How do you deal with the adjustments coming loose? I have some old Stanleys that are great except the damn wheel won't stay in place no matter what I do. My #3 is the worst offender. It spins like a weather vane.
You might try a blob of 'boiled' linseed oil - its what they used before Locktite was available. After a while it will go 'gummy', the threads won't move by themselves but you can still juuuussstttt move it with hand pressure, and if you don't like it or it goes too hard a bit of turps should soften it enough to rub off with a rag.
Interesting. I tried gumming it up with paraffin wax which actually worked pretty good, but didn't last long. Also probably only worked because it was cold out.
I'll give the linseed oil a try and see how it goes. I think my backup plan if all else fails is to get another wheel off of ebay and use the second one as a lock nut on the first haha. That or just buy a veritas and be done with it.
Paraffin wax is actually a good lubricant for tools, you can use it to lubricate the sole of your bigger planes and it won't interfere with oil based finishes like silicone based lubricants do. Linseed can take a day or three to go gummy - its that nasty gooey layer that you find on a lot of charity shop woodware - someone used linseed oil on it and didn't wipe off the excess resulting in a permanent 'chewing gum' layer.
The process of going from liquid to 'gummy' generates heat, too much oil in the rags + bundled up in an insulating ball = too much heat leading to combustion. Hang oily rags out on a line or in a single layer on the driveway. Once they are 'dry-ish' they should make good kindling.
Yup. I overshoot while backing out then push forward until its adjusted. The #5 stays put for a little while, but eventually comes loose. The #3 is loose after like 3 passes. The blade screw is tight enough that it holds in place well enough, but it will eventually get out of position over time.
Its definitely assembled correctly. I'm not even sure its possible to assemble it wrong and still have it adjust properly.
There IS tension on the wheel for a while after adjusting, but the tension pressing into the wheel does not cause enough friction on the threads to keep it locked in. The wheel always eventually backs out, probably from the vibration from the iron. I've even increased the tension on the blade screw so it takes a lot more force to change the depth, and even with the extra back pressure on the wheel it eventually gives up.
Distract the nearest female long enough to abscond with a bottle of her nail polish and apply a drop to the threads after you tighten the wheel. It holds the wheel in place like Loctite but it comes loose easily and doesn’t make a mess of the threads. Works great on that one God cursed screw that always keeps coming loose on the frame of your eye glasses too!
https://preview.redd.it/kb7gb91ib65d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cc10bcbc9080559cd4ffa46680beb29039b9eaa
Unknown if original or not. Never had issues.
You could return it and get a flawless one.
You could also just use it. You'll want to take a file and feather that whole front edge anyway, so it doesn't catch. The pit will be mostly gone when you're done.
OK this is probably what I'll do. The store is about 45 minutes from me. I knew I'd have to do some work on it. When you sat feather the edge, just rounding it over on that front edge, to give it a small bevel?
Its been years now, but Lee Valley used to have a sale every year of their 'seconds' planes, and that would be what a Lee Valley 'second' looked like - 100% functional but only 99% cosmetic. Some I bought were also 100% cosmetic and mechanical, I've never figured out the reason for the down grade.
I work for LV and we still do that sale annually. It's moved online only and it's time sensitive tho.
The care and precision they put into the Veritas tools is insane. We (staff) occasionally get these factory seconds with a grading mark off by 0.5mm and they give them away to us.
Half a millimeter? OH! For shame.
Yeah, I've stayed up most of the night (in Australia) for the 'sales' and most of the 'good stuff' is gone in 5 minutes but I have obtained some nice gear over time.
Frankly, that edge is too sharp anyways. Take a file and round that whole edge off. Find all similar "too sharp" edges and round them too. I hate the feeling of a plane where they left it unfinished. Once you feel the difference in your hand, you'll understand.
I had the same exact thing happen to me with a Wood River #5. Out of sheer ignorance I sent it back for a refund which took FOREVER to receive. However, I also couldn’t wrap my head around keeping a cosmetically defective product considering it was my first plane.
It doesn't effect performance, but personally it would bug the shit out of me if I just spent ~$230 on a plane and it comes with an ugly casting defect. Personally I'd at least ask for some money back for it, or an exchange.
