Stanley 50

[Andrewf]

I have recently acquired the below Stanley 50, all the bits are there and it's in nearly new condition, even though it has to be over 40 years old. On a post somewhere else on this forum somebody posted that they had added a wooden strip to the fence of a similar plane. The question is how did they fix it.
I think the addition of a wooden strip would improve the use of this plough quite a bit. As the fence isn't quite as smooth as it could be.

 

[DTR]

Take a suitable piece of wood and screw it to the metal fence. There are already suitable screw holes in the fence. Perhaps the photos on ALF's website would help? (hope ALF doesn't mind me posting the link)

 

[jimi43]

We talked about fences for the 043 HERE

Jim

 

[ac445ab]

I have the same Stanley 50 and, unfortunately, it has not holes in the guide for screwing an auxiliary wooden fence.
However I used it recently and had not too much troubles in keeping it in the right position. For the purpose I found useful using a straight wooden rod placed in the auxiliary skate as showed in this Alf's video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxo6ROrs3wI

 

[AndyT]

If Stanley didn't supply the holes, you'll have to make your own. The normal approach is to make plain holes and use short round-head screws from the outside into the wood. The metal fence does look a bit skimpy - if there is not enough surface to fit in a couple of 3 or 4mm holes you could try using double-sided tape instead.

A wooden fence can be a bit deeper, which helps to register the plane against the work, but don't make it so deep that it fouls your vice leaving you no way to hold the work.

Another option would just be to make the cast fence smoother by filing and rubbing on emery paper.

Don't forget to rub a candle along the fence and also along the skate.

 

[bugbear]

If Stanley didn't supply the holes, you'll have to make your own. The normal approach is to make plain holes and use short round-head screws from the outside into the wood.

In order to get maximum screw hold in minimum fence thickness, I make a full through-hole in the wood, "tap" it with a full length screw that comes all the way through (and out), and then fix the wood to the fence using a sawn off screw that almost, but doesn't quite, come through. The screw threads are thereby maximally engaged.

Any fence thickness reduces the offset capacity of the plane, so you don't want a too-thick fence.

BugBear

 

[Andrewf]

The post regarding the 43 was the one that I had seen but couldn't find.
Have just checked and my no 50 doesn't have holes in the fence , so it looks like I'll have to drill a couple of small holes.
In the post by ac445ab I can't actually make out what the wood dowel is for Utube doesn't work here.

 

[marcros]

i would imagine that it it so that you can see if it is at 90 degrees to the workpiece. If it was a couple of degrees out, it might be difficult to tell at the plane end, but at the end of a longer dowl, that would equate to say an inch off vertical and be more obvious.

 

[ac445ab]

i would imagine that it it so that you can see if it is at 90 degrees to the workpiece.

Yes, the rod helps the eye to control if the plane is perpendicular to workpiece.

Ciao,
Giuliano