Greetings from an Acheulian

[Dave Gardner]

The Acheulian was a culture more primitive than Neanderthals!


While I don't really belong in this esteemed club (I have a MDF workbench made with drywall screws and PL 400, and blue handled Marples chisels), I hope the vast collective wisdom here can help me out before I return to lurking.


The low angle Stanley planes on the nationally know auction site have gotten out of my range, so I went for a Sargent (labeled Craftsman). It's in odd condition; the japanning is all there, but it must have spent a long time in a humid place, because the sole and sides are quite pitted, and of course, the portion of the cutter than lay on the body was well pitted. The other oddity (or maybe not an oddity) is that the adjustable toe must be from another plane--it is a really sloppy fit, and a little too short (also not square at the back--someone even less skilled than I did some filing evidently). I'm exercising my filing skills making an extension to fix the length; maybe I'll also sweat a bit of feeler gage to one side to tighten the fit. Some 80 grit on my saw table is taking care of the pitting.


To get to my question: it has the knuckle joint lever cap, and the pressure (too much maybe) of the cap has bent the cutter. The knuckle cap bears on the blade between the points where it is supported (!?). So then, should I file down the cam of the knuckle cap so it presses less drastically on the cutter before it locks home? Would it work to put a little rectangle of metal under the cam (maybe sweat soldered on)? Should I just swipe the lateral-cam cap from my Dunlap? OK, it is more than one question, but I guess they're all related. Thanks in advance.


Dave Gardner

[Bill Houghton]

If you're up to some photos - which have to go on a website first - it might be easier to help. Some things are better described with pictures than words.

As to the sloppiness - I've seen some Craftsman-badged planes that look like their parts were made in different countries, or possibly on different planets, with specification sheets in several different measuring systems, with the conversion being done by someone really math-challenged. In other words, incredibly sloppy.

[Jim Koepke]

Dave,

Welcome to the Creek.

I do not know a lot about the Sargent planes, but as long as it isn't some plane with a ton of collector value you are messing up, what ever you need to do to make it work is not a crime. Some might shudder, but really, you aren't painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.

jim

[Rick Markham]

Dave, glad ya "came out of the woodwork" to say Hi! Welcome to the creek!!! :D

[Jim Koepke]

You can include images in your posts using the paper clip symbol above the text box when you are posting a message. There is even a way to add them in within time limits after you have sent a post.

152060

To position an image in the text, click on the spot where you want the image, then click on the down arrow next to the paper clip. You should get an image like this:

152063

Click on the picture title you want to place and viola, image in text.

I usually name my pictures. These were just screen shots, made while posting this. Doing this also taught me something new. When you have placed an image and want to add another, when you click on the paper clip, you get the manage attachments window. To upload more, click on Manage Attachments to get the up load box.

My images are usually all uploaded before placing them. Most often, my text is composed off line for a long post and marked where the images are to be placed.

jim

[Dave Gardner]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. It'll take me a few days to find the [vulgar word] little cable that connects the camera to the computer...

Thanks also for absolving me of ruining a collectible. This thing is too pitted to be a museum piece, even if there is such a thing as Craftsman collectors (I shouldn't dis Craftsman altogether, though, my table saw is a 1949 Craftsman, and it's pretty solid).

Now to start looking for cables,
Dave

[Jim Koepke]

This thing is too pitted to be a museum piece, even if there is such a thing as Craftsman collectors (I shouldn't dis Craftsman altogether, though, my table saw is a 1949 Craftsman, and it's pretty solid).


Some of the Craftsman wood working tools are OK. I do not know if any of them fall into the category of great.

My lathe is a Craftsman from the same time period as your table saw. It is a solid piece of equipment. For the price, nothing comes close.

There are also some Craftsman chisels in my shop. They do get used and are not with my best chisels, but they are not junk either.

jim

[Rick Rutten]

Thanks also for absolving me of ruining a collectible. Dave

The best way to ruin a collectable is to leave it alone and let it continue to rust. If I found a noble old car in a field, well used then put out to pasture, I would restore it then put it back to what it was built to do. Or do the best I could in light of my capacities. I don't think we are doing too much different with hand tools.

Now to go find an old shop truck. :D

Rick

[Rick Markham]

The best way to ruin a collectable is to leave it alone and let it continue to rust. If I found a noble old car in a field, well used then put out to pasture, I would restore it then put it back to what it was built to do. Or do the best I could in light of my capacities. I don't think we are doing too much different with hand tools.

Now to go find an old shop truck. :D

Rick

While your at it find me one too :D

[Dave Gardner]

I finally found the camera and the cable and got the software to cooperate... I silver soldered a bit of steel to the adjustable toe (it turned out not to be our of square, it was fit out of square relative to the cast webs on the upper side). I think you can see in the picture that the toe really must have taken some abuse, it is beveled off pretty badly before the new metal starts. BTW the mouth does close up square when tightened up!

Now that I've posted some pictures, any advice on the knuckle joint cam?

Thanks for all the kind replies,

Dave

[Jim Koepke]

If you loosen the screw that holds the cap in place, that should relieve some of the pressure. It could be the wrong cap or screw if the screw is too short to back off a turn or two.

jim

[Dave Gardner]

Thanks,

I'll try that. It occurs to me that I could just wind down a little on the screw after I lock down the knuckle joint, duh.

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll return to lurking now.

Dave

[Dan Carroll]

I have a similar Sargent adjustable month, knockle cap block plane and it is my go to plane. It fits your hand like nothing else and when you get the iron sharp, it holds an edge like you would not believe. Enjoy it-- it is worth all the work.

[Dave Gardner]

I'm glad you mentioned that durable edge--flattening the back of the cutter has been a drawn-out process, even with my Harbor Freight diamond hones!

Dave