Results 1 to 14 of 14
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Bundaberg
    Age
    54
    Posts
    3,402

    Default Record 405 with all the trimmings. Yes; I’m gloating!

    I had an extraordinary stroke of luck yesterday driving home from work; a 2nd hand tool dealer I’d visited several times before who knew of my interest in planes mentioned he “might have something to tempt me with”. He produced two unremarkable wooden boxes:
    37A0EEE6-B8C6-4439-8B31-A39E2770F5FC.jpg

    in the first box was a Record 405, what looked at first to be pretty complete:
    E5D38272-2471-41E7-A89E-684EF0BCE2DF.jpg

    After pulling it out I found that is was indeed complete; everything was there including the cam guide and the screwdriver. There was even a paper bag with a pair of spare spurs.
    B93B6417-1323-4D57-AB78-7BB3C0A3E4AC.jpg

    So far, not hugely interested as I already have a serviceable 405. At which point he opened the other unremarkable box. The first thing I saw was the nosing cutter base...
    60A6AE38-9DED-4786-80C3-CB0A28997EB9.jpg

    ...closely followed by the complete set of hollows and rounds bases; and their cutters inside an old Elastoplast tin.
    09E568E3-7434-45A8-A457-365A628065DC.jpg

    My interest having been slightly nudged , I proceeded to open up the cardboard box; another Record product. The label claimed it held spares for Record pipe cutters, ie wheels and pins. No more; instead it now held the full selection of additional cutters produced by Record for the 405:
    C855BC1C-9B58-42D6-BECE-3EDA589EB413.jpg

    That’s the LH sash cutter, the 3 ovolo cutters, all 8 veining cutters, the two larger beading cutters and all 12 reeding cutters. Essentially what he was offering me was an almost brand new 405 with every attachment Record sold for it. At this point I looked deep into myself and determined that yes; I could find room in both my heart and my shed for another combination plane.

    Now; these items generally don’t come cheap so you can imagine my shock when I read the price label... $420 and then he said “Tell you what; I’ll knock another $40 off it for you”

    When I got home I pulled out my copy of “Planecraft” and confirmed this indeed was the full works and jerks; nothing was missing and it was almost totally unused. So the only thing left to do now is clean it up, remove some minor corrosion on a couple of bits and get sharpening!

    Oh; and brag about my new toy...
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Far Western NSW
    Posts
    60

    Default

    Wow! Just WOW!

    That last photo!!!!!

    You are a lucky lucky duck matey. Congratulations.

    Mick.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    Very good score Chief. Well done

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
    Age
    68
    Posts
    12,006

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    E5D38272-2471-41E7-A89E-684EF0BCE2DF.jpg

    After pulling it out I found that is was indeed complete; everything was there including the cam guide and the screwdriver. There was even a paper bag with a pair of spare spurs.
    B93B6417-1323-4D57-AB78-7BB3C0A3E4AC.jpg

    Now; these items generally don’t come cheap so you can imagine my shock when I read the price label... $420 and then he said “Tell you what; I’ll knock another $40 off it for you”

    When I got home I pulled out my copy of “Planecraft” and confirmed this indeed was the full works and jerks; nothing was missing and it was almost totally unused. So the only thing left to do now is clean it up, remove some minor corrosion on a couple of bits and get sharpening!

    Oh; and brag about my new toy...
    don't want to burst your bubble -- but I will anyway ...

    I don't see the slitting cutter ...




    Yes, I'm jealous -- very jealous
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Hobart, Tas
    Posts
    1,211

    Default

    That's a fantastic find Chief. Congratulations.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Posts
    1,866

    Default

    Hi CT. Congrats and enjoy. A little while ago a mate gave me a plane of his dads. Missing the blade, knob and adjusting screw didn't stop me doing a bit of research online. Found out that they hadn't been produced by Stanley since the 40's and eBay had a couple on sale for $350+. So I fixed it up and now have a very servicable #112 scraper.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Bundaberg
    Age
    54
    Posts
    3,402

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    don't want to burst your bubble -- but I will anyway ...
    I don't see the slitting cutter ...
    Yes, I'm jealous -- very jealous
    You’ve got good eyes to see what’s not in the pics! Actually it was in the box with the hollows and rounds; I didn’t fit it to the plane because I didn’t think anyone would spot the omission... thinking about it now I realise I would have done the same thing! Must be something in the name...

    AC98A68F-91DE-4640-8C80-0486EC0ABEB8.jpg

    Now the only question I have remaining is “Do I have too many combination planes?”

    E3010BA2-1F6D-4AC5-BC4A-E4EFD69E409C.jpg

    I fear the time may have come to whittle down the herd
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Bundaberg
    Age
    54
    Posts
    3,402

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mountain Ash View Post
    Hi CT. Congrats and enjoy. A little while ago a mate gave me a plane of his dads. Missing the blade, knob and adjusting screw didn't stop me doing a bit of research online. Found out that they hadn't been produced by Stanley since the 40's and eBay had a couple on sale for $350+. So I fixed it up and now have a very servicable #112 scraper.
    The 112 is a beautiful plane; I’ve been taking photos and notes of mine in use finishing off a redgum kitchen benchtop to kick off a new thread on using them.

    46EBA125-BDB3-4E66-B996-52C333588236.jpg
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Sunbury, Vic
    Age
    84
    Posts
    2,713

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    The 112 is a beautiful plane; I’ve been taking photos and notes of mine in use finishing off a redgum kitchen benchtop to kick off a new thread on using them.

