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Major Gloat — A Norris infill smoothing plane
Question:
This fall my wife and I spent 6 weeks traveling the New England states and Canada, including New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We used two time share trades to stay in New Hampshire and Vermont during the fall color season. This was one of our best trips ever since we are both retired and can take it easy. We did a lot of antique shopping. Colorado doesn’t have the good stuff you find in the east, especially tools. I had researched a little for likely sources, but found that asking for the antique guides given out at better shops in each state gave us a good idea of where to go. My daughter and daughter-in-law had hinted about a few items they might like for Christmas. The Dodge caravan was full when we returned to Colorado. I had very good luck finding a bunch of refurbishable Stanley tools. I will post some photos on my web site when I finish tuning and cleaning these tools. Two of the best sites were the Tool Barn outside of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Margaret Scott Carter’s store in Portsmouth, NH. Both had some great user grade tools, and locked cabinets with the really collectable stuff. Every time I admired something special, my wife would wave the hand which sports the diamond and emerald ring I bought her for our 40th anniversary, and encourage me to buy it. I would always reply — "I’m a user, not a collector." I could not believe my eyes when I spotted the Norris A5 (coffin shaped) infill plane at Margaret Carter’s shop on the water front in Portsmouth. She travels to England twice a year and occasionally locates one to bring back. She asked me if I would like to examine the Norris — I stammered "Oh no, I could never buy something that fine", but admitted that I would love to examine the famous adjusting mechanism. The plane had obviously been refurbished by an expert, the closed handle beech infill used by Norris on post war planes had been re-lacquered and all steel was clean and bright with only very minor pitting. The base was perfectly flat and the mouth in good condition. The plane iron was an original Norris with about an inch of good steel left, and the bevel in great condition with only a final honing required. The patented Norris adjusting mechanism was perfect. When we left Portsmouth my wife was still trying to talk me into going back and buying the plane. Yesterday we had our family Christmas get-together. It is a special time when our married children come to our house and we open gifts for the grandchildren — five of them under the age of 8. There are gifts for the grownups, but Christmas is for the kids, and what a fun time it is! After all the gifts were opened and the kids busy playing with new toys, my wife said there is one more gift for grandpa. Inside the box, carefully wrapped in bubble pack was the Norris infill smoothing plane. My wife and my two children had bought me the plane I had admired for Christmas. — Ken Vaughn Visit my workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
Response:
Congratulations Ken, on both a great plane and a wonderful wife and kids that understand the delight we get in such things. Merry Christmas, Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This fall my wife and I spent 6 weeks traveling the New England states and Canada, including New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We used two time share trades to stay in New Hampshire and Vermont during the fall color season. This was one of our best trips ever since we are both retired and can take it easy. We did a lot of antique shopping. Colorado doesn’t have the good stuff you find in the east, especially tools. I had researched a little for likely sources, but found that asking for the antique guides given out at better shops in each state gave us a good idea of where to go. My daughter and daughter-in-law had hinted about a few items they might like for Christmas. The Dodge caravan was full when we returned to Colorado. I had very good luck finding a bunch of refurbishable Stanley tools. I will post some photos on my web site when I finish tuning and cleaning these tools. Two of the best sites were the Tool Barn outside of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Margaret Scott Carter’s store in Portsmouth, NH. Both had some great user grade tools, and locked cabinets with the really collectable stuff. Every time I admired something special, my wife would wave the hand which sports the diamond and emerald ring I bought her for our 40th anniversary, and encourage me to buy it. I would always reply — "I’m a user, not a collector." I could not believe my eyes when I spotted the Norris A5 (coffin shaped) infill plane at Margaret Carter’s shop on the water front in Portsmouth. She travels to England twice a year and occasionally locates one to bring back. She asked me if I would like to examine the Norris — I stammered "Oh no, I could never buy something that fine", but admitted that I would love to examine the famous adjusting mechanism. The plane had obviously been refurbished by an expert, the closed handle beech infill used by Norris on post war planes had been re-lacquered and all steel was clean and bright with only very minor pitting. The base was perfectly flat and the mouth in good condition. The plane iron was an original Norris with about an inch of good steel left, and the bevel in great condition with only a final honing required. The patented Norris adjusting mechanism was perfect. When we left Portsmouth my wife was still trying to talk me into going back and buying the plane. Yesterday we had our family Christmas get-together. It is a special time when our married children come to our house and we open gifts for the grandchildren — five of them under the age of 8. There are gifts for the grownups, but Christmas is for the kids, and what a fun time it is! After all the gifts were opened and the kids busy playing with new toys, my wife said there is one more gift for grandpa. Inside the box, carefully wrapped in bubble pack was the Norris infill smoothing plane. My wife and my two children had bought me the plane I had admired for Christmas. — Ken Vaughn Visit my workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
Response:
Congratulations Ken, on both a great plane and a wonderful wife and kids that understand the delight we get in such things. Merry Christmas, Larry
It couldn’t be said better. Me too Lyn
Response:
Yesterday we had our family Christmas get-together. It is a special time when our married children come to our house and we open gifts for the grandchildren — five of them under the age of 8. There are gifts for the grownups, but Christmas is for the kids, and what a fun time it is! After all the gifts were opened and the kids busy playing with new toys, my wife said there is one more gift for grandpa. Inside the box, carefully wrapped in bubble pack was the Norris infill smoothing plane. My wife and my two children had bought me the plane I had admired for Christmas.
