Is this plane any good? (Dunlap)

[Wayne Hendrix]

I just picked up a nice Stanley 60 1/2 and the person I bought it from also had a Dunlap plane that I didnt know anything about. They let me take some pictures so I thought I would post up and see if anyone knows anything about it.

180598180596180597180595180594

What is it, is it any good, and is it worth me going back and buying it?

[george wilson]

Dunlap was a second rate Sears tool brand. It was more of an entry level brand. The plane has no adjustment for the iron,so it must be adjusted like a wooden plane by tapping on the rear end of the blade. The iron is probably of inferior steel of lower carbon content,and you probably could file it fairly easily. I would pass it up unless you have a better blade that would fit it,and don't mind the elementary way of adjusting the cut. I don't mind adjusting that way myself,as I used wooden planes for many years exclusively. It's the cheap iron I'd be concerned about.

[Jim Koepke]

I too would pass this one up. Some for the same reasons as George, others on my own.

If it was a dollar or two, I might be tempted.

One thing I noticed is there isn't a small raised place at the back of the plane. I have a metal plane that adjusts the same as this one and it has a small hump there to facilitate drawing the blade back if it is making too deep a cut.

Save your money and pick up a nice #102 for a standard angle block plane that adjusts this way or a #9-1/2 or #220 depending on what kind of adjuster you prefer.

Search Google for > patrick's blood & gore < for a lot more information on the Stanley planes.

jtk

[Greg Wease]

Skip it. I believe this Dunlap was made by Sargent although some were made in Germany as well. Definitely second rate as George says.

You have a nice adjustable low angle plane in the 60 1/2. If you want a higher angle, you can invest in a second blade and sharpen at ~35 degrees until a good deal on a higher angle block plane comes along.

[Wayne Hendrix]

Thanks guys, that is pretty much what I figured but I really know very little about planes so I always like to double check.