Stanley Router no. 71

[Vince Sandy]

I bought a Stanley no. 71 router (made in England) at a flea market for $20.00. It has the depth stop, a fence and one iron (cutter). Some rust, mainly on the thumb screws, but it is cleaning up quite nicely.

I wasn't really looking for this tool but it seemed to be a fair price. IIRC, this tool is still being produced in England and still available for purchase in the USA.

I have 3 questions:
1) Are there major quality differences in this older Stanley "made in England" tool and the old Stanley "made in USA" tools? In other words, did I spend good money for a junk tool?

2) What would have come with this tool when purchased new? IIRC, it would have been packaged with more than one cutter; two "straight" and one "V"?

3) Are new cutters available? If yes, where?

Thanks, Vince

[Mark Singer]

The 71 is still made. It sounds like a great price. They go for way more on Ebay. I think the older ones are better...wood handles etc. There should be 3 cutters....I can't seem to find a source. Lee Valley recently carried this plane...but I don't see it. You might find the cutters on Ebay.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I believe the cutters are still available from Stanley. Do a search for Stanley Tool Works and follow the arrows to repair parts.

[Steven Wilson]

The Stanley tool web site has a parts breakdown for the 71 router plane. I have an older plane with all the original parts and box. I bought a set of replacement cutters that I use for everyday work. Once you get the cutters honed the router planes are very effective tools

[Roger Nixon]

Due to their simplicity, new routers are not much different than vintage ones in quality. Yours should be just fine and that was a great price!

[Jerry Palmer]

Here's a link to the Stanley parts catalog online. It's in PDF and takes a while to load.

http://www.stanleytools.com/xhtml/literature/RepairPartsCatalog0304.pdf

[Vince Sandy]

Thanks for the comments and information.

Here are a few pictures of the router plane after I cleaned and polished it. It appears to have painted hardwood handles. I used metal polish, wire brushes, a wire wheel in the drill press, and then wax. Cleaned up to look pretty good and it should be protected for a while until I can get around to tuning it.

I have never used a "non-electron" router. It has only the 1/2" cutter so I need to get a couple of other cutters and sharpen them all, then try it out. Notice the brass screw holding the fence to the plane, I'm guessing it is not original.

Vince

[Bob Smalser]

You have a dado saw, right?

Lower left.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2594266/26712331.jpg

[Vince Sandy]

Hi Bob,

Ummm, no. No dado saw. I read in another post where someone suggested using a stair saw, which would control the depth of cut.

Not sure I'd recognize a dado saw as a dado saw because the one in your post looks like a type of back saw, maybe with a pivoting handle? Can you explain the difference between a back saw and the dado saw.

Also, can someone explain how the depth stop on the router plane controls the depth of cut? I have read Patrick Leach's explanation on the Blood & Gore website, but it's not clicking. If I understand what he suggests, it is to use the round rod as a depth gauge. You lock the "foot" in place on the rod above the plane and allow the rod to "float". When the small end of the rod reaches the bottom of the cut, you have reached your desired depth. But doing this would not limit the depth of cut.

Seems to me that if you lock the cutter in place with the thumb screw, say at 1/4" below the sole, then the sole would limit the depth of the cutter to that dimension. What am I missing?

Thanks, Vince

[Leif Hanson]

I think Bob is referring to a saw that can be used to make a kerf cut at a given depth in a board - one for each side of the dado or groove you want to make (followed up by chisels to remove the majority of the wood and a router plane to smooth out the bottom of the dado). One version of those is known as a "stair" saw, and is one of the saws I made in a project I put on my website:

http://www.norsewoodsmith.com/ww/stairsaw/images/sharpen0018.jpg

The blade is adjustable in it's slot, and the body of the saw acts as a depth stop. A back saw could be used, but has no such depth stop... The saw in Bob's photo has a bar that goes it's length that can be used in the same manner as the body of the saw in my photo above.

The term "stair" saw is derived from it's original use... to cut the stopped dadoes in the side stringers in wood stairs - but that of course does not limit its usefulness to that purpose alone.