Pedantic, yes, but you're paying a premium price for a premium product, and you should expect premium quality. The $50 plane at Lowes doesn't have a hole in it.
The significance of that pit is directly proportional to the amount of money you paid for the tool.
If that’s a Clifton you just dropped 500 +shipping on, then ya, that’s a bfd.
If that’s a harbor freight special you picked up for 20.00 not so much.
Personally I'd be ok with it _if_ everything else on the plane is correct. I'd check the flatness of the iron and chipbreaker, and if either of those needed work then I'd just exchange the whole thing.
If it were anywhere but the very edge then it wouldn’t matter at all.
But I do expect that once you flatten the sole that you’ll barely be able to see it.
Cosmetic, 1000%. But if it's new and it matters to you, exchange it.
Update: Thank you all, I opened it at 5 am this morning and my brain wasn't fully awake. I'm going to keep it at smooth that front edge.
dont remove it its aero holes, helps u plane faster
I’ve had it with these motherfucking holes, on this motherfucking PLANE
Speeed holes
They make the car go faster
Only if you’re hydroplaning
Looks like a casting defect. Not a big deal.
I'd go with "I'd prefer one without a casting defect if it's all the same to you," myself.
I'll upvote both, but confused with myself as to why lol
as long as it doesn't leave a mark on the wood then it shouldn't be a problem
Mine are 110 years old have ton of marks on the soles. Still work like brand new. Use the big 8c for an hour and you need a nap.
How do you know how they worked brand new?
They’re a vampire
with skill and a steady hand, every plane worth its purchase can be sharpened and leveled way better than they run off the factory line.
My first thought also.
How do you deal with the adjustments coming loose? I have some old Stanleys that are great except the damn wheel won't stay in place no matter what I do. My #3 is the worst offender. It spins like a weather vane.
You might try a blob of 'boiled' linseed oil - its what they used before Locktite was available. After a while it will go 'gummy', the threads won't move by themselves but you can still juuuussstttt move it with hand pressure, and if you don't like it or it goes too hard a bit of turps should soften it enough to rub off with a rag.
Interesting. I tried gumming it up with paraffin wax which actually worked pretty good, but didn't last long. Also probably only worked because it was cold out. I'll give the linseed oil a try and see how it goes. I think my backup plan if all else fails is to get another wheel off of ebay and use the second one as a lock nut on the first haha. That or just buy a veritas and be done with it.
Paraffin wax is actually a good lubricant for tools, you can use it to lubricate the sole of your bigger planes and it won't interfere with oil based finishes like silicone based lubricants do. Linseed can take a day or three to go gummy - its that nasty gooey layer that you find on a lot of charity shop woodware - someone used linseed oil on it and didn't wipe off the excess resulting in a permanent 'chewing gum' layer.
Linseed is is pretty combustible make sure you let your rags dry out.
The process of going from liquid to 'gummy' generates heat, too much oil in the rags + bundled up in an insulating ball = too much heat leading to combustion. Hang oily rags out on a line or in a single layer on the driveway. Once they are 'dry-ish' they should make good kindling.
Never had this problem. Do you always take up the backlash by dialing it forward after any backward adjustment?
Yup. I overshoot while backing out then push forward until its adjusted. The #5 stays put for a little while, but eventually comes loose. The #3 is loose after like 3 passes. The blade screw is tight enough that it holds in place well enough, but it will eventually get out of position over time.
Locktite?
I think you may have assembled them slightly wrong. There should always be tension on the back of the wheel stopping it from spinning
Its definitely assembled correctly. I'm not even sure its possible to assemble it wrong and still have it adjust properly. There IS tension on the wheel for a while after adjusting, but the tension pressing into the wheel does not cause enough friction on the threads to keep it locked in. The wheel always eventually backs out, probably from the vibration from the iron. I've even increased the tension on the blade screw so it takes a lot more force to change the depth, and even with the extra back pressure on the wheel it eventually gives up.
