record plane - cannot retract the blade far enough

[mickthetree]

Hey all

I picked up a record 5 1/2 from ebay last week. It came with the blade incorrectly seated on the frog. I've adjusted it and it now seats fine, however the blade protrudes from the sole by about 1mm when fully retracted and with the cap iron as close to the edge as possible.

I would normally set my cap iron back a lot further but it protrudes even more then.

Any suggestions as to what to try? maybe its not the original blade and maybe the reason for the sale, although it looks the right age to fit the plane. Its clarenly hardly been used. I will probably pickup a clifton blade for it from work anyway, but would like to check its all fine first.

Any suggestions?

oh and merry christmas, one and all. :ho2 :ho2

 

[kirkpoore1]

Have you tried releasing the lever cap, pulling the iron assembly back, and locking the lever cap again? If you've tried that, then I guess the next step is grinding a little off of the end of the iron and resharpening.

Kirk
out of good ideas...

 

[matthewwh]

I think you'll find the problem lies with the cap iron rather than the cutting iron. You could try bending it and then grinding the tip back (from underneath) or replacing it. The Clifton two piece cap iron or Quangsheng one piece should both fit and, if the original cutting iron holds it's edge, may be sufficient to improve the stiffness of the double iron as a whole.

 

[mickthetree]

thanks guys

I agree Matthew. I was lying in bed this morning thinking that its the lever cap that registers on the lever, not the blade. Wont matter how much I grind the blade back. The quasheheng 2 3/8 blade page mentions a 2 piece cap iron. is that in reference to a different quesheng cap iron? or the clifton jobbie?

Also are you going to be getting any more of the record longer y levers? Might need one for my no. 8.

 

[matthewwh]

No, sorry that was a typo in the description (now corrected), the Quangsheng ones are single piece and the Clifton are two piece.

We just had a delivery from Clico and I think there should be some Record Y levers in there.

 

[mickthetree]

Thanks Matthew, I need to get some bits so will add one of those when they come back on.

I took a look at the 5 1/2 and tried my 4 1/2 blade in it but it was too wide.

I recall reading that some of the models produced were made to different sizes. I'll have to check that a third party blade will fit.

 

[matthewwh]

It may be designed for a 2-1/4" blade, as far as I know Ray Iles is the only one making them at the moment, in O1 or D2 depending on what you want to use the plane for. If you wanted to change the cap iron I think you'd have to skim a 16th of either side of a 2-3/8" one, but on a soft cap iron that's going to be substantially less work than doing the same to a hardened blade.

 

[mickthetree]

Many thanks Matthew

 

[Alf]

Ron Hock also does a 2 1/4" iron, just for completeness of info. He also does a 2 1/4" cap iron.

Lucky man if you've found a 2 1/4" #5 1/2 - my favourite size, but sadly ditched for the 2 3/8" wide iron in the late 1930s.

 

[mickthetree]

Cheers Alf

I've had a look on fine tools Germany but cannot see the 2 1/4 chip breaker that Ron Hock does.

Do you know where else one could get one?

Classic Hand Tools dont seem to do them either.

I think it is going to require some fettling, but I did purchase it for rough hogging work, so dont intend to be too precious about it (like I am with my cliffy 5 1/2) :wink:

 

[matthewwh]

If you give Mike a ring he will probably be able to get one of Ron's for you.

If you want it for rough work though D2 might be a better bet than O1?

 

[Alf]

Yeah, Mike at CHT would get you one, I'm sure. Or go straight to source.