# Vintage Tool Rehab Projects



## planepassion

*Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*

*Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*

I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.

It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.

The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.

So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.










"Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.

The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.

Perfect.

This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.

My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.

Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.

Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.

Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.

The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.

In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.










The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.










*Disassembly*

The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.










Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.

*Cleaning*

To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.









Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.

Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.

After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.

In the end, this is what I ended up with.










*Refinishing the handle*

The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).










The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.

After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.

Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.

After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.


















Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


----------



## docholladay

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Well done on the saw rehab. I have a bunch of old Disston saws and when they are tuned up and sharpened properly, they are second to none. In my opinion, the older the better, as long as they are in good enough condition to clean up and tune up. If the steel is still in good shape, new handles can be made pretty easily. I have enjoyed making handles for a few of mine. If you look at my projects, you will see a similar saw for which I made a walnut handle. These saws with the heavy steel spine are easy to use because you don't have to put any downward pressure. Just move it back and forth and the weight of the saw does the work for you. This saw will be good to use for another generation now. For information about sharpening, I recommend the following website: http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To.htm. There are several articles about restoring and sharpening saws that are helpful. Another site that is good, in particular about restoring old Disston saws is: http://www.vintagesaws.com/.

Good work,

Doc


----------



## chrisstef

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Nice save Brad. I have the exact same backsaw, which i acquired from my grandfather after he passed. They are great saws that stand up to the test of time. You will love the feel of this one as it whistles through cuts.


----------



## swirt

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Nice save Brad, and a nice documentation of the work you did.


----------



## Bertha

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


What a gorgeous saw. You should be very proud of it.


----------



## Dcase

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.












Very cool. I restored a Disston saw much like that one and I am in the process of getting it sharpened now. Good job on the restore.

Here is the Disston saw I did, it even has the same medallion as yours.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Nice job Brad. You're part of that saws history now.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


great blog Brad and a well done job 
its always good to see a tool come back to the life

thank´s for sharing it with us

thank´s for the link´s Doc. and Brad

take care
Dennis


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Dan, that's a fine restoration you did on your Disston. How did you get the sawplate to sparkle like that?


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Doc, thanks for the links. There are some really good sharpening articles there.

And I love the layering of two different woods that you did on one of your saw handles. That is some seriously cool bling.

You're right about the weight of the saw. I'm going make a conscious effort to let it do the cutting versus applying downward pressure. It's amazing how a tip here and there can make such a difference in your woodworking.


----------



## Andy1010

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 1-Cleaning, repairing, rehabbing*
> 
> *Disston Backsaw Rehab-1 Cleaning, repairing and rehabbing*
> 
> I was in Salt Lake City recently on business. After dinner I slipped into my pajamas to watch tv and do one of my favorite on-the-road activities-look for tools on Ebay. Now that my hand plane inventory has reached 7, it's time to focus on some other tools. Apparently, if you want to build things out of wood, saws can be pretty helpful.
> 
> It's not that I don't have any. I have a modern (read crappy) handsaw along with a 14″ Stanley miter box backsaw hanging from my pegboard.
> 
> The backsaw has an aluminum back and what's astonishing is how well it's performed for me over the last two years. In the course of my box projects, I reach for it frequently. I use it to crosscut pieces to length, to tweak fits, and even to rip small pieces. I think my saw skills have improved though. I feel that I've pushed the full envelope of what I can do with it and the plastic miter box that came with it.
> 
> So on to Ebay I went, a-lookin for a crosscut backsaw. On page 1 of my backsaw search, I came across this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Yikes. What a beater," I thought. The description said it had "some rust, but the blade was straight." I took exception to the use of the word "some" but the blade did look straight enough from the pics.
> 
> The handle looked like a frat-party disaster. Someone had clearly used it to break up ice for a kegger. The tip of the upper horn had a chip and there was a crack in the lower portion-just as the seller had described.
> 
> Perfect.
> 
> This is exactly what I was looking for. It was just the opportunity to learn to rehab and sharpen a handsaw. I would learn to remove rust, repair handle breaks, refinish a handle and, most importantly, how to sharpen a saw.
> 
> My lone competitive bidder's heart wasn't in it and he walked away when the bidding reached a blistering $11.77. Tack on $10.66 for postage (ouch!) and $22.43 later, I was the proud owner of my next woodworking "course" in tool rehabilitation.
> 
> Now before you east coasters email me to say how you routinely pick up such treasures for $5.00 at a flea market or garage sale keep in mind that I live in Colorado. While you were all turning Colonial woodworking into a fine art in the 18th century, my state had trappers, outlaws and native Indians traipsing around the Rockies on horseback.
> 
> Not wanting to waste any time after my successful bid, I wrote out a saw rehab plan. Mark Harrell over at Bad Axe Toolworks has a nice article on cleaning a sawplate here. Bob Sturgeon has a good article on the subject here. And Frank Brickhouse wrote a good plate + handle rehab article here. These helped me decide on the materials and techniques I would use.
> 
> Back home in Colorado, I opened the package to take stock of the saw. The Disston medallion dated the saw from 1917-1940. It's probably a #4 manufactured in the 1930s. The handle was a bit boxy to me which fit with the Disstonian Institute's description of handles from this period.
> 
> The handle's 80-year old finish was in bad shape. So bad in fact that it couldn't be saved as I had originally surmised. The decision was made to completely refinish it. The crack turned out to be a solid repair. It wasn't loose at all.
> 
> In fact there were two pin nails in the base of the handle (see red arrow below), firmly holding the glued break in place. I decided to leave that as it was, feeling that the break-and the repair-were part of the tool's colorful history.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sawplate was quite rusty, pitted in a few places and had paint drips. Luckily, it would be serviceable once cleaned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disassembly*
> 
> The saw nuts unscrewed easily despite 80 years of patina and muck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Light tapping from a Phillips screwdriver from the underside freed the screws and the handle separated from the blade with a little effort. The steel back would not budge and I chose to leave it in place for the rehab.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> 
> To fill the 30 minutes before dinner, I started cleaning the brass sawnuts. I knew my Army experience would come in handy one day. Some Brasso, a toothbrush and a cloth rag returned the brass nuts and medallion to their used state.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I could have polished the fittings to like-new with some 400 grit emery sandpaper. But I wanted to keep the history of the tool-most of its nicks and such-intact.
> 
> Then I spent an hour on the sawplate. On the etched side, I used 220-grit sandpaper with mineral spirits as a lubricant. In order to compare its effectiveness versus this method, I slathered on Navy jelly rust remover on the other side using the same sandpaper. It seemed to go faster, but truth be told it gummed up as it dried and the addition of mineral spirits seemed to make it worse.
> 
> After rinsing the blade and wiping it down, I immediately coated it with 3 in 1 oil to prevent flash rusting.
> 
> In the end, this is what I ended up with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Refinishing the handle*
> 
> The process began with sanding the handle down to bare wood, being careful to leave nicks and dents (history) intact. During the sanding, I tried to blend in the repaired crack with mild success, though you wouldn't think so from looking at the picture. I also added CA glue to a small crack to reinforce it (see red arrow below).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle felt a bit boxy to me in its original state, so I eased the handle edges that meet my hand with sandpaper. Those sharp edges are now a bit rounded over and ready to caress my hand.
> 
> After sanding it with progressively finer grades (120 for some nasty spots, 220, 320, 400 for everything else), I finished the bare wood off by using the buffing pad on my grinder. You'd be amazed at how baby's-bottom smooth your handles get after this treatment. Special thanks to Scott Grandstaff for that tip.
> 
> Boiled linseed oil served to both stain the wood and to condition it. Three coats of spray-on semi-gloss polyurethane would serve to protect the handle for the next 80 years. It's too shiny for my taste but I'll leave it for now.
> 
> After everything dried, I reassembled the saw. It's not ready for use, but here's what I have so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next up, The Disston Backsaw Rehab-Part 2-Sharpening.


Looks like you filled the holes were the saw nuts go in one of the pictures the pic were you show the filled crack with ca clue


----------



## planepassion

*Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*

I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.

I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.

In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.









*Research*
If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.

These were the sources that I found most useful:

Source Link
Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html

Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm

Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf

Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html

Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen 





Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen 




*Gearing Up*
You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.

You'll need the following:

-Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.

-A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".

-Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.

-A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.

-Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)

If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.

*Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.

Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)









*A. Rake jig.*
This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)









*B. Fleam guide.*
The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.









*C. File handle.*
To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.









*D. File jointer fence. *
You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.









*Step 2: Joint the saw.*
The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.

Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.









*Step 3: Shape the teeth *
Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.

*Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.

Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.

*Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.

However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.









I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.

*Step Moment of Truth*
Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish. 









However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.

So I decided to sharpen it again.

I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.

After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.









When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results. 









And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.









-70-year old Disston saw-$22.43

-Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00

-The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless 

Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.

If I can do it You Can Do It
Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.

Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).

And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.

So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.

Wishing you sawing success!


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


congrat´s with your new skill´s and toy 

thank´s for sharing this , it´s a great toturial 
here is one more to learn from and its a great DVD allso sold by Lie-Nielsen

Hand Saw Sharpening
hosted byTom Law

take care
Dennis


----------



## Bertha

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Spectacular coverage of the process and a wonderful saw. Favorited for when I take the plunge myself. Thank you for taking the time to put this together!


----------



## ksSlim

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Thanks, I've 3 late 1800s Distons to refurb. 
I'll use your post as a reference.
Great job by the way!


----------



## RGtools

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


I love seeing old saws get good homes. You did a great job on this restore and it was nice to learn a few new tricks for next time and am retooling an old beater.


----------



## bigike

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


very cool.


----------



## Dcase

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Great blog… I am in the process of learning how to sharpen saws myself. I can relate to all the time spent researching and reading up on it. Its amazing how easy and fast it is to cut using a well sharpened saw. Being able to sharpen them is def a great ability to have.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


This is a great blog Brad. I'm currently restoring a whole load of backsaws, handsaws and rip saws and I'm just about to make a saw vise. I've bought all the files I need and two Somax saw sets and a file for jointing so I can't wait to get going. I'll start with the rip backsaws to get a feel for it and then move on to the crosscut saws. I have enough old saws now to even experiment a bit so maybe I'll even try doing a progressive pitch.

Thanks for taking the time to put this together. You have a great writing style. Very enjoyable and informative.


----------



## DaddyZ

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Nice !!!


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Andy-thanks for your kind words. They mean a lot coming from a consummate blogger and videographer like yourself.

I'm still learning about saws myself. I'm at the stage where I'm diagnosing performance issues. For example, my Spear & Jackson tenon saw (got it on Ebay from a Brit like yourself) binds in the kerf. So I'm thinking I need to increase the set in the teeth. I already tried paste wax and that didn't work so an insufficient set rose to the top of my culprit list.

I think we share a passion for rehabbing and using vintage tools. It gives me tremendous pleasure to work wood with tools I returned to "fighting form". I started buying and rehabbing tools out of necessity because I didn't have them. Now that I've reached the tipping point on tools, I'm starting to focus more on techniques, like sawing and projects like Christmas gifts.

Your blog series on the hand drill was the best I've seen so far on Lumberjocks. Thanks for putting the effort into it. I rehabbed an 8" Stanley using your techniques and will blog about it. My God. The steel has a mirror surface that blows my mind.

And please, do share your rehabbing experiences with your saws. I recently picked up a Lie Nielsen dovetail saw (thin plate) at a LN tool event. I liked the progressive pitch DT saw a lot-it was easy to start and use. But I shied away from it because I didn't feel ready to sharpen a progressive pitch saw.

Regards,

Brad


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Very nice!


----------



## Arminius

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Brad,

Sharpening the progressive pitch saw is not really difficult - you just need the files for each tooth size, then mark up the saw into zones, like sharpening 4 little saws in sequence. I am probably averaging the size of the teeth as I do it, but so far there is certainly nothing visible.


