"Vintage" Stanley RB10 Rebate Plane

[OPJ]

Once again, my thanks go to that wonderful place full of woodworking bargains, known simply as eBay.

I was in the market for a half-decent shoulder plane, initially.
Modern ones are priced far out of my range while I also recall Good Woodworking comparing a newer Stanley model againt several others and putting it down far behind the likes of Veritas (very nice indeed, but like the Bessey clamps, the price scares me off!)

I've learnt from my short experience that newer planes just aren't up to the job, so I went in search of a plane with some of that proper steel, iron and a sole that stays true. And I just happened to come across this...

We have a very similar plane to this one at college (yes, just the one!! :lol: ), I've always liked them for the fact you get a fair width of cut while cutting right into the corners - something a conventional jack or smoothing plane cannot offer you. The starting price was also very pleasing to my eyes - £9.99, I was astonished to see I was the only bidder!

First thing was to give the plane a good look around, as I do with all used, second-hand tools. A little light surface rust underneath where the blade sits, a little oiling required around the knobs and screws... Hey, it's in very good condition and the sole's still very slick and well lubricated.

Excellent.


Next then, was to simply put it to the test. I've got a good idea of how the rebate fence works anyway, so I decided to give the other features a go; it was a real pleasure to use on end grain - it sounded so sharp and clean I thought it had to be illegal!! :wink:
The blades themselves are only 8mm wide, so resharpening would be a real challenge for anyone. Thankfully, these are all disposable. I have ELEVEN blades included, scrub planing (?), rebating, jointing, chipboard, plywood...

Now all I need is to find another supplier, just incase I ever run out! :wink:

As you can tell, I'm very happy with another brand-new (old) eBay purchase.

Size is 2" wide by 9-1/2" long.


Thanks for reading.

 

[Philly]

Interesting plane, Olly, and very useful (especially at the price!)
Let us know how you get on with it,
Philly

 

[Gill]

Hi Oswaldo

The first hand plane I ever bought was a Stanley RB10. It didn't have a fence but it did have those disposable blades.

That plane was awful and it almost put me off woodwork for life. In the end, I took a lump hammer to it just to make sure it didn't fall into the hands of another novice. I hope you're happier with your plane than I was with mine.

Gill

 

[DaveL]

Hi Oswaldo,

I do hope you get along OK with your new tool, I did look at it on ebay but could not bring myself to bit on it. :shock: The idea of owning a rebate plane does appeal but that version makes me come out in goose bumps. 8-[ I am using a ratty old #78 that I got second hand, it has lost its fence and depth stop but is quite usable for cleaning up rebates.

 

[Noel]

Os, good find. Ignore the rest of them!! When it's the only rebate plane you have, it's the best in the world.

Noel, RB5 user

 

[OPJ]

Thank you Noel and Philly.

I'm still only a beginner on a very strict budget, therefore I can get along with something like this until I learn. :wink:

It's certainly of more help to me than my Record block plane!! :?


Something that may make the rest of you smile was the arrival of my Stanley 92 shoulder plane this morning. £38 on eBay, plus postage...
Excellent all around. The sole's well ground and the blade's still sharp as well!

Yes, I finally learned how to FOCUS my camera - very important, that! :wink:

 

[Philly]

Looks great, Olly! Don't forget to tighten up the mouth on the 92-loosen the screw on top and the front half can be pushed back. The smaller the opening, the better the finish on fine shavings.
Enjoy,
Philly

 

[OPJ]

Thanks again Philly, I did wonder what that almost microscopic screw was for!

My next job is to find some slotted screwdrivers the right size then...

 

[Philly]

As a bonus, if you remove the screw the front comes off completely, allowing you to use it as a chisel plane. Very handy for planing right to the end of a rebate/dado.
Hope this helps
Philly

 

[OPJ]

Yeah, I did notice that one.

Unfortunately, I bought an independant "bullnose" plane (new Stanley) from D&M Tools over a year ago. Until now, I've been using that as a shoulder plane! :?

