# Tool Overview



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

*Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*

Evening Folks,

Like many of my fellow LJ'ers, I started out with power tools and have started to develop an interest in hand tools. I have been picking up some odds and ends, when both the wallet and the need permits. I received an early birthday present from the wife, partly as a thank you for helping her with all of the cleanup and move after the apartment fire. I have been looking at the Stanley 6 1/4 contractor block plane at Lowes and have been himing and hawing on whether or not to buy it. It is a mid-level plane with very mixed reviews and I have been leaning towards picking up a LN when I had the money. Fate lent a hand and my wife noticed that I checked it out a few times and bought it for me.










I have not used it enough to feel comfortable putting my name to a review but I did spend a few hours today tuning it and checking it out. I can tell you that, out of the box, this plane is not ready to go. Nor, for the price, should anyone expect it to be. One thing I have learned when it comes to reading user reviews is that much depends on their expectations, experience, and abilities when it comes to evaluating a new tool. I can tell you that some complaints that I have read were that the plane didn't cut well (a good deal of chatter), that the locking mechanism would jam or not work at all, and that the blade was difficult to align.

In regards to the complaint involving chatter, I would attribute this to the lack of tuning before use. The blade is stamped "Made in England" and judging by the time I spent flattening and lapping it, I would say the steel is fairly hard. To what grade, I cannot say. I know it isn't A2. It is listed as hardened chrome steel. When I sharpen, if a blade that has machine marks is flattened quickly, I have doubts that the steel will hold up to any use. It took me about 15-20 minutes of steady work on the worksharp to get the machine marks off, the blade flattened, and a nice honed edge on it. I kept the angle low, set it for 20 degrees with a 30 degree micro-bevel.

One thing I like about the plane is the adjustable throat. Again, it took me a little while to flatten the sole. Upon opening the box, the sole was a gray color with machined marks. After a good deal of time, I was able to get a decent shine on it and flatten it. The knob in the front loosens and allows the throat to adjust the clearance to reduce tear out that can occur with a low angle blade.










The locking mechanism feels flimsy, more like pot metal, and I will be careful when it comes to flipping the lever. How much pressure is required depends on the set screw that the frog slides on to. The screw was very tight when opened and would not allow the lever to slide all the way to the locked position. What I discovered is that if I loosened the set screw, adjusted the frog, set the locking lever, then tightened the screw, I was able to lock the blade in effectively and not put too much pressure on the lever.

Aligning the blade I didn't find overly difficult. There is a lateral adjustment bar that the blade rests on. It is sloppy and you would find that you would have to move the bar pretty much all the way to the left or the right to keep the blade parallel to the throat. The knob in the back sets blade depth. I found it fairly simple to adjust the blade depth and the knob provided enough control to let you make micro adjustments for the depth. Past that, it was a matter of testing cuts on scrap pieces to set depth and throat adjustments that provided nice thin wood wisps to glide through the plane.

I am new to hand planing. It took a little time to figure out placement, direction, rhythm to make decent wood shavings but I am getting there. Just a matter of technique and developing it.

The skinny - If your pocketbook is limiting you to a mid-range block plane and you have the patience to tune it, I think this plane would work for you. Other planes I have seen in this price range were the Buck Brothers models at home depot and the footprint versions at Sears. These models are made in China, the Stanley had English steel but components from Mexico. Personally, I think the steel is better for the blade on this plane than the Chinese knock offs. I don't think the plane compares to the Stanley's of yesterday, but it seems to work well when after investing the time and effort to tune. I know the general advice is to find old used planes but I don't run across them in my neck of the woods. The ones I see on ebay are usually scooped up quickly by collectors or the bidding is at a level I can't (and won't) compete with.

Happy woodworking all,

David


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


had the same plane, took some time to get the sole flat, but after that, and some fairly quick blade sharpening/honing and the usual tune up - it performed like a champ! and at a bargain price as you mentioned! has nice features on it too.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


You can get some really nice older Stanley planes on Ebay. You might want to check it out.


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


Thanks for the review, David. Yesterday I spent 5 hours designing a gizmo for the shop, I am going to try and make it today. 5 hours is about my limit for intense work of any kind right now just due to an overload of stess the last 6 weeks or so in the job. Looking forward to vacation later this month….................

Jim


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


*Purplelev* - I am glad you had similar positive experiences with the plane. Once tuned, it is a decent working model and definitely worth the price. I don't like to buy cheap but I tend to look for what my money is being spent on. The LN planes are obviously solid models but part of the price includes the tuning. I don't mind investing a little elbow grease to save a few bucks. Actually, in some ways I prefer to buy things of this sort without pre-honing and fine tuning. No matter how well honed a chisel or plane iron is out of the package, there is a point where you are going to have to sharpen, adjust, or otherwise fix the tool. The tuning might be redundant, but I find it teaches me a great deal about the tool at the get go and my comfort level with the thing is much higher.

