Thread: Stanley No 78 plane

Well done, Chook. I have a 78 and find it very handy to have around. Perhaps not as elegant as the Veritas skew rebate, but mine more than earns its keep as a cleaner-upper of rebates and very handy for fine-fitting tenons, plus a variety of other uses. Must admit, I don't like the lever depth adjustor much, but if breathed on lightly with the lever cap loosened slightly, it's capable of fairly delicate adjustments. I keep meaning to get a fence and rod, or at least get a rod & make a fence, but I don't use it for doing the rough work of sinking rebates, so very rarely miss not having a fence. Jim Davey, among others, carries the bits, and the prices aren't too outrgeous, so if you feel the need to bring it back to mint condition, it's not too hard to get the parts...

Cheers,

Originally Posted by chook

that tradesman had used them for generations so that they must have had some merit.

I reckon that's a thought we should have more often.

Sometimes it is worth considering that all that old and beautiful furniture that lives in the palaces of Europe and England made in centuries gone by was made before the world had heard of LN or Veritas and that the craftsmen of the day made the tools work for them. Getting an old tool and making it work is very much fun and considerably cheaper than logging on to the net and parting with hundreds of dollars for some new creation. The Sunday markets are like toolie heaven.

But much as I like old things, being somewhat old myself, there will be a new LN tenon saw in my shed before much longer.

Originally Posted by IanW

Well done, Chook. I have a 78 and find it very handy to have around. Perhaps not as elegant as the Veritas skew rebate, but mine more than earns its keep as a cleaner-upper of rebates and very handy for fine-fitting tenons, plus a variety of other uses. Must admit, I don't like the lever depth adjustor much, but if breathed on lightly with the lever cap loosened slightly, it's capable of fairly delicate adjustments. I keep meaning to get a fence and rod, or at least get a rod & make a fence, but I don't use it for doing the rough work of sinking rebates, so very rarely miss not having a fence. Jim Davey, among others, carries the bits, and the prices aren't too outrgeous, so if you feel the need to bring it back to mint condition, it's not too hard to get the parts...

Cheers,

I have found the lever a bit fiddly too and it seems a bit easier to retract the blade than to extend it. But the shavings with and across the grain are fine once I get the depth right. Perhaps an adjustable mouth would be a good thing. I might get the fence and the depth stop for the sake of completeness. But I plane to a line anyway regardless of a depth stop. The plane has the nicker (spelling) but even then I would prefer the establish a clean edge with a marking knife.

The markets have so many old tools just needing a bit of looking after it is simply astounding. Some were rubbish when new but there is enough good stuff there to make a regular visit worthwhile.

Originally Posted by chook

I have found the lever a bit fiddly too and it seems a bit easier to retract the blade than to extend it.

Yes, Chook, & as I mentioned, I find easing off the pressure on the lever cap makes fine adjustmnts a bit easier & more precise, but I have to remember to re-tighten it before commencing to plane again

Originally Posted by chook

But the shavings with and across the grain are fine once I get the depth right. Perhaps an adjustable mouth would be a good thing. I might get the fence and the depth stop for the sake of completeness. But I plane to a line anyway regardless of a depth stop. The plane has the nicker (spelling) but even then I would prefer the establish a clean edge with a marking knife.

Indeed, it's a tool that does what it's intended to do perfectly well, I think, and with a bit of care and a sharp blade, is capable of moderately fine work. However, much of what this plane is designed for is relatively rough work, so there is really no need for refinements like adjustable mouths, etc. It's the old story that a jack of all trades is usually master of none. The nicker does an adequate job if carefully prepared (& a fiddly thing it is to sharpen!), but I confess I rarely use it myself, partly because you have to reach for a screwdriver to put a cutting edge in place, then find it again in the shavings to retract it, then find it again when you realise there was another cross-grain rebate you intended to make...... For my purposes, a cutting gauge can usually do the job of defining an edge across grain quite adequately.

Further to your preceeding post, I have certainly seen some pretty amazing work made using tools that most of us would struggle with to do the simplest job. The secret ingredient is highly skilled hands, and repetitive procedures honed over many years. This idea has come up in numerous threads, followed by discussions of how we might compensate a little by having better tools, or using machines where appropriate, but of course, we can never match the skill (& speed!) of highly trained hands without putting in the long hours. And as in everything in life, some folk are just naturals, & will do something near-perfectly first time, while we mortals have to work away at it til we get it down pat.

I think both old & new tools have their place. Excellent old tools can often be had at bargain prices, but some desirable tools just aren't available at prices I'm prepared to pay, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to buy well-made new tools when I think it's justifiable. I certainly have a mixture of old & new, & love 'em all (well, most). Good old tools have an appeal to me beyond their practicality that defies rational analysis - a combination of wear-patterns from use and the patina of age - they seem almost to know what to do by themselves. New tools by comparison, often look sterile & inanimate, but may still do what they are intended to do very well. In time, of course, they will be old & well-used too, & take on the extra aura (well, some of them will!). So we should consider it our duty to prepare these tools for their future proud owners......

Cheers,