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| A jack plane from a sci-fi comics, the Millers Falls #714. |
I am the lucky owner of that Millers Falls #714 type 1 from the so called "Buck Rogers" era.
Some says that this plane is a collector for its exceptional design but an awful plane to use. While I must admit that its design makes it a piece of exception in the plane world, I disagree about its quality as a plane. This plane is a beast of jack plane!
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| What a shape! |
First it is heavy and I like that. Second its massive tote makes it really enjoyable to handle for someone with big fat hands like me. Last, using a plane looking like this one is like driving a convertible Chevy Corvette from the 50's on a sunny Sunday.
This plane cuts thick large shavings and eats wood like nothing else and I really love to use it.
But this is only the beginning of the story, there is more about it.
This massive big boy has a little bro, and I am lucky enough to own a #709 type 1 too.
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| The little brother, the Millers Falls #709 |
Again, comments about that plane are the same, a collector but not a user and as a smoother it is terrible as the mouth cannot be closed... well only blabla.
Like any other plane the mouth opening can be set the way you want, just that it is not really convenient as the third screw is under the tote that needs to be removed.
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| The tote removed reveal the third screw for mouth setting. |
So to set mouth opening you need to remove blade assembly and the tote to reveal the screws. I must admit it is not very convenient. But how often do you change your frog settings? I do not know for you but for me it is near to never.
When properly sharpened and set, that plane is as capable as any other smoother.
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| Some quite thin shaving. |
