Hello everyone-this is my first official post...
After spending a good hour trying to flatten the sole on a Record #4 plane, using 80 grit wet & dry sandpaper sheets on my small granite surface plate, I'm getting much closer to giving up and coughing up for a new LV or Lie-Nielsen replacement. Putting a machinist's straight edge across the sole on the diagonals, there's still a fair amount of light showing - I would estimate an .018"+ gap in the middle. I've already bought a replacement blade and cap iron from LV here in Vancouver ($72.00) with the intention of sprucing up this plane, but it appears that it may be more trouble than it's worth. I don't use the plane that much, but would likely do so if it worked better.
I know this isn't exactly a novel question on this forum, but given the mediocre overall quality of this Record plane, should I bother continuing to fix it, or stop now and get out the Visa card? At the current rate, I may end up spending half the cost of a new plane on W/D sandpaper.....
Thanks a lot for any advice,
Joe on the Left Coast