Miller Falls 15 Video Gloat

[Chris Griggs]

Showing off my MF 15 that I mentioned in the "tool bling" thread. That's all, no other reason for this thread...just showing my awesome new tool via this crappy cell phone video that I shot with a few extra minutes I had before I left for work this morning.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04vI3c7vzwI

[David Weaver]

It's the "stock plane movement", huh?

Sometimes, stock planes are nice to use. If the adjuster needs to be super tight (like it should be for shooting hard narrow wood) or super square, it's not always so nice, but I've forgone premium stuff now for a little while and I'm starting to prefer the stock plane, stock chisel one stone kind of thing. Until the next itch appears, whatever it may be.

[Chris Griggs]

It's the "stock plane movement", huh?


Nah. It's just the "what I can afford at the moment movement" :).

[David Weaver]

Stock planes definitely do give you a lot more latitude with what you use to sharpen and how you use it. I'll start another thread the next time I get a little time in the shop rather than babble all over your thread.

[Chris Griggs]

Feel free to babble all over my thread. This is a perfect avenue for that conversation.

I do use stock irons on pretty much all my vintage bench planes. I wouldn't say I prefer them, though you are correct that they are nicer when using oil stones. I guess my feeling about them is that while an after market iron has some advantageous qualities, the stock irons work perfectly well so I have a hard time coughing up cash to fix something that ain't broke. Currently I have one aftermarket iron and I keep it in my Stanley 26 transitional since that plane is used for heavy work and its a bit prone to chatter. If/When I buy any more after market irons it will either be PMV11 or the blue steel irons Stu sells...an extra fine edge and extra longevity is certainly nice to have, but the original irons and chipbreakers do indeed do exactly what they are supposed to do.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Nice!

The voice doesn't fit the avatar :-)

[Chris Griggs]

Nice!

The voice doesn't fit the avatar :-)

Haha. Next time I'll overdub some Trailer Park Boys into it.

Hopefully the body doesn't fit the avatar either. I'm no athlete but I like to think I'm in better shape than Bubbles.

[Archie England]

Seeing you work with that vintage plane does my heart good! Great fettling job and excellent shavings...with only a stock blade!!!!

Enjoy

Archie, near NOLA

[Chris Griggs]

Glad to hear it Arch! My first time with an MF plane was in your very shop!

[Jim Koepke]

Nice looking plane.

My #5-1/2 is only occasionally used. It is very close to the #6 except for the 1/8" difference in the blade width and they are on an easier shelf to grab.

jtk

[Chris Griggs]

Thanks Jim. Oh my, I do love 6's. My 6 is definitely my most used plane when it comes to getting stock flat. I keep it setup for heavier cut than this though. Not super coarse by any means but definitely more closer to center on the coarse-fine spectrum. This will be setup more as a heavy smoother and just general purpose bench plane. I started finding myself using my LV LA jack a lot for that kinda a thing but I prefer to keep it setup for shooting so I wanted a BD size equivalent that would be better for general purpose work and and smoothing big pieces/pieces that I want to keep flat w/o tearout. I just happened to run across this and it fit the bill perfectly. Poor LA jack won't get as much diverse use now, but he'll still hold his own on the shooting board, which is really where he does his best work.

[Peter Pedisich]

Nice! Millers Falls RULE!

I like stock irons too - very quick to bring up a wire edge and they get real sharp, they just don't last too long which is not a problem for me as a hobbyist.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Would a Millers Falls plane take PM-V11 blade?

[Chris Griggs]

Would a Millers Falls plane take PM-V11 blade?

Yes. As far as I know anything that will fit a Stanley will fit an MF plane. Unfortunately, this plane in particular is a 2 1/4" blade so there is not PMV11 blade that fits it. For the most part though yes, they will.

Sargent's are the ones you need to be cautious about. They have different spacing in the holes in the chipbreakers. I believe after market blades will usually fit them but getting a chipbreaker that fits them requires a custom order.

[Hilton Ralphs]

I suppose if there's not that much demand I can't see Veritas making the 2-1/4" blade.

[Chris Griggs]

Yeah. It's size that was really only on these and the older Stanley 5 1/2s...not a big market for it. Hock does make them though, so even though can't get one in PMV11 if I decide I really want more edge longevity I can get an A2 one from Hock. Working well enough with the stock blade though I probably won't run out and get an aftermarket blade immediately anyway.

