Clifton suspension!

[jimi43]

Ok...so I can't put a thick blade in my Records and Stanleys without surgery to the mouth...and I suppose I will do that eventually but I thought in the interim I might try a new chip breaker.

In another discussion with Peter at Axminster today (that guy has a lot to answer for )....he recommended a thicker chip breaker...

In the absence of LN or Hock ones I thought I would try one of these little babies...

First of all...the quality is amazing...and I like the Stay-Set design from the old SS Records...the one that I have is a No.7 and it is by far the best plane I have.

SO...I bought two..one 2" and one 2 3/8" so that I could test drive them in the No.4 and a variety of others...the No.4 1/2 and No. 5 1/2 were the first I had in mind.

Immediately I noticed that the plane was more positive...the No.4 1/2 especially. It just felt smoother and certainly I experience no chatter whatever...even when I tried quite a deep cut.

I think this is a really cheap upgrade to anyone wanting to get more out of their old Stanleys and Records but, like me, can't afford the Rolls Royces (yet!)

Oh...and they are now a breeze to hone!

Jim

 

[Mike H]

I have done the same to a very old Record 5, but also I put in one of the Axminster Japanese laminated blades. The improvement is extraordinary.

Those laninated blades seem to hols onto an incredible edge forever.

Mike

8)

 

[OPJ]

They do make a big difference, don't they. Ultimately, their impression isn't quite as great as the one left by a thicker iron but, once you get used to the fact that the front piece might fall off when you remove the blade , you begin to see the clear advantages, here. For me, these are that you can flatten the back of an iron easily and clear any chips that get trapped between the blade and chip breaker - admittedly, this shouldn't happen on a well-fettled plane but, you don't need a screwdriver for either! :wink:

 

[jimi43]

I have done the same to a very old Record 5, but also I put in one of the Axminster Japanese laminated blades. The improvement is extraordinary.

Those laninated blades seem to hols onto an incredible edge forever.

Mike

8)

Funny you should say that Mike...

Following my recent love for all tools Japanese...I had the guy at Axminster searching high and low for one for my No.4 1/2 and they had sold out.

The great thing about them is that they are thinner than the other upscale ones so they are a direct replacement for the Record or Stanley irons...I am going to get a pair next month...they ain't cheap!

Yup OPJ...just what I liked about the SS...and apparently the rear part ends up flatter on the blade as a result of the break. I know some people think they are less stable but that is not my experience.

Jim

 

[ByronBlack]

Thanks for posting your findings Jim - I've considered doing this in the past but didn't think it would be worth it, but i'll ad it to my list of future upgrades. Do you think this would be worth adding to one of the newer QS planes?

 

[jimi43]

Thanks for posting your findings Jim - I've considered doing this in the past but didn't think it would be worth it, but i'll ad it to my list of future upgrades. Do you think this would be worth adding to one of the newer QS planes?

For £15 to £17 depending on the size...it is worth a punt.

I have to do more testing on the larger of the two but the 2" fair whizzes along.

Will come back to you on that test.

The difference in thickness and comments from Peter at Axminster...who, for those who attended the Kent Bashe will attest, knows his stuff, lead me to believe that any chatter will be a thing of the past.

I need to try some difficult grain for further tests....will post more when I have the No 4 1/2 up and running.

Jim

 

[ByronBlack]

Thanks for posting your findings Jim - I've considered doing this in the past but didn't think it would be worth it, but i'll ad it to my list of future upgrades. Do you think this would be worth adding to one of the newer QS planes?

For £15 to £17 depending on the size...it is worth a punt.

I have to do more testing on the larger of the two but the 2" fair whizzes along.

Will come back to you on that test.

The difference in thickness and comments from Peter at Axminster...who, for those who attended the Kent Bashe will attest, knows his stuff, lead me to believe that any chatter will be a thing of the past.

I need to try some difficult grain for further tests....will post more when I have the No 4 1/2 up and running.

Jim

Sounds good -- When my QS turns up, I'll do some testing and will add one of these and see what the difference is - if it's not that great, I can always use it on an old stanley 5 jack

 

[jimi43]

Well I got the No 4 1/2 done and the improvement is the same...much better.

