My new Clifton 5 1/2

[Mikey R]

Hi,

I ordered a Clifton 5 1/2 at the Cressing Temple show, it arrived a couple of weeks ago:

Im really pleased with it! The first thing I did was hone the blade, and then I was ready to cut some seethrough fluffy shavings in black cherry!

Here is it with the rest of the family:

Ive only one problem with it - the brass cap nut securing the front knob is domed rather than flat, and I can forsee this getting rather uncomfortable after long use.

I could file it flat, like my Stanleys, but for a plane costing this much, I really shouldnt have to.

I dont remember this on the demo models at the show - does anyone elses Cliftons have this? If not, then I suspect it may be a very rare QC slip. If that is the case, I'll give Clifton a shout and see if I they can send me a flat one.

 

[wizer]

Tesco's are really diversifying in the current climate :lol:

That nipple does look annoying. Get yer file out :shock:

I'm afraid WellsWood trounced you in the gloatage steaks today.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Mike,

Nice plane 8)

If you unscrew the brass nut, you will probably find that there are a couple of washers underneath it. Remove one or more and that will lower the nut.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Mikey R]

Tesco's are really diversifying in the current climate :lol:

That nipple does look annoying. Get yer file out :shock:

I'm afraid WellsWood trounced you in the gloatage steaks today.

Indeed he did - in fact, were you at the Veritas bench with Mark at the Cressing show? If that was you then I really should have introduced myself!

Hi Mike,

Nice plane 8)

If you unscrew the brass nut, you will probably find that there are a couple of washers underneath it. Remove one or more and that will lower the nut.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Cheers Paul, I'll give that a go. I would still like a flat nut though - just me being overly perfectionist maybe, but there you go.

 

[wizer]

If you could hear someone whinging about a bad back or buying tools with the intention if selling them at a loss, then that was indeed me.

We visited that bench a few times to I'm afraid I'm unlikely to remember you unless you were wearing pink trousers or something?

 

[Mikey R]

We visited that bench a few times to I'm afraid I'm unlikely to remember you unless you were wearing pink trousers or something?

Left them at home that day Im afraid - will remember for next time tho

 

[WellsWood]

Hi Mike

Congrats on the 5½, it was my first taste of Clifton too (there's been a few since then). Personally I think it's the best plane they make, it'll cope with lots of tasks and I really like the mass - I remember reading a description of it which said it brought "a lot of authority to the job", I couldn't have put it better. I expect you'll get on famously with it.

I know what you mean about that screw in the front knob though, they all come like that and I've never been able to figure out why (and on all the occasions when I've bumped into Mike Hudson I've never remembered to ask :roll: ). It is a bit sharp it's true, but in use my hand almost never goes near the top of the knob anyway, so I've never bothered to do anything about it. I'm sure it's quite easy to lower a bit, as others have said, but it would be better if the curvature matched the knob so it would sit nicely flush. I'm pretty sure you can get replacements for Records and the like which are flush, I wonder if one would fit :-k

 

[Benchwayze]

That bolt on the front tote would annoy me, as I palm the front tote with my fingers around the 'waist'. It's an overlooked point and maybe a letter to Clifton wouldn't go amiss.

Could you find an old Stanley bolt that would fit? You might even be able to buy them as a spare part, if the thread is the same.

Either way get rid of that pimple. Nearly forgot.. Not a bad gloat. The 5.5 is a good and useful plane from most makers.



John

 

[Vann]

The 5.5 is a good and useful plane from most makers.

Yes, but as a Jack plane, or as an uber-smoother (a la David C.)? I ask because I have one in my collection of planes to do up.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[WellsWood]

The 5.5 is a good and useful plane from most makers.

Yes, but as a Jack plane, or as an uber-smoother (a la David C.)? I ask because I have one in my collection of planes to do up.

Cheers, Vann.