I may get a PMV11 for my MF 8 (no. 3) and/or MF 9 (no. 4) though at some point, since the PMV11 qualities would be nice to have in finish smoothers. I kinda want to try one of Stu's blue steel blades too, but I've shyed away form them because they are laminated and I like to use a dry grinder to keep a hollow in my blades. Thinking about it now, I do wonder if Stu can get one of those in 2 1/4", that would be a great alternative since I can't get one in PMV11.

[David Weaver]

You can grind those tsunesaburo blue steel blades on a grinder.I do it all the time. The only issue some folks may have with them is that they are as thin or thinner than stock, but that's a bonus to me.

They grind so fast that they don't really have a chance to get very hot.

[Chris Griggs]

You can grind those tsunesaburo blue steel blades on a grinder.I do it all the time. The only issue some folks may have with them is that they are as thin or thinner than stock, but that's a bonus to me.

They grind so fast that they don't really have a chance to get very hot.

That's great to know! I just assumed otherwise. I would have no issue with the thinness. I like thick blades on planes that do heavier work, but if I got one or two of these they would go on planes I use for fine work with a closely set chipbreaker so the potential or chatter is a not issue there. And I agree the thinness would be advantageous in terms of grinding/honing.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Are they on his website because I don't recall seeing them there?

I will hunt around. (Edit:- ok can't see any 57mm blades)

[David Weaver]

They're under the tsunesaburo section of the page. "iron plane replacement blades". They could easily be maintained without a grinder, more easily than any other iron I've seen. The lamination is very thin and the rest of the blade seems to be mild steel. I'd go so far to say about 20 seconds of primary action on a clean modern 1000 grit stone would probably maintain the primary if it was done each time the plane is sharpened (it is, of course, easier to use the grinder, though).

They are like a plain carbon steel iron on steroids.

[Hilton Ralphs]

Thanks David. I may well try one then.

[Chris Griggs]

Was just looking at plane irons I just found that TFWW sells Ray Iiles D2 irons in 2 1/4" . Free shipping right now too. Tempting despite the lack of need for a replacement iron. I wonder how D2 does for plane blades?

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/TR/item/MS-RID2IRON.XX/Ray_Iles_D2__Replacement_Plane_Irons

[Hilton Ralphs]

I bought a blade for my Block plane #18 (or thereabouts) and it was a Ray Iles version but it came from the UK. I must check what metal that is.

[Chris Griggs]

RI make high carbon steel blades as well so it could be either.

[Hilton Ralphs]

RI make high carbon steel blades as well so it could be either.

It could be R2 or D2.

[Chris Griggs]

It could be R2 or D2.

Haha. The best part is I was about to ask what R2 steel is and started to type it into Google. Took me a second to realize you were joking. I'm slow on the uptake today.

EDIT: Well, I'll be.... A quick Google search revealed that there is actually an R2 steel. It appears to be a powdered metal that seems to be used by some knife makers. http://www.thebestthings.com/knives/tanaka.htm Funny.

[Hilton Ralphs]

You're a star Chris!

[Peter Pedisich]

I can't wait for the new C3PO irons to be released, following protocol...

[David Weaver]

D2 and A2 irons are almost interchangeable. D2 is a little bit more rubbery and wears a little bit longer, but not *much* longer than good A2 steel.

If the D2 irons are cheaper than good A2 irons or as cheap, you'll probably find you like them about the same.

[Chris Griggs]

I can't wait for the new C3PO irons to be released, following protocol...

Replace the O with an M and I bet that metal actually exist already.

[Chris Griggs]

D2 and A2 irons are almost interchangeable. D2 is a little bit more rubbery and wears a little bit longer, but not *much* longer than good A2 steel.

If the D2 irons are cheaper than good A2 irons or as cheap, you'll probably find you like them about the same.

In this size, yeah pretty much the same cost - which is actually somewhat pricey for a replacement iron. In other sizes A2 would be less. I expected to hear that D2 was a good more wear resistant A2, if not by a ton, at least by a noticeable amount.

[David Weaver]

If you just sharpen an iron and use it until it's dull, and then sharpen it again and use it until it's dull, I don't know if you'd notice much unless the A2 iron wasn't very good.

If you counted strokes, you might be able to see a difference, but it's not as big as the difference between O1 and A2, IIRC.