It feels more solid and with such a wide iron on a small sole...this is prone to being difficult. I tried it on some rather knotty pine...it was almost as if the knots were not actually there...

The results were very good...thinner shavings...

....I think because I have far more control over the cut adjustment. It is just more solid and positive.

The lateral adjustment was smoother as well...and it was easy to get even shavings...

These sort of modifications are fairly difficult to quantify...but all in all I feel that for the price...this is a detectable improvement.

Jim

 

[ByronBlack]

Looks good Jim, will be interesting to see how you get on with some harder exotic/wild grain woods..

 

[jimi43]

Looks good Jim, will be interesting to see how you get on with some harder exotic/wild grain woods..

I only tested it on pine, beech and oak and the results were about the same...

Let me see if I can find something in the shop to test it further....

Jim

 

[ByronBlack]

Looks good Jim, will be interesting to see how you get on with some harder exotic/wild grain woods..

I only tested it on pine, beech and oak and the results were about the same...

Let me see if I can find something in the shop to test it further....

Jim

Does your missus mind you playing with your wood this late in the evening? ;-)

 

[jimi43]

HA! Nah...she's listening to Thin Lizzy and Santana on TV with the dog...great taste my missus!

Ok...one wood I absolutely detest is American Walnut...this example normally tears out all over the place..but this time it didn't ....

Even on wider flat sides....

Cherry? Rough bandsawn....

Shavings for eternity...

Smooth....

What about some mahogany with opposing grain...

The back grain did not rip out as I had before...

and for the finale....you know that lump of burr elm that I use as a stand for bits to photograph...well it has a bit of a rough bottom....let's see...

Walk in the park...

Not up to low angle LN or Veritas but not bad for an old Stanley...

Dire Straits are on...and Tom Petty...so gotta shoot!

That was fun!

Jim

 

[ByronBlack]

Good tunes, and good shavings, a nice nights work Jim - thanks for sharing.

 

[jimi43]

Good tunes, and good shavings, a nice nights work Jim - thanks for sharing.

Cheers mate...I am pleased that the old bootfair came through again...and I learned a lot more than if I had bought a stock plane off the shelf...probably got a couple of better tools in the process.

Return to the River Kwai is on now...good job tomorrow is Sunday!!!

Jim

 

[head clansman]

hi Jim

I learned a lot more than if I had bought a stock plane off the shelf...probably got a couple of better tools in the process.

hit the nail on the head mate. I can see that bug has well and truly bitten , sorry to tell you this , it all down hill from this point onwards , oooh dear not much hope for you no more .hc :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: keep um coming Jim

 

[woodbloke]

Personal thing here...but I hate those two piece chipbreakers with a passion :evil: :evil: If wanted to change, I'd go for the QS 'breakers that Matthew sells - Rob

 

[jimi43]

Personal thing here...but I hate those two piece chipbreakers with a passion :evil: :evil: If wanted to change, I'd go for the QS 'breakers that Matthew sells - Rob

You're giving me a complex Rob...waterstones are "a waste of money"...you "hate the chipbreakers with a passion"...(note not just dislike them!)

Bad week was it mate or is it just me?

A guy could get paranoid... :wink:




Jim

 

[Philly]

Don't worry Jim - in a few months Rob will be changing his mind and be right behind you...... :lol:
Ducking and a weaving.....
Philly :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

Bad week was it mate or is it just me?




Jim

Bad week Jim...change of job location, now 'hot desking' :roll: :evil: I tried the waterstones route some years ago and couldn't get on with them...and I've never, ever liked the two part 'breakers - Rob

 

[jimi43]

Bad week was it mate or is it just me?




Jim

Bad week Jim...change of job location, now 'hot desking' :roll: :evil: I tried the waterstones route some years ago and couldn't get on with them...and I've never, ever liked the two part 'breakers - Rob

No worries mate...I ain't gonna sell nuffink this week so I was wondering...



I think Peter said it best at Axminster...."it doesn't matter what you use...how you use it...as long as what you get is sharp enough to do the job you want the way you want it done..." or something like that...

I mean...how difficult can it be to get two lines meeting together at a known angle with only a few atoms leaving every so often....

Walk in the park my friend...walk in the park! 8)

Jim