Sweetheart #4 lateral adjustment blows


xxdabroxx

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OK, so after using it for a while I have decided that the lateral adjustment blows compared to the lever found on my standard Stanley planes.  What the hell were they thinking with the screwy knob/ tension screw deal?  The lateral adjustment on my #5's & #8s work so much better.  I can get them adjusted in a few moments while the goofy screw lever POS on the fancy plane is much harder to accurately adjust and keep adjusted. 

 

Any one have any ideas to help with them?  Is there a secret handshake you have to give the damn thing for it to stay right?  Should the tension screw on the bottom be taught or loose when adjusting? 

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At least it's not just me.  Wow, the knob on the front stripped?  Did the screw strip or was it the threaded hole in the body?  I've been sharpening the irons on all my old planes I've collected that haven't been sharpened by me yet.  Took a while to get all the nicks out but I've just about got them all done, one #5 left.  So I was going thru and setting them all up at lunch in anticipation of doing some planing on my workbench legs tonight after work.  My most expensive plane is by far the hardest to get adjusted right.  Kinda sad really.  I like my SH chisels but the plane leaves a bit to be desired in the adjustment department. 

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I'll agreed on the SW#4. Tried it, hated it. However it was clever having mouth adjustment like a block plane and a solid bed for the iron, nor frog so to speak. 

 

Agree also that the chisels are nice. It seemed they already had the template for a perfect plane looking them right in the eyes. If Stanley put the effort into a Bailey or Bedrock that they did on the SW#4 they'd have a real winner on their hands.

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I am not real fond of the Norris style adjuster either. I have one plane that has the Norris adjuster (Veritas L/A smoother) that I use regularly. The rest of my planes are older Stanley's. When I buy an older Stanley I try and make sure that the iron adjustment knob is a 1" knob. Having the large knob makes it much easier to make an adjustment on the fly by using the middle finger of my right hand.  

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Never will understand why they didn't just produce new Bedrock models with few if any changes other than to kick the machining quality up just a notch or two.  Trot out the old blueprints and have at it.

They can't do that Charles - WoodRiver would complain that they were copying their design! :D

Regards from Perth

Derek

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You only need enough pressure to hold the blade from shifting laterally. Most people over tension.

I have more of an issue with the slop in the lateral adjustment.  There is significant play side to side.  Plus every time you adjust the plane you are inadvertently messing with the lateral adjustment.  It seems I'll just have to find the sweet spot as far as blade tension goes.  Too little and it adjusts itself even with the lateral adjustment locked down, too much and you can't get it straight. 

If they did the old style adjustment with the block plane like adjustable mouth they would have a real winner on their hands. 

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My comment was not meant to be a critique per se. I was well into my journey before being counseled about the tightness of the cap. I also once lubed for rust on a Bailey and got pissed at myself because the lube made the iron dance laterally. Take comments from me as thoughtful suggestions and not the voice of a hand plane expert. 

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