Popular Woodworking 2006-08 № 156, страница 58
169" thick, 2V2" w. Contact: 98 Havencrest Drive Leicester, LE5-2AH United Kingdom Sole length: 143/4" Weight 7 lbs. 15 oz. Pitch of iron: 50° Mouth opening: Immeasurably tight Iron: High-carbon steel, .186" thick, 2V2" w. Contact: sauerandsteiner.com or 519-568-8159 The Bill Carter jointer plane dwarfs two smaller Carter miter planes. Carter sometimes uses recycled materials - the little plane is made from a backsaw. is beautifully chamfered and the wooden infill is gracefully shaped. It is absolutely exquisite to behold. But pushing it is another matter. It is my opinion that infill jointers don't fit the American style of work. They are too heavy to wield for any length of time by mortals. After 10 minutes of pushing this tool up and down my bench, I was ready for a nap. Also, the front infill is difficult to grip - or perhaps I never found the right grip. I own a small Carter miter plane, and I have used several of his other planes so I know they are eminently usable tools. This jointer deserves a place above the mantle, or as part of an upper-body workout program. Sauer & Steiner: New Kid on the Block Konrad Sauer is a graphic designer turned furniture maker turned toolmaker. And all three of those traits are evident in his world-class workhorses. Sauer, who lives and works outside Toronto, incorporates classic touches from historic infill planes such as the venerable Spiers and Norris brands. But he blends them in a way that makes his tools both classic and distinctive. All of his tools look unmistakably like they are in the same vein, even his custom work. Konrad Sauer made furniture before he made tools. And it shows here in the sculptural front bun on one of his panel planes. As far as workmanship, Sauer's planes are at the top of the heap. I could find no flaws in the four bench planes that I inspected closely (two panel planes, one unhandled smoothing plane and a j ointer plane). The metal work was excellent. And the wood showed off Sauer's strengths as a furniture maker. The infill material he selected was itself astonishing, and the small details - fillets, curves and chamfers - were gorgeous. But how do his planes function? Remarkably well. Everything clicks and fits together in a workmanlike manner. There's no fussing with this or that. The adjuster is precise yet not precious. The iron is well bedded on a massive steel throat plate and wooden bed. And the tools (all of them) are a joy to push. Naturally, the A Sauer & Steiner jointer plane (left) with two panel planes by the same maker. The Sauer & Steiner planes all have consistent lines. high pitch and impossibly tight mouth relegate the panel plane I tested (about $2,800) for smoothing large surfaces, which it does with great aplomb. Sauer's business, which has kicked into high gear in the last couple years, will surely flourish because of his energy and the exquisite finished product. Sauer & Steiner No. 4: Finishing Magic I'd really like to hold up this tool for special mention. It lacks a rear tote, which will turn off some users, but I found the plane a delight to wield. The coffin shape of the body and gracefully shaped infills conspire to make this a tool that you unconsciously reach for while working. Like the other unhandled tools I tried, there is a tendency for your hand to rub on the back edge of the iron a bit during long planing sessions, but that's a small price to pay. Because of the No. 4's tight mouth (I tried to photograph it but failed because it was too small) and 55° pitch, it's for finishing cuts alone. This was, to me, one of the most appealing tools of the whole bunch. Robert Baker Box Miter: Steeped in History Baker has been making infill planes for a long time for builders of furniture and musical instruments. But his main line of business is in restoring old tools (and sometimes furniture). He's quite famous for his restoration work - many gorgeous and important tools have passed through his shop. I think it's clear that his 56 Popular Woodworking August 2006 |
