What is it about the 4 1/2 smoother?

[AHill]

I own a LN 4-1/2.  I purchased it with a high angle frog, since I work a lot of figured woods.  It's a bear to push, even with a very thin shaving, unless I wax the sole.  In retrospect, I should have purchased the standard frog, and focused more on a tight mouth and a closely set chipbreaker.  I still may yet retrofit the frog and sell the HAF.

[amtc]

I own a LN 4 1/2  and had a bronze LN #4. I sold the #4 and havent looked back.

[Derek Cohen]

I own a LN 4-1/2.  I purchased it with a high angle frog, since I work a lot of figured woods.  It's a bear to push, even with a very thin shaving, unless I wax the sole.  In retrospect, I should have purchased the standard frog, and focused more on a tight mouth and a closely set chipbreaker.  I still may yet retrofit the frog and sell the HAF.

Hi Allan

You can have one or the other, but not both. Open the mouth when you close down the chipbreaker (otherwise there is no room for shavings to pass).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[MrWhite]

I just finished writing a series on restoring an English Stanley No. 4 ½. It is a joy to use. Mine has a particularly heavy casting and I really like the mass in the plane. It cost me about $20 on eBay UK.

You can see loads of photos and read about the refinishing process I used here:

http://benchblog.com/tool-restorations/s...o-4%C2%BD/

[tablesawtom]

L believe the 4 1/2 you are talking about going for over $200 was a Bedrock 604 1/2 and I would say that it was cheap at $200. I don't think that the Bedrock planes are that much better, just a classic that everyone thinks they need to have.

Tom

[Snipe Hunter]

I bought a fairly large lot of misc planes a couple years ago just because there was a very nice 4-1/2 in the pile and I didn't have a 4-1/2. Most of it was junk but I only paid $100 for the lot of 19 planes. I sold everything off in the lot except the 4-1/2.

The first rule of rust hunting: "The time to buy it is when you see it". I hadn't found a (reasonably priced) 4-1/2 prior to that and I haven't seen one since.

[Bill_Houghton]

Very nice - looks like a real sweetheart.

Job lots are interesting things on That Auction Site.  I've paid only a tad more for a job lot than for the most valuable tool in the lot - with little additional cost in shipping.  Something about job lots turns off many buyers.

[Snipe Hunter]

This was actually a yard sale. I always ask if they have any hand tools. Sometimes they do but they don't think about selling them. The guy had some old power tools and arc welders but no hand tools. He looked to me like an auction buyer. Lots of stuff in the garage organized by type of junk. He had all kinds of oddball stuff. I asked him if he had any hand tools and he took me into his garage and showed me a shelf full of planes and a couple egg beaters. He wanted to sell all of it so I offered $100 and he took it. I got a wartime #6 and a MF eggbeater in the lot which I sold here and some incomplete 45s and some Dunlop, Craftsman planes and nameless planes and a few small low angle frankenplanes. Everything that was left I boxed up and sold in a cheap lot.

[Mike Brady]

Mine:

[Smoothjazz077]

I went to the last flea market in my area this past weekend, and surprisingly, 2 vendors had 4 1/2's for sale.  I have been going this flea market for years, and never did I see a 4 1/2 plane for sale.  The last outdoor flea market of the year brings vendors from many states, so maybe that is why they surfaced.  The first guy was asking $130 for the plane, and wouldn't budge on his price. The plane was in fantastic condition.  No rust, handle and tote were in great shape, and very minimal pitting.  The second seller wanted $75, and this plane had certainly been through drenches.  Look liked it sat in a musty basement or garage for the last 10 years.  Lots of surface rust, and the handle had a slight crack. The sole looked flat with the naked eye, and there were no chips or cracks on the body.   I was able to get him down to $60.  The plane will definitely need some work, but nothing I haven't been able to rehab.  I actually enjoy restoring planes.  Nice to to be able to take a neglected vintage plane, and bring it back to life.
BTW:  I did go back to the 1st vendor and see if he would move on his price, since I found another one, and he was firm on the $130 price.