Air castles

[woodbloke]

And I didn't even mention all the others :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

We know :lol: ... - Rob

 

[Eric The Viking]

I want to joint boards, probably no more than 4ft long, smooth surfaces, and generally get things square and flat.

At the risk of going 'against the grain' as it were, you can joint a tiddly 4 foot long piece with a 5 or 5-1/2 perfectly satisfactorily. If you want to do 6, 7, 8 foot long stuff and above then you will begin to see a benefit from a proper jointer.

If you want a long plane without the workout have a chat with Philly, but to be honest you can make a seamless joint with a jack at that size of workpiece - especially if you are lightly built yourself.

I think you've just blown away my best arguments for a #7 ("read this, dear!") and overeating ("I need to be able to push those tools, properly!"), but hey, I'm not discouraged!

Seriously, I do take your point though: it's down to technique, setup and well sharpened and carefully cambered irons. Yes, I can indeed get a nice flat & square finish with the #5 (just done a window casement, finished largely by hand), but I think the extra mass and longer sole, especially on the nose (can you have a sole on your nose?), would be helpful,

I've got an opportunistic (read 'optimistic'!) bid on a circular plane on eBay at the moment. The #7's next on the list, I think (a grooved one if I can find one).

Many thanks,

E.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Result!

Couldn't find a grooved one at a sensible price, but I've ended up with a war-finish American Stanley #7 for not-a-lot via eBay.

It does need fettling, but the frog fits well - snug and square, and the sole is pretty flat. I think the handles are possibly Maple rather than Rosewood. They've been stained a dark grey-brown at some time (the tote looks worse than the knob). It has a pretty worn out Record iron and chipbreaker, so will soon sport a standard Stanley blade for the time being (Ray Isles in due course, I hope).

I set the frog and borrowed my 4.1/2's iron and cap to test it - nice shavings immediately with far less effort than I imagined.

Fettling the sole will be an awkward chore though. I don't have any glass long enough at the moment to act as a base (22"! It is long!). So I'll have to chat up the local Glaziers for some 6mm offcut, and double-side it to MDF, probably. If I can't get a flat enough substrate easily, I'm not going to even try to flatten it further - I won't live long enough to see an advantage!

Still, I'm sorted for now - thanks for all the advice.

E

 

[bugbear]

It has a pretty worn out Record iron and chipbreaker, so will soon sport a standard Stanley blade for the time being (Ray Isles in due course, I hope).

Given the amount of jointing most part time(*) woodworkers do, if the Record has more than 1/3" of cutting length, it's a lifetime's worth, and the old Record blades were good.

BugBear

(*) and full time woodworkers use power jointers, so them too!

 

[Eric The Viking]

It has a pretty worn out Record iron and chipbreaker, so will soon sport a standard Stanley blade for the time being (Ray Isles in due course, I hope).

Given the amount of jointing most part time(*) woodworkers do, if the Record has more than 1/3" of cutting length, it's a lifetime's worth, and the old Record blades were good.

BugBear

(*) and full time woodworkers use power jointers, so them too!

Did occur to me! It's why I chose that one really - the sole was better than the other two (had a choice of three).

The chipbreaker is very thin and manky though - it doesn't bear down well on the iron, and someone has had at it with a stone in the past, badly. It's hollowed rather than straight across the business end.

Also the clamp screw (chipbreaker to iron) is chewed up and nasty, having been tightened with a pipe wrench, I think! I guess that was an attempt to get the chipbreaker to bite better.

So for about £15 I can get a double iron from Axy, which solves those problems (they come with the screw), and I can still hone the Record iron and use it (I've a feeling it will be good). Shavings with the borrowed double iron from my #4.1/2 are good. In pine you can read through them (just), and gentle effort chucks them out of the throat all over the front of the plane. I doesn't quite sing yet, but it will 8) .

It's the second lever cap I have though with a small chip out of the corner. It doesn't bother me because that's where pressure is least important, but it's odd - do they all go there, or is it just the first point of contact with the ground?

