Replacing the plastic handle on a Record 044C

[AndyT]

There's recently been some fresh interest in the 1980s Record plough/combi planes, models 044C, 045C or 050C. Although they are well-made planes, and won a Design Award when they were new, lots of people don't like the blue plastic handle, finding it slippery.

Some time ago I replaced the handle on mine. I think I have shown this before, but maybe only in passing, and I couldn't find it by searching, so here it is again; apologies to those with good memories. I hope it will be useful to any new owners of these good-value planes.

Before:

Take a piece of unidentified thick hardwood, sketch a shape, cut it out, refine the shape

Here it is as initially fitted

This was actually a bit too thick and clumsy, so I later removed some more wood. It is now much more comfortable. The change is reversible, if needed - I just swapped the original screw and stud for woodscrews. One of them goes into a glued-in plastic wallplug, the other just into the wood.

 

[dynax]

Cheers Andy, very nicely done, i will see how i get on with mine when it arrives, i have some maple and abw kicking about that i could use if i replace it,

 

[El Barto]

Very nicely done

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I get on OK with that plastic handle on my 045C. The biggest frustration is that the shavings often seem to block up rather than ejecting properly when ploughing grooves, needing occasional pauses to poke them out. Careful positioning of the fngers to keep them out of the way can help, but not remedy completely, Is it just my plane, or do they all do it, I wonder ? I guess the 044C, without the second skate, might be less prone.

 

[AndyT]

I get on OK with that plastic handle on my 045C. The biggest frustration is that the shavings often seem to block up rather than ejecting properly when ploughing grooves, needing occasional pauses to poke them out. Careful positioning of the fngers to keep them out of the way can help, but not remedy completely, Is it just my plane, or do they all do it, I wonder ? I guess the 044C, without the second skate, might be less prone.

You could try taking a thicker shaving - in softwood, I reckon it's ok to go for something quite stiff which will come out in a series of nearly-broken folds rather than a pretty curl.
Planing the way of the grain will have a big effect too, though it's tricky to always get components the right way round for that.

 

[Vann]

...The biggest frustration is that the shavings often seem to block up rather than ejecting properly when ploughing grooves, needing occasional pauses to poke them out. Careful positioning of the fngers to keep them out of the way can help, but not remedy completely, Is it just my plane...

I have the same problem with my Record 043 - 3/16" cutter in Pinus Radiata (about the only thing I've used it for to date). Love it though.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[ED65]

Obviously the plastic being so smooth and shiny isn't going to help in matters of grip, but I've always thought looking at these that the forward sweep of the handle is a case of looks over function.

I don't mind most plastic handles and I might scuff up a handle to give it a nicer feel but that shape does not seem very conducive to a good grip in sweaty weather.