*helluvawreck* - I agree that used planes are a good way to go. I have checked ebay on a number of occasions, though, and have found most of the planes I would be interested in would fetch close to high end new tool cost, and those that are on the cheaper side often look suspect to me. I am sure some good deals come by when some of the collectors are caught sleeping but that seems few and far between. Most of the prices look good until about 5 minutes before the end of bidding, then everyone throws in the last minute bids hoping to keep the price down but not lose the prize. Flea Markets and antique shows would probably be the way to go, but I don't run into those too much here. I keep an eye out, maybe someday I will find a bargain.

*Jim* - Does any project in your shop not start with the word "gizmo?"  I keep waiting to see one of your contraptions in one of the woodworking mags. Nice to see you out here.

David


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


That sounds like me trying to figure out how to make dovetails, I finally got there it just took a long time.


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## dfdye (Jan 31, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


David,

Your experiences with this plane are spot on with mine. I spent some time tuning mine up when I got it, and it works quite well. In my experience, the stock blade holds up fine for light duty work, but it is by no means anything special. My benchmarks for durability are the A2 Cryo blades in my #4 and #7, and they hold up a LOT better than the Stanley blade (then again, each of those blades cost twice as much as this plane did, so I'm not really complaining). I have been quite happy with the performance of this block plane once I got it tuned up, but a better blade would be a nice improvement if you plan on using it for heavier planing. I have used mine for chamfering edges and cleaning up end-grain cuts more than anything else, and I haven't had any complaints about how it does these jobs. I don't notice any chattering unless the blade is dull, and then a quick honing gets things back in shape rather quickly.

I honestly don't feel the need to upgrade this tool any time soon, though i will admit to being tempted by the Veritas skew block planes. 

The irony, as always, is that a cheap plane can be tuned to work like a champ, but the folks who know how to do it properly often go for a higher-end plane. The folks who aren't very experienced with planes, and who would benefit the most from factory tuning of a plane, are those most likely to skimp and buy this plane that needs a ton of tuning to work its best! I'll agree that the reviews dogging this plane are most likely from folks who haven't spent the time tuning the plane, or who haven't tuned it properly. Still, this should be a big consideration for anyone considering this plane-if you don't know how to tune it, it probably won't work well for you, and you are quite likely to be disappointed.


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


I've had the same plane for a number of years now. Same story, once I tuned it, works good. I use it almost everyday. I have used it so much, I am already on the second blade! The adjustable mouth is a nice little feature.
LN not an option where I am, but I do drool over the photos!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


congrat´s with your new toy ,have fun in the play with it .-)
thank´´s for the rewiew and the explaining both from you David and everybody ells about
what to look after and how to get them in good shape 

take care
Dennis


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Stanley 12-920 Block Plane*
> 
> Evening Folks,
> 
> ...


Nice account of the plane. I have the Bailey version of the same plane that I bought new a couple of years ago. From your photos, I can't say as I can spot the difference between your plane and mine. It took a while to tune and get the plastic or enamel coating off the blade, but once tuned. It works just fine. It is the youngest plane in my employ, but I probably use it more often than the others.

I have no real complaints with it.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

*Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*

I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.

The plane arrived yesterday and it really is a decent plane. It had a cast but not ground finish, had a decent heft to it, the sole was relatively flat, and virtually no rust to the plane. The tote and knob were still wood (though not rosewood like the pre-wwii models), and there was still a bit of brass to the hardware.










I took the plane apart, placed some items in an evapo-rust bath and flattened and sharpened the plane iron. The iron was made from Tungsten Vanadium steel which held a pretty nice edge and I now am sporting bald spots on my arm. (Why do we do that anyway? Can't we all just get matching tattoos?). The knob and tote were loose so I spent a little bit of time grinding the bolts down to give the brass nuts a tighter fit. Both tote and knob are secure now.

After re-assembly, it didn't take too long to get the sole flat. It either came out decent from the factory or the previous owner spent some time tuning it themselves. This model still retained the frog adjustment screw so I don't believe this was released as an "economy" model.










One of the methods for dating the plane is going by the lateral adjustment lever. The last production change (after 1988) used a die cast method of manufacture. This is how I knew it to be a later model from the ebay picture.










I ran some test cuts over some white oak. The project I bought the wood for is part of the reason why I wanted the plane in the first place. I experienced no chatter and had the shavings I was looking for. I also enjoyed the "shuck" sound that the plane made while running over the wood. Having experienced (way too many times) the distressing sounds of cracked and splintering wood fibers, I recognized the difference immediately.

