Repairs to mouth on No 4 sized plane

[okeydokey]

Hi good people.
I recently bought off ebay a wood plane made by WS Tools of Birmingham UK, (there is a WS Tools Website) slightly unusual it is a No.4 WS pre-A4. with an early blade which looks full length, front knob is a Type 2 and Rear Handle is Type 1. The lever cap, similar in shape/design to most is brass which looks more pleasant than some of the chrome or unfinished plane types around.
However when the parcel arrived I found that the mouth had broken/widened - not forward but behind the blade to the area which supports the frog, the hole is now at least double the size it should be.

Problem is that the plane is not usable as the frog is not supported it almost dangles midair!
Does anyone know how a bit of steel could be inserted to close the gap and bring it back to as should be bearing in mind that the frog sits on this area?

However and on the good side of this I have a good set of components (other than a WS body), I haven't experimented in fitting yet but the frog looks identical in size and shape to a Record no 4, perhaps a way forward is to find a Record body and build a hybrid with a pleasing brass lever cap.
Any ideas?
regards

 

[Vann]

Normally it wouldn't be worth the trouble of doing this type of repair to a No.4 - as a replacement Stanley or Record could be bought for less than the cost of materials for the repair.

As this is a slightly rarer WS, and if you really want to attempt a repair, I'd be inclined to use a bit of cast iron, rather than steel. But even if you're successful, as a repaired plane it'll never be worth anything. Your "frankenplane" suggestion is probably the best outcome. Or oil it up and keep it on a shelf as is - and buy a Record 04 for planing.

While WS have lovely thick castings, and nice brass lever-caps, I've found the machining to be very rough - especially in the area that's damaged on yours.

My tuppence worth...

Cheers, Vann.

 

[okeydokey]

Hi Vann
Like the frankenplane - good name - you should patent it or me patent the finished plane!

Since my post I've looked around a bit more and the likelihood of getting someone to graft a bit of steel plate or cast iron into the body and then by some magical method getting it a good level enough area for the frog looks a bit (economically as well) mission impossible.
I think polish the brass and the put the plane on a shelf as you have suggested and forget it might be the best answer but keeping an eye out for a WS that's rubbish other than the body so I can build up a good one. However the frankenplane idea intrigues me all I now need is a donor plane body in half reasonable nick.
Anyway have a great weekend and thanks for the response.
regards Paul

 

[Bod]

Hi, do you have a link to the WS website please?
There's very little information on the WS firm.

Bod
(Owner of a nice A4)

 

[Vann]

Hi, do you have a link to the WS website please?

http://www.wstoolsbirmingham.com/history-of-ws-tools-birmingham/

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Ttrees]

Sounds like some lapping revealed this hole behind the mouth

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If it nearly doubled the size of the mouth, that's an awful lot of lapping.

 

[Ttrees]

I've had it happen to a plane or two, that had a sole that wasn't flat.
When you see a pin hole below the mouth, you know all you have to do is bump it and it will crack.
Often it seems, there can be voids below, hence why I have a premium block plane now.
Destined for parts I'm afraid, unless you want to try welding cast .
Those rods aren't too cheap, in relation to what the plane costs

 

[okeydokey]

If I can work out how to get a photo on I will do to show mouth is now approx. 16mm or about 5/8" where it has broken away some long time in the past.

 

[okeydokey]

Photo here - hard to get under the size limit so its only a part of the 'story'.
regards

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Why don't you just send the plane back?!

Unless the seller advertised it this way, he/she must refund your payment.

The plane is unrepairable.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[custard]

Why don't you just send the plane back?!

Unless the seller advertised it this way, he/she must refund your payment.

The plane is unrepairable.

+1

Life's too short, cut bait and move on.

 

[okeydokey]

Hi
Thought I had just replied to Derek but it not here - maybe it will pop up in a minute. In summary it was not at all expensive, far less than you would expect. The seller was clearing her fathers garage and genuinely/obviously (in conversation) has no idea about tools. I've decided to keep it as a set of parts for when a WS no 4 turns up with serviceable body and the rest of it ........!
Or maybe build a hybrid, a Record 4 has a virtually identical frog (I have one) so maybe I will strip one down (need a donor first) and use the WS parts and the Record body. No rush

 

[Ttrees]

Has anyone tried doing a transitional plane using parts from a bailey type plane ?
I might have to try someday if theirs good results
Tom

Picture gotten from the web
These planes look quite useful, Does anyone use them primarily ?

 

[dickm]

Picked up a similar Marples from somewhere round here; it went to Tools for Selfreliance. Just couldn't see the point.

 

[Bod]

Hi, do you have a link to the WS website please?

http://www.wstoolsbirmingham.com/history-of-ws-tools-birmingham/

Cheers, Vann.

Thanks, that's the only website I have found for WS.
I believe its based in Canada.
I would keep it, but look out for another, I've seen a couple at carboots, they did sell, but not as widely as Record or Stanley!
Might be worth offering up to any other make with the same frog arrangement, all the makes were very similar.
I believe WS, sold out to Woden, who in turn were brought by Record.(Who copied Stanley, when the patents ran out.)

Bod