On 12 Feb 2019, at 19:34, Joseph Sullivan  wrote:
> 
good stuff snipped

> But on the other hand, I admire Norris Infill planes and in the unlikely event
that  I had the cashto spare  when I saw one, might be tempted to buy it.  Is
that any more practical?  Would it really be materially better than my well-
fettled Stanleys and Sargents?
> 
more stuff snipped..

> Cheers!
> 
> Joe

Ah The Legendary Mr Norris.  
Seeing as he worked this side of the Atlantic, I feel obliged to do my party
piece and point out that his planes were being made here to work ‘exotic’
timbers at a time when the US was in need of masses of Stanley planes to work
all that nice clean softwood you were busy cutting down.  The double threaded
adjustment is wonderfully fine.  It’s dual use for slewing the blade and
advancing it is slightly mixed blessing, in that whilst adjusting one, you may
have an unwanted adjustment in the other setting.  However, their heavy blade
and (sometimes) steeper pitch, once set up for work on your mahogany or oak or
whatever, are a joy to use.  Some of that is in the tote and knob design of
course, and I keep wondering whether to experiment by fitting a square knob to a
Bailey pattern body.   That’s one item which is way down the list though - and
why bother anyway?

So to end this ramble - Now I’ve used a Norris, I wouoldn’t bother to buy one -
Bailey pattern planes with a good heavy blade will do the same job.  A
worthwhile mod is to add lead to the body, around the knob, and alongside the
tote mount.  Or, in my case, use a Calvert Stevens CS88  (heavyweight smoothing
plane, Jeff)  all the weight you can use, with a Norris adjuster and thicker
tote with modern engineering standards.  (modern last century that is)


Richard Wilson
Yorkshireman galoot, in Northumberland. 
- and is there such a thing as too many CS88’s?