Rusty Wrecks Still Make Great Planes

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

G S Haydon

Established Member
Joined
24 Apr 2013
Messages
1,667
Reaction score
222
I've recently acquired a collection of woodworking bits and bobs due to a friend of a friend passing away. I hadn't planned on discussing anything as it's all pretty normal stuff.

There was a grim and rusty Stanley 4 1/2 in the collection. I was tempted to throw it away as it was so rusty, the handle was broken and most of the paint had deteriorated. However I gave it a chance. Took about a week of bits of time at lunch breaks.

I favour a limited amount of work, but this was so bad I had to be quite thorough. Metal was soaked in vinegar, the handle glued, iron ground, honed on the India stone (no stropping), handle & knob refinished, coat of paint, sole abraded on 60 grit wet and dry on a piece of MDF, brass polished.

After all that the plane is pretty worthless. The sole is very pitted but is level enough to work, I could also do with bedding the threaded rods that hold the handle and knob on in some araldite as the rust had worked its magic. Works like a dream though! I admit, a piece of Euro Redwood is not going to trouble any half decent plane, but the cap iron did not clog, it fed well and left a very bright finish.

Should of done a "before", but as I mentioned, it was a bit of a whim.

20170727_173626.jpg


20170727_173552.jpg


20170727_173648.jpg


20170727_173637.jpg


20170727_173659.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20170727_173626.jpg
    20170727_173626.jpg
    139.2 KB · Views: 1,454
  • 20170727_173552.jpg
    20170727_173552.jpg
    163.6 KB · Views: 1,454
  • 20170727_173648.jpg
    20170727_173648.jpg
    114.7 KB · Views: 1,454
  • 20170727_173637.jpg
    20170727_173637.jpg
    187.3 KB · Views: 1,454
  • 20170727_173659.jpg
    20170727_173659.jpg
    154.1 KB · Views: 1,454
I am also a big fan of that. My favorite smoother is a type 20 Stanley, supposedly junk.

Your results look excellent, both the restore and the quality of its work.
 
Great job there. I like to see old tools rescued. How it works is the important bit, not how it looks.
BTW I have a No7 with some very ugly pitting on the sole. It is still a great worker so I hang on to it.
Regards
John
 
Thanks Gents. There was a #4 in there as well. A canditate for a minimal ammount of work, great patina on it. Will try and post some before photos if I get to it.
 
Even though so many were made there are a finite number of planes out there so always good to see a plane restored and in use. Let's hope future generations will still be using them.
 
There is an ancient saying, attributed to the Babylonians :-

“The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.”


So it follows for those who restore the Stanley 4½ bench plane; a peerless plane for all seasons, made in heaven. The rust and goo may be considered balm for the soul. Great job, made me smile, well done that man. :D :D =D>
 
G S Haydon":3rvqy8fk said:
Should of done a "before", but as I mentioned, it was a bit of a whim.

Great work - always worth saving a plane from destruction!

Is this the "before" photo you forgot to take, by any chance?

stanley4-5_before.jpg
 

Attachments

  • stanley4-5_before.jpg
    stanley4-5_before.jpg
    249.7 KB · Views: 1,266
Nabs, after a bit of research I went for Rustoleuem. As the casting was quite bad I used their anti-rust primer followed by their satin black spray paint. Doing so highlighted what a waster of money the process was, however most persuits are a wate of money but fun! I have previously used Hamerite, I feel the Rustoleum is a better product, others may have a different expereince.

Alan, this was very much on the cusp, made me think of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgrJElGOMMg

:), very good Sam. I am blessed 'tis tru. I would not want to bathe in the vinegar, post rust removal, reminded me of the contents of a ancient bird bath https://youtu.be/tlEPuQ-Oo0Q?t=58s
 
Andy, very close! Thankfully the cutting and cap iron seemed protected from the worst of it. The plane was the colour of the iron in your shot, the woodwork was a touch worse and the break in the handle was between the screw at the front and knob at the back.
 
G S Haydon":3ay9e101 said:
Andy, very close! Thankfully the cutting and cap iron seemed protected from the worst of it. The plane was the colour of the iron in your shot, the woodwork was a touch worse and the break in the handle was between the screw at the front and knob at the back.

I guess this isn't your "after" picture then -

stanley4-5_after.jpg


- but it's another example of what can be done!
 

Attachments

  • stanley4-5_after.jpg
    stanley4-5_after.jpg
    255.4 KB · Views: 1,256
Super work, great to see the standard Iron retained, after the rust in your photo others would've thrown the towel in. I much prefer the mellow tones of your example. I'm hoping the #4, if I get to it, will look much more like your example.
 
If you find the pits going rusty put some super glue in them.
I have a Record 4 1/2 stay set with a few deep ones and its the only thing that stopped it for me, the rust pushed epoxy out!

Pete
 
Nothing wrong with that plane now! Good save Graham =D>
 
Yes, you have done a good job there. I was pleased to find this one and restore it. No. 4 1/2s seem much rarer than No. 4s.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1042C.jpg
    IMG_1042C.jpg
    238 KB · Views: 437
  • IMG_1002C.jpg
    IMG_1002C.jpg
    232.6 KB · Views: 437
£5.50 for a slice of heaven – bargain. After the 4½, when ‘real’ work needs to be done, I mean big, awkward, tough pippers which defy both kind words or cussing; you reach for the 5½. I own two, one gifted from my venerable Grand Pa and one older than he. Scrub plane first; then the 5½, from thick to wispy thin as required. Job done; and, all they ever ask is a lick of oil on the bottom, a sharpen every once a while and a drop of oil, here and there, after a clean up. A workhorse, a treasure and a joy to use, in anger with almost any wood you care to name.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top