  The sizes of both planes are similar, 3 1/8" wide and 23 7/8" long.  The frogs are similar and are not adjustable and the weight of both planes are 9 1/4 pounds.  I have a No.8 Union, that is also grooved and is just like the Revonoc, so it was not hard to see they are likely made by the same Company.  The main difference is the iron, the Revonoc iron is tapered, twice as thick at the cutting edge as the Union which is not tapered.  I found one reference that thought the Revonoc irons were made by Ohio Tool Co. 

Here are some pictures, I think I can make it look good as new with a little work.

Hey coolford,

Thanks for the photos!  I do like the logo on the iron.  I'm not familiar with the brand, but you could be right about it having been manufactured by another company and then re-branded.  I noticed that it has a corrugated sole. For some reason, I don't think corrugated soles were the first models to get re-branded.  Usually they're common sizes, like a #4 or #5, with smooth soles.  You have a #8 jointer with a corrugated sole.  That's a little less typical.  It leads me to think there may be other Revonoc models.  It's an interesting topic.  Based on your "backwards" association with the logo, are you going to collect more  Revonocs?

Jim C.

About twenty years ago, I was in a local Walden Books Store near my house.  Every time I went there, which was typically about once every month or so, I'd check out the new woodworking magazines, the current Corvette and/or hot rod magazines and then take a tour of the DIYer book aisle on my way over to the American History/Biography aisles where I'd pick a paperback to buy and read.  On my way to the register, I always made a quick stop in the woodworking/craft aisle.  I'd thumb through the pages of some books like "How to Get the Most of Your Table Saw, or "How to Build Better Cabinets" etc., etc. etc.  The color photos and seemingly foolproof techniques described in those books made them very tempting and occasionally I'd by one.  Looking back, I can't think of too many that really significantly impacted my quality of life out in the shop.  I got a few tips here and there, but nothing earth shattering.  So anyway, you're thinking, "Where's he going this time?"

Well, like I was saying, about twenty years ago, on my way to the register with my American history related paperback I made my usual stop in the woodworking/craft book aisle.  As I was scanning the book titles, I came across the book depicted below, "Making and Mastering Wood Planes" by David Finck.  I had never seen that book on any of my previous visits to the store.  Finding this book coincided with my growing interest in hand planes and with no more than a quick glance through its pages, I bought it without a second thought.  I could hardly wait to get home and start digging into this book.  I was going to make my own hand plane!  As I recall, I think I read the entire book in just a few days.  I have to say that the book was very well written, taking the reader though every little detail of not only making a plane from a block of hardwood, but also the use of traditional hand tools in its construction. 

Prior to starting on my plane, I had to get two things, a block of hardwood and a blade assembly.  For the wood, I turned to guy who my parents knew from church.  He made extra money sawing logs into lumber with a mobile tow-behind saw mill.  At first I didn't want to ask him, because I just assumed my choices would be oak, cherry or walnut and I didn't want those.  The book recommended, maple or beech to name a few.  Since  I didn't have any other potential sources for wood at that time, I figured it wouldn't hurt to at least meet the guy and check out his operation.  So my dad drove me out to his place and I gotta admit that I was really impressed.  There were several barns full of wood, a huge kiln for drying it, and several "car sized" piles of saw dust scattered around the barns. When we pulled into the driveway, a man came out of one of the barns and introduced himself. After we shook hands and he showed us around, he asked me what I was looking for.  I told him I needed some beech.  His response was, "How much do you want?"  From that day forward, I've never gone anywhere else for wood.  Tracking down a blade assembly was pretty easy.  I ordered one from Hock Tools, in California.  A week later it was in my mailbox. So, I had my block of beech, my blade and my book.  I was ready to go.

The day the blade arrived, I got started.  I followed the instructions in the book line by line up to the point where I had cut the block up into cheeks, a front ramp and a rear ramp.  (See the photo below depicting the book open to the page that details the plane parts cut to size and dimension.)  For whatever reason that I can't even remotely recall, I put the plane aside for a week or so.  Maybe it was work, the kids, some other project around the house, etc., or probably some combination of all of them, but the partially completed plane got moved to the side of my bench.  As expected, I kept having to shuffle it around to get it out of the way, so I eventually moved it to the bottom drawer of a rolling tool box with every intention of finishing it.  Occasionally I'd go into that drawer looking for something and I'd see that plane.  Every time I'd think to myself, "One of these days I'm going to finish that plane."  Well, as much as I hate to admit it, that plane sat in the bottom drawer of the tool box for twenty years.....  I never finished it. 

About a week ago, I went into that tool box drawer looking for something and like every other time, saw that little stack of wood blocks that would someday become a plane. The blade assembly was right there too.   For whatever reason, the unfinished plane suddenly became a priority.  I can't even tell you why but I took it out of the drawer, found where I left off in the book, and got to work.  Two days later it was done!  I took my time and I gotta say that I'm pretty happy with it's performance.  With just a few well placed hammer taps and outfitted with that thick Hock blade that just barely penetrates through the sole of the plane, it cuts a shaving that's whisper thin.  Along with the beech body, I made the cross pin from a little scrap of red oak and the wedge from a small piece of walnut.  The oak and walnut were no coincidence, but rather a reminder to keep an open mind and to find out all the facts before making a judgment.  (As I get older, I seem to be getting more introspective.) 

While the book goes into detail relating to shaping and contouring the plane's body, I choose to leave the plane closer to its original block-like form.  It's heavier and I believe that the extra mass adds positively to its cutting performance.  I must say that I really enjoyed the process of making the plane and I'm already planning my next one!  I just hope it doesn't take twenty years to complete!

Jim C.

Very nice!

Cool!!!  If it takes 20 years for the next one you may be putting it off because you are playing a harp.  I see those hand made planes every once in awhile at auctions.  Sometimes they go high and other times no one wants them, go figure?

Quote from: Yadda on October 20, 2020, 06:50:32 AM
Very nice!

Thanks 

Quote from: coolford on October 20, 2020, 07:33:29 AM
Cool!!!  If it takes 20 years for the next one you may be putting it off because you are playing a harp.  I see those hand made planes every once in awhile at auctions.  Sometimes they go high and other times no one wants them, go figure?

Yikes!!  Let's hope the harp thing is much further down the road, but I guess you never know.  I'm going to get started on my second plane today.  I have a cherry 9" long, 3" x 3" laminated cut off I'm going to try to turn into a smoother.  I'll keep you posted.

Jim C.

If you look closely at the cover of the book I referred to in reply #1128 above, you'll see a small brass hammer beneath a chisel.  The hammer is used to adjust the plane's iron.  The author of the book goes though the step-by-step process of making the hammer.  Well, I made the plane, so I figured I'd take a shot at the hammer too.

Jim C.

The plane and the hammer are sweet.  Keep us apprised.

Quote from: Northwoods on October 23, 2020, 09:20:39 AM


The plane and the hammer are sweet.  Keep us apprised.

Many thanks!   

Great job on both !

Quote from: Papaw on October 23, 2020, 05:19:18 PM
Great job on both !

+1

Nice work, Jim!! Please keep us posted on the progress of the plane, and all of your other endeavors!!!

Thanks for the kudos!  The hammer and the plane were fun projects.  I gotta say that retirement has been pretty good.  Everyday is a Saturday and I'm finally starting to get some projects done that I've been putting off for a long time. 

Jim C.