Second Hand Bargains?

[rxh]

Bought from a second hand shop for £20 this morning:
- Chisel, 9/32” width, I. Sorby, Sheffield (an unusual size? – I didn’t have one this width),
- Spoon gouge, 1/4” width No. 28, Henry Taylor, Acorn Brand, Sheffield, split in handle,
- Inside callipers, 4”, Moore & Wright,
- Die stock with ½” BSW die, LAL Ltd., England,
- Two hand vices, no maker’s marks (useful for holding spokeshave blades when sharpening),
- No. 4 ½ plane, Stanley, made in England, beech handles, blade 2 mm thick, solid metal yoke (rather sloppy), sole is tolerably flat.

Now for a de-rusting session. I’ll make a new handle for the gouge. I suppose the plane dates from the 1960s or 1970s but I’d be pleased if any reader can give a better idea of its age. It has obviously been very neglected but doesn’t seem to have had much use. If I de-rust it, paint it, fit a better blade and make a new yoke and handles I think I can make it into quite a nice plane. Will it be worth the effort? I don’t know but I like to make useful things out of what appears to be junk.

 

[Wiley Horne]

Hello rxh,

You had a good day of hunting!

The Stanley plane type studies I am aware of refer to US made planes. However, the US studies may be of some help...

The blue bed and hardwood (non-tropical) handle are unique to Type 20 US planes, made between 1962 and 1967. Here is the full listing of Type 20 attributes:

http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanle ... /tl_20.php

Here is a more general flow chart, as a key to all types:

http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanle ... _ascii.php

Wiley

 

[rxh]

Wiley,

Thank you for your reply and the links. My plane looks black but the photos look bluish. By answering the questions in the link it would be a Type 19 (1948-1961) except that the adjustment knob is steel rather than brass. I suppose that the English versions have their own types. All very interesting.

The tools cleaned up quite well and the plane is not severely pitted. The little gouge now has a new handle made of hawthorn.

 

[ChrisR]

I am sure you will find many uses for the hand vices, I obtained one of these many years ago from an (ex WD) store.
Spent my working life in industrial electrical engineering, and that hand vice earned its keep over and over again.

Take care.

Chris R.

 

[Wiley Horne]

Wiley,

Thank you for your reply and the links. My plane looks black but the photos look bluish. By answering the questions in the link it would be a Type 19 (1948-1961) except that the adjustment knob is steel rather than brass. I suppose that the English versions have their own types. All very interesting.

Just as a point of curiosity, do you see Made in England Stanley planes, made post-WWII and with brass adjustment knobs. If there was a return to brass knobs post-war, in the English marked planes, then that would perhaps place your plane in a tighter time bracket and closer to the war years.

The plane looks to be in great mechanical shape.

Wiley

 

[Vann]

Just as a point of curiosity, do you see Made in England Stanley planes, made post-WWII and with brass adjustment knobs. If there was a return to brass knobs post-war, in the English marked planes, then that would perhaps place your plane in a tighter time bracket and closer to the war years.

I thought WW2 adjuster wheels were hard rubber, with just a small brass threaded centre - or is that just the USA WW2 Stanleys?

Stanley went to plated steel adjuster wheels in the very early 1970s (my 1973 Stanley No.4 has one) and then back to brass by the late 1970s. Go figure #-o . Probably an economy measure.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Wiley Horne]

Just as a point of curiosity, do you see Made in England Stanley planes, made post-WWII and with brass adjustment knobs. If there was a return to brass knobs post-war, in the English marked planes, then that would perhaps place your plane in a tighter time bracket and closer to the war years.

I thought WW2 adjuster wheels were hard rubber, with just a small brass threaded centre - or is that just the USA WW2 Stanleys?

Stanley went to plated steel adjuster wheels in the very early 1970s (my 1973 Stanley No.4 has one) and then back to brass by the late 1970s. Go figure #-o . Probably an economy measure.

Cheers, Vann.

Hi Vann,

You've provided solid information to the OP, so I will stop my speculations. To answer your question about steel vs. rubber in the war years, my only information is from the Hyperkitten type study, and pertains only to US made planes. That study shows a Type 17 Stanley, made from 1942-45, which may have either a hard rubber or steel depth adjustment knob. All other US Stanley's, within the time range of the study, had brass depth adjuster knobs.

Best wishes, Wiley

 

[Vann]

...my only information is from the Hyperkitten type study, and pertains only to US made planes.

Ah yes, I should have been more specific, my No.4 is an English made plane (and coming from this neighbourhood it could equally have been an Australian one).

I don't know if any WW2 English Stanleys did have steel adjusters (they'd only just started production a year or so before war broke out), but I am certain the early 1970s ones do.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[rxh]

ChriR, Wiley and Vann,
Thanks for your replies.

I had intended to make new handles for the plane but I changed my mind because the originals looked sound after removal of the varnish. I think they are beech but I am not entirely convinced - the photo below shows them on an offcut of beech worktop for comparison. Some wood stain and linseed oil made them look better. The body and frog were re-painted because the existing coatings were in poor condition. I ground and sharpened the blade, put everything back together and gave it a go - a bit more tuning needed, I think, but I got a good surface when testing on a piece of padauk. I think I got a "user"

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, they're beech.