----------



## lysdexic

planepassion said:


> *Disston #4 backsaw rehab-Part 2-Sharpening, testing and adding to tool kit*
> 
> I'll be honest. The thought of sharpening all those little teeth, with their attendant geometries has always intimidated me. But so did tuning my first Stanley Bailey Type 11 smoother. And what I've learned from tuning my planes is that I understand my tools and the way they shape the wood on a much more intimate level. And that's made me a better woodworker.
> 
> I wanted to have that same understanding for my handsaws. And I wanted to have the confidence and skill to sharpen my own saws any time they required it. To be and do less, I felt, would be to surrender craftsmanship to my fear of damaging the saw.
> 
> In any event, here's a shot of the teeth before I cleaned up the plate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Research*
> If your experience is anything like mine, you'll spend more time reading up on handsaw sharpening than you'll spend actually sharpening your first saw. And that's a good thing. You want to give yourself the best odds of being successful the first time.
> 
> These were the sources that I found most useful:
> 
> Source Link
> Article-"Saw Filing-A Beginner's Primer," Pete Taran http://www.vintagesaws.com/cgi-bin/frameset.cgi?left=main&right=/library/library.html
> 
> Article-""Sharpening saws," Bob Smalser http://www.cianperez.com/Wood/WoodDocs/Wood_How_To/INDEX_How_To_pages/Smalser_on_SharpeningHandsaws.htm
> 
> Article-""Saw Sharpening," Ken Greenberg www.calast.com/personal/ken/Saw%20Sharpening.pdf
> 
> Video-"Episode #7: Sharpening Part 3," Bob Rozaieski http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/1/post/2009/09/episode.html
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 1: Techniques and Sharpening a Rip Saw," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Video-"Saws Part 2: Sharpening a Cross Cut Saw & Setting Saw Teeth," Thomas Lie- Nielsen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Gearing Up*
> You'll want to collect all the gear necessary to complete your sharpening to avoid the frustration of setting aside the job before it's finished.
> 
> You'll need the following:
> 
> -Files in sizes appropriate to the points per inch (ppi) of your saw (as detailed in the articles above and the diagram below). You can get them at Ace Hardware and toolsforwoodworking.com. Budget about $6.00/file.
> 
> -A saw vice to hold your saw steady (I built the shop-made vice detailed in the June 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine). Built from shop scraps, the cost is "free".
> 
> -Some sort of magnification so that you can see what you're doing. I bought some reading glasses at the grocery store for $20.00, but there are less costly ones out there.
> 
> -A saw set (ordered mine from lee valley tools), budget $32.00 which included shipping to the wiles of Colorado.
> 
> -Appropriate jigs (A. rake, B. fleam, C. file handle, D. file jointer fence-all "free" using shop scraps.)
> 
> If this is your first time sharpening, there are five steps to follow.
> 
> *Step 1: Let's get Jiggy*
> You'll want to go to the 5-minute trouble of creating jigs and aids. I found them invaluable to keep track of which direction I applied the file. I can tell you after the fact, that filing my rip saws was a breeze. But for the crosscut saw I was rehabbing, I needed help to keep a proper orientation in x, y and z axes.
> 
> Jigs A and B will help you track the rake and slope of your sharpening. The diagram to the right will help you understand the direction of movement these terms refer to. (You can download this chart at toolsforworkingwood.com.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A. Rake jig.*
> This is placed on the end of your file and will help you apply the proper rake angle to the teeth. For my crosscut saw, I used a standard 15 degree rake angle. (To create the jig, I followed the directions in Taran's article.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *B. Fleam guide.*
> The first time I sharpened my rehabbed Disston 12" backsaw, I placed a ruler on the bench at a 25 degree angle. The second go-around, I cut a kerf into a 3" x 1" block at a 20 degree angle (wanted less fleam) and placed it on the saw blade as a guide. This worked MUCH better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *C. File handle.*
> To avoid blisters and the pain of a file digging into your hand, you'll want to fashion a handle for your file. I cut a 5" length of oak dowel I had lying around and drilled a hole to fit the shank into. I compared my drill bit to the shank diameter and test drilled in scrap to find the best fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *D. File jointer fence. *
> You can use a file barehanded to joint your saw, but I wanted the guidance that a fence provides. So I measured the thickness of my file and routed a channel. It was a bit big so I layered on masking tape onto the file until I got a snug fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 2: Joint the saw.*