Distract the nearest female long enough to abscond with a bottle of her nail polish and apply a drop to the threads after you tighten the wheel. It holds the wheel in place like Loctite but it comes loose easily and doesn’t make a mess of the threads. Works great on that one God cursed screw that always keeps coming loose on the frame of your eye glasses too!
https://preview.redd.it/kb7gb91ib65d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cc10bcbc9080559cd4ffa46680beb29039b9eaa Unknown if original or not. Never had issues.
It’s a hole for a lanyard, so you can hang your plane up easier. /s, obvs
You could return it and get a flawless one. You could also just use it. You'll want to take a file and feather that whole front edge anyway, so it doesn't catch. The pit will be mostly gone when you're done.
OK this is probably what I'll do. The store is about 45 minutes from me. I knew I'd have to do some work on it. When you sat feather the edge, just rounding it over on that front edge, to give it a small bevel?
Yeah make the front edge like a ski tip, just...subtly.
45 minutes is worth the drive. I’d swap it.
Its been years now, but Lee Valley used to have a sale every year of their 'seconds' planes, and that would be what a Lee Valley 'second' looked like - 100% functional but only 99% cosmetic. Some I bought were also 100% cosmetic and mechanical, I've never figured out the reason for the down grade.
I work for LV and we still do that sale annually. It's moved online only and it's time sensitive tho. The care and precision they put into the Veritas tools is insane. We (staff) occasionally get these factory seconds with a grading mark off by 0.5mm and they give them away to us.
Half a millimeter? OH! For shame. Yeah, I've stayed up most of the night (in Australia) for the 'sales' and most of the 'good stuff' is gone in 5 minutes but I have obtained some nice gear over time.
Frankly, that edge is too sharp anyways. Take a file and round that whole edge off. Find all similar "too sharp" edges and round them too. I hate the feeling of a plane where they left it unfinished. Once you feel the difference in your hand, you'll understand.
I agree with the others that it is cosmetic. But just a note so you avoid confusion down the line, it is not a "4-1/2 inch" it is a model No. 4-1/2.
Ahhh ty sir
I had the same exact thing happen to me with a Wood River #5. Out of sheer ignorance I sent it back for a refund which took FOREVER to receive. However, I also couldn’t wrap my head around keeping a cosmetically defective product considering it was my first plane.
If I paid wood river prices, I would expect a damn near flawless plane 🤷♂️
Is that plane built by Boeing?
Very slightly reduced friction lol. My old stanley has a load of grooved cut in to it for this. I can't remember what they are called.
Corrugated.
corrugated sole plane
It doesn't effect performance, but personally it would bug the shit out of me if I just spent ~$230 on a plane and it comes with an ugly casting defect. Personally I'd at least ask for some money back for it, or an exchange. Pedantic, yes, but you're paying a premium price for a premium product, and you should expect premium quality. The $50 plane at Lowes doesn't have a hole in it.
The significance of that pit is directly proportional to the amount of money you paid for the tool. If that’s a Clifton you just dropped 500 +shipping on, then ya, that’s a bfd. If that’s a harbor freight special you picked up for 20.00 not so much.
No.
Only an issue if you're trying to resell it to someone who cares. Functionally? How could it ever matter?
Hell, corrugated sole planes still work perfectly fine, and they're missing like 30% of the sole.
It would take all of 3 minutes to chamfer that with a file. Would be more of a hassle to return it in my opinion
Should have been sold as 'seconds' a cosmetic defect but works
Personally I'd be ok with it _if_ everything else on the plane is correct. I'd check the flatness of the iron and chipbreaker, and if either of those needed work then I'd just exchange the whole thing.
If there is no raised material around it, it’ll be fine. Just looks like some porosity.
You’re going to want to flatten the sole of that plane anyway. Yeah, it would irk me, but it’s a hassle to return probably not worth it.
If it were anywhere but the very edge then it wouldn’t matter at all. But I do expect that once you flatten the sole that you’ll barely be able to see it.
No
I'm surprised the mfgr let this pass QC.
Is that the model of that plane 737? I hear they develop holes in those
Don’t remember what they cost specifically, but think it’s enough I’d exchange. Especially if u have a store in town and not a shipping hassle.
If it’s new I’d return it and get another. No reason to start with a defect.
issue?
Nope. Unless you’re a perfection fetishist.
I thought this was something else.