Boot Sale Planes I Found This Morning - update

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tekno.mage

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Went to a local Vintage Rally and Car Boot Sale this morning - and there a lot of planes on sale! Sensibly I could only offer new homes to some of them....

A Record 60 1/2 Block Plane in nice condition for a tenner (no rust at all and from the length & state of the blade it had seen minimal use.)

Record60.jpg


Very pleased with that one, I've been after a block plane with better adjustment than my old Stanley 102.

Then there was the Record 50C Combination Plane complete with full set of cutters and the tattered remains of the original box. Not a vintage model, but I want it to use not look at. Sold to me for £15 as complete - but when I got it home I discover the two metal fence bars are missing :-( No matter, they are just 10mm steel rod which I'm sure I can replace. That plastic handle will have to go as well.

Record50c.jpg


blades.jpg


Last but not least, a rather rusty old Record 071 Router Plane with just the one cutter for £8.00. This one will need some work doing on it for sure!

Record71.jpg


It was interesting to see the range of prices sellers were asking for planes... One stall with lots of planes neatly laid out were asking generally higher-than-fleabay prices for items that were not really vintage at all (not a rosewood handle in sight, and several had bits missing), but there were a couple of other stalls selling a variety of tools and stuff with much nicer, older planes for very reasonable prices. You can guess which stalls were selling and which wasn't!

tekno.mage
 
Excellent haul.

I've had a Record 50C for some years although I haven't used it a great deal.

Its plastic "scorpion tail" handle comes in for some criticism on aesthetic grounds, but it's perfectly comfortable for my (smallish) hands. It's an effective tool, as long as you don't hit wild grain!
 
The 50C is not bad, but if you use it for more than a few minutes, the plastic handle gets slippery. It's perfectly possible to replace it with wood to suit your own hands.

The design of the nickers is original and works better than other more fiddly ones. The depth stop was another original idea - as you tighten the knob at the top, a small cone comprsses a bit of plastic tube to grip inside the hole. I find it frustrating to set accurately or make small adjustments to.
 
Excellent finds! There are some bargains out there this year...

I have to get my shift rota sorted so I can go to more...we are quite luck down our way though...lots of choice.

Sometimes the smaller ones yield more treasures...other times the huge ones have more chance based on odds!

I have all three of those from previous fairs.

Jim
 
I just finished cleaning and sharpening my car boot Record 60 1/2 low angle block plane. What a revelation it is compared to my poor old Stanley 102.

The 60 1/2 is so much easier to adjust, so much easier to hold with small hands (I can get both hands on it comfortably - the 102 was too big for one hand and too small for two) - and it slices straight through the end grain of some oddments of teak, boxwood & cedar like butter! I am well pleased with it.

Next to sort out is the 50C. I found some silver steel bars that will do to replace the missing fence bars, so now it's down to cleaning it, and then sharpening all those cutters and the two nickers...

tekno.mage
 
tekno.mage":41l4wrhg said:
The 60 1/2 is so much easier to adjust, so much easier to hold with small hands

tekno.mage
I had both the Stanley and Record low angle blocks at various time...both were OK. However, if you ever get the chance to have a go with the LN low angle block, it's light years ahead and you'll wonder why you ever thought the Record was so good.
Just something to consider and not wishing to be accused of being the No1 'Slope' pusher around these parts :lol: - Rob
 
Ooh - I wish! I've seen those LN planes at some of the shows and they do look really well engineered. I've also read the glowing reviews. But I really can't justify spending that much dosh on one plane - it's not as though it's a tool I need to earn a living.

The Record 60 1/2 does suffer from quite a lot of backlash on the adjuster screw - but so do all my Stanley bench planes.

Maybe someone someday might look favourably on a really decent plane as a good pressie for me? (Looks around, but partner is nowhere in sight!) Or one day I might get lucky with the ebay or car boot fairies (stranger things have happened.)

Until such time I shall go on rescuing any useful-looking planes I find languishing at car boot sales.

tekno.mage
 
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