Box from FEDEX

[steven c newman]

showed up today. SDC15072.jpgSDC15073.jpgSDC15074.jpgLooks like i have a little work to do? Cleaned off the pint of oil on it. Went to the Dungeon Shop for a test driveSDC15082.jpg This is after just a swipe with a strop. Had to adjust things a bit, too. Will still need to take the stones to it.

[Chris Griggs]

Are my eyes deceiving me???? Did you buy a NEW plane????!!!! SACRILEGE Steven!!!!!!! Sacrilege I say!

You'll like it...the WRs work very nicely.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a great plane, but my old Bailey's are my true love.

jtk

[David Weaver]

I'm going to have to go wash my eyes out. I'm sure there's something in them because I can hardly believe that I see a new plane.

[Peter Pedisich]

Steven, I should have you know that Millers Falls planes are prone to fits of jealousy. Maybe keep them from seeing each other is best, for a while. -pete

[steven c newman]

Ok, I did get a second box that day, a bit more normal for me. Inside that USPS box was DunlapSDC15086.jpgSDC15087.jpgSeems to be a Millers Falls made oneSDC15099.jpgSDC15095.jpgBolts for the handles are a blued steel. No brass at all, on the WWII Era #4D BB plane. Toke the iron out of the frog, only to find the chipbreaker on the wrong side of the iron, they had it bevel up??? After a good cleaning up and a new edge on the ironSDC15101.jpgNot too bad for a $7 + S&H plane...

[steven c newman]

OK, Part two of the story: I noticed the adjuster wheel was almost to the end of the bolt, just to get a thin shaving. Something wasn't quite right. Laid out the Iron/CB to check on thingsSDC15131.jpgSDC15132.jpgFirst picture is the Wood River one, the second one is a Millers Falls #90 one. Note the holes for the bolt to pass through? Set up the WR#4 V3 for the Millers Falls groupSDC15133.jpgHmm, note how much thread is left for the wheel? Same thickness of shaving, too. Tried to set up the M-F #90 with the WR#4 iron/cb. Had to move the CB back almost 1/2" from the edge of the iron. I compared the two CBs, seems the WR one goes only until the "hump" on the millers Falls starts. Called up Woodcraft's CS line. Talked awhile. Result? A new plane was shipped out that very day. In the box is a return label to send the "old" plane back, on their dime. Great service!! Maybe the new one will have the correct cb in it? Let you all know, when it gets here.....

[Sam Takeuchi]

I don't really get what you are trying to say. Are you having problems due to adjuster wheel being at the end? And you know, cap irons aren't universally interchangeable between manufacturers. Some do share the same geometry with others for the same size of plane, but many times cap irons have different dimension and comparing one to MF cap iron and see it appears shorter is not a problem. Are you having problems? If so, can you explain, without using superfluous words and "can you guess the problem X", what the issues are exactly?

[steven c newman]

Very well. It seems that the V3 plane has a V2 chipbreaker in it. Result is a chipbreaker at least 3/8" too short. While I can get it to work, there is hardly any adjustment left. Paper thin shavings, or nada. One has to fiddle around placing the iron/chipbreaker into place, as the hole for the lever cap's bolt is barely large enough for the bolt's head to go through. An entire new plane is on it's way, hoping that the corrected chipbreaker is with it.

Seemed to be a problem with some of the first V3 planes. Older chipbreakers were used up.

Now, to get the adjuster wheel to sit at about the halfway point on it's bolt, I had to move the chipbreaker BACK almost 1/2" . Lots of room between it and the iron's edge! Makes it prone to chatter.

Also, when the chipbreaker was at the normal 1-2mm from the edge of the iron's edge, adjuster wheel needed to be run almost OFF it's bolt. And that was just to produce a see-through shaving!

[Sam Takeuchi]

So the pictures you posted in the first post is the one you are talking about? Adjuster wheel being "near to the end" of the bolt? If the plane is set up right in that picture, you still have more than plenty of adjustment range. Depth adjuster wheel don't necessarily sit in the mid point and don't need to as long as you have enough room to make blade projection and retraction. Depth adjuster wheel not sitting in mid point is not a defect or problem warranting replacement, though. It is a problem when there is not enough space to advance blade or blade doesn't retract fully, OR cap iron/blade assembly screw getting in the way of blade movement due frog design not allowing enough space for movement. Other than that, it's fine. Here are pictures of my LN No.3. That's blade just slightly retracted from the cutting position with cap iron about 0.4mm from the edge. It's not a problem for depth adjuster to sit at the end, or not having to sit in mid point in the depth adjuster bolt (actually there isn't really a mid point in a bolt that length). What's surprising is that how long your WR's plane's depth adjuster bolt is.

Cap iron screw not fitting through is not at all uncommon, especially in smaller sized planes. I'm not familiar with WR as far as experience goes, it happens a lot, especially the No.3 sized plane and smaller. I don't know if that's supposed to happen with WR, but even my Record and Stanley No.3s do that and I'm used to it, so it doesn't seem like a problem to me personally.

[steven c newman]

Woodcraft is sending a replacement.


Of course IF one looks at some of the earlier reviews ( like the V2) One will see a few complaints like this. Even on some of the first V3s have a problem with the wrong ( older) chipbreaker being used. The new ones have the correct CB on them.



I do believe that I do know HOW to set up a planeSDC15101.jpgeven old, WWII era Millers Falls that were re-badged as Dunlaps to be sold at Sears. However, a new, in the box, plane should not be that hard to at least get some shavings out of itSDC15107.jpgAlmost off the threads, before a shaving appeared. IF that is ones idea of "Good"? Sorry, but I do like a little more flexablity in a plane's set-up.

[steven c newman]

It came in the mail today! A Replacement Wood River #4 V3! Wiped off the oil, set the depth of cut while going along some Black Cherry scrapSDC15159.jpgSDC15158.jpgSDC15157.jpgThere seems to be about a 1/16th longer to the chipbreaker. To get those shavings? Just adjusted for depth, No hone work was done. This is right out of the shipping box! Note how many threads are left on the adjuster wheel's bolt? MUCH Better! Me Likey!

[Chris Griggs]

Very nice indeed Steven. Glad it all worked out.