Hi all:

I'm a newby in wood working (interested mostly in furniture making)
and I have some questions I hope someone could be kind enough to
answer, perhaps some guidance. Any comments are greatly appreciated.

I have a Stanley smother plane (#4), which has been tuned (almost)
according to information I've found on books and on the web. Sadly,
after the iron was honed to a mirror finish and the sole was
flattened, I discovered that the base of the frog (where the frog
seats on the sole) was completely out of alignment, making the iron to
"rest" diagonally instead of horizontally on the mouth of the sole. I
tried to fix this with a file and now the blade position "looks"
better, however, ¼ of the rear of the base of the frog do not rest on
the sole (it came like this) and I'm afraid to continue reducing metal
from the base of the frog. The plane works, but I'm afraid that it
might not be performing at 100% due to the lack of proper support of
the frog.

I was thinking to purchase a low angle block plane from Stanley or
Record (I'm not very fond of Stanley right know) for planning end
grain. But now, thinking that my bench plane may not be working at a
100%, I'm tempted to leave the plane as it is and purchase a better
bench plane. What do you think?

In case I decide to purchase another bench plane I've reduced the
possibilities to the following, any comments?:

ECE smother bench plane with adjustable mouth.
ECE jack plane English pattern
Record #5
Clifton #5

Note That I have not included some brands, as they are not available
in Europe. LN planes are available but they are way out of my budget
and considering that I need to purchase in the near future some good
chisels and a good dovetail saw I will require the extra money.

Thanks in advance

Luis

Luis
First off filing on the frog was a big mistake and may have rendered the
plane useless depending on how much damage you did. There are other simpler
methods of adjusting frog alignment, shimming with paper to mention just
one. So don't blame that on Stanley.
Stanley planes were made to fill an important nich in the market they were
designed and intended to be a working mans tool, affordable, durable and
utilitarian. They did a job, they were never intended to be the top of the
line tools. Tuned and properly adjusted they will preform very nicely but
pay more money and you can have a tool that will consistantly out preform a
Stanley. Every working plane I have is a Stanley or a Stanley knock off,
they all do everything I want a plane to do. Could I get a six foot long
micro thin shaving with one of them? probably not, but then six foot long
micro thin shavings are not something I strive for.
I have a friend with a bucket full of Stanley replacement parts from
misstreated planes and if your interested I'm sure he has a good used frog
for a number 4.
Gary



"Luis" wrote in message
om...
Hi all:

I'm a newby in wood working (interested mostly in furniture making)
and I have some questions I hope someone could be kind enough to
answer, perhaps some guidance. Any comments are greatly appreciated.

I have a Stanley smother plane (#4), which has been tuned (almost)
according to information I've found on books and on the web. Sadly,
after the iron was honed to a mirror finish and the sole was
flattened, I discovered that the base of the frog (where the frog
seats on the sole) was completely out of alignment, making the iron to
"rest" diagonally instead of horizontally on the mouth of the sole. I
tried to fix this with a file and now the blade position "looks"
better, however, ¼ of the rear of the base of the frog do not rest on
the sole (it came like this) and I'm afraid to continue reducing metal
from the base of the frog. The plane works, but I'm afraid that it
might not be performing at 100% due to the lack of proper support of
the frog.

I was thinking to purchase a low angle block plane from Stanley or
Record (I'm not very fond of Stanley right know) for planning end
grain. But now, thinking that my bench plane may not be working at a
100%, I'm tempted to leave the plane as it is and purchase a better
bench plane. What do you think?

In case I decide to purchase another bench plane I've reduced the
possibilities to the following, any comments?:

ECE smother bench plane with adjustable mouth.
ECE jack plane English pattern
Record #5
Clifton #5

Note That I have not included some brands, as they are not available
in Europe. LN planes are available but they are way out of my budget
and considering that I need to purchase in the near future some good
chisels and a good dovetail saw I will require the extra money.

Thanks in advance

Luis

I have abucket full of old irons but they are rusty. They were that
way when I got them but some are OLD.

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:30:29 GMT, "Gary Roth"
wrote:

Luis
First off filing on the frog was a big mistake and may have rendered the
plane useless depending on how much damage you did. There are other simpler
methods of adjusting frog alignment, shimming with paper to mention just
one. So don't blame that on Stanley.
Stanley planes were made to fill an important nich in the market they were
designed and intended to be a working mans tool, affordable, durable and
utilitarian. They did a job, they were never intended to be the top of the
line tools. Tuned and properly adjusted they will preform very nicely but
pay more money and you can have a tool that will consistantly out preform a
Stanley. Every working plane I have is a Stanley or a Stanley knock off,
they all do everything I want a plane to do. Could I get a six foot long
micro thin shaving with one of them? probably not, but then six foot long
micro thin shavings are not something I strive for.
I have a friend with a bucket full of Stanley replacement parts from
misstreated planes and if your interested I'm sure he has a good used frog
for a number 4.
Gary



"Luis" wrote in message
. com...
Hi all:

I'm a newby in wood working (interested mostly in furniture making)
and I have some questions I hope someone could be kind enough to
answer, perhaps some guidance. Any comments are greatly appreciated.

I have a Stanley smother plane (#4), which has been tuned (almost)
according to information I've found on books and on the web. Sadly,
after the iron was honed to a mirror finish and the sole was
flattened, I discovered that the base of the frog (where the frog
seats on the sole) was completely out of alignment, making the iron to
"rest" diagonally instead of horizontally on the mouth of the sole. I
tried to fix this with a file and now the blade position "looks"
better, however, ¼ of the rear of the base of the frog do not rest on
the sole (it came like this) and I'm afraid to continue reducing metal
from the base of the frog. The plane works, but I'm afraid that it
might not be performing at 100% due to the lack of proper support of
the frog.

I was thinking to purchase a low angle block plane from Stanley or
Record (I'm not very fond of Stanley right know) for planning end
grain. But now, thinking that my bench plane may not be working at a
100%, I'm tempted to leave the plane as it is and purchase a better
bench plane. What do you think?

In case I decide to purchase another bench plane I've reduced the
possibilities to the following, any comments?:

ECE smother bench plane with adjustable mouth.
ECE jack plane English pattern
Record #5
Clifton #5

Note That I have not included some brands, as they are not available
in Europe. LN planes are available but they are way out of my budget
and considering that I need to purchase in the near future some good
chisels and a good dovetail saw I will require the extra money.

Thanks in advance

Luis