All said, I am pretty happy with my purchase. I didn't have to purchase any new parts and the plane is working how it is supposed to, and at a price difference that is more than substantial. Of course now I am going to be looking up shoulder and jointer planes, but that will be a whole other story 

David


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*
> 
> I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.
> 
> ...


Good show, David, looks a winner, (don't know if it will break any Records, however…....(-: )

One of these days I am going to tune up my old Stanley Bailey and see if it is salvageable. I it seems usable, I will probably get a first quality blade for it. But I am still stuck in MDF and plywood for a while, so no rush…....

Thanks for the comments, fixing up an old tool is well within my sphere of interest…....

Jim


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

davidmicraig said:


> *Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*
> 
> I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.
> 
> ...


Nice work David.


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*
> 
> I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.
> 
> ...


Hi David.

Congrats on a great deal and for bringing new life to an old tool.

You aren't *truly *a plane nut until you need a bigger home to house your collection, or when your wife gives you the old "the planes go or I do" choice and you help her pack! **


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*
> 
> I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.
> 
> ...


Pull up a chair and start lacing up the ice skates for that slippery slope you have already ventured over the brink of.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Record Marples no. 4 Smoothing Plane*
> 
> I think I caught the hand plane bug somewhere, maybe during the last LJ get together. It probably just festered under the surface and waited until my mind was weak enough before it bit. At any rate, after my experiences with tuning and working with my block planes, I felt the draw to pick up a smoothing plane. I checked the LN website and I am not quite ready to part with $400 to get their no. 4 and a cool little screwdriver so I went the ebay route. I didn't see much there for a smoother but a Record caught my eye. After doing some research, I found it to be a late 80s model and every bit of advice I read indicated that it was best to pass on that era. But the mind works in funny ways and I found myself thinking about it and losing sleep over it, so I decided to just fork over the 20 bucks and be done with it. I figured the worst case scenario would be practice fiddling with the thing until I got a decent plane.
> 
> ...


Thanks all for the comments.

*Jim* - When you do get around the working on that Baily, most definitely pick up a quart (or gallon) of Evapo-Rust. It is available at most auto stores. Harbor Freight carries it as well but I know you don't have one close to you. If you have any rust on the plane, that stuff will make it come out looking new after an over night soak.

*Charlies* - Thanks for the encouragement. Sounds like you have been building your own hand tool collection. Nice to see you accumulating things for your shop.

*Big Tiny* and *swirt* - I am afraid I am hooked and am lacing the ice skates as I type. I can see why hand planes are so addicting. There really is nothing like the sound and feel of them when they are tuned up. Due to my lack of sharpening skills, I really was frustrated with cutting tools and didn't touch them again for a very long time. Making those thin wisps with the smoother really did something to me.

David


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

*Going Plane Crazy...*

Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.

It started innocently enough. I received a block plane as a thank you/birthday gift. I like mechanical things. I am a little slow on the take sometimes, but after I disassemble/reassemble a device and get a feel for it, it all starts to sink in as far as purpose and design. I also spend much time looking at magazines and reading articles to help me get a grasp of what I am looking at. So, after playing with the block plane, I realized that low angle block planes are really good for end grain. I would hate to find myself wanting to do some smoothing on an end grain board and come up short, so I bought a Stanley Sweetheart low angle block plane.

Well… Then I started reading about smoothing planes. They help take the boards to a higher level of beauty by taking such thin shavings that the wood has a very pleasant feel to it. I checked on ebay, and wouldn't you know there was a smoothing plane out there at a reasonable price so I went and pulled the trigger on it. And, as luck or fate would have it, the latest edition of Woodsmith had a great article on smoothing planes and how to tune it. Wouldn't anyone take that as a sign that fate was telling them to invest in hand planes?

I was going to stop there, but I read another article in Fine Woodworking that if one were to choose one plane to have in their shop, they should make it a Jack Plane. While its intended purpose is to rough flatten lumber, it can also be used as a jointer and/or a smoother if necessary and it is a very versatile plane. So I placed a bid on ebay for an old Bailey no. 5. Further in the article, it detailed how, next to a Stanley Bedrock, the Bailey No. 5 Type 11 was a great plane. And, as luck/fate also decided to lend a hand on, the plane I put a bid on was a Type 11 plane. The tool is in pretty good shape, only the tote has a crack in it. No one else placed a bit and I got it for 10 bucks, plus shipping. This is the plane that is due to arrive tomorrow.

However… it couldn't just end there. Between the Jack and the Smoother is the Jointer plane. Would be a shame to be so close to a complete collection and not have the Jointer. So I scouted around and looked at Jointer planes. Most of them out of my price range, but I could at least look. No harm in looking. Then I decided to try a different type of search. Instead of "Jointer Plane" or "Plane no. 7," I decided to try "Plane #7." I guess I thought I would try a search that few on ebay would think of. And, wouldn't you know it, there was a Record no. 7 that no one was bidding on and there was only 30 minutes left on auction. Price was reasonable, so for 60 dollars, plus 10 for shipping, I now have the plane below.










