Paul Cahill
11-24-2011, 12:17 PM
I am just back from visiting my folks in Ireland and I picked up a No. 4 from my Dad. He had already given me a No. 5 the last time I was home in 2009. He does remodeling, and uses planes but these were spares he had had for years.
213675
He had the No. 5 sitting around for over 20 years in its original box. He came across it when he was cleaning out a garage and the homeowner told him to keep it or trash it. The No. 4 had just been banging around the back of his work van for years – no idea where it came from.
213676
I did some dating on both planes. They are both old in people years, but youngsters in plane years. I see that the dating charts stop at Type 20 in 1967 so I don’t know what comes after that. Based on the Y under the frog both would appear to be Type 19. However, there are variations from this such as the Stanley on the lateral adjuster that is not vertical, and is earlier. Not that it really matters, but I must say that the dating thing is fun though.
213677213678
I have already tuned up the No. 5 and it works quite well. It does not make as fine a shaving as I can get from my Veritas LA Jack, but I do like the feel of the bench plane.
213679213680
I am in no rush for the No. 4, as I have the BU Smoother, but the No. 4 size was the next gap in my lineup to fill, so the timing is good. My Dad had ground a very pronounced camber on the blade he gave me. I don’t need that much camber but I am reluctant to grind it away seeing as how I came by it, so I may go with one of the new thick blade/chip-breaker combinations.
213674
Seeing as I didn’t pay for either plane, and have produced the requisite photos, I would imagine this qualifies as a gloat – my first official one?
Paul
213675
He had the No. 5 sitting around for over 20 years in its original box. He came across it when he was cleaning out a garage and the homeowner told him to keep it or trash it. The No. 4 had just been banging around the back of his work van for years – no idea where it came from.
213676
I did some dating on both planes. They are both old in people years, but youngsters in plane years. I see that the dating charts stop at Type 20 in 1967 so I don’t know what comes after that. Based on the Y under the frog both would appear to be Type 19. However, there are variations from this such as the Stanley on the lateral adjuster that is not vertical, and is earlier. Not that it really matters, but I must say that the dating thing is fun though.
213677213678
I have already tuned up the No. 5 and it works quite well. It does not make as fine a shaving as I can get from my Veritas LA Jack, but I do like the feel of the bench plane.
213679213680
I am in no rush for the No. 4, as I have the BU Smoother, but the No. 4 size was the next gap in my lineup to fill, so the timing is good. My Dad had ground a very pronounced camber on the blade he gave me. I don’t need that much camber but I am reluctant to grind it away seeing as how I came by it, so I may go with one of the new thick blade/chip-breaker combinations.
213674
Seeing as I didn’t pay for either plane, and have produced the requisite photos, I would imagine this qualifies as a gloat – my first official one?
Paul