Walke Moore Router Plane opinions - Not so Happy with mine

[allen long]

I purchased one of the Walke Moore Bronze Router Plane at the recent Handworks show. It is one gorgeous plan with a feature I really wanted that allows you to position the blade at one end.

2500-Router_Main-Photo-500x380.jpg

I am pretty unhappy regarding the way the blade is held in place. The holder just doesn't seem to be able to secure the blade from moving/coming loose when any kind of pressure is applied as you are shaving the wood.

The great folks at Walke Moore attempted to correct this on the spot, but when I got it home, it still is an issue.

Anyone else with this plane have the same problem or suggestions?

I was going to offer my LV router plane for sale, but I am leaning toward getting rid of this and keeping my LV router plane (which breaks my heart.)

I have a piece of bronze I could attempt to fashion into a more robust holder, but I really shouldn't have to for a $300 plane. Nor, am I excited about modifying the plane itself to improve the bed on the plane that supports the blade column.

I could also come up with a way or sub-base for the LV router plane that would allow it to rout an unsupported board end.

Thoughts anyone?

Many Kind Regards . . . Allen

[James Waldron]

Is the issue only with the end positions or all three?

[Hasin Haroon]

That's a gorgeous plane, and one that was on my 'eventual' list. I'm sorry to hear it doesn't live up to expectations, and that they didn't just offer you a different plane at Handworks as it sounds like the issue was identified then - maybe it's a known issue. I agree with you, a $300 plane should need no modification to work as it should.

[Simon MacGowen]

- The great folks at Walke Moore attempted to correct this on the spot, but when I got it home, it still is an issue.

Sounds to me a machining issue and there is some play in the blade holder.

Simon

[allen long]

Is the issue only with the end positions or all three?

It also occurs in the middle position when you orient the blade sideways (axially along the length) There are times when this is desirable due to the long width of the plane when you want to but it up against a long fence.

The plane has great potential if the method of securing could be improved.

To answer Hasin, the initial diagnostic was that the collar of the securing mechanism needed to be filed to better contact the blade column or stem. They did that on the spot and it seemed to help. So I don't think replacing the plane would have made a difference. I did get the impression I could have exchanged it if I wanted. Thus my comment on the guys at the booth being excellent to work with.

I just think it is a design issue. I did offer to hep (free of cost) to test and recommend design improvements for product design, but they didn't seem interested. Not that I necessarily blame them, but I do have a some experience in that regard.

Still, the engineer in me is tempted to fabricate a new collar and locking mechanism in an effort to make it work better.

Many Kind Regards . . . Allen

[Simon MacGowen]

Still, the engineer in me is tempted to fabricate a new collar and locking mechanism in an effort to make it work better.

Many Kind Regards . . . Allen

Oh no! Not when the price you paid for a tool was $300. If the seller is willing to take it back as part of its return policy, I would return it for a refund and let it deal with any fixes necessary. Trying to sell yours to someone else (at a loss, presumably) is only passing the problem to its new owner and the holder problem may still be there for him or her.

Did you contact the seller to see if there might be an effective fix that came up after the show?

Just checked. In a review by J. McConnell in Pop Woodworking, he said the lock never came loose while in use. If that indeed was the case, the problem could lie with the parts and not the design.

Simon

[allen long]

That is a good idea. I will contact them.

I am still hoping to find out if I am alone with this problem and whether it is user error on my part.

[Steve Voigt]

That is a good idea. I will contact them.

I am still hoping to find out if I am alone with this problem and whether it is user error on my part.

In the "before you rant, read this" section of this site, it states:

In order to be fair to the many vendors that provide woodworking products, the following policies will be in force:
The original poster must have first contacted the manufacturer/vendor and have attempted a solution PRIOR to posting the thread.

Perhaps this is a bit of a gray area, since the problem was (partially) identified at the point of sale, but it seems clear that you thought the problem was solvable when you left Handworks. When you discovered that it wasn't, why didn't you contact the vendor and try to resolve the problem directly? I know the Walke Moore guys and as you yourself said, they are great folks (and they make great products). I can't imagine them doing anything other than bending over backwards to fix the problem. It seems pretty unfair to post a thread whose very title sullies their reputation without even giving them the chance to correct it first. I hope that when they've fixed it--as I'm sure they will--you will come back here to correct the record.

[allen long]

Steve, prhaps you miseed the part where I was asking opinions to verify whether I was to blame (user error).

Or did you miss the part where I said they we great at the show.

Perhaps you have not seen the mechanism on the plane that holds the blade. It us simple and not rocket science.

