neoOberon Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 I've been looking at buying a Stanley No. 7 joiner...I've been seeing quite a few corrugated ones. Does the corrugated sole make any difference to quality of work? I imagine the corrugated sole being lighter, but I can't think of any advantages...are there any disadvantages? Any comments, feedback or links as always would be appreciated... Thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Haven't ever heard of any disadvantages but the advantages are slight - holds a little extra wax in the grooves being the most reasonable sounding to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 I just got an old one today and spent some time on it.... Corrugated, "supposedly" cuts down on the friction. Who knows? It might be a tad lighter, but not enough that you'd notice. Here's a pic of the one I got today. I'll post a pic tomorrow showing how it cleaned up. Update..After 3 hours working on it, I put it back together and this is the result! Just another step on the way to a decent plane. With a rough sharpening, it cut very nice curls on rough cherry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 Reduces friction, mainly on resinous timbers or so the marketing would have you think. Try one, you might like it. I must confess I've never compared ones with and ones without back to back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoOberon Posted June 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 I just got an old one today and spent some time on it.... Corrugated, "supposedly" cuts down on the friction. Who knows? It might be a tad lighter, but not enough that you'd notice. Here's a pic of the one I got today. I'll post a pic tomorrow showing how it cleaned up. That is one boat anchor of a plane...please do post pictures of it after cleanup. I'm very curious how it will look post clean up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted June 14, 2014 Report Share Posted June 14, 2014 I have some of the same models with and without. No difference in feel, or performance. It was a way they could make a couple of more dollars on a sale. I do get them by choice, if available, but won't wait for one if a smooth soled one in a size I'm looking for comes up, nor will I pay a big premium price just because the sole is corrugated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 I think the market generally thinks the same way as Tom because as I've watched for planes to maybe buy there doesn't seem to be a difference between the two. LN offered it for a premium for a bit but don't see it as an option box anymore on their planes - perhaps telling but maybe not. C. Schwarz calls in a 19th Century sales gimmick and says it doesn't make a difference one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwllms Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 If you have to lap the sole, corrugations matter. However, corrugations concentrate sole wear to the area just behind the corrugations. If the plane is used much, a corrugated sole will need lapping sooner. Not that this matters much because the leading edge of the mouth of a cast iron plane sole wears faster than other areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilgaron Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 I'd not heard that before, lwllms, but you've got the pictures to show for it... is this due to some flex in the iron casting during use, do you think? For the OP, the only complaint I've heard about corrugations vs flat is some people find the corrugations annoying when jointing the edge. Other than that it is mostly marketing, as far as I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoOberon Posted June 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks everyone for the info...guess I'll stop "avoiding" them in my pursuit to start my hand tool collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CStanford Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Now way it could be a statistically significant sample but I have found two things to be true about corrugated planes: 1) they tend to have tighter mouths; 2) their soles tend to be flatter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missioninwood Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 ...won't wait for one if a smooth soled one in a size I'm looking for comes up, nor will I pay a big premium price just because the sole is corrugated. I agree with this statement. I like the "C's" myself esp in the event of having to do some flattening. But besides wax building up in the corrugations, I see little--if any, difference. also, ...guess I'll stop "avoiding" them in my pursuit to start my hand tool collection. yep! Now, let's go thru the Heirloom vs. Vintage discussion again, shall we? Uh oh, why is that bolded? miw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoOberon Posted June 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Now, let's go thru the Heirloom vs. Vintage discussion again, shall we? Uh oh, why is that bolded? miw What discussion is that? I ask because I'm not sure what a heirloom plane is? A new plane with a Lie-Neilson and up price tag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missioninwood Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 What discussion is that? I ask because I'm not sure what a heirloom plane is? A new plane with a Lie-Neilson and up price tag? Sorry, I should not assume that everyone knows. Yes, you guessed correctly. It often comes up: should I fix-up an old plane (spending potentially epic time and money on a replacement blade, etc.) or buy a plane that works when you take it out of the box (spending epic money but saving time and achieving instant results). Even though my mantra is not to solve a problem by throwing money at it, that is my precise recommendation in this particular instance. miw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoOberon Posted June 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Sorry, I should not assume that everyone knows. Yes, you guessed correctly. It often comes up: should I fix-up an old plane (spending potentially epic time and money on a replacement blade, etc.) or buy a plane that works when you take it out of the box (spending epic money but saving time and achieving instant results). Even though my mantra is not to solve a problem by throwing money at it, that is my precise recommendation in this particular instance. miw! My current mantra is, first work the wood, then work the tools. I'm just starting, so any tool I buy will be "near" ready to use...a bit of honing or sharping maybe, but that's it. Restoring tools is a hobby in its self IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 On page 37 of the 1958 Stanley catalog it states the following: Stanley Bench Planes with Corrugated Bottoms These planes are made exactly like those on the preceding page (this shows regular planes) with the exception that the bottoms are ribbed or corrugated. Some workmen are of the opinion that corrugated bottom planes slide easier on resinous woods. So the bottom line seems to be that the corrugations were put in purely to relieve friction. Isn't that something that can be done by waxing with a candle ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missioninwood Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Yes and No. I think the important thing to keep in mind is that--by today's standards--corrugations could be viewed simply as a marketing strategy. Again, I feel like the below comment is an ideal purchasing guideline. So, thanks, Tom, for that. ...won't wait for one if a smooth soled one in a size I'm looking for comes up, nor will I pay a big premium price just because the sole is corrugated. Remember too that I am a "C" man, but manly cause I find the task of flattening 10-24" of sole daunting. miw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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