I would be interested in one of these blocks from the lumber yard.
Could you send me there phone number?
Thanks
Jack

(Robert) wrote in message . com...
A local lumber yard has several 4" by 6-8" by 18-24" lignum blanks
which it claims are "50 year old navy surplus." Apparently the navy
used to machine these into propeller bearings. Anyway, each blank
weighs 15-20 pounds, is covered in a thick wax-like substance, and is
face-centered (meaning the center of the tree runs right down the
middle of the blank). I'm an avid hand plane maker and have used
lignum vitae for soles and have even made a 3/4" shoulder plane out of
lignum.

My question is -- can one of these blanks be used to make an entire
hand plane out of lignum? In particular, (1) is the wood dry and
stable after curing for 50 years underneath the wax coating? I've
never dealt with wet lignum, but I can tell you that even dry lignum
is very reactive. After almost every cut, you have to resquare the
wood because it moves so much. (2) Other than the problem of grain
orientation of the plane bottom, is there anything about a
face-centered blank that I should be concerned about?

Robert