Paul Sellers' Little Gem: A Compact Hand Router Plane
Paul Sellers has designed and made a compact hand router plane, dubbed the "Little Gem". This ultra-pleasant plane to make and have ready to use can be assembled in under an hour.
The Little Gem is a downsized version of a router plane, with a narrow-bladed design that offers minimal resistance in the cut. The bed angle has been lowered to 44-45º, making it easier to use a combination square's existing 45º angle.
Sellers used a worn-out flat file as the base for the Little Gem, which he transformed into a tool steel cutting iron. He heated the file with a blowtorch to achieve a bright orange color, making it easier to cut with a hacksaw. The steel was then filed with a hand file to achieve the desired shape.
The brass wear plate is not essential, but it adds a touch of elegance to the design. Sellers used contact cement to maximize adhesion quality and added extra belts and braces by using screws through the plate.
The hanger bolts and thumb nuts used in the Little Gem are common hardware available online. The spring or split washer between two ordinary 4mm washers allows mechanical pressure to be applied to the retainer bar, which spans the blade in situ.
The simplicity of making the Little Gem lies in its single piece of wood and the two scallops on each side where the thumbs provide the push points in using the plane.
Construction Details
| Component | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Retainer bar | 68 mm (2 1/2") x 20 mm (3/4") x 3 mm (1/8") |
| Blade recess | 1 mm less than the thickness of the blade |
| 4 mm holes in the retainer bar | 50 mm (2") centres |
The blade recess is designed to hold the blade firmly to depth, while the two 4mm holes in the retainer bar are bored on 50mm centres. The retainer bar is 68mm long, 20mm wide, and 3mm thick.
Sellers also notes that the slight discrepancy between wood and brass wear place is of no material consequence. However, he suggests making the brass plate 1mm undersize to ensure it never shows.
Measuring Increment Marks
If you like the idea of measured increment marks, you can measure the teeth of the file. In Sellers' case, the teeth were at metric increments, which he used to determine the depth of the cut. A full revolution of the depth adjuster deepened the pass by half a millimeter, which he marked with a Sharpie to see exactly where the turn starts and ends.
The two notches on the Little Gem allow for deeper housing dadoes, and you can also flip the knurled thumb nut to achieve a range of depths.
Paul Sellers' Little Gem is a testament to the simplicity and elegance of handcrafted tools. With its compact design and ease of use, it's a must-have for any woodworker looking to create beautiful and precise cuts.