:wink:

 

[Philly]

Fear not, Olly! You can never have too many tools-you're in good company round here :wink:
Philly

 

[DaveL]

Olly,

Now that I do like, well done. I have one of these on the to acquire list. :shock:

 

[Matt1245]

Nice find,

I just bagged a 92 from e-bay too, mine was £31 including postage, but wasn't as clean as yours, plus the iron had seen better days (back bevel on a bevel up plane :roll: )

Matt.

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Oswaldo! you can still get replacement blades for the RB


http://www.raitechnical.com/images/12-376.htm

They could be re-sharpened on a tormek with a small knife holder jig

Cheers

 

[OPJ]

Thanks, Sawdust Producer. But if only I had the budget for a Tormek grinder... :wink:

The price I payed for the RB10 really was a steal after all - I saw another one go for £25 only a couple of days ago and that was without any extra blades at all!

 

[jonjoseph]

Digging up an old topic here . I bought an RB10 Stanley years ago and could never get it to work properly .It`s been hanging around for years . I decided to find out why it was so bad . Apart from only having one used blade I tested the sole flatness on my belt sander for a few seconds . There at the front and back ends were two shiny patches. Plenty of daylight if you checked with a ruler at the window. I have a "normal" plane my Dad gave me years ago . It works like a dream .When you set the blade you see about a hairs thickness peeping out. On the RB10 the blade is out about one millimetre before it touches the wood. I tested it on a scrap of mahogany which tapered up to a point. Running straight along it would not touch . But skewing the plane at 45 degrees suddenly it began to work . So the sole of the plane was well out of shape. Now I just have to get it flat. My great new plan for the RB10 was to clean up old lumpy paint on window frames. So that`s how it`s going to begin a useful life. One feature to drive you mental with this plane is the Eight Turns on the plastic knob needed each time you set the blade depth forwards or back . That and the fiddly ,not too tight , setting for the screws. It`s really too big for the window paint job but I like that I could get the damned thing to work . I won`t say "again" as it never did work . I now have two new packets of blades to play with .

 

[jonjoseph]

After fitting a new belt to my sanding machine I thought I would have a proper go at flattening the RB10 sole. Nothing in my life seems to be easy . The new belt with a Chinese name printed on the back is a lumpy , bumpy thing. The bag the new belts came in has the original English name of the machine. But it works so fast I am getting used to it . Where the old belt tickled the plane sole and made little difference the new belt flattened the sole in minutes in between checks . I softened the front and back edges and corners and the sides while I was at it .
Now for the first time in many years it works properly . The replaceable blades are super sharp and seem to last when abused . I had a go at some wood block flooring in the passageway . That worked. The 100 year old pine type floors I sanded and varnished have unbelievably hard knots which remained proud of the surface after the monster sander . This RB10 plane can work at a knot from the side rather than head on. The knots cannot resist the corner of the blade slicing into them .
So there is a life for an RB10 plane even if I am trying to punish it for being so lazy all these years .
I also used it to clean up some floorboards that were painted black. By reversing boards and smoothing the bare splintery bottom surface I have a beautiful clean plank to admire. The knots are about one foot apart with minutely fine, tight grains . Lovely .

 

[jonjoseph]

