Maroon #220 Is it the color, or is it a bad user?

[Dwain Lambrigger]

Just wondering about the colored Stanley block planes. I just bought a maroon 220 for $8.00 on ebay. I was wondering if it is the same as the black one, or a cheaper version. I know enough to stay away from the "Handyman" planes, but was wondering about the quality of this user.

Thanks,

[Tim Leo]

I have a maroon (purple?) 60-1/2 that works great. It did need a fair amount of fettle to get the bottom flat and get the blade to register in the advancing mechanism, but in the end it is a great little plane that I use often.

So I would say go ahead and fix up your 220 and give it a chance. For $8.00 if you dont like it, you don't have much to loose.

[Phillip Pattee]

Like Tim, I have a maroon 60 1/2. Mine works great. Patrick Leach says stay away from the maroon planes on his web site http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan9.htm but I think he is really just saying that he doesn't like the maroon color not that there is anything substandard about the plane.