Does anyone have any experience with the Clifton Multiplane 450. The photos look but I would like some hands on experience. My guess is it is better to go to Ebay and find an old Stanley 45, unless I win the lottery this weekend and just have too much money.
Bob
Replies
Bob,
If I had the coin, I would get one like a shot. Clifton's metallurgy is great. Vastly superior. Failing that, I would do a 45 (or a 55). They fill a big hole in a wood shop. Most (45s) are overpriced but it's what the market will bear. Watch out for the "pristine" 45s- many have been acid dipped. If it's truly mint, it wont look "new".
BB
Boil,
What do you mean by "acid dipped" and what is the problem with this? I mean, is it causing damage?Philip Marcou
Not damage per se, but a dealers gimmick to imply unused and in better condition than others of the same caliber. They use any number of caustic cleaners and jellys to make it look shiny and newer. An example of a plane that may have been "done" would be
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stanley-No-45-Plane-Pristine_W0QQitemZ290250129043QQihZ019QQcategoryZ13874QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemor if you look at the skate (the outboard 1/2 round thing) in
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stanley-No-45-Combination-Plane-23-Cutters-SW-Logo_W0QQitemZ370075486891QQihZ024QQcategoryZ13874QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
you can see a subtle difference between that one part and all the rest. It's the "white metal" look that shouldn't be there. Almost the look of pot metal.
Sometimes it's just the photography.I'm just saying caveat emptor and If the OP can find a good 45 to get it.BBBB
Philip,This acid dipping is something really interesting. Would you be interested in forming a company to "acid dip" old tools to clean them off rapidly. The cleaning methods I have been using are time consuming, tiring and dirty. I believe there is a lot of "value added" to be generated by acid dipping, or something like it.Jewelers use dipping methods to clean jewelery. Hand planes are jewels to woodworkers. Why can't we do what the jewelers have been doing for years.If we can perfect these techniques, there is no reason to limit their use to small things like planes and chisels. We could take old Unisaws that have been found sitting in barns for decades, and dip them. I suppost we'd have to remove some of the electrical stuff first. We are onto something here. How about a thread on using dipping techniques in to clean up old tools? We on Knots could jump to the forefront of the field. Who better than you to lead this movement?
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,Good idea. I don't know the ins and outs of all the formulas but I would like to see someone follow it. Just the safe ones that won't ruin or change the finish but just clean it up a little. Save a lot of grief on my Garage sale excursions. Evaporust doesn't always do it.BestBB
I have an ultrasonic cleaner. I've used it on small parts. With the right solvent solution it will clean anything. It was the only way to clean my rapidograph pens and airbrushes. (That should give you an idea how old I am.) Once I had my bicycle wheels cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. I'll never do that again. They squeaked so badly because they were too clean.
Here's a company that makes non phosphate cleaners for ultrasonic cleaning.
http://ultrasoniccleaner.cleanosonic.com/cleaning_solutions.htm
Len
"You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time. " J. S. Knox
LEN,
YOU know what an ultrasonic cleaner is! Wow. You are as old as I am. I love those things. You and I gotta go to McDonalds and get a "senior coffee". I looked up the website you included. I have bookmarked it. Thank you for letting me know. Maybe we could start a revival in ultrasonic cleaners.
Next you are going to tell me that you remember calculators that had paper tape in them. MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I even remember adding machines. My grandma had one in her store. Click the buttons down, pull the lever, ding, and the numbers magically printed on the piece of paper. My older brother broke it. I'm sticking with that story. lol.
Len
"You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time. " J. S. Knox
Hey could we acid dip my old power wagon? It would be really cool if it looked brand new!
Madison
Actually there are restoration service companies that would dip your old power wagon.
But if it is like most of the old power wagons, there may be some large holes left where the rust used to be.
If you are seriously interested they advertise in Hemmings.
Yeah, I'm afraid if we ever dipped it in anything I'd wind up with a bucket of rusty bolts and nothing else, and I've got too much attachment to the old thing to do that. Guess we just run him into the ground someday and add his rusting hulk to the western landscape in some environmentally correct way!
Madison
Madison,
Power dip your old power wagon!
We will need a swimming pool.
This dipping business is going to be a big money maker.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel:
I can see it now. Big lights along the freeway. "Mels dipping Service, We Make Anything Look New Again!" Maybe you could implement a drive through service for the busy commuters. Ha!
Madison
"They fill a big hole in a wood shop."
I have a Record 45 -- have had it for over 30 yrs. The only "hole" in my shop is fills is the spot on the end of my plane shelf. LOL!
I have used it on occasion, but usually as a plough or when I need a small run of matched molding that I don't have planes/bits for otherwise. Then I'll grind a straight bit to match. Every time I do pull it out, I curse the inventor of this beast.
It's a PIA to use, tears out the grain and is pretty much a waste of space, IMHO, unless you want it solely to fill in a collection. These are definately not "users". Planes like these without mouths/chip breakers are pretty crude instruments when it comes to shaping wood.
I'd trade it for some good old woodies in a heartbeat.
YMMV.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
I have got to disagree.
It's not nearly as nice as a set of wooden molding planes but I have gotten very good service from my 45.Joel
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com
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