Now I am not going to tell everyone that this is the best plane for jointing, but I do believe I received an exceptional deal. It is a late 80's plane, which puts it in the era of Record that most shy away from. This version is pretty decent, the tote and knob are wood. Later editions resorted to plastic. There was light rust on the sole of the plane and on the frog. The plane arrived with the chipbreaker on backwards and the blade installed bevel up, instead of bevel down. I had to flatten the frog and sole and use evapo-rust on a few parts of the plane. I only have a quart on hand, so I used a plastic paint tray insert that was listed as solvent resistant to take rust off the sole. I found I could wedge the tray so that the solution pooled on the shallow side of the tray and I could soak half the plane sole, then flip it around to do the other half. My brother threw away a coffee table with a glass insert a number of months ago. I grabbed the glass and was able to adhere several grits of sandpaper to it and make a nice plate for sharpening and surfacing. After tuning, I am quite pleased with the performance and 60 bucks is a heck of a deal for a decent jointer plane.

So, I might be going "Plane Crazy" but I can't help but feel that fate is partly to blame… 

David


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Congrats on the tool scores, David! Just don't start looking at Festool's stuff as well. I don't know what would happen if you started sliding down two different slippery slopes at the same time!


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## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Its hard to have just one plane isn't it. I found all mine on ebay searching with number first, like 'no.7 plane' or '#7 plane.'


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


When I read this all I can say is YEP did that, YEP did that too, YEP I know how he is feeling, YEP I know what he is thinking.YEP I am slipping. YEP I have that plane also. After 5 years of buying all the old planes that no one seems to want anymore I am feeling overwhelmed ! Now you can branch off and start collecting stanley #45's. There are 20 "types" of these babies ! Transitional planes = #21 to #37Jenny.Then one day you can buy other brand names of same type of planes. Miller Falls, Sargent,Record . Lots of options out there to SLIP on. Enjoy your slide. *I AM *! (And I am normal)


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


That's just about sounds like the way that I got my plane collection. Good going.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Cmon overand we can fall the slippery slope together .. i just started blogging about the same thing .. started with a few block planes then i found myself at tag sales every weekend looking for the diamond in the rust .. grabbed a handyman #3, Bailey #4, Bailey #5

Have fun and ill meet ya at the bottom of the slope!


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Come on in and pull up a chair in the slippery slope room…. just watch that first step. Good additions to your collection. Next up will come a couple of woodies, just too give them a try (I recommend a set of match planes for T&G) ... and then …. and then….


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Congrats on your tool scores!


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


"Once you start down the dark path, forever it will dominate your destiny"- Yoda


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Aw, come on, you know you need a #6 fore plane. Gotta have it to level those high spots, "fore" you joint or smooth.


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


You have been on a roll lately….....having way too much fun. What's with that…......you manic-depressive or something?

I hope to do a little work with planes, but I will not get carried away. Don't think my hands and arms could take to refurbishing a plane (at my age and my job, you have to choose between having a job, and doing a hobby requiring a lot of hand work).

I have one old one, that I bought new, a Stanley Bailey No. 4 about 1970 vintage that looks like it has been in multiple hand to hand combat battles, and has not come out the winner every time. I think I will tune it up just so I understand planes. Then my others will probably be new high end things that do not need tuning.

Right now I am on a plywood and MDF roll doing shop stuff, so have pity on me, hopefully my planes will get back in the battle some day.

This week is shaping up to not be too heavy at work, so should be around….....however, I notice when I am in the shop a lot, I spend little time on the computer….....that was the case this weekend.

Have a good one…......

Jim


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments all. I think the word "plane" is the secret code word to generate an immediate response  If the average housewife knew that one, they would interject the word frequently in conversation. "Hello hon, did you notice 'hand plane' that I got a new 'hand plane' haircut today?"

Lately, the workload from the corporate job has been keeping me hopping so have not had much time for involved processes in the shop. I find that if my shop time is limited, my tool purchases increase. One thing I enjoyed about getting these in the mail is that I could go downstairs and tinker with the hardware during my lunch break or between pages and the interruptions not be a burden. I could release a little physical energy so that my body could get as tired as my mind.

A skilled woodworker can make a bad piece of wood look good. I have spend a couple years making good wood look bad  I think, once you start crossing that threshold and start understanding the tools and techniques the right way, something really bites you and you get excited. As I have said, many times, hand tools (especially ones with a blade that requires sharpening) intimidated me. Now that I start feeling the tools on the wood as they are meant to be felt, I get excited.


