Check out these two images, Roman Plane, Remains of Roman Plane. Both of these are from this site.
The one shown here does not have the side plates, but if it isn’t an infill, it is close to being one. This one is clearly not an infill.
Christopher Schwarz has apparently made one too.
One thing important missing in the reports about these planes. No shavings in the pictures that I see. No report on how well the plane worked.
Bob
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I love pictures and diagrams of old/ancient tools. Thanks.
Old tools help us understand new tools.
Christopher Schwarz did finish it, and by all appearances it makes nice shavings, http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Romanstyle+Handplane+Completato.aspx
He does not however brag about how well it works. Makes me wonder.
Bob
It’s mind-boggling to look at the planes and then to look at the upscale models available today! Went on the Dartmouth College site and saw the lathe — I wish they’d post instructions on how to make them! They’re probably still underground, waiting to be dug up. 🙂
I agree, more details on the lathe would be really nice!
Bob
Good to see you on here Ms. Total…..!!!
Us locals have gotta stick together….
And, you can’t go wrong reading Bob’s stuff… he sure changed my life!
Hello Bob;
When I read about Cesar’s military engineers building quickie wooden bridges over the Rhine for the Legion to go in and whup up on the barbs; it really impressed me that they could also take them back out of the river quickly when they so the tribes couldn’t follow. And of course, left the bridge timbers sunk into the bottom for next time.
All of those ww’ing skills and tools had to already be in place and on the march for Cesar to be able to utilize them… Considering the quality of the roads they built and left behind, I bet their ww’ing craftsmanship was right up there too! And the Imperial period following shortly after probably generated some high-dollar wooden furniture for the fancy folks.
I suspect you want more details on the lathe so you can copy a more period-correct model??? Cooollll….
Skip
There is something in the roots of fine tool work that helps one see what is really essential in a tool. Generally where there is fine stone work, one can expect that the top end woodwork was at least as fine.
Bob