Handplane Restoration #14: Stanley Bailey #5 1/4 Junior Jack Plane

Wayne -

Sweet! Thanks for posting your new addition. You have quite the growing collection.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Yeah, Wayne, your collection is growing! Very nice job on them too!

-- Jimmy

Great find, Wayne. Glad it got to you in one piece from the seller.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Thanks for posting Wayne. They all look like little soldiers in line and ready for battle. LOL!

-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"

LOL! They gotta fight that wild wood.

Thanks guys. I’m about 1/3 rd the way through the set and still have to find a few to complete it (1,2, and a 4). The one and two are probably out of my reach. The old ones are too rare and new ones from Lie-Nielson would set me back over $400.

After I get done restoring them, I’ll probably build a storage system for them. I like the design of one in the Christoper Schwartz video Course Medium Fine. It mounts on the wall and has storage space for each plane.

Anyone have any good plans for plane storage?

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Hello, Wayne – I recently picked up a plane on eBay for $0.99. I bought it simply because the seller said that it worked. When I pulled it out of its ratty packing and tried it, it worked! It was sort of like a frozen clock – on time twice a day. So I took it apart, soaked it in WD-40, gently tooth-brushed it with Top Saver and – voila! – it works again, but now I can adjust it, and it cuts beautifully. The hardest part of the whole deal was getting the rust off the iron so that I could sharpen it.

As I was healing the patient I kept looking for some marks to ID the make/model. I couldn’t find any so I asked the folks at Lee Valley Tools for some ideas. I sent them a bunch of pix of the plane in various states of dis-assembly and described the markings on the iron, frog, base near the tote, etc., etc. So far this edition of Stump the Band has been – Lee Valley 0: JohnB 1. If you wouldn’t mind too much, could I send these pix to you and have you take a look at them? And if you do look at them, could you let me know what you think, please? I only ask because my curiosity is up given the inability of a very knowledgeable bunch at Lee Valley to figure this out. I intend to keep the plane as a working tool, but if I need a rider on my insurance policy I’d like to know it.

At any rate, thank you for listening. I hope that I’ll hear from you soon.

JWB

-- JWB

I would be happy to look at the photos JWB. I will send you a message with my email address.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Have you seen Phil’s plane cabinet? http://www.philsville.co.uk/planecabinet.htm

Maybe, you’ve come up with a solution by this point? I’m just trying to get through this blog series!!!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Thanks Dorje. I have been reading his blog for quite a while, but had not see the cabinet. Phil had been blogging here as well, but has not been active for a while.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Wayne – my hats off to you on tackling so many planes. I had to pipe in on your Stanley #5.5 restoration. I found a great Bailey #5 that is one of my favorite planes. It too was a basket case (literally, I found it at a junk shop in a wicker basket along with other assorted junk – $25). Turns out it was a 1907 vintage and after some work, it is really a great user plane. I did a short video on how I restored that plane and so while I know that you are now an expert, I thought this video might be useful for others or at least another take on what to do with these old standbys. Anyways, here is is at my personal blog:

http://woodtreks.com/give-your-wood-hand-plane-a-tune-up/19/

Keep up the great postings on your plane collection. I really enjoy it.

Keith

-- Keith Cruickshank, www.woodtreks.com

Thanks Keith. Your video is great. I’m going to add your web site to my references blog entry.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov