Thread: new stanley #5 - help to tune

Clinton, I assume the plane was bought new or it is a modern plane in which case it is "up to spec" or more correctly "up to S**t". The quality varies somewhat in the modern ones. There is a lot of hints and tips on the BB and on the web but what you need to do first is check the sole for flatness.

Since you are into SS you will likely have a piece of glass or something equally as flat. Apply some prussian blue (available from machining and hardware supplys) to the sole and give it a rub on some 1200 grit or higher. Then have a look at the sole and see how flat it is. If the thing is miles out ditch it. If the sole is flat and the sides are reasonable square to the sole then its probably worth fettling.

After that its anybody's guess at what might have to be done. Heaps of info available here. A number of posts by Derek Cohen show his method of squaring up his plane on the table saw.

Good luck

Cheers

Sell it on eBay.

Put the proceeds toward the cost of a good new plane.

IE. Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, HNT Gordon or Clifton.


If that's beyond the budget, then buy an old (before 1960 if possible) Stanley.

Or get yourself a MujingFang for around $20. They are much better tools than modern Stanleys.

Originally Posted by vsquizz

. Then have a look at the sole and see how flat it is. If the thing is miles out ditch it.....

For christ sakes, if you take this advice, and it ends up 'miles out' ,,,,,,,,,,,don't ditch it......give it to me !! I definetly won't waste it........

No offense vsquizz, very few plane soles, in my opinion, are that far gone that they can't be flatterned.......even the very bad ones are easily flatterned on coarse grit.....(don't get hot under collar now )

Clinton

It is best to break it to you straight. New Stanley planes suck! You probably have a representative example. :eek:

So you have three choices:

1. Take it back. Tell the truth. The plane is badly made and sucks. Give me my money back, now!

2. Send the plane to Apricotripper. He is crazy enough ( ) to want to renovate it (renovate a new plane!? Tuning a new plane I understand, but have to renovate it!!)

OK, it can be done, but it is not cost-effective. This is why one pays the extra for a good plane, like a LN or LV or Clifton.

3. It will make a good doorstop or boat anchor. That is about all it is good for. Sorry.

Once you have made one of these decisions (which, I might add, is more sensible than buying a new Stanley plane), go and buy a second-hand Stanley plane, preferably one that is pre-WW II, preferably USA-made. A #5 is a good all-round size. Try eBay.

Do a search here for tuning tips, or go to http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/plane_tune.shtml

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Clinton

It is best to break it to you straight. New Stanley planes suck! You probably have a representative example. :eek:

So you have three choices:

1. Take it back. Tell the truth. The plane is badly made and sucks. Give me my money back, now!

2. Send the plane to Jake (Apricotripper). He is crazy enough ( ) to want to renovate it (renovate a new plane!? Tuning a new plane I understand, but have to renovate it!!)

OK, it can be done, but it is not cost-effective. This is why one pays the extra for a good plane, like a LN or LV or Clifton.

3. It will make a good doorstop or boat anchor. That is about all it is good for. Sorry.

Once you have made one of these decisions (which, I might add, is more sensible than buying a new Stanley plane), go and buy a second-hand Stanley plane, preferably one that is pre-WW II, preferably USA-made. A #5 is a good all-round size. Try eBay.

Do a search here for tuning tips, or go to http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/plane_tune.shtml

Regards from Perth

Derek

Brilliant !!!!!!!!!!! love it Derek.......I never thought I'd hear that sort of passion from you.......I'm not being sarcastic either........ ....good stuff .......but of coarse .......I think your completely wrong ..and I reakon I've got heaps of proof.... (I'm winking a lot<- I'm just stirring of coarse.....need to say that ...you know....Just in case)...not joking about the proof though....

.....good stuff....

But I am a little cross at ya :mad: :mad: .......why the hell did you give away my secret identity...... I'm no longer anonamos(spelling?).....I mean, I live in a small country town you know.........I'll be walking down town tomorrow to pick up some ....I don't know.....vanilla essense ?........and people will say.......Jake !!!! so, youRRRRR 'Apricotripper' !!!! I mean, thats just nasty Derek.......Every superhero has to have a secret identity.....

my secret identity......

Ooops, sorry. That wasn't intentional, just friendly.

Everyone close your eyes while I remove the evidence ...

Kind regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Ooops, sorry. That wasn't intentional, just friendly.

Everyone close your eyes while I remove the evidence ...

Kind regards from Perth

Derek

(sniff , sniff) I don't know Derek,,,,,you were really mean you know......(sniff sniff) could take me a good week to get over that.....(sniff sniff ) ....you were being a real nasty pasty...

But you've got a soft hart haven't ya.......

(its not 'ya' Jake!!!!....its 'YOU' !!!!!.....'HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU, FOR HEAVONS SAKE!!!!!!....... ..sorry muuum .)

Originally Posted by apricotripper

No offense vsquizz, very few plane soles, in my opinion, are that far gone that they can't be flatterned.......even the very bad ones are easily flatterned on coarse grit.....(don't get hot under collar now )

I've seen em a millimetre out and more. When i first joined this BB I had some mirth with Sturdee (or maybe it was Rocker) about flattening my carborundum stones by rubbing them together . Well there probably is some other more useless passtimes in this world, like building foil helmets and flattening modern stanley planes but they are few and far between.

