Planemaking · Antique & shop-made

Handplanes

I have been fascinated with antique handplanes, and people making modern reproductions of and new takes on them, for years. I have a modest collection of planes, and am taking early steps into making some of my own. Plow planes of all types, wooden planes, and infill planes are my favorites. Here I collect notes from my projects, document in-progress planes, and offer drawings and measurements of some of the antique planes in my collection.

The collection ↓From the bench ↓

No. 7 Smoothing PlaneSpiers (Ayr) · c. 1890s

Pair of #4 Molding PlanesA.W. Gibbs · 2022

Screw-Sided Smoothing PlaneSpiers (Ayr) · c. 1840 →

The Collection6 Planes I’ve Made3 In Progress3 Reference Shelf7

The Collection

6 planes

Antique planes in the till — specs, provenance, and photographs, with CAD models and measured drawings where I’ve made them.

No. 7 Smoothing Plane

Spiers (Ayr) · c. 1890s

Sole9"

Iron2 1/8"

Pitch50°

Screw-Sided Smoothing Plane

Spiers (Ayr) · c. 1840

Sole7 1/2"

Iron2 1/4"

Pitch45°

Small Infill Rabbet Plane

Unknown Maker · late 19th century

Sole2.82" x 0.45"

Iron0.45"

Bed Pitch23°

Mouse-Shaped Rabbet Plane

Unknown Maker · 19th century

Sole5.475" x 0.480"

Iron0.480"

Bed Pitch13.25°

Infill Panel Plane

Unknown Maker · c. 1900-1920

Sole15 3/4" x ?"

Iron2 1/4"

Pitch?°

812-50S Smoothing Plane

Ron Brese · c. 2009

Sole8" x ?"

Iron?"

Pitch?°

Planes I’ve Made

3 planes

Pair of #4 Molding Planes

A.W. Gibbs · 2022

BodyBeech

Length10"

Bed50° (York pitch)

S-06 Smoothing Plane

A.W. Gibbs · 2025

Length7.4"

Iron2 3/8"

Bed45°

Tiny Infill Rabbet Plane

A.W. Gibbs · 2025

BodyBrass & Rosewood

Length2.82"

Bed23°

In Progress

3 builds

S-02 Smoothing Plane

In progress · August 1, 2026

A smaller version of the S-06, this will have brass sides and lever cap and a 1 7/8" iron. The sole is 1018 steel, 3/16" thick.

Stainless Rabbet Plane - 2502

In progress · November 3, 2025

No. 6 Molding Plane Pair

In progress · December 3, 2022

I started a second pair of molding planes, built exactly like my #4s. This one has gotten stalled out.

The Reference Shelf

7 entries

Books

Brunner, Hans. Infill Planes: Spiers, Norris, Mathieson, Preston. Crow Publishing, 2016. ISBN 0-9945162-0-7.

Kingshott, Jim. Making & Modifying Woodworking Tools. Lewes, UK: Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd, 1992.

A fantastic intermediate level look at constructing infill planes (and a few other tools!) Assumes a good deal of pre-existing skill, but includes drawings taken from antiques for various Spiers and Norris planes.

Lampert, Nigel. Through Much Tribulation: Stewart Spiers and the Planemakers of Ayr. Victoria: Oliver Publications, 1999. ISBN 0-646-36426-X.

Limited edition of 1000 copies, hard to find.

Neville, Bruce. How to Build an Infill Plane: A Step-by-Step Guide for Building a 9" and 6 1/2" Curved Smoother. Self-published.

Contains step-by-step photographs as well as technical drawings for the construction of an infill smoother. The text is minimal—largely captions—but the photographs are plentiful and clearly illustrate the steps.

Roberts, Kenneth. Scottish and English Metal Planes Manufactured by Stewart Spiers and Manufactured by T. Norris & Son. K. Roberts Publishing Co., 1991. ISBN 0-913602-69-8.

Videos

Williams, Larry. Making Traditional Side Escapement Planes. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, 2007.

The definitive resource for a full description of making traditional molding planes and their irons.

Notes

Gibbs, A. W. “Side Escapement Molding Planes – Construction Notes.” 2022.

A currently incomplete polishing of my construction notes and illustrations from my first molding plane build.