[Vince Sandy]

Thanks Leif,

I believe I remember seeing that saw (and many more) at your web site. To clarify, are you saying that with the saw in Bob's photo, the back and handle can be adjusted up and down over the blade, with the back being the depth stop? If so, I can't recall ever seeing or reading about such a saw.

Also, with regards to the depth rod on the 71, I read Mr. Leach's paragraph again, this time with the plane here in with me.

"At the same time the shoe was added, a round depth gauge rod was made part of the shoe clamping assembly. This rod controls the tool's depth of cut as the cutter is adjusted deeper. It permits consistency from cut to cut, which would be difficult to achieve were the rod not provided. The rod has a smaller diameter portion on one end. The use of the stop might not be intuitive to most, but it's very easy to use and rather clever in its simple operation. The rod is slipped through the round opening for it, atop the arched portion of the main casting, so that the smaller diameter is downward. The tshoe is then slipped onto the rod (over the large diameter) so that the shoe is above the arched portion of the main casting. The rod is then positioned to the desired depth (relative to the sole of the main casting) and the screw of the shoe is tightened onto the rod. The rod is left free to move up/down through the arched portion of the main casting - do not tighten the screw to lock it in place. As the cuts are made, the rod will slip down toward the casting until the shoe stops it from moving downward anymore. Once the shoe makes contact with the arched portion of the main casting, the desired depth has been reached. Pretty simple, eh?"

I now understand his explanation. I'm thinking that you would be starting at a minimal depth and adjusting the cutter for deeper cuts as you work. You would know when to stop adjusting for more depth when the shoe hits the top of the arch.

Thanks, Vince

[Bob Smalser]

The 71 was designed to clean out the two kerfs made by the dado saw...the one in my pic is an old Bishop...plow planes with two nickers were designed to cut a dado from scratch.

But the combination of dado saw and 71 was much faster than plow planes, hence so many old 71's still around today....the saws wore out faster.

Also does a good job cleaning the kerf marks out of a TS-cut dado...but so does and upside down bench chisel.

[Leif Hanson]

Here's the Disston version of Bob's saw:

http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/backsawpage/cat1918no14.jpg

And it's corresponding text from http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/backsawpage.html

QUOTE:

Back Saw, No. 14


Nickel-Plated Lever Tightener and Wing Nut
Patented Jan. 27, 1914


Cherry Handle, Carved and Polished. Disston Crucible Steel blade. Warranted. One edge toothed 9 points for cutting with the grain; the other, 13 points, for cross-cutting. The slotted, heavy steel back, by means of the wing nut and lever tightener is quickly adjusted to cut any special depth required. Adapted for tenoning, shouldering, dovetailing, cog cutting, or any purpose where a definite depth of cut is desired. <CENTER>

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="50%" bgColor=#ddccaa border=1><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle><!--R1C1-->8 x 3 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R1C2-->10 x 3 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R1C3-->12 x 3 1/2 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R1C4-->14 x 3 3/4 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R1C5-->16 x 4 3/8 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R1C6-->inches </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle><!--R2C1-->14.50 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R2C2-->15.50 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R2C3-->17.25 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R2C4-->19.00 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R2C5-->20.75 </TD><TD align=middle><!--R2C6-->per dozen </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Packed one-third dozen in box. </CENTER>

END QUOTE

So, yes... the back and handle can be adjusted up and down over the blade, with the back being the depth stop.

What I usually do... I don't have a decent dado plane for cross grain work, so I will often use a stair builders saw first to define the outer edges of a dado, to a predetermined depth by adjusting the blade depth in the saw. I then come back with either a chisel or my rough old grooving plane (a woody rabbet plane about 1/2" wide) and get the majority of the waste out of the groove. It's kinda tough to get it to an even depth, so I then finish up with the "old woman's tooth" (old world term for a 71 style plane - don't ask me why) to smooth out the bottom of the dado.

