Millers Falls #14

[Jerry Thompson]

I was just given a MF #14. I seem to be a magnet for MF planes. I have also been given a #18 and a block plane.
Other than this being about the same as a SB # five is there anything to know? It is in excellent condition except for some of the plating is missing on the lever cap.

[David Weaver]

What color is the frog? They make a really nice user jack, and if for some reason you want to use it for something where the precision of the sole is important, they're soft and lap easily.

Definitely a good plane to have.

[Jerry Thompson]

The frog is red. My #18 has a red frog and the blade holds up very well. I hope this one is as good.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

The only problem I've had with my MF was that the blade/chipbreaker where aftermarket Goodall ones - there was a more pronounced curvature to the "hump" on the end of the chipbreaker than my stanley planes, and it didn't really agree with the MFs articulated lever.

[Joshua Byrd]

I love MF planes, with the only complaint being that there is too much slop in the depth adjustment knob. I don't know if the chipbreaker's yoke slot or the yoke itself have just been worn away over the years or if they were never a really tight fit to begin with, but every one of my MF bench planes are like that. Two No. 9s, two No. 14s, one No. 8. I can't recall if the Craftsman-branded No. 8 is the same way.

[David Weaver]

Mine are all like that, too. Modification to the end of the yoke or the chipbreaker slot is necessary to reduce it if you want to. I've kind of gotten used to it. I'd say overall the adjustments are not that sensitive. I can go from having tension on the plus side of the iron (without advancing it) and getting a strong full-width shaving on my smoother, to taking the tension off and getting drastic effect from that.

On the jointer and coarse planes, it doesn't really matter as much, but it can be a bit annoying on the smoother if you're shooting for something.

[Joshua Byrd]

Have you (or anyone else) modified yours? If so, what did you do? I've thought about JB Weld in the chipbreaker hole to close it up some, but wasn't sure if it would be durable enough to be worth the effort.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

There's a website out there with some photos on brazing some brass shim stock around the protruding part of the yoke to fatten it up and make it fill the slot a little better, taking care of some of the play, and I think lengthening it a bit in the process. Would only work if you had one of the pressed steel yokes and not a cast one, I'd think.

I can find the link when I get home if someone else doesn't have it handy.

I can't imagine JB weld would work well, as there's going to be some force directed right at it. If you're chipbreaker is soft enough to machine, I bet you could just bolt another plate or two to it, small enough that it nests inside the slot in the blade, effectively presenting a lower and/or smaller hole to receive the yoke.