E.

 

[jimi43]

Usually Eric...the chip out of the lever cap is caused by using it as a screwdriver for the cap iron in the corner.

ALWAYS use a screwdriver on all screws on a plane that both fits the width of the groove and depth perfectly. Some people (like me) get individual old flat ended screwdrivers from bootfairs and fettle them just for that purpose.

The brass screws holding the handles are particularly susceptible to damage by using incorrect tools on them.

The irons that you can find vary in quality greatly...from the "cheese" ones of later years to the beautiful Hock, Lie Nielsen, Clifton and Iles ones available today for the price of a small family car. Be careful to choose ones that fit the mouth or that may be another job for you to do!

I like the Clifton double cap (Stay Set) also available from Axminster...but others hate them...

Try taking your plane to them and try one out...they are very helpful. Sittingbourne recently had an open day where planes were fettled by the great Peter Hibbin. See if there is such a day in your area.

My No.7 is an old Record SS and I simply love it. It does the job for me.

Jim

 

[Eric The Viking]

ALWAYS use a screwdriver on all screws on a plane that both fits the width of the groove and depth perfectly. Some people (like me) get individual old flat ended screwdrivers from bootfairs and fettle them just for that purpose.

I do. I have a stumpy "Spiralux" one, but I've also got an old screwturn that wanders about the work area (muttering a bit), doing the cover catches on the bandsaw, plane irons and sometimes (this causes yelps), paint tins.

I'm merciless, me, with tools.

The irons that you can find vary in quality greatly...from the "cheese" ones of later years to the beautiful Hock, Lie Nielsen, Clifton and Iles ones available today for the price of a small family car. Be careful to choose ones that fit the mouth or that may be another job for you to do!

The Record iron that came with it looks interesting. I think it's cast (or cast+forged), rather than sheet steel. A previous owner has squared it off, I think with a file, at right angles, then comprehensively bogged-up the main bevel. It'll clean up nicely but has only about 1/2" of useful life in it (still enough really for me!). I"m supposed to be painting a casement today, so it's on the round tuit list, but a non-working plane is useless, so it's not far from the top.

I will get it a Stanley twin-set (and beehive hairdo: retro is cool!), because it needs a well-fettled chipbreaker, and that's a quick fix.

I like the Clifton double cap (Stay Set) also available from Axminster...but others hate them...[\quote]

I'm not a huge fan, mainly because I think it's a nuisance for honing - for me it physically gets in the way a bit (my fingers are clumsy). If I have to take it off, it defeats the object really.

But I'm keen on thicker irons, as the improvement is evident. I have a Japanese laminated blade in the #5, and that's brilliant too. It's a bit of a fiddle to grind - the first time I got it spot on, last time I really didn't quite get there (but I was bedding-in a new sharpening machine). I might go down that route, but the wider ones (2.3/8") are quite pricey, and as mentioned elsewhere, NOT SQUARE, which is a PITA.

Still pleased. I had a go at the tapped threads last night: all cleaned-up nicely, so the frog adjuster now works smoothly too.

Later...

E.

 

[bugbear]

The Record iron that came with it looks interesting. I think it's cast (or cast+forged), rather than sheet steel. A previous owner has squared it off, I think with a file, at right angles, then comprehensively bogged-up the main bevel. It'll clean up nicely but has only about 1/2" of useful life in it (still enough really for me!).

A photo, especially of the top end (with markings, logo etc) would be helpful.

BugBear

 

[Eric The Viking]

The Record iron that came with it looks interesting. I think it's cast (or cast+forged), rather than sheet steel. A previous owner has squared it off, I think with a file, at right angles, then comprehensively bogged-up the main bevel. It'll clean up nicely but has only about 1/2" of useful life in it (still enough really for me!).

A photo, especially of the top end (with markings, logo etc) would be helpful.

BugBear

Will do, but am covered in fine white dust at the moment. Not good for the camera.