Moron needs help with #78 off ebay
First, I need to admit something. I am a moron. I bought a Stankey #78 Rabbet plane off ebay, then didn’t check to make sure it was ok when I received it. Anyway, it ended up sitting on my shelf for a couple of months until I got around to tuning it. This one is real loser. All parts are present, the japanning is beautiful, and there is almost no rust, but there are major issues.
The post that holds the guide fence is no where near square to the body, more like 10 degrees off. In addition to that, the sole and side (I don’t know exactly what it’s called) and about 2 or 3 degrees off, and thus need to be machined square.
Anybody out there ever fixed problems like this? I don’t think I can really heat the plane to get the fence post back to square, so how do I attack that. I am looking at finding a machine shop for the side problem.
I also have too much of a conscience to just dump this off on some unsuspecting buyer on ebay.
Thanks for you advice, and remember, when buying over ebay, caveat emptor.
Replies
Matt,
The fence rod sounds like it is bent, since it screws into the body. The rod is steel and could be heated to bend back. If it were me, I would make a new rod, thread it, and use it.
As to the side being 2 to three degrees off, that is a biggie, IMO. For it to be that far off it would have to have been milled by someone, either the sole or the side. I suspect that it was the sole, milling the side would cause the depth shoe and spur to be worthless. Whether a machine shop would want to square it up is anybody's guess...it's not something I would be inclined to spend more money on. FWIW.
Dano
Edited 3/24/2002 9:59:00 PM ET by Danford C. Jennings
Matt, like Dano said, you should be able to unscrew the rod from the fence and straighten it, or make a new one. As far as the body of the plane being out of square...if you can't find someone locally to do it, I can mill it square, if you want to pay the shipping.
A user #78 is obtainable for less than $40. The last tool show I went to had about a hundred of them. If it takes you more than an hour to fix the one that you have, is it worth it? Your choice.
Todd
Thanks for your advice guys. If I can find a local shop to machine it for a reasonable price, I'll do that. I took a closer look at the fence and think I know how to get that square pretty simply.He who dies with the most tools wins. Whoever said this is my hero.
--Matt
I own two Stanley #78s, one I got for nothing since it was missing some parts, and another I paid money for. In each case the sole of these planes was no better than 2o from being perpendicular, let alone being flat. The bent fence attachment can probably be repaired, but with any of the older Stanley planes, the user is forced to lap the sole flat. This can be done by purchasing 60 or 80 grit silicon carbide (waterproof type) paper, and attaching it to a 3/8" thick piece of plate glass (which is pretty flat) with 3M super 77 spray contact cement. The plane is then rubbed back and forth on the sandpaper until (by checking with a square) the sole is perpendicular to the sides, and is actually flat. The process is then repeated using finer grades of sandpaper, usually until your patience is at an end. Don't try doing it all in one evening if you value your sanity.
I own a number (more than 12 at last count) of older (pre- WWII) Stanley planes, and I have yet to see a single one of these things that has a flat sole. In some cases, the soles are so far off the mark, that I took the planes to my local Napa Auto parts store, where they have a belt sander large enough to flatten the top of an engine block, and I had them sand the things mostly flat (they warp slightly when they cool down from this!) taking the smallest amount of material off. The guys where I live were really helpful with this, but, unless you can actually stand there and have the guy bring your plane back and forth from the belt sander for your inspection, I woud be unwilling to recommend this approach.
I surmise that even if you find another plane on e-bay that you will have flat sole difficulties (I hope you can prove me wrong, for your sake), and will be forced to lap the sole flat yourself. This isn't as bad a job with a smaller plane like the #78, but can be a real pain in the posterior with a #5 jack or a #7 jointer plane.
Hope this helps, and good luck!!
I have about two hundred hand planes in my collection now. Most of them are Stanley and as Hutch said most are not dead flat and square. But they all work perfectly once tuned up a little. As for yours I would try working the sole with a file and then a course diamond stone, followed up by some lapping.Scott C. Frankland
Newfoundland Wood Worker
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