Both :lol: it'll do a pretty good impression of a jointer too if your workpiece isn't too long. Jack or super-smoother? I think I'd call it a super-jack. If I could only have one plane this would be it (although I'd probably have a couple of spare irons ground up for different tasks).

 

[Alf]

Beat me to it, Mark. Who put this Slope here, anyway? 8-[

Very nice, Mike. It's this sort of thread that's dangerous; a little voice starts whispering how shocking it is that I don't have a Clifton tool in the place and call myself patriotic? I shall have to cover my eyes and learn the words to "Oh Canada" :roll: :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Aled Dafis]

The 5.5 is a good and useful plane from most makers.

Yes, but as a Jack plane, or as an uber-smoother (a la David C.)? I ask because I have one in my collection of planes to do up.

Cheers, Vann.

Both :lol: it'll do a pretty good impression of a jointer too if your workpiece isn't too long. Jack or super-smoother? I think I'd call it a super-jack. If I could only have one plane this would be it (although I'd probably have a couple of spare irons ground up for different tasks).

Wot he said!

The 5 1/2 was my first Clifton, and if I had to give up all my planes except for one, I'd definately keep the 5 1/2 it just feels so right.

I know that I've said it many times on here, but I feel that the O1 irons are SOOOO much nicer to use than the dreaded A2, so easy to hone, and to do so to a wicked edge.

Go on Alf, you know you want to!!

Cheers

Aled

 

[Mikey R]

Ive just tried the nut from my rather rubbish modern Record 04, and also the one from the 50s Stanley #7. Unfortunately the threads are different pitch to the Clifton, so neither would work as a replacement.

The thread is alot finer on the Clifton, which I guess would mean you need less torque to tighten the knob to the same amount, which must be a good thing.

So, I think the solution will be to file the slot a little deeper, then file the dome into a flatter profile matching the curve of the knob.

If this were fixed at the factory, this plane would be pretty much near perfect! I love the fit of the parts, the Bedrock frog and how its always square unlike a Bailey, how the depth adjuster is so smooth and only has half a turn of backlash, and the heft - its a propper monster! Im not planning on putting this to propper use till Ive got the bench built, as I think it would take a propper bench to make best use of the heft.

I love my Stanleys, but thats because Ive used them over the last couple of years, and really bonded with them. I reckon Im going to love this plane too. Now to learn how to make propper use of it!

 

[Benchwayze]

The 5.5 is a good and useful plane from most makers.

Yes, but as a Jack plane, or as an uber-smoother (a la David C.)? I ask because I have one in my collection of planes to do up.

Cheers, Vann.

Both, when you get them set-up and fettled. Though in the workshop I was in, the lads preferred the Stanley 4.5 for smoothing. (Pre 1950's) But again, that would do cleaning up, and removing rough at a pinch.

Have to confess though, some of the modern planes are very nice to use.

Mike... It took you a long time to bond then? :lol:

John

 

[Mikey R]

Mike... It took you a long time to bond then? :lol:

John

Hi John,

Its funny how you develop a close relationship with specific hand tools, more so than with power tools. My first "Ah, so thats how its done!" moment was with the Stanley #4, so Ive got a real soft spot for that plane. Every so often I still mess up, but as I know that plane it happens far less frequesntly than with the #7, which TBH im still getting used to.

The #6 was a nice idea, low knob with the older frog design, but I dont think its really me. Might sell it on to someone who would get some use from it. Ive got an ebay #26 that would make a good rough jack plane, and the #7 is a great jointer so the #6 is a bit surplus really.

 

[Benchwayze]

Get thee behind me!

I have enough planes!

Cheers Mikey.
John

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Just rub some fine (1200+) wet and dry over the head. Once the arisses are softened, it really doesn't cause any trouble. Just spent a solid week using Clico 5 1/2, 6 and 7 prepping 1 7/8" stock from rough sawn to 6 square, much of it using a palm-over-knob grip. No plane related blisters, sore spots etc.
Green paint roolz (and the plane ain't bad)
Steve