Stanley #50 help please

[DannyEssex]

Hi all

I brought this plane from a bootsale last Sunday. It didn't come with any cutters so I won some on eBay, which was described as Stanley 50 cutters. I assumed that they was the cutters for this plane but I think I am wrong after reading through this thread stanley-50-cutters-t41385.html

I'm a little bit gutted but also annoyed I didn't read up o the blades before I bid on them. The cutters wont fit as the adjuster is in the way, so I unscrewed the adjuster and took it off, but then the cutters are too long and sit against the handle.

I was wondering if I could cut these to size? I'm not sure I would be able to grind the groves accurately enough so thought what if I done away with the adjuster and adjusted by hand?

They measure between 87-88mm. Could anyone tell me what the size they should be?

And do you think that would be fine if I cut off say 20mm? I have attached a couple of pics to help make it clearer

Thanks for any help, its really appreciated
Danny

 

[AndyT]

Hi Danny

I think - from the design of the wooden box - that what you have there are cutters for a Record 405, which is a very nice plane, should you happen to find one.
Personally, If I were you I would keep them, and carry on looking for shorter cutters for your Stanley 50 - they seem to have been a popular tool among diy woodworkers in the 50s and 60s so there are plenty around.

However, if you have a Dremel or equivalent and some of the little metal cutting discs, it would be possible to cut bits off the longer cutters, if you really want to.
Find a way to hold them down - flat on a block of wood with screws around the sides would work, assuming you don't have a metalwork vice. Don't try to hold them in your fingers!

Oh and don't waste ages cutting them all down - just do each one as you need to use it.

 

[DannyEssex]

Thanks Andy

 

[deema]

I agree with Andy, and probably in your shoes would eBay the plane and and buy a 45 plane off eBay. Select the best set of cutters and eBay the spares. I may be wrong but I think you would then end up with a first class plane and not be out of pocket.

 

[lurcher]

post them back to me it was my mistake and i am sorry for the incoveinence it has caused you
lurcher

 

[Billy Flitch]

Easy enough mistake to make really the early Stanley 50`s had slots that where cut across the whole of the back of the iron.
The later 50`s with the plastic handles had a slot nicked in the side of the blade, even if you cut them down you would still have to cut the slots in all the irons.

Just seams more trouble than its worth.

 

[Vann]

Hi Danny.

It seems a shame to cut up a good set of 45/405 cutters (well half a set - they come with two boxes of cutters). But if you do go down that road, I'm with AndyT, just modify them as you need them (you never know what you're going to acquire in months to come).

I don't have a Stanley 50 with adjuster. My Record 050 (Stanley 50 equivalent) cutters are 72mm long (max.). My pre-adjuster Stanley 50 cutters are 75mm long (max.). HTH

Cheers, Vann.

 

[DannyEssex]

post them back to me it was my mistake and i am sorry for the incoveinence it has caused you
lurcher

Sent them off this morning Lurcher, thanks