My first plane haul, new old and old old!

[DMF]

Hi all,

well i'm properly made up today! The last couple of weeks i've been keeping a eye out for some bits to start me off and of course one section on the hand tool list is planes. I've made some progress and today i took them over to the parents place for Sunday lunch, hoping they'd be as pleased with them as me, they are after all the beginnings of the workshop i have planned for their garage!

Not only did i get a yes to that plan (within reason!) but my Father also produced an old I&H Sorby ironed plane that belonged to my Great Grandfather, icing on the cake and more So now have four planes for a grand total of £36, Carl if you read this then i'm one step closer to making a box :lol:

Anyway here they are, first off my instant favorite the plane from my Great Grandfather, needs some care but overall not to bad, some de rusting to do but very light really and a couple of dings here and there but nothing that that'll stop this working with me for the next 35 years at least hopefully! Second a Stanley No4 new, third a No5 1/2 that again needs a little tlc and finally a 50s new, now i'll hold my hands up here, not exactly on the list to buy but it was very shiny and it felt wrong leaving it there! I'm on my way

 

[GazPal]

You've a nice selection to kick start you there and due congratulations on your inheritance.

 

[Dangermouse]

VERY nice, the Stanley no 50 is worth much more than you paid for the lot.! :mrgreen:

 

[DMF]

Thank you Gary, won't be getting a P/T for a long old while so i need to be able to dimension stock, i know i need another stage there but at least i'm able to get going, although there's a major garage sort out to do and bench to make over first off!

DM can't say i've seen what they go for but i knew at £15 it was worth getting while i was there, it has a full set of standard cutters but looks like i'll be keeping an eye out for some of the others.

Dean

 

[jimi43]

AndyT (aka The Prof) has a formula for cleaning that old smoother and feeding the wood and for the life of me I can't remember what proportions you need...but pure turpentine and linseed oil is involved.

I use raw linseed oil on mine...just to wipe them over and feed the wood to stop it drying out. I use Camellia oil on the steel to prevent rust....and and it makes things much smoother if you draw a squiggle of candle wax on the soles when using them.

For dimensioning wood I would get yourself another tapered iron from FleaBay....the right width and same vintage (cheap as chips) and put a very steep camber on it and set it wide and rough and you will have a great little scrub plane.

Learn to dimension wood with a scrub and you will have fun. Use a P/T for fast work...use hand tools for fun and pride.

Both of the Bailey shaped steel planes will serve you well...you have two great sizes there to do most jobs.

The No.50s will come in handy once in a while....get cutters as you need them...otherwise they can become a "collectible" like this No.45 I had and sold....

I don't miss it at all...but I miss looking at it! :mrgreen: I really must find a more appreciative home for my No.55 one day...

...now that is REALLY silly! :lol:

Jim

 

[AndyT]

AndyT... has a formula for cleaning that old smoother and feeding the wood and for the life of me I can't remember what proportions you need...but pure turpentine and linseed oil is involved.


Jim

More details here: https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums...t-4-general-cleaning-with-reviver-t64945.html

But it's not my formula - I got it from a TATHS leaflet - which credited Richard Arnold as having contributed the mixture - so I thought it would be good stuff - and it is!

 

[DMF]

Jim,

thanks for your reply, the 4 and the 5 1/2 were definitely on the list and i'm really pleased with them, the 5 1/2 does have some damage on the handle and a bit of rust to get rid of but it is going to be a great worker for me, the 50s yes i can see what you mean, undecided yet as to if i have the space or want to keep a plane i might use once in a blue moon, until i understand exactly what i could do with it though it's staying for now. It's lucky i didn't end up with a 55 like yours! Never seen anything like that before and i probably wouldn't be able to put it together let alone use it, confusion would reign :lol:

On a not so happy note i was stripping the wooden plane earlier and took the iron out ready for a clean up, didn't look bad at all but i wiped a soft cloth over the main body to get the dust off and there is a split in the wood to left of where the iron sits at the top. I am entirely gutted Maybe worth trying to rescue but i don't see that as viable when the design of the plane means there'll be pressure on that point. Maybe all i have left is the steel he worked with and if it comes to it then inspiration will join that list and when i have some skills i may look at replicating it (family broom style), after a bit of googling i don't take that lightly though so i't may live in hibernation for some time

Andy, or should i start straight away with calling you the Prof? i think so from many of the posts i have been reading the last couple of months! Thank you for the link and i'll keep that for when i have a wooden plane again! I have a feeling there'll get under my skin a bit!

Thank-you both,

Dean

 

[jimi43]

One of the great benefits about woodies is that they are made of wood! :mrgreen:

Get yourself a small pot of TITEBOND ORIGINAL (the one which is cream and red) and pour some down the crack and then clamp it firmly in a vise or G-cramp and let it set for about 24-48 hours in the warm (spare bedroom).

Once set solid...scrape off the excess with a Stanley blade or metal scraper.

Titebond Original will set stronger than the surrounding wood.

It's worth doing for sentimental reasons alone.

Jim

 

[DMF]

One of the great benefits about woodies is that they are made of wood! :mrgreen:

Sounds so obvious when i read the above but my head says REALLY!! Guess i have to start to give glue more credit than i currently am!

Got some time Sunday so i've got some time for shopping before that It's not a big split so i'll have some faith and get the ingredients for the potion as well. Might not be the nicest example out there but it has to be on the team if it can, thanks Jim, i'll be well pleased if this works

Dean

 

[carlb40]

A bit late hear as i forgot to reply yesterday. Good score on the planes, especially the family one

Looks like it is all coming together.


PS
Nearly choked on my cuppa from laughing at your comment re your parents new garage workshop

 

[jimi43]

Hi Dean

If you are unsure about how good TITEBOND ORIGINAL is...check out THIS HANDLE REPAIR I did on an old saw.

The key is to get the area relatively clean and oil free so do this before you use the magic restoration mix...

If there's lots of crud in the crack...very carefully clean it out with some meths and a the edge of a paper towel.

Use the glue in a warm area...not in a cold shed near freezing.

Clamp it well so that the crack closes but not too hard that all the glue squeezes out.

Leave it well alone...don't take the clamp off for a couple of days...that way the glue doesn't just go off...it hardens solid into the fibres and makes the wood one again.

Jim

 

[DMF]

Thanks Carl, there is a plan lol it just might take a while! My old man's not daft either, you should see the amount of work that still needs to be done to their place and he knows this means i'll be able to do more, you could see the wheels turning that's for sure.

Jim thank you for the unexpected diversion into hand saw education! Love this site, from there i was off learning about rip and pull and this and that, marvelous!!

Anyway more than enough to convince me and thanks for the step by step, i need it! The split is closed so hopefully relatively free from crud but of course i shall give it a clean to make sure, i should be able to lever it open enough to get the titebond down to the base of the split with the aid of a cocktail stick.

Thanks,

Dean