Craftsman plane - Printable Version

Craftsman plane - Printable Version

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Craftsman plane - Bobby Thompson - 04-16-2018

Bought this plane off ebay just because it was cheap. I have seen several others with the ribbed sides that were a cheap version of Sargent sold as a Craftsman. All that I have seen had the gray body and red frog but the sides were left unfinished. All indications ate this was one of those planes but it had a Sargent lever cap. Does anyone have anything to add? If so, what were the origional colors?

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RE: Craftsman plane - C. in Indy - 04-16-2018

Nothing to add on color comments, but...

I just fixed up a 60's era (Red) Sears 9" smoother for my brother (one made by Millers Falls). I was able to sharpen it the same as many other planes. But it just didn't seem to cut as slickly. Having just read a book on wooden planes, I thought I'd try a spare 100-yr-old E.C. Simmons blade in it (not changing the chipbreaker). This was an old cast-steel laminated blade, which the book highly praised for the fine grained steel. I swear it made the plane work better! The 1960's blade was probably a coarser-grained vanadium steel, I'm guessing.

Enjoy your restoration... they can be addictive.

Chris

RE: Craftsman plane - Admiral - 04-16-2018

It looks like it has been partially, or fully repainted. It looks suspiciously like a 'handyman' quality version made by Millers Falls. I got a #4 size one in a box lot a few years ago. It likely does not have a frog adjustment screw, and at least the one I had was not very well machined on the frog and sole mating surfaces, crude is too strong a word, but the mating was not at all optimal. So, pay attention to those mating surfaces and file/flatten as necessary to get a good fit, that's the key to getting this type of plane to perform. Chris' experience was similar to mine, I gave the plane away to a neighbor who wanted to plane some doors to fit.

All that being said, yours could make a good scrub if you can't get it to do good work, which I hope you can. But sometimes, cheap is cheap.

RE: Craftsman plane - blackhat - 04-16-2018

That is the first plane I have ever noticed Phillips head screws on the knob and tote.

RE: Craftsman plane - bandit571 - 04-17-2018

Millers Falls Type 5 planes used the Phillips headed bolts...including the frog's two bolts. When M-F made planes for Sears ( Craftsman) they did not install a frog adjust bolt...

Frankenplane....Original lever cap may have broke, and a Sargent one was handy. Lateral lever may have needed replaced, too. Original Lever cap would have been painted Red, with black SEARS lettering painted on. May look on the left cheek of the body. and see IF there is a model number stamped into it....otherwise, it would be on the iron at the top.

Sharpen it up..after all, it IS a jack plane...not a smoother. add a bit of Schwarz camber, and call it good.

RE: Craftsman plane - Carl Grover - 04-17-2018

Cheapie planes like that one can be a tremendous learning experience.

carl

RE: Craftsman plane - med-one - 04-17-2018

(04-17-2018, 05:32 AM)Carl Grover Wrote: Cheapie planes like that one can be a tremendous learning experience.

carl

However, it can lead to a frustration point so that you never want to use one again.

RE: Craftsman plane - Bobby Thompson - 04-17-2018

I will just clean it up and put it on the shelf. I have others for users.

DSC00156 by bthompson4860, on Flickr

RE: Craftsman plane - HomerLee - 04-17-2018

I'm pretty sure some of the planes sold by Sears were made by Fulton.

RE: Craftsman plane - Admiral - 04-17-2018

(04-17-2018, 04:48 PM)HomerLee Wrote: I'm pretty sure some of the planes sold by Sears were made by Fulton.

Futon, MF, they were all over the place contracting with most manufacturers over the years.