# Cast Iron is Fragile



## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

If you drop it, it will break.

This arrived in the mail today. It was a Stanley 7 plane bottom. This rocket scientist of an eBay seller put it in the bottom of a large flat rate box. He stuffed a couple of empty small boxes on top. This seller specializes in plane parts.

I'm tired of vintage tools just being thrown in a box. Wadded up newspaper collapses in transit too.

A large percentage of cast iron items I buy arrive broken.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm also pretty sure it is illegal to use new small flat rate boxes as packaging material.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

ouch…. that sucks!

I feel for you… I was just marveling how a different eBay seller packaged a #7 in a post just a few minutes ago - filled with styrofoam so that nothing moved inside, and the plane was centered in the box…. I had a HARD time unwrapping it…


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

We used to wrap stuff in plastic and then squirt some expanding foam in a box, push the piece into it and then fill in around it with more foam if necessary. Nothing EVER got broke


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

I would rather have had the plane bottom, but the seller issued a refund.

At least I didn't have to file a PayPal claim. That is too often the course of action that must be taken.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

It is against the rules to use USPS shipping supplies for other than their intended purpose, but I have yet to see anyone arrested and charged with such an offense.

Sorry your part arrived broken, hope you get it worked out with the seller.


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## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

That is exactly why I disassemble planes when I ship them. I've never received one like that, but it seems like the lateral adjuster and (sometimes) the tote would take a beating. If you're still looking for a #7, send me a PM. I have several.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

sikrap, I'm just looking for a bottom for a #7. I have all the other parts. The #7 I originally purchased had a cracked mouth that the seller failed to mention. I successfully brazed the crack. My wife came out in the garage and was bothering me while I was finishing up. I dropped it on the floor and broke a large chunk out of the nose. I picked up an equivalent Sargent since then. I seem to have contracted some strange disease that is causing an obsession with finding a good #7 bottom.


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## Carpintero (May 18, 2012)

I know cast iron is fragile because last summer I dropped one of my dad's ancient planes and it snapped in half. :-(


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