I just bought a new Stanley #4 and after sharpening, noticed that the Frog bed was substantially misaligned to the right. It required the full swing of the lateral adjustment lever to compensate - thus negating any real value to that lever. I know I'm not dropping $350 for the tool (okay, maybe just $40), but I would expect a little better QC than that. Has anybody experienced this type of problem in the newer Stanleys?
I haven't had the frog off a Bailey that was any newer than about the early 60s, but if they haven't changed the design, you should be able to just loosen the 2 frog hold down scres and center the frog on the bed.
Some time ago (I think it was my first ever post), I posted my comments on the cr*p Stanley now turn out. It seems there's been no change!
At the risk of pointing out ht eobvious I'll add that you need to remove the blade to access those two screws. They are the same screws that are loosened to move the frog forward and back to adjust the width of the mouth.
Further, when you do that it would be wise to take the frog off entriely and inspect it and the bed for defects in the fit and finish like burrs or gobs of paint or other crud that might be responsible for the crooked fit. It might also be a good idea to apply a little paste wax to the unpainted surfaces of the frog and bed there is a tendency for sawdust and crud to accumulate in those areas, which seems to promote corrosion.
First, do the things the other guys mentioned.
Check that the cutting edge is square to the edge of the blade. You'll find that the amount of lever travel you must apply is very sensitive to the squareness of the blade.
Be finicky when you seat the blade and cap iron on the frog before snapping down the lever cap. Feel the edge of the frog and the edge of the blade with your finger tips. A little misalignment here will lead to woe.
Make sure you've attached the cap iron squarely. The lever rivet on my contemporary #4 is a wee bit off center. The cap iron is a wee bit narrower than the blade. Lining up the cap iron with the lever cancels out both errors.
Make sure you're not sticking out too much blade. If the blade only projects a couple of thous, it won't take too much lever action to square it up.
Consider the adjustment lever to be a last resort. Do everything in your power to square the blade with out the lever. Only then do you tweak the lever for perfection.
YMMV
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