----------



## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Hey David I have a plane that I would like restored could you help me? I have started down that slope too


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


Enjoy


----------



## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


It seems we have another budding rhykenologist on our hands! Fantastic! Enjoy the slide, I do.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Going Plane Crazy...*
> 
> Well, it would appear that I am sliding a little further down the slippery slope. I can see where, once you get started down a certain road, it is a little difficult to get off of it. A little over a month ago, my plane collection consisted of nothing, nada, zip. Now I have four, and tomorrow I am expecting the shipment of number five.
> 
> ...


congrat´s with the toy´s and getting on the slippery lane 
the worst thing you can meet on it is a galoot witch isn´t the worst to do….LOL

Dennis


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

*You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*

Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -










I bought this one for 10 bucks from ebay. The patina was heavy but the rust was fairly minimal on the body. The sole was smooth and without any pitting.










I disassembled the plane and gave the parts an evapo-rust bath. While disassembled, I took photos of the distinguishing marks that ID it as a true Type 11.

From what I read, Type 11 is the only Stanley Bailey that has 3 patent dates -










The iron's trademark stamp was in production between 1912-1918. I have no doubt that this was the original iron. This makes the plane at least 92 years old.










When disassembled, the tote was in two pieces. Cracks in old totes are not uncommon. There was a piece of and old Stanley Tools emblem on the tote. I didn't want to replace it, so I wood glued the pieces together. There were bits missing which left gaps around the crack. I squirted some epoxy on the handle and used a plastic glue spreader to fill the gaps. This gave it a stronger bond and allowed me to keep the original tote.

After soaking everything, I reassembled the plane and flattened and cleaned the sole with sandpaper adhered to glass and used the work sharp to hone the blade. Many people replace the existing blade with a Hock, but I am going to keep this one for awhile. I like having all the original hardware and I was able to get a really nice edge on the original.

I didn't do a full restore to like new condition. I wanted it workable and so it was restored to that level. It retained some of its age but the rust and most of the patina is gone.



















It really is a beautiful tool. Maybe not much to look at, but it amazed me how different the feel and quality of the plane in comparison to my earlier restores. It gave me more of an understanding of what people talk about when they compare the quality of the old planes with the new. I don't regret my other purchases, I think they will all work rather well, but it is nice to have a point of comparison and have a little history with me in the shop.

So now I have the basic collection, Block, Smoother, Jack, and Jointer. I am done for now but I know many of you galoots out there are thinking "Oh no buddy, you are just getting started" 

Happy woodworking all,

David


----------



## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Nice score and a good clean-up. These old planes have a great feel to them.

I have uttered the words "I don't need any more _" (saws, planes, chisels) on several occasions only later to realize I needed more. So good luck with that feeling like your collection is filled


----------



## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


"Oh no buddy you are not finished, you might need one like these"


----------



## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...












Its when you start to do this "TIME TO GO FOR THERAPY" 
These are the leather handled ESTWINGS, the other 75 ball pein hammers are in a box !


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments gents  They are greatly appreciated. Fortunately (or unfortunately) my shop space is limited so I can't go too crazy with the planes or ball peins. I do see me eventually replacing the Records with Baileys and buying a LN shoulder plane after Christmas. I do understand that saying I am done would be quite foolish. A few years ago, my wood working tool collection consisted of a miter saw and a drill. Now I seem to feel like I have less tools today than I did then and my shop is hardly ill equipped. To paraphrase Sigmund, the shrink on the old sitcom Mash.."Sometimes you just have to drop your pants and slide on the ice…"

Thanks for the banter,

David


----------



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Looks like it cleaned up well. I've grown to love hand planes. I only have three but my next ones will be a shoulder plane and maybe a better block plane. CanandianChips, wow you have a lot. Any chance you want to get rid of some of those lol?


----------



## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Canadian- every time I see that planer collection of yours it cracks me up. I can't imagine what a person would do with all of those planers- but collections are like that aren't they. I have stuff I collect to- or used to collect- now I need to unload some of that stuff so I can buy some TOOLS. LOL Have fun you guys! Love those pics!


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Yes, collections are funny things and I would not be one to judge anyone's hobby. I just find it hard to understand "value" or the concept of it today. I spent 20 bucks for the plane and shipping and while I was on ebay, a small box of unopened toy plastic food appeared on my list and was selling for about 150. Cracked me up trying to picture people haggling over the thing, but everyone has their interests.


