Mark Rios
07-19-2006, 11:41 PM
The long awaited Stanley No.4 arrived today. The guy, apparently, doesn't ever check his email (so he said when I had to call him) or simply chose not to respond. I don't know.
Anyway, I think it was rebuilt with pieces from different planes. The sole says "Bailey No 4" on the front of the sole and "G12-004 Made in England" on the back, between the frog and the handle. The handles are black plastic "artistically" (:D ) hand painted with some dark purplish, sparkly, swirley kind of paint. The plastic was prepped very well as it does not scrape off easily.
There is a funny part and a part for possible concern. First off, nothing has been lapped, sharpened, honed or tuned. The cap iron looked to be placed accordingly, 1/16" back from the edge of the cutter, but the cutter is bevel up. Someone has tried to plane with it, leaving not only some chunky dust t also some bigger wood chunks jammed into the space between the cap iron and the bevel. I'm sure you folks knew this before I even wrote it here. :D
The mouth though has a very small crack at the left front edge. It's 1/16" long. It might be easier to see once the sole is lapped but I can't see it now with my 3x loupe.
Is this bad? How bad?
Also, should I spend the money for an "improved" chipbreaker cap iron and thick blade or just tune it for rough work and get a better one for finish smoothing.
Thanks for reading and for any help and advice.
Anyway, I think it was rebuilt with pieces from different planes. The sole says "Bailey No 4" on the front of the sole and "G12-004 Made in England" on the back, between the frog and the handle. The handles are black plastic "artistically" (:D ) hand painted with some dark purplish, sparkly, swirley kind of paint. The plastic was prepped very well as it does not scrape off easily.
There is a funny part and a part for possible concern. First off, nothing has been lapped, sharpened, honed or tuned. The cap iron looked to be placed accordingly, 1/16" back from the edge of the cutter, but the cutter is bevel up. Someone has tried to plane with it, leaving not only some chunky dust t also some bigger wood chunks jammed into the space between the cap iron and the bevel. I'm sure you folks knew this before I even wrote it here. :D
The mouth though has a very small crack at the left front edge. It's 1/16" long. It might be easier to see once the sole is lapped but I can't see it now with my 3x loupe.
Is this bad? How bad?
Also, should I spend the money for an "improved" chipbreaker cap iron and thick blade or just tune it for rough work and get a better one for finish smoothing.
Thanks for reading and for any help and advice.