Pair of snipe planes finished.

 I'm happy with these. They are for my own use.

The blades are modified from other snipe planes. When I get some time, I will forge some new blades.

Planes

 Enjoying making planes lately.

I enjoyed making the hollow so much, I decided to make a pair of snipe planes. The business part of a snipe is a fine point, so it needs to be tough. English planes are traditionally 'boxed' with....box. The boxing is secured into a dado with hide glue. 

I am using hide glue from a bottle, a) because it's such a tiny amount needed and b) because it's here and I have no glue pot set up.

After the glue has set, profiling of the sole of the snipe can happen. A bit nerve-racking, with such a fine edge to be achieved, and on an expensive piece of timber; box takes a long time to grow into small diameter trunks!

Then to the blade. I am modifying a blade from a bigger snipe, reducing the width with a hacksaw and filing to the right profile.

First plane of the pair finished.

Shop open

It's taken a long time, but we finally have a shop open at www.jonbayescarving.co.uk. There will be carving for sale, and the main access point to courses on there.

Taster courses; try before you commit. Pop in to the shop and sample our wares!

The shop should become more populated in the coming weeks.

Up a side axe size.

I decided to move up a size on the side axe, for these wider panels today. I handled it ages ago, but forgot that I had smoothed the new handle, so I was able to go straight at it.

I was a bit concerned that I had put too much offset into the handle, but it worked beautifully and made short work of rough flattening the board.

Then onto the bench for scrub plane and then jointer.

A stubborn low point persisted; but that's what smoothing planes are for. Lovely big panel.

Featured on the front page of the Heritage Crafts Association

A feature on the front page of the Heritage Crafts Association, for all of our hand tool work shown there.

A Voice for Craft - Heritage Crafts |

A direct link to the page.

Jon Bayes, Maker at Heritage Crafts |

Also, this week a date has been set for the exhibition at Birdwood House, Totnes for the same stuff; put the date in your diary and come along and show support; 11-18th July 2026. All the furniture and woodworking demonstrations, obviously!

And in other exciting news, my welcome pack from the Guild of Master Craftsmen arrived, replete with stickers for the van.

New body

Some times everyone feels like they need a new body. I spent today making a new body for a moulding plane.

I bought these two at a sale. The blades cleaned up, and are useable.

There was some worm in the bodies, a sole repair on one and a broken wedge. I soaked the bodies in turpentine for several weeks, but this summer fresh worm holes appeared.

I have lots of beech, and was intending to make some new jointers with it. These two are more pressing, so they have jumped the queue.

I really enjoyed making the first one, and looking forward to making the second.

And of course, using them.

Guild of Master Craftsmen

As of today. a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen.

Customers should have confidence that they can rely on certain standards. Membership of the guild should re-assure prospective customers.