Thou sucketh, bigtime. Have fun with it. Cheers, seasonally adjusted. Saaaaay, if they bought that for you, maybe you’d like some land, too. : http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=531544648 is a real interesting proposition. Gator: The other white meat! http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development
Response:
<sniperoo of deserved comments Saaaaay, if they bought that for you, maybe you’d like some land, too. : http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=531544648 is a real interesting proposition. LJ, you definitely have too much time on your hands. LOL!!!!!
I loved the guy’s email address "m-bezzler", too. Gator: The other white meat! http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development
Response:
locates one to bring back. She asked me if I would like to examine the Norris — I stammered "Oh no, I could never buy something that fine", but admitted that I would love to examine the famous adjusting mechanism.
Fatal mistake! That’s how those b……s get us to spend $$$ on these tools… <G required. The patented Norris adjusting mechanism was perfect. When we left Portsmouth my wife was still trying to talk me into going back and buying the plane.
Can you get your wife to train mine? ;-D new toys, my wife said there is one more gift for grandpa. Inside the box, carefully wrapped in bubble pack was the Norris infill smoothing plane. My wife and my two children had bought me the plane I had admired for Christmas.
You’re a very lucky fella, Ken. And of course: you SUCK!!!!!! Cheers Nuno Souto http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/the_Den/index.html
Response:
Good story, Ken, and a great gift! Let us know when you have pictures of the Norris on your site. Phil — Living In The Woods of Beautiful Bonney Lake Washington Visit My Web Site www.madrona.bizhosting.com
This fall my wife and I spent 6 weeks traveling the New England states
<snip of a great story – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -After all the gifts were opened and the kids busy playing with new toys, my wife said there is one more gift for grandpa. Inside the box, carefully wrapped in bubble pack was the Norris infill smoothing plane. My wife and my two children had bought me the plane I had admired for Christmas. — Ken Vaughn Visit my workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
Response:
OK, Phil I was going to wait until I polished it up a little and gave it a protective coating The following pics cannot be reached via the website menu system, but here they are: The plane as seen from the side. http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/norris_side.jpg A close-up of the adjusting mechanism — the bolt head which secures the cap iron to the plane iron is captured in the hollow cylinder which moves up or down and also pivots from side to side to square the iron to the mouth. http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/norris_adj.jpg — Ken Vaughn Visit my workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Good story, Ken, and a great gift! Let us know when you have pictures of the Norris on your site. Phil — Living In The Woods of Beautiful Bonney Lake Washington Visit My Web Site www.madrona.bizhosting.com
Response:
WOW, Ken, that Norris is a beauty! Polish it up and put it to work! I bet you can’t wait. Phil
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, Phil I was going to wait until I polished it up a little and gave it a protective coating The following pics cannot be reached via the website menu system, but here they are: The plane as seen from the side. http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/norris_side.jpg A close-up of the adjusting mechanism — the bolt head which secures the cap iron to the plane iron is captured in the hollow cylinder which moves up or down and also pivots from side to side to square the iron to the mouth. http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/norris_adj.jpg — Ken Vaughn Visit my workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/ Good story, Ken, and a great gift! Let us know when you have pictures of the Norris on your site. Phil — Living In The Woods of Beautiful Bonney Lake Washington Visit My Web Site www.madrona.bizhosting.com
Response:
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