----------



## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


I still quiver when I recall backing off at 50 dollars in a live auction and letting slip away a 
beautiful 605 Bedrock plane.
Glen


----------



## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Wow I do see a classic case of OCD up there, but hey, it's better than collecting women or something more evil, like little kids. David, you know I don't share your passion for planes. That is what I term "work" using those things, I do appreciate you fixing up my planes, don't get me wrong, and I have used them, on "occasion."I have one of these new fangled things called a hand planer that I use and it works remarkably well. LOL. With a minimum of effort. You just have to bend over and (ugh!) plug it in. But I do appreciate the value of the ascetics of plane worshiping.


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


Yes, I probably have been getting a little emotional over the new tools  They are only as good as the project in which they are intended for. I did buy them with that in mind. And, yes, the kids are safe trick or treating this year because I have planes…

Kind of a shame, I had a cupboard all ready for the little monsters…


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *You can tune a plane but you can't tuna fish*
> 
> Ok, last new/used toy was dropped off to my porch today until after the holidays. This one has already become my favorite of the lot, this is the Stanley Bailey No. 5 Type 11 -
> 
> ...


great looking plane you have now David 
and as Canadienchips say you hardly have stepped into the slippery slope of this road
there is still more than 300 you need…...LOL

good luck with it
Dennis


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

*Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*

I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.

This is the lathe as listed in the HF online catalog -










While I would not be one to recommend this one for purchase, especially since you could spend just a little more and get the better HF model, I have used it for some time with a fair amount of success. The lathe was given to me by a friend and so I took the time to learn its quirks and try to make some decent turnings with it.

The complaints I most hear about this lathe usually fall under the same basic categories - vibration, self loosening tool rests and tail center, and weakness of motor. The following are suggestions that might help with the more common ailments -

*Vibration* - This lathe is light. It only weights about 60 pounds and is easily carried from one location to another. While this portability is handy, it creates a slew of problems. When you picture that a piece is out of round at the start and is spinning at a decent velocity, the weight is out of balance and will whip. With little weight, this machine will rock (I even had it walk one time. I looked like a cartoon character chasing it). The first thing I had to do was weight the lathe.










Weighting can be as simple as plywood on the stretchers of the legs and putting sandbags or cinder blocks on it. I had about 200 lbs at one time and even created a tray on top of the belt housing and placed bricks on it to reduce any shaking or vibration. Replacing the standard belt with a V belt can also reduce the vibration. If the piece is shaking on the lathe, you are not going to get it properly rounded because your chisel is not going to be able to stay in one position. As it strays, the cut strays.

Vibration also leads to the next issue, which is the loosening of the tool rest and tail center.

*Sliding Banjo*

This is the sliding banjo tool rest mechanism on this particular lathe










A bolt slides through the mechanism and is tightened using the cam lever that sits underneath










The problem here is tightening the mechanism and not having it come loose in the middle of turning. A couple things can assist with reducing the likelihood of movement of the rest.

1. Tighten (or loosen) the bolt until its tightest tolerance is when the cam lever is all the way to the right and part of the handle is wedged under the hollow steel beam that makes up the lathe body. This wedging (not excessive) helps hold the handle in place and minimizes the play that leads to it becoming less secure.

2. If this does not help, try gluing emery paper to either the bottom of the banjo, or to the carcass of the lathe where the banjo sits. This will reduce vibration along the metal pieces and will provide more friction to keep the toolrest from sliding. I have also gotten in the habit of making sure the cam lever is tight as I change chisels.

Sandpaper can also be applied under the tail center. The only caveat to this is that moving the banjo and the tail center becomes two handed operations because you can't just slide it in position, but it will hold the pieces to where they are steady.

*Weak Motor*

The lathe is a 1/2 horse lathe but that can be deceiving. I don't have an exact amp level of it, but it is pretty low. Only thing I can recommend is keeping your chisels sharp and your cuts light. I could rough pretty quickly with a very sharp roughing gouge. When the chisels dull, it doesn't take much to cause the lathe to come to a complete halt. The thing to remember here is that people have successfully turned with man powered lathes that were probably more underpowered than this model. Light cuts and sharp chisels should reduce any issues with the weakness of the motor.

*Accessorizing*

The TPI on this headstock is proprietary which makes accessories difficult to find. However, Penn State Industries created an adapter for this that will allow you to use 1" 8 TPI chucks that were not available before. I bought this particular item for around 15 bucks -










This allowed me to mount a four jaw chuck to the lathe for hollow vessels.










For bowl turning, I could use the stock drive center to put a tenon on the piece and then add the adapter for finished shaping and hollowing. Only caveat is that the tail center is out of alignment with the drive center (due to the modification of size) and you will not be able to use the tailstock to assist with heavier pieces.










That is all I have. I hope this article will be useful for someone who is having difficulties with this particular model.