So , yesterday , the difficult job of renovating the first floor passageway was helped by my RB10 . The longest plank was about 20 feet long tongue and groove and painted black with white beneath . My wife specially asked me not to cut it . So it had to be taken up , turned over to inspect the other surface to work out the next move . I used a Bosch multitool to slice between the planks and cut off the tongue. That left a hairline gap that electricians and plumbers can only dream of . Then the board needed lifting with all the old heavy nails holding it down. The board next to it was already loose so I had a chance to use the garden spade as a lever working on a thick chunk of mahogany left over from the windowsills
. I gave each nail all the way along the 20 feet enough lift (1/4 inch )to start with the crowbar . Then each nail was made to creak just once while working along the plank again . 3rd time along the plank the nails released the plank with no trouble.
Before I started lifting I cut across the board one inch from one end as it ran under the wall . The other end was loose The cutter blade sinks in 3 cms which is the same thickness as the boards.
Knocking the nails back out of the plank was easy with the roofer`s hammer as it has criss cross grooves to stop nails slkidding sideways .
Happily the reverse surface was clean and splinterry without paint or soot .
The RB10 had a new flat blade fitted and to begin with would not work at all . You need to keep a screwdriver with you if you use an RB10 as they don`t have a lever mechanism to release the blades . The main problem with an RB10 ( Are you listening STANLEY ? ) is adjusting that stupid little piece of spring steel that clips the blade in position . I worked out that there are about 4 ways it can bugger you up . Number one is the long shape of the hole it is attached with . A silly small round head screw which does not seem to need tightening. If you tighten it the end squidges upwards and won`t hold the blade . The long slot allows it to creep down too far and goes down further than the blade edge . So it feels like a blunt blade rubbing on the wood. The back edge of this infernal thing gets involved with sideways adjustment so the srew down bolt needs to be not too tight or it , once again ,won`t work . (The RB10 default position ). The back tip takes pressure from the tightness adjuster thumbwheel (not the main screw that needs a screwdriver , it`s a bit of one and a bit of the other if you follow me ). If that thumbwheel screw pressed on the alloy (not cast iron ) it would wear it out . (Another RB 10 default .It wears you out ).
The forward /backwards "plastic" adjuster needs eight turns in either direction to make any impact. What possesed them to make THAT out of plastic ? (Speak to me STANLEY). The spring steel also has an opening to allow the adjuster lever to fit into the alloy top plate . Won`t that bit wear out? Finally the sideways adjuster lever has two tiny notches either side which need to engage accurately but not necessarily easily and I`m still not sure if the spring steel is moving the blade left and right or the top plate. That damned steel is involved all through this . Coming back to the front end of the steel again the clip action on the blade is to engage the back of the blade in a minute notch in the alloy top plate. You know , the alloy that`s too soft for a screw to press on .So the blade can become dislodged while the process of adjusting and figuring out is going on . To ensure the blade is settled in the minute notch you have to peer closely at both edges and work out which is which .
But getting on with the plank job. You see this long ramble is all part of the built in delay an RB10 will involve you in .Quicker to get in your van and go home for your proper plane mate .
So an RB10 is not good for your business if you don`t want to starve .
The plank .Let`s talk about the plank . One interesting fact comparing the use on the floor. Using the floor as a workbench , a standard plane handle is too upright for the job . The RB10 handle tilts more forward and is very useable one handed. It shaved off the splinters quickly. I wanted to allow for any cupping and just let the plank be itself with it`s surface curves .
The final combination of tools used was an RB10 (flat blade) which coped well with knots . A standard bench plane for the smoother centre surface and a longer wooden plane used at 30 degees to give a final satisfying shave and polished surface. What a nice noise wooden planes make .
So the RB10 works as a team using three different planes on one plank .
So does anyone expect the Stanley Company to speak to us about this ?
It`s Naming and Shaming time Stanley .
I feel better for letting off steam about that .

 

[graduate_owner]

There are plenty of sites offering a pack of 5 blades, including Axminster, for between £2.50 and £3.50 so you will have no trouble getting them?
I have an RB10, was bought it 30 years ago, complete with fence. They used to sell a 'normal' blade for the plane as an alternative to the replaceable ones, but I don't have one of those. I recently aquired a similar plane to the RB19 one but made by Paramount, have not tried it yet.

K

 

[jonjoseph]

After writing out all the problems with the spring steel component in the RB10 I have concluded that the sideways adjustment is achieved by the sides of the steel slotting " just" against the back surfaces (internal edges ) of the alloy top plate. Not a direct contact but a knock on contact . Scruffy half baked engineering . It would be nice if all the components had proper names on an RB10 but they are too different to allow that . A cam lever is not there . It could be. Why use alloy and a big screw just because it`s 1970 ? Why put plastic parts where they will not live a hard useful life ? (e g the main blade depth adjuster ) .The handles are plastic but they could be wood. But Hey it`s 1970 . I might make some wooden handles to see how they feel . An RB 10 is like Al Murray`s definition of America ---Basically a good idea that went wrong .