    46EBA125-BDB3-4E66-B996-52C333588236.jpg
    I will be watching the new thread with interest as I have a 112 which needs some attention.

    I was lucky enough to inherit a complete Record 405 from my father-in-law.
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
    Age
    68
    Posts
    12,006

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    Now the only question I have remaining is “Do I have too many combination planes?”

    E3010BA2-1F6D-4AC5-BC4A-E4EFD69E409C.jpg

    I fear the time may have come to whittle down the herd
    whittling down the herd is only a requirement if you now go out and buy Veritas's version of the Record #405

    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Dandenong Ranges
    Posts
    1,866

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chesand View Post
    I will be watching the new thread with interest as I have a 112 which needs some attention.

    I was lucky enough to inherit a complete Record 405 from my father-in-law.
    Looking forward to the thread too. Is your 112 complete?

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Sunbury, Vic
    Age
    84
    Posts
    2,713

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mountain Ash View Post
    Looking forward to the thread too. Is your 112 complete?
    Yes it seems complete but not necessarily the best in the looks department. My blade is not as thick as Chief's appears to be so might have to investigate that aspect.
    I had a fiddle with it this afternoon and succeeded in getting some small shavings off some Jarrah.
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Bundaberg
    Age
    54
    Posts
    3,402

    Default Do the hollows and rounds work? Seems they might!

    I couldn’t help myself; I had a spare half hour before SWMBO came home from work and rather than do something useful I thought I’d try out one of the rounds...

    A bit of background info: combination planes were originally spruiked by Stanley et al as being the economic replacement for a shop full of wooden moulding, beading, plough, rebate and match planes. This claim was immediately shot down in ordure but they still sold for decades while the woodies became extinct. The main issue was the lack of sole; the skates provided little to no support to the timber directly in front of the blade so timber selection was crucial to avoid tear-out. This was especially important for the decorative cuts such as moulding and beading where tear-out would ruin the look, so additional bases were made for cutting hollows and rounds. These replace the sliding section with the left hand skate and provide an actual sole for the cutter but their relative scarcity would indicate that most cabinet shops either stuck with their woodies or simply purchased ready made mouldings. Leaping forwards now into the 21st Century, whereas combo planes are fairly easy to come by sets of hollows and rounds are considerably less so. Even rarer though is any info on using them outside of books like Planecraft and The Handplane Book.

    So, finding myself in the enviable position of having essentially a brand new 405 with unused H&R cutters I thought I’d jump in at the deep end and see if these can actually perform anywhere near as good as the manufacturer’s hype. And as I had a spare half hour I grabbed the first one that leapt at me; a 6R.

    First up was to hone the cutter. All combo plane blades need to very finely honed; for this I used a well worn 1000 grit diamond plate and my Record 161 honing guide. This guide uses a 1/2” ball bearing to run along so they almost inevitably put a camber onto any blade fitted into it. I had discovered a while back that for curved blades this guide is unbeatable. Once honed I then popped it into the frame with the sub-base and advanced the blade. I was pleased to see that the cutter profile matched the base almost spot on.

    I cut a couple of coves; firstly in a piece of construction pine to get the “feel” of using and adjusting the tool and then on a short piece of QLD Redgum:

    5CB27165-7F05-493B-B27D-A064D26D34B4.jpg E9797FD9-38E0-49F7-9A7D-EA075158658D.jpg

    There was tear-out on the pine but only in the areas around a couple of knots; the reversing grain and soft timber were not conducive to a pleasing finish but I wasn’t expecting much from it. By taking only the finest cut I could dial in the tear-out would have been very much reduced but the job would have taken an age...

    B8CAB339-1D0B-4C85-846F-139B3CA8E01E.jpg

    The Redgum was a different story; ZERO tearout! This timber can be a bit of a PITA as the grain tends to alternate between slightly wobbly and crankier than a Bunnings Karen but this small piece cut beautifully. The “sole” even partially burnished the cove.

    CCC4BF11-8BE4-46B2-BEE9-927A90A1345C.jpg 9CE0281D-F04B-4A2D-B2D2-FCA0D7DD0263.jpg

    All cuts were made totally freehand down the timber by eye alone; I used the same technique as for most other combo plane cuts of starting at the far end and gradually working back towards myself.

    So, could a combo plane really replace hollows and rounds? After this quick experiment I’m quietly optimistic that within limitations they just might be capable of duplicating some of their performance. Next up is to hone the rest of the blades and see how they perform. My final test will be to attempt to replicate a piece of cornice.

    Stay tuned...
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Millmerran,QLD
    Age
    73
    Posts
    11,095

    Default

    MA

    Thanks for the evolution explanation. I didn't know any of that. I can see this direction of woodworking ending up for SWMBO as hollow promises.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

Similar Threads

  1. Some gloating
    By lesmeyer in forum FESTOOL FORUM
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 1st July 2020, 12:47 AM
  2. Gloating time
    By Albert in forum TABLE SAWS & COMBINATIONS
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 28th May 2018, 10:53 AM
  3. Gloating, boasting, bragging, skiting...
    By Frank&Earnest in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH WOODWORK
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 9th April 2008, 12:02 PM
  4. I'm back -- and gloating.
    By Robert WA in forum HAND TOOLS - POWERED
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 9th November 2004, 05:40 PM
  5. just gloating...
    By Zed in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 5th July 2004, 09:30 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •