# A hand plane with questions attached



## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I have a little Dunlap #3 with the "Made in West Germany" stamped iron. Ok, so far.

Looked under the frog, and saw at least five threads on the bolts holding the frog. Hmm. Gaposis?? No, the frog resides on a pair of rails, one on each side, and it rides up front on the base casting. The gap is almost 1/8". Can't lower the frog with out the front end needing changed too. Design issue??

Iron sits at a higher angle than the rest of my #3 planes. About 5 degrees more lean forward. Designed this way? maybe a way to get the "York Pitch" on a smoother #3 size? iron is nice and thick, and so is the chip breaker. Chip breaker will NOT fit any of the other #3 planes, too short.

Iron is narrower than the chipbreaker. Case of Metric iron meets SAE chipbreaker? Lever cap is even narrower than the iron. A design feature, again?? Base is the same length and width as a "standard" #3. I can set the iron for as close a mouth as I want. Stamped steel lateral could be better, I guess.

Many questions on this little plane. At one time, it even had bright red painted handles.









As bought. Tag says it was marked down to $8. After a good, thorough clean up









And, after just a touch up on the iron









Not sure IF I have the edge correct, but seems to make some shavings.









and, after stripping the handles back to bare wood. LOT of RED paint on them.

So, do I have a designed "York Pitch" #3, or just an old cheapo that happens to clean up well??


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## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

The Dunlap are generally not highly regarded as planes go. I can't tell you if that was a design feature. I can tell you that having a plane that takes nice shavings at a higher angle is going to come in very handy at some point.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

When I get home I'll take a look at my #4 Dunlap to see if it has the same thing..memory says it's at the same pitch as the rest of the herd..but..it's been a while.
I do recall it sits on the shelf as it has several issues ;-(
+1 to Dave on quality of them, but then agaon Bandit you do tend to find slik purses in sows ears..lol


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Ok, so maybe a better grind on the iron? It is set at 25 degrees, since I did resharpen it when i got it home. Is there another "grind" that goes with the higher pitch planes? Maybe I can finish tuning this little guy up.

"foot print" of the rear handle, aka Tote, is longer than any of the other #3 totes I have. Doesn't have a way for the "front bolt" some totes have, to be attached to the base. Just a nib sticking up into the tote's base.

Adjuster yoke is not a casting. It is a folded piece of steel. Where it comes through the chipbreaker, it is in the shape of a "U". This is a single piece of steel, bent to shape.

I will keep looking into this little plane's "Issues", and see IF it can be useful around the shop….


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

An excellent read from Brian Burns on double bevel sharpening.

www.lessonsinlutherie.com


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Compare the angle of these two plane's irons









A Standard #3 is in front, the Dunlap is lined up behind it. Edges of each iron are linedd up. Would that be a York Pitch in the background?

A better look:









Very interesting…..


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

has the frog been modified?


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Not that i can tell.









All parts that came with this little plane, before clean-up began. Frog was painted a RED colour all over. Even the "bearing rails" underneath it were red. I did clean the red off the bearing surfaces, but that was it. Frog sit nice and solid, too. Frog bolts are alos quite long, but fit just about right. There is enough room under the frog, I could even add a "Frog Adjustment bolt" ala Stanley. IF I wanted to, that is. Not too crazy about the cap iron, would prefer a lever style, but it seems that this was the "Dunlap" Style.

Do I sharpen the iron at 25 degrees, or something different? Right now, it is just over 25 degrees.

Silk Purse Plane???


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

25 is were my York is at.

That's cool if its original. You don't see to many of these. I've never seen a vintage like it.

I'm not sure its a silk purse, but I wouldn't sell it.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Bandit, checked mine at home, actualy a number 5 size and YES ! There's an air gap like yours 
under froggie, I can put a flashlight in the throat area and see light from the back of the frog and the visable threads. Didn't remember to check pitch on the "bi-h" but it sits in a herd of Stanley and MF guys and apears to be the same angle..check after work..sigh..


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I had a Fulton version of this red handled plane. The only things they had in common was the red handles and the QWest German Blade.









Frog is different, frog seat is different









Oh, and the cap irons are the same style, just a different logo…


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

My #5 has the same frog angle as the others, AKA Handyman, Baily et all..


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I sold that Fulton because the frog would move a bit. I might keep the Dunlap. Going to work on the edge a bit this weekend..


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Ok, batteries are back on-line, camera is ready to go. A look at the frog areas on this Dunlap plane.









Base casting. The area is at an angle, and was machined that way. Everything slopes downhill towards the mouth opening.









Base of frog is flat, at least in regards to the raised rim. Cap iron did need a touch on the sander, to make it sit better on the iron. Bolts are extra long









taking a test drive, after a little work on the irons. Wood is an old piece of oak. Second plane is a "Companion" plane.









Not too bad a little plane…


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## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

Not bad at all. You could always hone at 30 and see how she works on some nice curly maple


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

I have two Dunlops, a #4 and a 4 1/2. Neither have the elevated frog issue. 
I'll check the frog angle and see if my Fultons resemble yours too.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

The area to look at is where the frogs bolt into the base. Most of the ones I have, the bolt area is dead flat, and the frog sits flat on the milled areas. On the West German #3, There are two "bosses, one one each side, for the frog to sit on. The area with the bolt holes is loped to match the two bosses. Frog edge of the frog sits on the ramp right behind the mouth. I cleaned the ramp up, and the frog sit very nicely on the flat area in the ramp. No gap under the front of the frog.

Tried this little plane out tonight. Had some figured Oak to smooth out. iron was sharpened @ 25*, and honed sharp. It went across that old knot wood like it was just smooth pine. Made a nice curlie going by.

I think this one will stay around awhile. A Diamond in the Rough Plane???


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