David


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Good review on this lathe! I looked at this model VERY briefly before I bought my #34706. I had to make a couple of adjustments on the headstock to bring it, and the tailstock into alignment, but they were simple adjustments, just slightly loosen a nut, nudge this over here and snug down sort of thing…

While I agree, this model is not on the recommend for purchase list, I am glad to see you got it working for you… Sometimes the fun is working the way through the quirks. Of course if you are tying to make a living at it, this is very much the WRONG tool to do that with..


----------



## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Shucks dbhost, I was just about to say that David Craig might take away your title for *"doing the mostest with the leastest", * but here you are already commenting.

Perhaps you two ought to have a contest or something…...........(-:

Only my old contractor saw is in the running for "making do", but it had some high quality aspects to it right out of the box, such as the motor, cast iron top, and very solid blade manipulation mechanics.

It is interesting what you can do with an inexpensive lathe, guys…....

Jim (in La Conner, Washington…..on vacation)


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Thanks *dbhost* for the comments. I did end up replacing this one with a used Delta. Pretty solid lathe with 5 times the weight before adding the blocks and speed is adjusted by one lever. Definitely makes one feel spoiled.

*Jim* - I used to believe that I did a lot with little until I saw a video of some guy in the middle east who would make toys on the street with a tiny bow operated lathe that he ran with his hand and he used his foot to steady and move the chisel while his other hand guided it. After seeing that, all I could say was "I got nothing." 

Thank you both for responding and I hope you are enjoying that vacation Jim.

David


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


thank´s for the rewiew David
of a modell that had has many brandnames  and no one of them work very well
as far as I have heard of (first time I see it with a sander there) 
many years ago I turned down a freebee like this with a bad excuse only becourse
I knew I wuold be disapointed and wuoldn´t waste my time on it 
and the only reason to why I never got a better one has been moneydificulties too many times

take care
Dennis


----------



## rtriplett (Nov 25, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


I bought one of these lathes for $79.00 about 10 years ago. I spent more on the wood to reinforce and add weight to it. I got rid of most of the vibration. The motor is weak. But the slowest speed is really fast. I often forget and bring it to a stop! I have broken a few tool rests by working too near the ends. I learned to buy two at a time. 6 weeks travel time from China. I even broke the banjo where it tightens. I have turned quite a few pieces from 12" bowls and plates to bed posts to small dowels and spindles as well as lidded boxes. I just go slow. Sharp tools are very necessary. I have been looking to upgrade for a while. I would probably jump up to a Jet 14vs, at the least. I know what I don't want in a lathe from using this one!Dennis, the sander has never been used! Thanks for the review. I would never buy another HF lathe, but I have gotten some good use out of this one.


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


*Dennis*, think of this as me wasting time so you don't have to  I am willing to take a hit for the team.

*Robert*, thanks for sharing your own experiences. I would agree that a cheap tool can teach you what you want or don't want when making a more dedicated purchase. I also think I might setup a dedicated buffer with it in the future.

David


----------



## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


*David Craig*
I have a new project to distract me, speaking of hardware. I now have to make a basic shop in a vacation house we are purchasing in La Conner, Washington. I am going to redo the trim over time, so will probably have to buy the basic stuff like a TS (probably a good job site saw), miter saw, drill press, router table, nail guns and compressor, sander or two, drill/driver combo, etc. Don't think I will be doing much more than trim and dodads, but it ought to be an interesting endeavour building a small shop from scrap. It will occupy about a stall and a half in the garage. It is a few months down the pike, but I have to start thinking planning.

Later…..........

Jim


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


good luck with it Jim
looking forward to see a vacation dreamshop 

take care
Dennis


----------



## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


*Dennis*
Like I was just writing to dbhost, I think I am going to start a real blog, more like dbhost does. I bet I will get a lot of comments on starting a new smaller shop, mostly to do house trim and utility projects. I think I know what I will need. It is not practical to ship stuff from Alaska down here, so except for a few small duplicated items, not much I can glean from my current shop for the new shop. I won't get into until later this year, I suspect, for a variety of reasons.

Jim


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


all you need is one big toolbox and a bench with the right handtools….LOL ) LOL
first comment in house
enjoy the weekend 
Dennis


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


*Jim*, I have to hand it to a guy who buys a vacation home but expresses concern on whether or not he should have bought that electric sander 

David


----------



## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


I just want my friends to think I am frugal…....besides the sander is my toy…......the vacation home…...?!?

OK, I was a willing participant…............

........it's all a matter of family dynamics…........you know…...posturing, deceit, subterfuge, melodrama, victimization, martyrdom…...you know, the usual list….........(-:

Jim


----------



## jerryo (Apr 15, 2010)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Thanks David. I own this lathe also and was wondering if there were chucks available for it. I go on the Penn web site. Jerry


----------



## moos209 (Aug 11, 2014)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


David, I just purchased this lathe from harbor freight last week and now have time to play around with it. Will you please give me a part number of the adapter you purchased from penn state??? Id like to buy it and order a chuck to start using. Thank!

