Miller falls plane

[Paul.J]

Hello everyone.
I was given a Miller Falls plane the weekend.Looks pretty old.
All thats on there is made in the U.S.A.It's rusted all over not too bad.
Just wanted to know about it.Never heared of the name before.Are they good planes is it worth cleaning up.
Cheers.
Paul.J.

 

[Amateurrestorer]

Hi Paul Millers Falls were a competitor of Stanleys back in the good old days in the USA. A lot of their planes were copies of Stanleys but seemed to be better manufactured they produced a really nice round (yes round) spokeshave and these are really sort after. At the moment their planes seem to be selling well on ebay.I have a couple and I really like them. Clean yours up and use it or speculate on ebay and see if you can raise some funds for one of their newer replacements ie Lie Nielsen or Veritas.

 

[MikeW]

Millers Falls info can be found here.

Lots of info, menu at the bottom.

Take care, Mike

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks Mike/Amateurrestorer.
Had a look on the website not really sure which one i have as i can't find any numbers on the plane,just know that it's 15" long 2-3/4" wide.
From what i've read though i will clean it up and probably keep it,don't really use hand tools anymore though,just now and then.It was only going in the bin. :?
Paul.J.

 

[Alf]

If it's rusty then the number on the side is proabbly obscured - sounds like it's a No.15, simply on the basis that MF numbered their planes based on the length in inches.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Paul.J]

Alf.You are right.
Gave it a bit of a clean,No 15 is on the side.Very tiny lettering :roll:
Paul.J.

 

[Anonymous]

Your MF is the equivalent of a Stanley #5 1/2 and a very nice plane. The early MF planes with the rosewood totes were especially nice and had the best blades of any of the common manufacturers that I've come across.

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks Roger.
I will clean it up,and no doubt just put it in my tool box with my other tools that don't get much use now.Shame really.
Paul.J.

 

[Alf]

I will clean it up,and no doubt just put it in my tool box with my other tools that don't get much use now.

](*,) Et pourquoi non? You're not letting good tools languish just 'cos they haven't got tails, are you? Think carefully before you answer this because I may have to send the lads round... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Paul.J]

Et pourquoi non?
Alf.Are you now trying to confuse me with some cornish lingo....just kidding :lol: .... i know it's spanish :wink:
To be honest Alf i can't really say that i have ever been any good with hand tools,mainly i suppose due to the fact that i have always used woodworking machines in my last 20 odd years of working.
Although i started out with an apprenticeship in Patternmaking :shock: where i did use hand tools a lot then.
I have only just recently (5 years ago)set up my workshop at home and started using power tools which i find a lot easier to use
Don't send the lads round just yet though as i won't be doing any selling just yet.
Paul.J.

 

[Hokie]

*gasp* Frantically reaching for The Handplane Book to gaze at the Buck Rodgers #709 on page 26 (not that I subscribe to all that is written by a hack).

Miller Falls is as American as apple pie and chicken nuggets. Not using said tool could be considered, well, you know :shock:

 

[Paul.J]

Back again.
Had a go at cleaning up this plane,fed up of moving it,and very nice it looks me thinks,but i can't get any movement on the blade. :?:
The wheel to adjust it just keeps unscrewing right out :!:
Can someone tell me what as gone wrong,or what i'm doing wrong.
Never had this problem before :? then again i don't use them all that much.
Also i have left the two handles as they were,even though they look a bit scruffy.Is it worth cleaning them and re- varnishing.
Paul.J.

 

[MrJay]

Up to you on the handles, though wax makes for a much more touchy-feely finish than varnish - if it's rosewood you can clean off the old stuff and wax straight on, lighter woods may benefit from some boiled linseed oil first. Personally speaking, I don't need much of an excuse to give tool handles a wax finish - makes you want to pick them up and use them.

Not sure of the blade problem, pics might help. Possibly the lever cap is too tight, loosen the cap screw a little, possibly something is amiss with the yoke not registering with the chip breaker; possibly you've perhaps picked up a plane with a posh after market blade fitted.

clicky

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks MrJay.
I have now solved the problem with the blade adjuster.
Here a a couple of piccys,before and after.
Click on image for larger piccy.





Paul.J.

 

[Pete W]

Good job, Paul - you did it proud