By: Jill Chapman,
In dialogue with: Rob Paul, Research & Collections Volunteer
Usually a wood plane is used to shave a piece of wood to a desired shape, and the shavings become waste. There is a special type of plane; however, a Spill Plane, whose only purpose is to produce a special long coiled shaving called a ‘spill’.
The spill was used to transfer a flame from one location to another. For example, one could take a flame from a fireplace to light a candle, lamp or pipe tobacco. Spills burn more slowly and more consistently than paper. They were most popular in the days before matches became widely available (1860s).
There are many different designs of spill planes as they were commonly home-made. Once a spill plane is constructed, you simply push a piece of wood over the blade to make the long tightly-curled shaving. Straight grained softwood, such as pine, makes the best spills.
There were no spill planes available in the Lang Village archives, so Research & Collections Volunteer, Rob, decided to try making one from some scraps of wood and a spare blade.
Here's the result of his first attempt…
…It works!!!
Rob dazzled the office by allowing me (Jill) to test his creation. It worked in a simple and effective manner, a true remark of his fine craftsmanship. We experimented with different ways holding the wood piece while applying varying degrees of pressure to create the greatest spills. Note the assortment of test pieces (see photos).
Rob noted that while the spills are usable, they should really be a bit more tightly curled. He looks forward to fine-tuning this prototype in order to improve the product.
We certainly look forward to seeing the Spill Plane be put to use in the Village! Thank you Rob for sharing your skills and research with the Lang community!
Jill Chapman is the Visitor Experience Coordinator at Lang Pioneer Village Museum. She has been a member of the Lang team since May of 2012. Jill is a passionate advocate for education, the arts and fitness. When not at work, Jill might be found running through the North Cavan foothills or on one of the County’s rotary trails.
In dialogue with: Rob Paul, Research & Collections Volunteer
Usually a wood plane is used to shave a piece of wood to a desired shape, and the shavings become waste. There is a special type of plane; however, a Spill Plane, whose only purpose is to produce a special long coiled shaving called a ‘spill’.
The spill was used to transfer a flame from one location to another. For example, one could take a flame from a fireplace to light a candle, lamp or pipe tobacco. Spills burn more slowly and more consistently than paper. They were most popular in the days before matches became widely available (1860s).
There are many different designs of spill planes as they were commonly home-made. Once a spill plane is constructed, you simply push a piece of wood over the blade to make the long tightly-curled shaving. Straight grained softwood, such as pine, makes the best spills.
There were no spill planes available in the Lang Village archives, so Research & Collections Volunteer, Rob, decided to try making one from some scraps of wood and a spare blade.
Here's the result of his first attempt…
 |
| Spill Plane- Action Shot |
…It works!!!
Rob dazzled the office by allowing me (Jill) to test his creation. It worked in a simple and effective manner, a true remark of his fine craftsmanship. We experimented with different ways holding the wood piece while applying varying degrees of pressure to create the greatest spills. Note the assortment of test pieces (see photos).
Rob noted that while the spills are usable, they should really be a bit more tightly curled. He looks forward to fine-tuning this prototype in order to improve the product.
 |
| Spills- Transferrers of Flame! |
 |
| Spill Plane- Aerial View |
We certainly look forward to seeing the Spill Plane be put to use in the Village! Thank you Rob for sharing your skills and research with the Lang community!
Jill Chapman is the Visitor Experience Coordinator at Lang Pioneer Village Museum. She has been a member of the Lang team since May of 2012. Jill is a passionate advocate for education, the arts and fitness. When not at work, Jill might be found running through the North Cavan foothills or on one of the County’s rotary trails.