Unwise Decision?

[Roy Lindberry]

Yesterday, I finished tuning a Stanley #2 and flattening the sole took a LOT of time (it still isn't perfect, but it is good enough).

So today at a garage sale I found a Miller's Falls #8 with a broken tote and a lever cap that, while it looked good on the outside, underneath revealed a weld that looked pretty sloppy, though the cap seemed to work fine. I had no straightedge to check the sole, so I don't know how true it was. The guy only wanted $7.00 for it, but I passed it up, because I still have two planes (Stanley #4 and #6) to fix up and they will be taking a lot of my spare time, so I didn't really want another fixer.

So my question: Would you have grabbed it for $7 or left it like I did?

[John Toigo]

Millers Falls totes are hard to come by.

[Harlan Barnhart]

I would have left it sit. Cracks/welds in the casting are a deal breaker for me. There are a lot of better ones out there. Be patient.

[Jim Koepke]

If my memory is working a Millers Falls #8 is the size of a Stanley #3. My choice would have been to keep the $7. That would likely be open for discussion if it was the same size as a Stanley #8.

Finding a replacement lever cap can be a real challenge, even for a Stanley #8.

You would likely have to make your own tote if a Stanley tote won't work.

Lot of hassles when you buy planes that are mostly parts. That leads to buying more planes for parts.

jim

[David Weaver]

It would be a crapshoot, as jim says, to see if you could find a lever cap cheap. Likely be one of those things that you put away and pull out 15 years from now when you chance upon a 1 3/4" lever cap from a millers falls plane.

If it was a true #8 and had a red frog, I probably would've bought it for parts, anyway, if it had a good tote and knob of cocobolo. If it had a domestic hardwood tote, I'd probably let it go, as they're just beech or something of that sort and kind of doggy looking.

You really have to go out of your way to break one of those lever caps.

[john brenton]

I bought a never used, still in the box Miller's Falls #9 for $20. They aren't that uncommon.

[Roy Lindberry]

So far it seems unanimous....at least I feel a little better about leaving it there.

[Zach England]

How do you break a lever cap? I don't think i could if I tried.

[Ken Werner]

I might've bought it and parted it out. Depends on how good the iron, CB, and body are.

[Richard Niemiec]

For $7 you should have bought it and made a tote, if the sole and frog were in good shape and the iron had length. $7 in gas is what it takes to cut my lawn.....

[Sean Hughto]

Put it in the freezer for an hour, then is secure half in an engineer's vise, then strike the part sticking above teh vise with a hammer.