Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Half baked 4 1/2 idea
Angelo in Cornwall, NY
>I was just thinking...I have a Stanley #6 with a big chip out of the heel, and a decent user #6. I actually bought the chipped one for the wood to use on the other.
The 6 and the 4 1/2 are the same width......
Anyone have any opinions on cutting the chipped #6 down and turning it into a 4 1/2?
Just an idea.....I probably have way too much time on my hands...
Re: Half baked 4 1/2 idea
Jim in Burlington Ontario
>Why not? Nothin to loose although cutting cast iron is no picnic. Be carefull of keeping the heat down so you don't warp the plane's sole. If your going to make a blade and use 1/8" stock you need to use a fine file to open the mouth a little.
Well, if it's already broken...
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>There's some difference in the spacing of the tote and knob from the frog region - on the six, they're farther away from this region than on the 4 (don't know about 4-1/2, don't own one). But as far as I know, the frog area itself is pretty near identical on the two planes, and you could make a 4-3/4 out of it. Cut off the parts you don't want, file nice shapes where you made your cuts, and try it out.
Bill, made a chisel block plane one time, but found it wasn't any better for cleaning up glue squeezeout and glued plugs than a chisel and a block plane - but cheaper than buying an LN to find out the same thing.
Re: Half baked 4 1/2 idea *LINK*
Ted Shuck
>I did exactly this with a #6 last summer, and then turned it into an infill plane. It is my go-to plane for gnarly grain now. I wrote an account of it an posted it on Roger Nixon's site, Traditional Tools last July. I have included a link to that post.
Re: Half baked 4 1/2 idea
Angelo in Cornwall, NY
>Thanks Ted. I think I might forgo the infil part, at least at first. BTW, did you ever modify a frog to 50 deg? Bob Smalser has a great how to on it on some of the boards.
Re: Half baked 4 1/2 idea
Luke Herzberg
>I've got a #5 that had a helluva warp in the sole (probably 1/8"). It was a sloppy, ugly plane to begin with. It was even uglier after I accidentally broke the heel off while clamping it in the vice.
It subsequently became a scrub plus one drawer pull. Ahhhh, it was corrugated anyhow so who cares. : )
- Luke
Re: Half baked 4 1/2 idea
Ted Shuck
>I haven't gotten around to making a 50 degree version. I have read Bob Smalser's instructions with great interest, and would definitely follow his lead here if I every get around to it. The back-bevel method of achieving a similar result seems a lot easier right now.
Ted