Fix for Fat Stanley 92?

[Steve H Graham]

I am thinking about picking up a new Stanley 92 shoulder plane, but I have read folks on Amazon saying the blade is not as wide as the body. One guy claims the blade is 0.007" narrower. I am wondering: is there a practical fix for that? I would guess that the answer would be either surface grinding the sides of the body (I don't have a surface grinder) or using sandpaper and a flat surface, but I suspect that sanding the necessary material off would take forever.

A mill would do the job, but it doesn't look like it would be easy to find a way to hold the plane in a vise or clamps.

I guess a smart person would pay an extra $30 and get an old plane on Ebay.

[george wilson]

I'd make a new blade. Even without machine tools it would be easier than trying to sand the plane down. Plus,aren't they plated? I can tell you,besides messing up the plating,Nickel is some tough stuff. It might be a bit of a job trying to mill it. Carbide would be needed. I had to make a machine to mill through nickel plated parts. Those parts were made of pot metal,but getting through the nickel did take carbide inserts. And,it was a pretty screechy job!

Probably enough old planes floating around that can be had. Wonder what engineering genius (or whoever) managed to make the blade too narrow? Sounds like they got the width of the plane and the iron mixed up. It should be exactly the other way around.

I have a PROPER 92. Not a very attractive plane. They worked o.k.,though. The LN's are much nicer looking. Copies of older,more artistic models.

I could fix the plane,but to me it is more trouble than it is worth. Tablesaw Tom might could grind it down for you. It can be held on a magnetic chuck if he has a surface grinder. I suggest grinding both sides so the lost plating would at least look the same on both sides. A new custom made blade really would be best if he can do that.

[glenn bradley]

Seems more trouble than I would spend on a so-so plane. True, Lee Valley and Lie Nielsen have become quite proud price-wise of their medium shoulder planes of late but, I'd go there before I would rebuild a new product that is deficient out of the gate. You cold watch for used. Much to the mystification of those of us who love them there are people who have bought each of these planes and then dumped them because they didn't like them(?).

[Steve H Graham]

I am thinking the smart thing is to order a Stanley to be shipped to the local Home Depot. If it's no good, they take it back the same day. If not, nice plane for $80.

[george wilson]

Are the Stanley 92's made in Mexico?:)

[steven c newman]

All this worrying about a part nobody has seen? Ok, one, get the plane first off. Find out IF the blade is too narrow. May be, and may NOT be. secondly, Doesn't Stanley sell replacement blades for this plane? Maybe nhplaneparts might have one the right size? It sure would be easier to get the right sized iron, then trying to make the plane fit a narrowed down iron. Because, what might have happened to that "narrow" iron was someone mis-sharpened it. And, made it that much too narrow.

Worried about, what 0.007"? really. End of the world stuff, right there. Shoulder planes use ONE side at a time, is it too much trouble to lightly tap the iron to the side you are using? One or two light taps and it should be good to go. I doubt IF you will need this plane down in a dado? About the only time you would ever need both sides of the iron flush with the side of the plane.

Sounds like a mole hill got made into a mountain?

[Steve H Graham]

Sounds like a mole hill got made into a mountain?

Well. This IS the Internet.

Good post, though.

[Steve H Graham]

It turns out HD is selling these things for $69 + tax until June 22. I am going to give it a try.

[John Schtrumpf]

I am thinking the smart thing is to order a Stanley to be shipped to the local Home Depot. If it's no good, they take it back the same day. If not, nice plane for $80.

Yes, that is a good idea, check it over well.

Here is my story as a not so proud owner of a newer Stanley SW #92. Yes, most of the time you do not need both sides to work at once. For two years I had used mine, setting it by laying it on it's side, worked good (it does have a good blade). Then one day I was applying edging using tongue and groove. I wanted to trim the shoulders of the tongue, working both sides. Well no matter what I did I couldn't set the #92 to evenly shave on both sides. So in looking it over, I noticed the leading edge of the bed for the blade was thicker on one side than the other. Fortunately Lee Valley's cyber sale was the next weekend, so I waited till midnight and got one of their medium shoulder plane blems.

[Chuck Hart]

Woodcraft carries the Wood River 92. I have one and it is a gem. Good looking too!

[Jim Koepke]

Much to the mystification of those of us who love them there are people who have bought each of these planes and then dumped them because they didn't like them(?).

My old Stanley #93 was a bit fidgety when I first acquired it. It needed a little fettling and the blade wasn't ground square.

John described a problem that isn't uncommon for many planes. If the blade doesn't bed with the lateral axis parallel to the sole, the plane will have problems.

jtk

[george wilson]

I thought about knocking the blade to one side,IF it's cutting edge would be able to remain square to the sole. Probably could be made to work,if a pain to adjust every time you use it!

[Steve H Graham]

The plane arrived. It looks very nice. Unfortunately, the micrometer gives 0.7566" for the width of the body and 0.7495" for the width of the blade. The blade is about 7 thousandths narrower.

I guess the question is, am I right to think a shoulder plane iron is supposed to be wider than the body, or have I been misinformed? It's hard for me to believe Stanley would screw up something that important, over and over.

I can take it back, but if I order a used one from Ebay, I'll have to find a good deal AND a seller who is intelligent enough to operate a micrometer.

Should add: the edge of the blade has a pretty decent burr on it, right out of the box. I don't know how they did that. The blade was retracted, and the plane was wrapped.

[Jim Koepke]

The blade is about 7 thousandths narrower.

My math may be wrong, but it looks like 7 ten thousandths narrower. I guess a micrometer should be used on mine, an old Stanley #93. My micrometer only goes to one inch. There may be a little extra room. It is easy to see my blade, a replacement BTW, is wider than the plane body.

Maybe if you can find an old blade for a #92 it will do the trick. Well as long as the adjustment method matches.

jtk

[Steve H Graham]

I do not have total confidence in the tenths figure, but the actual difference between the numbers I typed is 0.0071" (seven thousandths and a tenth), unless I am having one of my spells.

I'm taking the plane back. It's going to turn into a major project if I don't. I'll never be able to get a seller to measure a blade or plane accurately.

It's interesting. It looks like I happened to choose a type of plane which is particularly hard to deal with. Ordinarily I would be happy to Ebay an old Stanley and get out the buffer and the grinder, but with shoulder planes, you can't play around. I think I'll give up and order a Woodriver.

I could lay this plane on its sides and sand off the extra metal, but I would have to take off fourteen thousandths, which is quite a bit. It's not an easy shape to mount under an end mill, so I don't have any other options.

[Mike Henderson]

Instead of buying that Stanley, why not look at the Lee Valley shoulder plane? It's a much nicer plane and it will come to you well made. It's more expensive but worth it.

I had a Record shoulder plane that was a copy of the Stanley and I sold it when I got the LV one. The LV was much nicer to handle.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

I do not have total confidence in the tenths figure, but the actual difference between the numbers I typed is 0.0071" (seven thousandths and a tenth), unless I am having one of my spells.


Oops! as I said,
My math may be wrong,

Even if the error was the lesser amount, it would be something to return.

Too bad there isn't a customer service department to send you a new blade of the proper size.

jtk

[Steve H Graham]

It must be a random thing. On Amazon, you can see reviews from people who are mad because the blade is WIDER than the body.

I gave up and ordered a Woodriver.