LV Beader - A newer version of the Stanley 66

[GeorgeV]

For those who have had difficulty in finding replacement parts for the Stanley 66 Beader. LV now has a reasonably price version with cutters.

It is well worth taking a look at.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.as...&cat=1,230,41182

[Rob Young]

I think that is a copy of a Preston design. Looks like a reasonably good deal.

Vintage 66's aren't all that hard to find unless you want one COMPLETE. Later models had two fences and 6 (?) cutter profiles plus the router bit. Most of the ones I've come across are lucky to have one profile and the straight fence. I picked up mine pretty cheaply because the japanning was in poor shape.

Scratch stocks are easy to fabricate to fit the clamps on the 66 (or any similar design). Thicker tends to be a little better. St. James Bay Tool (eBay) sometimes has pre-made sets available. And I think the LN set will fit the old Stanley's but I'm not 100% certain.

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

As mentioned, the new LV tool is a copy of the Preston 1393S reeding tool. I have an original Preston and the LV tool arrived yesterday. The LV tool is faithful to the original and is better made. I can't wait to use it.

[Derek Cohen]

GeorgeV said:

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For those who have had difficulty in finding replacement parts for the Stanley 66 Beader. LV now has a reasonably price version with cutters.

It is well worth taking a look at.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.as...&cat=1,230,41182

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I purchased the LV beader while away in the UK recently, and it was waiting for me when I returned home last week. I have only had a brief moment with it making a beaded slip for drawers I am building.

Here it is with the LN #66 for size comparison. You can see it is tiny ..



With regard blades, the LV blades fit the LN and Stanley #66, but are a little shorter and the metal is thinner. I like the rigidity of the LN cutters, however the arris is thicker than on the LV. The finer LV arris can create a sharper profile, but this is also trickier to use since this thinner, pointier section is more vulnerable to follow the grain. Use light strokes.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

"Use light strokes..." is great advice. It took me awhile to develop my scratch beading skills. As Derek pointed out, scratch beaders have a tendency to go rogue and follow grain lines. A light touch helps keep them on track. Kinda the opposite of most plane work.

An aggressive cutter always gets me in trouble. My best success with scratching comes when I sneak up to my final cut. I start with very little blade exposed and advance the cutter slightly once it bottoms out. That technique allows me to hold the cutter firmly to the wood, just like I hold planes. Slow and steady with many passes. The reward is a fine, crisp edge treatment.

[KSMike]

Interesting that it's cast in stainless.

[Bill_Houghton]

KSMike said:

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Interesting that it's cast in stainless.

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Lee Valley's been doing a lot of stuff in stainless of late.

[Rob Lee]

Bill_Houghton said:

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[blockquote]KSMike said:

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Interesting that it's cast in stainless.

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Lee Valley's been doing a lot of stuff in stainless of late.

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[/blockquote]

Freshly milled ductile rusts easily....and smaller parts get more handling ( in use too....).

Cheers,

Rob