Perhaps you missed the part of me being an engineer and that I have experience in assessing design (much of the experience has been rocket science for NASA propulsion systems just to mention one aspect) So I don't think anything I have asked or said was disparaging or out of line.

I don't know what I said to set you off, but it appears you have a pretty bid chip on your shoulder.

[Frederick Skelly]

That is a good idea. I will contact them.

I think this is the right answer. These folks are reputable - they'll make it right.

[Steve Voigt]

Steve, prhaps you miseed the part where I was asking opinions to verify whether I was to blame (user error).

Or did you miss the part where I said they we great at the show.

Perhaps you have not seen the mechanism on the plane that holds the blade. It us simple and not rocket science.

Perhaps you missed the part of me being an engineer and that I have experience in assessing design (much of the experience has been rocket science for NASA propulsion systems just to mention one aspect) So I don't think anything I have asked or said was disparaging or out of line.

I don't know what I said to set you off, but it appears you have a pretty bid chip on your shoulder.

Nope, I didn't miss any of that stuff; in fact I acknowledged much of it in my first post.

Do you really not see how putting "not so happy with mine" in your title would cast a negative light on Walke Moore, unfairly so since you have not given them a chance to fix the problem first?

[allen long]

Well I guess you got me there. Although disparaging the company itself was not my intent. Just that I had some issues with the tool. Personally I see a big difference between the two discussions. I never said I was unhappy with Walke Moore, or their service.

That said, we discuss design aspects, the good and the not-so-good about products all the tme in these forums. While I am sure Walke Moore would take back the plane, it has enough superb aspects that I am not ready to return it.

The enginger in me sees what the basic flaw is in the holding collar an wants to fix it.

The collar casting requires hand-filing prior to packaging it for sale (based on conversations with the guys at the Walke Moore booth). Mine needed to be filed a little bit more by the Walke Moore staff. This allowed the collar to have more contact surface with the blade column or stem. While their filing did improve the blade holding ability, but did not completely eliminate the breaking loose of the blade under medium usage.

The problem is that the collar casting is not beefy enough to allow a deep groove for grabbing the blade stem. I could file it a bit more, but the material thickness will not allow much more depth without risking splitting the collar when tightening the knob.

Another area for improvement would be the knob stem. It has very little bearing surface at the tip which limits you from cranking it down. Of course, this may be designed this way on purpose to prevent cracking the collar from cranking it too tightly. Brilliant and a bit exasperating at the same time.

If you compare the collar with the LV collar, you will notice there is about the same amount of meat (thickess) where the blade stem meets the collar. However it is machined such that there is more contact surface with the stem. In addition, there is more bearing surface (deeper groove) on the LV plane. The LV plane holding nut also has a beefier end with a spring-loaded free turning pin. If this same knob were to be modified with the free-wheeling end shaped as a wedge to fit in the plane column. And put into a beefier collar that allows you really groove the collar bearing surface, you would have a premium product upgrade.

Not disparaging the company, and there are features that are really useful. The blade stem mechanism that holds the blade to the stem is elegant and nothing short of brilliant. But there are shortcomings with the collar casting that could stand to be improved.

Thus I would still like to hear from other owners with a different experience in case there is a trick or two I am just not understanding. I would like to make this beautiful piece of art work.

[Derek Cohen]

If you compare the collar with the LV collar, you will notice there is about the same amount of meat (thickess) where the blade stem meets the collar. However it is machined such that there is more contact surface with the stem. In addition, there is more bearing surface (deeper groove) on the LV plane. The LV plane holding nut also has a beefier end with a spring-loaded free turning pin. If this same knob were to be modified with the free-wheeling end shaped as a wedge to fit in the plane column. And put into a beefier collar that allows you really groove the collar bearing surface, you would have a premium product upgrade.

Allen, try adding a curvy washer to the screw that tightens. This will add a progressive tension on the blade, offering also a little more finger tightening, and may do the trick. I bought curvy washers on eBay.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

I bought curvy washers on eBay.

In the states they are often called, curved spring, curved, wave or in some circles warpy washers.

They are also listed on amazon.

Looking at the image of the plane makes me think this might not help us much as a redesign of the collar.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Jim.

To be clearer, this is what they look like ...



The idea came from their use on Veritas planes. I used one to tension the blade clamp on this router plane ...



The washer creates a little spring in the clamp. It is possible to loosen it off and still retain enough tension that the blade does not drop out. Tighten a little more, and the blade is held firmly.

Regards from Perth

Derek