A box came in the mail today.   No holes or tears in it, for a change.    Inside, along with an empty Tea box (?) was a big piece of cast iron.   18" long and it had a groovy bottom:Nice and shiny! And no cracks! Those sides were a bit rusty, this is after a good clean-up.   The sole was clean, though.    A look around this big old base..The side walls, along with a Union frog i installed this morning.   The front deck:Those threads are about all stripped out, time for a chaser.  A 1/4" x24, or a 1/4" x 28 bottoming tap should do the trick.   Add a brand new bolt, slotted, of course.    i'll take a knob along when I go to get the bolt(s).   That "Made in USA" is the only markings on this base.   The "Back Deck":Should be alot easier to make a tote for that base, no "boss' sticking up in the way.. The bolt is from that DE6 that crashed.   It fits!   As for that Union Frog.. mounting holes were a bit narrower than the frog's slot could handle.   Sooo, out can the files.   I filed just enough to allow the bolts to go into the mounting holes.   I filed just the inside of each slot, to widen it a hair.  The mounting area is about the same as the second version that Stanley came out with, before those center ribs showed up.  

So, what is next in this story?     I have to go out to the Pole Barn Woodshop, and bandsaw a tote ( or two) drill and shape it to match this base.   Tap the holes for a new bolt in the knob.    IF I get bored waiting on the rest of the parts to show up, I MIGHT turn a new knob, just for fun.

This is starting to look like a blog, isn't it?    Stay tuned to this Batty Channel for more in the Franckein Plane saga.   ( cue the Frankenberry commercial)

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

I might have an extra laying around....

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

 update:    wasn't happy about the way the tote on the KK7 was fitting, it was still working loose.    Toke it off the KK7, and tried it on the Franckein Plane.    Fits perfectly.   Move a knob to the FP, and the irons,  HEY! this might just work out, after all.  So, looks like i need to make a tote that FITS for the KK7.     Need a tote bolt that will fit as well.   Need to get a knob bolt for another plane as well.   Might just  find them out at the barn.   Yes, I took some photos of the #6c.    it still needs a paint job, though...

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

 Ok, here are the pictures of the "NEW" #6c handplane...Side views.   That cherry tote can from a friend of mine over at lumberjocks.com     Seems Don W knows how to make totes as well.. next:Front end view.  Knob needs a little touch up, I'll do that while the new paint is drying. Next up..That big back deck.    Yep, it will get a paint job.     Lets see, a Bailey #6c base, a custom tote, a UNION frog,  and a Sweetheart iron.     Franckein Plane, indeed...

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

 With a few parts, a little bit of luck, i went from a DE6 wreck of a plane:To a decent looking "Stanley" #6c that should make a very good user:just needed a little bit of work, that's all..

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'