Spec on Ray Iles A5 Smoother needed
Lyn J. Mangiameli
>I need a favor from several of you who have access to a Ray Iles A5 smoothing plane (original Norris A5 info would be interesting too). I need to know the distance (preferably in mm) from the front of the sole to the front edge of the mouth, that is, how far back on the sole before the mouth gap begins. If possible, I'd also like to know the approximate year of manufacture of the plane.
The reason I'm asking is that I have the specification for a Ray Iles I used for quite some time, but a recent report from another owner of a Ray Iles A5 gave a significantly different figure. I need to know which spec is most typical and get a sense of whether it is a quality control variation or a design change. The most valid information is to get some direct readings from delivered planes. The info will be helpful for a little report I'm finishing up.
You can post here or email me directly. My TIA
