Over the years, I have replaced many of the thin stock blades in my vintage hand planes with modern aftermarket blades. Looking for a way to put an old blade to good use, I combined it with a few scraps of wood to make a flush-cut plane–a handy tool for various trimming chores and for removing dried glue at intersecting project parts.
To make a plane like this, begin with a block of wood about 1" thick, exactly as wide as the blade, and about 1⁄2" shorter. Bevel the front half of the block down to about 3⁄8" for a good grip, and ease the edges for comfort. Shape a bit of hardwood to make a plug that snugly fits the blade slot, glue the plug in place to the underside of the body, and then trim it flush to the surface of the blade. Finish up by epoxying a 1⁄2"-diameter rare-earth magnet into a blind hole in the bottom, insetting it so it’s flush with the surface of the block to hold the blade in place.
—Alejandro Balbis, Longueuil, Quebec