You obviously haven't ever seen me at Bunnings with my straight edge, sitting on the floor with 35 new stanley's out of their boxes trying to find a flat one! (Another waste of my limited time on this planet)

I think its CraigB who will attest to the virtues of honing down the soles of modern Stanleys. Like watching paint dry and working on the helicopter ejection seat . Hows about posting your mailing address here so we can all send you the scrap iron. At least Mr Sims might give you 45 cents for them

I always try not to take off with fences but Derek's subtle approach to the topic pretty much nails it for me Q. What do you call four modern Stanley planes hanging on a chain... A. A good reason to go fishing.

Cheers

Originally Posted by vsquizz

You obviously haven't ever seen me at Bunnings with my straight edge, sitting on the floor with 35 new stanley's out of their boxes trying to find a flat one! (Another waste of my limited time on this planet)
Cheers

I remember that.....THAT was you !!!!! bugger, I just missed an opportunity to find out your secret identity......and have a laugh......I mean, that would be funny seeing a bloke on the floor surrounded in 35 stanleys yelling 'BACK!!, GET BACK!!!....yooou discusting inferior pieces of crap !!!!....but hang on your pulling my leg.....whenever I'm in bunnings all I ever see is 1 poor lonely stanley on the shelf that no one wants to buy.....the poor thing

Originally Posted by vsquizz

I think its CraigB who will attest to the virtues of honing down the soles of modern Stanleys. Like watching paint dry and working on the helicopter ejection seat . Hows about posting your mailing address here so we can all send you the scrap iron. At least Mr Sims might give you 45 cents for them
I always try not to take off with fences but Derek's subtle approach to the topic pretty much nails it for me Q. What do you call four modern Stanley planes hanging on a chain... A. A good reason to go fishing.
Cheers

yep , I'll take them still...but I don't know about giving you my address....hell, you already know my first name !!.......I know what your saying......the modern plane soles are hard....but their definetly flatternable (in my opinion)....quite the opposite with old plane soles......but anyway.....how can you be so sure this blokes plane was bought 'new'.....I don't remember reading that .....maybe I missed something.

Good night fella's .....I'm buggered......off to bed

seeya

Originally Posted by apricotripper

how can you be so sure this blokes plane was bought 'new'.....I don't remember reading that .....maybe I missed something.

Maybe you missed something like the title of the thread

new stanley #5 - help to tune

Jack.

Originally Posted by apricotripper

modern plane soles are hard....but their definetly flatternable (in my opinion)....Good night fella's .....I'm buggered......off to bed

seeya

Yes you can flatten them I have several large pieces of earth moving equipment which should do the the trick......I also have a nine inch....grinder .

Goodnight

Cheers

Originally Posted by Jack E

Maybe you missed something like the title of the thread
new stanley #5 - help to tune

Well the title of the thread wasn't missed on me, and tonight is Saturday, so I'm expecting this thread will liven up a bit again, soo:

I have never been sure what key to tune the number five in, mine is about 3 notes higher than the #4, but I suspect it really should be an octave above the #3.

The best technique for me is to tighten the frog to concert pitch and gently tap the sides while taking minute passes with 2000 wet and dry. Unfortunately I haven't yet found a way of increasing he pitch if too much metal is taken off.

I presently am waiting on a decent #6, the only gap in the scale on my Stanley Marimba.

Cheers,

P (Tripping on organic dates.)

Fret not, grasshopper.

A few years ago, like you, I bought a new stanley (#4). Man, was that thing a bugger. Since then I have bought a few Lie Nielsens, Veritas, even a reproduction compass plane and an ECE wooden dovetail plane. These tools are all vastly superior to the modern stanleys, and a pleasure to use.

I'll side with the recommendation to ditch it. My original #4 sits gathering dust on the bottom shelf, waiting for just such a fate (all yours apricot, if you want it).

If you're getting into the world of handplanes I recommend the following sources. Garrett Hack's The Handplane Book

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

is a great book, and includes Chapter 4 "Tuning a Plane", which begins with this quotation:

But before you come to use your planes, you must know how to grind, and whet them, for they are not fitted when they are bought, but every Workman accomodates them to this purpose, as if it be an hard wood he is to work on, he grinds his basil to a more obtuse angle, than he would do for soft wood. --Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises, 3rd Ed., 1703

Had Joseph Moxon lived today, he would have discovered that the good modern planes (LN, LV, HNTG etc) are indeed 'fitted when they are bought'.

The other source is Patrick Leach's "Stanley Blood and Gore"

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

which describes every Stanley plane ever made, their pros and cons, how to get them working, what to look for etc. Patrick is not a member of the 'flat sole society'.

So, grasshopper, go forth and plane.

Originally Posted by vsquizz

...A number of posts by Derek Cohen show his method of squaring up his plane on the table saw...

Squizz, I gather you use a ferrous blade for this...

Probably best to use a Grrripper (sp?) also, to be safe.


Cheers.............Sean, drawn and quartered