>I recently purchased a new Stanley 92 for about half of retail. It had been returned as defective with a small screw on the underside of the nosepiece snapped off. I extracted the broken piece and replaced it with a set screw. I believe it to now be as good as the factory made it, but I�m wondering if that is really all that good. The mouth cannot be closed to less than 3/64ths as the adjustment screw that attaches the two halves together reaches the end of the slot that its head rides in. Is that a reasonable size mouth? The blade is wider than the body by about 15/1000. Is this desirable for some reason or should I grind it flush with the sides?
>If you were able to repair the plane by fixing a broken screw it should be easy to file the slot and/or reduce the diameter of the head to close up the mouth. I would rework it to get the mouth right up to the blade and then open it up to the desired clearance. I just index the working side of the blade to the side and haven't narrowed my shoulder plane blades. Bob Smalzer is a big proponent of the 90 series Stanley planes.JR
>some people like the blade to be a little proud of the plane. Why is a mystery to me. As a mfg of blades I know that it is easier to take a blade down than to stretch it out. My theory is that they make the blades a little large for that purpose (one size always fits). I always grind mine flush (whoa! go easy, it does not take much). The #90 series of planes are some of Stanleys best work. I love mine and use them to cut the wispiest of shavings. Good luck with yours.
>You can always file the slot larger. My main consern with the newer 90's series is the machining of the castings. Check to see if your sides are perpendictular to the sole. I have a feeling you have a lot of work a head of you to get it all nice and squared up.
I don't worry about the blade being wider myself, I just push it over flush to the side of the plane I'm using at the time.
>my uncle cured the problem of the nose being higher than the sole by filing the bedding of the nosepiece on the main body. Less metal to remove, and it worked the same as lapping the sole (or, don't raise the bridge, lower the water).