-Moustafa


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Hey Moustafa, welcome to lumberjocks. Here is the link for the adapter I purchased. The same one is also listed on Amazon.com though I would be careful. Amazon sometimes ends up shipping items that did not come from the advertised manufacturer but is a knockoff. Penn State industries has good customer service and their parts are pretty safe to buy. Good luck with your lathe.

David


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## moos209 (Aug 11, 2014)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Hey David! Thank you for the fast response. I just placed an order for the adapter. Now which chuck do you recommend I purchase? I know it has to be a 1" 8tpi but do you know of a good one for around $50 or less? Appreciate your advice. Thanks

-Moustafa


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Moustafa, no problem on responding. I am afraid I can't offer much in the 50 dollar range, at least not from personal experience. I have this economy chuck which would be at around the 100 dollar range. Works well but does tend to loosen up when turning and requires tightening on the piece while turning. I personally would like a lathe key system like the barracuda system that gives a much better grip on the piece in the jaws. If you are really strapped, I would stick with hollowing with a face plate and then cutting off the piece from the faceplate and finishing the bottom by hand. One thing to keep in mind when lathing is that accessories end up costing more than the lathe. If you buy the accessories with the low end lathe, you will develop a collection that you can transfer to a better lathe, especially when all of them will already be sized for a 1×8 spindle.


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## moos209 (Aug 11, 2014)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...












David, I Made this is my garage today.  Not sure what it is but it looks cool. I have seen $50-$100 Chucks on a website called grizzly.com. Haven't read up on the reviews but it should do the job. Good point on the spending the extra $ on quality parts for when I upgrade down the road. I like the face plate idea but from all the youtube videos I've seen it looks like I will eventually have to buy a good chuck.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


Moustafa, Cool that you are already experimenting with free form turning. Just getting a feel for the lathe and experimenting with shapes. I can feel your enthusiasm from here  Grizzly does sell some economy chucks though be careful about buying any of the three jaw chucks. Sometimes the pressure of the chisel will skew the object and the jaws will lose their grip. When I look at what you have created so far, I can see with only slight modifications to the design, you could create a tall mushroom or possibly a small lidded box. I started out just making shapes. After I got a chuck, I took one object I had laying around the house and turned it into a lidded box. The blog about that project can be found here. I am glad you are enjoying yourself and I think you will enjoy lathing. New challenges come up and it is a really enjoyable pastime. There are a number of folks here that are turners with projects and blogs that might help you when you get stuck. Just remember that to keep it fun and look at difficulties as a challenge and not a frustration. You have an excellent start.


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## moos209 (Aug 11, 2014)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/WoodPRO-WP0200-4in-4-Jaw-Self-Centering-Wood-Lathe-Chuck-1in-x-8tpi-/291152520595?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ca0ae593

Sory about all the questions David but im looking at this chuck on ebay. Any feedback? I think it will fit the adapter you recommended.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


No problem at all on the questions Moustafa. The ebay chuck is pretty much the same as penn state industries - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CUG3418CCX.html?prodpage=1CU. Except the penn state chuck has two sets of jaws and includes jumbo jaws for holding bowls in reverse for cleaning the backs and it is 10 dollars cheaper. Personally, I would go with the penn state item.


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## moos209 (Aug 11, 2014)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


David, I purchased the one off ebay before I saw your comment. Should have bought the cheaper one with more accessories  Well everything should be here by this weekend! CANT WAIT! I hope I dont have any issues with the adapter I bought from Penn State. I read on the reviews that the lathe we have is 3/4 13tpi. The adapter is 10tpi I think. . . . . not sure what any of it means but if it fit on yours then im sure it will work on mine. Will keep youposted. Thanks David.


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## bartman (Jul 28, 2015)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


were can i buy parts for my Central Machinery #67609 14×40 wood lathe ?? help pls


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


bartman, on the HF site, they have this to say about part ordering -

REPLACEMENT PARTS

Many of our products have replacement parts available for purchase. To purchase a part, please contact Customer Service at 1-800-444-3353, Monday thru Saturday 5am to 9pm (PT), Sunday 6am to 6pm (PT), or via email. Specify the product name, item number and description of the part when making your inquiry.

The email address is [email protected]


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

davidmicraig said:


> *Harbor Freight 14" x 40" lathe 45276*
> 
> I have been corresponding with Chris (Crushgroovin) about this lathe and have noticed a few posts from people who were curious or had experiences with it, so I thought it might be deserving of a blog entry. For clarification, this is not the more solid cast iron 34706 model that gets more solid reviews since it is, in truth, a much more solid lathe.
> 
> ...


bartman, what are you looking for? I have a few parts for that model.


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