Brothers Buck Meet the Frankenplane

[Jim Koepke]

Someone posted about Buck Brothers branded blades (Hecho en Mexico) being avalable at the Orange Borg for $3. The blades in my local store made me think they may be discontinuing this item. One was opened and the other had a torn package repaired with staples.

I think it was David Weaver that mentioned a slight hollow of the back making it easy to prep for use.

223741

I am not sure what they use to put the bevel on these blades but it leaves grooves. The remnants of the grooves can be seen here.

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You can also see a little bit of my reflection in the bevel.

The blade was pretty fast to get to this point.

The Frankenplane was put together out of parts I found in my scrap metal boxes. I am not sure if the frog and the plane were together when they came to my shop. This plane was an ebay disaster. Good pictures hiding all kinds of problems. It was in a group of tools so it wasn't that bad of a loss.

As I recall, the handle was good and I used that on another plane.

This one not only had a broken heal:

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It had a crack at the mouth:

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Not to mention the Backlash. This plane had enough backlash that a mark was made on the adjuster just to see how much there is. 3-1/2 revolutions of backlash.

But it can cut a good shaving:

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223743

Down to the full skinny on this plane. The base is a type 11 as is the frog. The blade is the Buck Brothers $3 special. The chip breaker is an unknown from the scrap box. The tote & knob are just junky ones that were around the shop. Finally the lever cap has a 409 imprint inside which makes it from a Sargent plane.

The lever cap is likely the only part worth keeping on this plane. Well, I was thinking of taking the lateral lever off of the frog to use on a plane with a broken lever.

Maybe I will keep it like it is for a loaner incase one of the neighbors asks to borrow one.

jtk

[Brian Kent]

I think you should buy a display case, add bright lights, and have a brass plaque engraved with the words "best in show - auctioned in 1985 for $3,500". That way if you get robbed they will steal the frankenplane and leave all of the good stuff in the shavings under the bench.

[Justin Green]

What is meant by plane "backlash"?

[Federico Mena Quintero]

It's when you turn the depth-setting screw one way, and then you turn it the other way to make the blade seat on the mechanism again - and it's not immediate, you have to actually keep turning. It's just play in the mechanism. In my planes it happens because the Y shaped piece is much narrower than the opening where it goes through the blade.

[James White]

Jim,

Could you give us the Home Depot store Sku? I would like to call some local stores to see if I can find one.

James


Someone posted about Buck Brothers branded blades (Hecho en Mexico) being avalable at the Orange Borg for $3. The blades in my local store made me think they may be discontinuing this item. One was opened and the other had a torn package repaired with staples.

I think it was David Weaver that mentioned a slight hollow of the back making it easy to prep for use.

223741

I am not sure what they use to put the bevel on these blades but it leaves grooves. The remnants of the grooves can be seen here.

223746

You can also see a little bit of my reflection in the bevel.

The blade was pretty fast to get to this point.

The Frankenplane was put together out of parts I found in my scrap metal boxes. I am not sure if the frog and the plane were together when they came to my shop. This plane was an ebay disaster. Good pictures hiding all kinds of problems. It was in a group of tools so it wasn't that bad of a loss.

As I recall, the handle was good and I used that on another plane.

This one not only had a broken heal:

223742

It had a crack at the mouth:

223745

Not to mention the Backlash. This plane had enough backlash that a mark was made on the adjuster just to see how much there is. 3-1/2 revolutions of backlash.

But it can cut a good shaving:

223744
223743

Down to the full skinny on this plane. The base is a type 11 as is the frog. The blade is the Buck Brothers $3 special. The chip breaker is an unknown from the scrap box. The tote & knob are just junky ones that were around the shop. Finally the lever cap has a 409 imprint inside which makes it from a Sargent plane.

The lever cap is likely the only part worth keeping on this plane. Well, I was thinking of taking the lateral lever off of the frog to use on a plane with a broken lever.

Maybe I will keep it like it is for a loaner incase one of the neighbors asks to borrow one.

jtk

[David Weaver]

I think I have four or five of them. I don't know what I'll do with them if anything, but they are surprisingly good at $3. Some of mine are even marked "made in usa", the newer ones are marked made in china, but the first one that I had was marked made in china and it's a very capable iron. Certainly for someone who finds an ironless stanley plane but one with a chipbreaker, or one with an iron that's got enormous pits in it, I'd say the texture of the steel in the one I've use a bunch is better than the millers falls iron it replaced.

It's at least as hard, but a much smoother feel on the stones, and tougher. You won't confuse it in hardness for an LN iron, but there is no woodworking that you couldn't do with it that you could do with a more expensive iron.

[Jim Koepke]

It's when you turn the depth-setting screw one way, and then you turn it the other way to make the blade seat on the mechanism again - and it's not immediate, you have to actually keep turning. It's just play in the mechanism. In my planes it happens because the Y shaped piece is much narrower than the opening where it goes through the blade.

Correct, there is also some play in the brass adjuster area if it is worn over the years it might take some turns just to move the Y shaped piece or the yoke.


Could you give us the Home Depot store Sku? I would like to call some local stores to see if I can find one.

Try > homedepot.com < and search > buck brothers plane blade < it is model 120PLS2, also searchable. The package is not to be found, so that is the best I can do.

They should be in the tool section close to the hand planes.

Do not be tempted by the hand planes. I saw one and it only looks like a hand plane.

jtk

[Don Dorn]

I bought five of them thinking they would serve as good practice when learning to grind. Four are still in the package and the one that isn't is incredibly sharp and I use it as a backup for my #5. Amazed at how well it took and actually keeps an edge - didn't bother flattening the back and instead used the Charlesworth trick. Had I known it would be hollow, I'd have opted for Jim's method.

[James White]

Try > homedepot.com < and search > buck brothers plane blade < it is model 120PLS2, also searchable. The package is not to be found, so that is the best I can do.

They should be in the tool section close to the hand planes.

Do not be tempted by the hand planes. I saw one and it only looks like a hand plane.

jtk

Found it! Thank you. Seems that my local stores have plenty of them. Actually some stores only had one. But other stores had 10 or 11.

http://www.homedepot.com/Buck-Bros/h_d1/N-5yc1vZaj/R-100191373/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

James

[Maurice Ungaro]

Thanks for the review on the plane iron. I was looking for something like that to make a flush plane with! I'll go grab a couple.

[Brian Kent]

At those prices I have no expectations, but I would be interested in hearing about edge retention.

[Jason Coen]

Thanks for the review on the plane iron. I was looking for something like that to make a flush plane with! I'll go grab a couple.

Hmmmm...better get there before Maurice.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Hmmmm...better get there before Maurice.

D'oh! Might have to widen my target area!

[steven c newman]

I picked up one last night, just to replace a Great Neack iron.223812

[steven c newman]

Iron is still in my FranckenBailey #5 for the last two years. Edge stays sharp!

Looking to get a block plane version for a 18-1/4 I am rebuilding. Those are about $025 cheaper than the 2" irons.. 269331Iron seems a tad thicker than the Dunlap iron I have as a spare..