Lever Cap Experiment

[Jim Koepke]

In a thread started by Dave Beauchesne he has a Stanley #5-1/2 with a broken lever cap.

One of my comments was about it might be possible to grind a little off of a lever cap from the next size lever cap to fit.

While out in the shop the differences were compared an amazingly the lever cap from a #6 or a #7 fits into my type 9 #5-1/2 without any modification:

343117

The lever cap in the #5-1/2 is from a type 9 #6. The lever caps on the bench are from the left a transitional cap that came with my #4-1/2, since replaced with metallic plane lever cap, the lever cap from the #5-1/2 and the lever cap from a type 7 #7.

It is likely possible the larger lever cap would work without modification and if any was needed it would be only a slight amount of metal needing removal.

Note: This was started as a separate thread to make it easier to find if someone has a similar problem in the future.

jtk

[Dave Beauchesne]

Thanks Jim, and others will thank you as well.

Dave B

[Tom Vanzant]

Jim, irons and lever caps for Stanley 4-1/2, 5-1/2, 6 & 7 planes are all 2-3/8" wide, so should be interchangeable "as-is".
OTOH, my 5-1/2 is an oldie with 2-1/4" iron. If Dave's is 2-1/4", then grinding down a 2-3/8" cap would work.

[Jerry Olexa]

Good info, thanks

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, irons and lever caps for Stanley 4-1/2, 5-1/2, 6 & 7 planes are all 2-3/8" wide, so should be interchangeable "as-is".

Tom, this is true for planes made after 1939. Before 1939 the #5-1/2 used a 2-1/4" blade. Otherwise there would have been no reason to do the 'experiment.'

If the caps were a bit better lined up you could clearly see the 1/8" difference between the sizes of the two on the bench.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

The lever caps and planes must vary some over time. When I tried a #606 (or 607, can't remember for sure as it has been a while) lever cap on my 605 1/2 (older type) it would not quite fit all the way down onto the frog. It got hung up just a bit before seating all the way down.

Strangely enough I have two 5 1/2 size Bedrock type planes, and both are Frankenplanes. I am still trying to get parts to finish one of them up. They are definitely user planes and are a combination of Stanley 5 1/2 Bailey parts, Keen Kutter K 5 1/2 parts, and Stanley 605 1/2 parts. (I have finally learned my lesson not to buy planes needing parts......I hope....or that have cracks, etc. from me getting in a hurry.) (Oddly enough, the cracked planes seem to work just fine, but I am never going to get in a hurry looking at planes at a flea market again, even if my wife makes sounds telling me to please hurry up.)

Interestingly enough, I once accidently bought an old Stanley (the only type I will buy any more) that had a smaller lever cap on it. I can't remember now if it was a plane I bought for parts, or what. It obviously had been used that way. It has been long enough that I can't recall if it was a 6 or 7 that had a #5 on it, or what. I never tried to use the plane that way. Still, since I had never tried to use it that way, I wonder now if it would have worked passably that way.

I wonder if any one of the Creekers has tried using the lever cap from a smaller size plane?

Stew

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

Questions: 1. Is the photo of the plane a 5 1/2 with a #6/7 lever cap on it? 2. From your experiment, do you think the 5 1/2 you have could be used without damaging it in some way with the larger lever cap?

From what it sounds, only a minimal amount of metal would have to be removed to make it work. (I am still looking for parts for my 2nd 605 1/2 Frankenplane as I mentioned in the other post, and expect to find parts sooner or later, but if I get too tired of looking may try the #6 route. I still expect to find parts though, because the ones I need can come off of a type 10 or 11 Bailey 5 1/2, and you see those often enough.)

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

(I have finally learned my lesson not to buy planes needing parts......I hope....or that have cracks, etc. from me getting in a hurry.) (Oddly enough, the cracked planes seem to work just fine, but I am never going to get in a hurry looking at planes at a flea market again, even if my wife makes sounds telling me to please hurry up.)

I have been blinded by the hurry up and other distractions. My wife and I were in town yesterday heading to get a few groceries and then head home. There were a lot of yard/garage sales yesterday and having a few bucks I wanted to take a look. We drove by one with a bunch of stuff in the ally and she didn't want to stop, "it's all just a bunch of junk anyway." I said I like looking through junk and pulled over. She was going to sit in the car and stew, but decided to get out and take a look. She had the best time talking to the guy about lapidary stuff he had and a bunch of other stuff. I found a peavy and a draw knife. Neither of them were really gloat worthy but worth the time and money. He said he has a bunch of other tools buried away. Gave him my number. Then he and Candy spent another half hour talking about his pottery collection and showing her pictures.

Yeah, just a bunch of junk. I am learning when she says no, that is the time to stop and look.

The guy said he would be out there on a regular basis trying to clean out his stash since he is getting old and his daughter told him she would likely have Goodwill come haul it all away. So he is letting things go.



Hi Jim,

Questions: 1. Is the photo of the plane a 5 1/2 with a #6/7 lever cap on it? 2. From your experiment, do you think the 5 1/2 you have could be used without damaging it in some way with the larger lever cap?

From what it sounds, only a minimal amount of metal would have to be removed to make it work. (I am still looking for parts for my 2nd 605 1/2 Frankenplane as I mentioned in the other post, and expect to find parts sooner or later, but if I get too tired of looking may try the #6 route. I still expect to find parts though, because the ones I need can come off of a type 10 or 11 Bailey 5 1/2, and you see those often enough.)

Stew

Hi Stew,

I didn't try it on wood, but it looks like the only problem would be the lever cap would not move with the blade well for lateral adjustment.

The hard part about the Bedrock planes is they all had Bedrock on the lever cap. I like the Bedrock design, but every time one came my way it was fixed up and sold. The difference between the Bailey and Bedrock in use was not enough for me to sell off the Baileys instead. For some that extra little bit of solidity is a heavenly experience.

jtk

[Glen Canaday]

The guy said he would be out there on a regular basis trying to clean out his stash since he is getting old and his daughter told him she would likely have Goodwill come haul it all away.

jtk

That's been on my mind lately. Why do kids and grandkids feel the need to liquidate their entire family history now? There are so many assisted living places going up I can't help but wonder what's happened to the 60 years some of these people spent in their homes. After all, you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been..

[Bill Houghton]

Jim,

Even though you didn't get much, it sounds like the time you and Candy spent with him were well worth it. Maybe you can arrange a personal showing with him, and even help him clear out his stash some!

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

I was afraid you would say that about the lever cap not moving, and wondered about it myself.

I like the old Bedrocks, but like you, once the planes are tuned up, I am not convinced that one model works any better than the other. I like the old Baileys too, and have mostly type 10s to type 14s or so. I have no plans to sell any of my Bailey planes.
The one thing about the Bedrocks is that there is no need to fool with the seating of the frog on the bed, so that makes it easier for me.

You are right about he lever cap saying "Bedrock" on the older models like mine, but in my case it doesn't matter. The Bailey type 10 to 12 or so lever cap will work just fine, and the two bedrock type size 5 1/2s were both pretty low in price, as they are definitely "users" not anything pretty, so holding down the cost to get them working is what I think about for those two. One works now, but if I do find a Bailey with a cracked body that I can get really cheaply I will swap parts around on the three planes, the Bailey, the Keen Kutter, and the Bedrock.

Stew