BCT VP-60 Plane

[charliemaine]

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience using this plane? 

https://archive.org/details/bridgecitytoolworksvp60200601/page/n1/mode/2up

[Bill Yacey]

Looking at it, it looks well made with some artistic pride mixed with functionality.  I really like the scraper planes I have; they are very useful when you want to minimize the chance of tear-out.

[charliemaine]

Do you use a toothed or regular blade with your scraper planes? I like using the LN 212 scraper plane on fingerboards but it's a little too narrow when working on ribstock and the LN 62 works but is a little long.  Being able to adjust the pitch from 30 to 90 degrees for other tasks is something I've never seen on another plane. 

[charliemaine]

I purchased one of these planes from an Ebay seller and unfortunately had to return it due to a defect not revealed in the auction.

Problem: 

The iron depth-adjusting lead screw completely dislodges when adjusting the blade thus making the plane inoperable. Also the plane arrived with considerable backlash to the adjusting screw which according to the manual,  the cap iron was not loosened when adjusting the blade depth resulting in damage. 

 

I spoke with Rutager West of BCTW Legacy Repairs llc who repairs and sells parts for the old Bridge City Tools and he told me:

"The VP-60 is missing two roll pins that would go in those holes to secure the mechanism. It would seem unlikely that they came out through misuse- maybe they broke or they were never there and the plane was never used? Lots of the rarer expensive tools were bought and never used by the first owner and then when it gets sold, defects are found by the first person to put the tool to wood."

My impression of this plane is although the design is aesthetically beautiful it has too many moving parts that could fail. Anyway I thought I would share this info in case there are others considering purchasing one of these VP-60's.

 

I also purchased a new CT-7 low angle block plane off Ebay. It performs flawlessly and is rock solid and I was able to purchase a spare blade from Rutager. It goes through this torrefied rock maple like butter. Definitely a nice block plane.