Preston Infill Smoother

[richarddownunder]

Hi All

Wondered if anyone had experience with Preston Infill smoothing planes? I have spied one on our local auction site for around 200 quid and wondered if I should take a punt (having always wanted a Norris and having not been able to find a nice one for a decent price). Does this look authentic? I'm surprised the tote looks so nice and polished while the rest of the infill looks a bit more knocked about, but it seems to be un-modified to me. I dont know whether it's a steel dovetailed one or cast iron.

Thanks in advance

Richard

 

[bugbear]

I'm not sure that's a parallel iron.

It looks like it only just got bought - you can still see the string of the price tag.

Is there any Preston marking on it other than the blade?

BugBear

 

[richarddownunder]

Hi Bugbear

The guy has a few planes for sale including a late model Norris http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... &archive=1 if you can see that - not sure of the situation and not sure if the Norris is a better bet with an adjuster - I gather the later models werent as good and the finish looks a bit crude by comparison with the Preston but open to others' comments on that.

It looks like the blade isn't parallel, thicker towards the sharp end, so does that mean its likely to be from a wooden plane? I havent had a reply to my question whether its a Preston blade but the lever cap is defineately Preston.

Cheers
Richard

 

[richarddownunder]

This would suggest that the iron should be parallel - I didnt think much about it when I saw this but I suppose it means parallel in thickness. http://www.handplane.com/images/Catalog ... g1-Big.jpg. If it isn't original, I might give it a miss. However, the thickness may be an optical illusion :?: . I'll see if the bloke replies.

Cheers
Richard

 

[D_W]

I'd want a few bucks off of that (if the iron isn't original and parallel) because you'll have some cleaning to do, and perhaps need to find a parallel iron. If you don't and go to sell it later, the buyer will want money off for the lack of the correct iron.

Handle could be an older replacement, they are often replaced. Could be original, though. Make sure there is a reinforcement rod up through the bottom.

Should be a good plane if there are enough pictures to show nothing else wrong. Looks a lot like a Norris 3, which is a nice plane to use.

If you do figure out that the iron is correct and it has a decent amount left to the slot, that's a fair price.

 

[D_W]

Looking more closely at that iron, it does look like it's preston. If it is, it looks awfully close to parallel to me (close enough that I can't really tell), and I'd buy it.

You can ask the seller if it's parallel, too. I typed the above from my phone earlier. This is what I'd do:
* check with the seller to make sure the iron is preston - it fits in the mouth area very well
* ask if any of the infills are loose
* ask if there are any cracks that you can't see (if the front infill is cracked, the value of the plane drops significantly. I can't see to be sure

If the iron seems to be original, I'd probably give 200 pounds for it and clean it. Nobody is going to boast about the price if they buy it for that, but it's honest and you should end up with a good plane, albeit one with some fairly significant pitting.

Right on the norris thing - I paid $365 for a no2 that was tight from disuse, had a replaced handle (reasonably well done) and what looks like a tiny bit of user file work done to the mouth. I'm happy to get it for that. Everyone knows what they are, and it's more often that someone thinks a basket case is worth 600 pounds than someone thinks a nice plane is worth 300 pounds.

 

[richarddownunder]

Thanks D_W, I have asked the seller if there are any other defects as well as about the iron. No reply as yet.
Cheers
Richard

 

[richarddownunder]

Well, its an original Preston Iron so, since I was working late and the offer expired before I would have got home, I asked the wife to buy it. She accidentally bought the Norris I posed the link to previously instead :shock: . Its from the same seller and almost the same price. If the adjuster and mouth is OK, the Norris might be an OK plane to use -just not as pretty as the older Norris planes or the Preston. I've asked whether he will still consider sending the Preston. I guess we will see.

Would you buy the Norris or Preston?

Cheers
Richard

 

[bugbear]

Preston!

BugBear

 

[dickm]

I'll stick with my £10 Spiers, thanks...............

 

[D_W]

Well, its an original Preston Iron so, since I was working late and the offer expired before I would have got home, I asked the wife to buy it. She accidentally bought the Norris I posed the link to previously instead :shock: . Its from the same seller and almost the same price. If the adjuster and mouth is OK, the Norris might be an OK plane to use -just not as pretty as the older Norris planes or the Preston. I've asked whether he will still consider sending the Preston. I guess we will see.

Would you buy the Norris or Preston?

Cheers
Richard

The preston, without question if you're intending to use the thing.

 

[AndyT]

Surely the only way to ensure future marital bliss is for her to keep the Norris she has already bought and for you to buy the Preston which you clearly want. You can borrow from each other if you have to!

 

[toolsntat]

Preston 8)
Looks all original =P~
Keep em both and call it fate, you were meant to have em both :ho2
Cheers
Andy

 

[D_W]

If he doesn't send you the Preston, I'd buy both and put the Norris on ebay open to global shipping for 15% more than you paid. Someone will buy it, assuming th at doesn't end up being 350 quid.

 

[richarddownunder]

Surely the only way to ensure future marital bliss is for her to keep the Norris she has already bought and for you to buy the Preston which you clearly want. You can borrow from each other if you have to!

:lol: Norris cake icer? The Norris adjuster could be used to deliver an exceptionally thin layer of icing? Could work.

Sounds like he is sending the Preston though . I'll let you know how it turns out.

Cheers
Richard

 

[D_W]

Excellent conclusion, Richard. Even though we Dickerson about price and irons, etc, nobody is making anything similar to that preston for remotely the same amount these days.

 

[richarddownunder]

Well, after all that, I had the following message from the seller:

[i"]I have found a problem with the Preston plane.The end of the blade sits tight against the mouth so when used the shavings dont have enough room to fit past.It must be either the blade or the iron that is the wrong one.I have never used this before.I have a total of 15 planes mostly Mattewson.If you send me your bank details i will refund you.[/i]"

So maybe it is a tapered blade from a wooden Preston - can't think what else unless the guy has it set to coarsely - its probably a fairly tight mouth. So, looks like I'm not getting it anyway. That is a bit disappointing.

Oh well, the hunt is half the fun I suppose.

PS - he has now offerend it for a better price. I'm still wondering whether it is worth it and whether I can make it work or get another iron.

Cheers
Richard

 

[richarddownunder]

Right, turns out its a 2 1/4 inch tapered iron, so I guess its out of a wooden plane.

Could I get it machined parallel do you think? We have a tool sharpening place locally that sharpens jointer blades. If not, I can always just get another blade to fit I suppose.

At about 140 quid it seems like a reasonable buy.

What do you recon?

Anyone got a 2 1/4 parallel Preston iron they want to sell :wink: ?

Cheers
Richard

 

[bugbear]

Right, turns out its a 2 1/4 inch tapered iron, so I guess its out of a wooden plane.

Could I get it machined parallel do you think? We have a tool sharpening place locally that sharpens jointer blades. If not, I can always just get another blade to fit I suppose.

At about 140 quid it seems like a reasonable buy.

What do you recon?

Anyone got a 2 1/4 parallel Preston iron they want to sell :wink: ?

Cheers
Richard

Since the blade is ultimately a consumable, I'd buy the plane anyway. IIRC Ray Iles does custom ground parallel blades, so you can (in effect) specify the mouth (technically "shaving aperture") you want.

BugBear

 

[D_W]

I'd buy it for 140 quid no problem. If you don't want it at that, I'll have it, as I don't yet have a preston

I'd get that tapered iron with it if I were you.