I haven't found a 71 is very good at removing a lot of material, but it is great at leveling the bottom of a groove or dado - which is what it was designed for, anyway (like Bob says they are great for smoothing out the roughness left by the cuts a table saw makes. It is a deceptively ingenious design and a handy tool to have around. That little depth gauge is a cool idea once you get it, too, isn't it?

There are always other ways to skin a cat, though, so keep that in mind. I've seen a homemade router plane where it was just a chisel jammed into a slot in a board - still worked great.

On another subject - I like what you did with that D-8. It looks like a real classic now!

Aren't these things fun? :p

[Jasper Homminga]

Vince,

Having just bought a Stanley #71 I am now trying to figure out how to sharpen the cutters. The only way I can think of is putting the sandpaper (stones, whatever) on the edge of the bench and having a go at it free-hand. Knowing me I'd rather not try it (completely) free-hand.
I am curious: how did you sharpen the cutters?

Thanks, Jasper

[Vince Sandy]

Jasper,

Unfortunately I haven't taken the time to sharpen the cutters for the 71. I haven't had the time to do much of anything with woodworking. I'm sure someone else will give us the needed advice. Good Luck.

Vince

[Tom Scott]

Vince,

Having just bought a Stanley #71 I am now trying to figure out how to sharpen the cutters. The only way I can think of is putting the sandpaper (stones, whatever) on the edge of the bench and having a go at it free-hand. Knowing me I'd rather not try it (completely) free-hand.
I am curious: how did you sharpen the cutters?

Thanks, Jasper

I've always just free-handed the sharpening of the #71 cutters. But then again, I free-hand everything. I've never heard of a jig that would handle these cutters, but maybe someone else has.

Tom

[Mark Stutz]

Very interesting and infarmative discussion! Guess I'm going to have to put one on my list! I guess I'm a little thick headed, but I still can't envision how the stop works, even after re-re-rereading it. Why doesn't the bottom of the plane simply act as the stop? Since these apparently are best at cleaning up the dado, what is the purpose of the guide fence? Next time someone is using one, how snapping a few pics...I'm kinda like Tyler...a picture is worth a thousand words! :D ;)

Mark

[Alan Turner]

The stop is simply the vertical height adjustment. The true stop is the bottom of the plane. I used mine, with a 1/8" cutter, to make the stopped dadoes on the gallery of a desk that has pidgeonholes, etc., out of 3/16" material. I cut the side walls with a paring chisel against a metal straight edge.
Mine are pretty old, but I have no idea the date. The handles are wood, finished clear, but tooo light in color for rosewood. There is no groove in the bottom for an edge guide.

[Brent Smith]

I've been looking for replacement cutters for some time now with no luck.Every company I've talked to tells me the 71 and the 271 have been discontinued.A while back on the FWW forum there was a thread about this.One of the guys suggested grinding hex keys to make new cutters,he even mentioned the size of keys to use.If you do a search there I'm sure you'll find the thread

Brent

[Gregory Benulis]

Brent, Have you tried St. James Bay Tool Co. (http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/) , click on Tools, Stanley Reproduction Replacement Parts.
They have cutters and parts for the 71, 271 and most of the old Stanley specialty planes.

[Brent Smith]

Greg, Thanks for the info.I just checked the site and they list cutters
for the 271( which I've been looking for) but not for the 71.I bet that's just an omission error and I'm going to give them a call on Monday. Again thanks alot,
Brent

[Jasper Homminga]

I've been looking for replacement cutters for some time now with no luck.Every company I've talked to tells me the 71 and the 271 have been discontinued.On another forum (can't remember which one) Rob Lee said they have some left of all three sizes, so Lee Valley may be able to still help you out.

Jasper

[Brent Smith]

Hi Jasper, I checked with LV quite awhile ago and they had none left then. I'm going to call them Monday,also, just in case.
Thanks, Brent

[Pam Niedermayer]

You can still buy 71 parts from Stanley, and blades for the 271, too (I just ordered 271 replacement blades). The web site is Stanleytools.com, where you can download a pdf parts catalog. You really want the parts reference number before calling 800-262-2161 X55839.

Pam

[Brent Smith]

Thank you Pam, I'll give them a call today
Brent