> The red arrows below show that some teeth are shorter than others. You want all the teeth working for you in the same plane as you push it through the wood. To achieve this, I would joint my Disston backsaw. This is done by placing the file jointer fence flush against the saw blade and applying some pressure as you steadily run it across the full length of the blade. You don't need a lot of passes. In this case 3 passes were plenty to joint almost every tooth top.
> 
> Notice the flats on top of most of the teeth in the picture below. Not to worry, shaping/sharpening would transform these into points.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Step 3: Shape the teeth *
> Full disclosure: I didn't really understand this step, so I skipped it in favor of sharpening. As it turns out this worked fine for me.
> 
> *Step 4: Sharpen the teeth*
> I'll be honest. The first sharpening was a bear. In retrospect, I wonder if this saw had been filed rip originally. When I filed it crosscut the fleam did not go on easily. I had to work at it. Maybe I used too high an angle (25 degrees initially) but that first sharpening took a while.
> 
> Your first tentative strokes will indeed take time. But you'll be repeating the same motions, using the same orientations of the rake and fleam on every tooth. My Disston has 11 points per inch, which equates to 10 teeth per inch. So doing the math gives us: 10 teeth per inch x 12 inches = 120 teeth. After the first 40 teeth, I got into a rhythm, and the technique got much easier.
> 
> *Step 5* (or 3.5 depending upon whether you want to set the teeth before filing or after): *Set the teeth*
> I chose not to set the Disston's teeth. While I had sharpened the teeth a few times, the set looked good and I felt it didn't need it.
> 
> However, for illustrative purposes, I will use my eBay Spear & Jackson 14" tenon saw, which did need some serious setting. After sharpening the S&J, the tool left me speechless because the cuts were literally as smooth as a hand-planed surface. I was breathless too, because the tool would bind in the cut and require a lot of effort to push. Both symptoms screamed "SET ME!" according to my research.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I keep a log of my saws which notes their ppi, fleam and rake angles. The log guides my choices of files and adjustments to my saw set. My tenon saw's 12 ppi called for the 12 setting on the saw set. Setting took 5 minutes following the instructions in the sources listed above.
> 
> *Step Moment of Truth*
> Then it was time to test whether the time and energy I spent learning to sharpen paid off on my first attempt. In a word-Yes. The Disston cut finely, meaning that it cut slowly but left a very smooth finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I wanted a bit more aggressive cutting action to work through my sawing faster.
> 
> So I decided to sharpen it again.
> 
> I pulled out a 10 x loop to inspect the teeth before I started, and discovered that they had not been fully shaped on the first sharpening. The sharpened edges did not fully extend to the bottom of the gullet. So the second time, I applied firmer pressure to the file to more starkly define the gullets. I decreased the fleam angle to 20 degrees and used (jig picture in B above) an on-the-saw guide this time versus a ruler laid on the bench below the vice. This worked much better.
> 
> After the second sharpening, there were still some flats where I had jointed the saw. So I sharpened it again, and this time, it took. My error was that instead of the three strokes I gave each tooth, I should have done five to begin with to eliminate the flats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I tested the saw, I found that it was a bit harder to start the cut. But once started, it cuts as quickly as I wanted it to. Here's a shot of the test cut here. It's not as fine as the first sharpening but I like the results.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here she is, ready for service in my tool kit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -70-year old Disston saw-$22.43
> 
> -Saw sharpening kit (4-files, reading glasses & saw set)-$75.00
> 
> -The confidence and basic skills to sharpen my entire nest of saws-Priceless
> 
> Sharpening my crosscut saws was challenging but very doable. Filing my rip saws was as easy as it could be. And as I add more experience, I can try different rake and fleam angles to evaluate their performance on the woods I work with.
> 
> If I can do it You Can Do It
> Believe me when I tell you that learning to sharpen my saws was much easier to do-with the aids of the resources I mentioned before-than I expected.
> 
> Now, I'm no master at it, but I do have enough of the basics down to keep my saws in working order. Better still, I have a fuller understanding of how my saws interact with the wood, and what adjustments to make to achieve different effects (rougher/faster cut versus smoother/slower cut, for example).
> 
> And when you think about it, isn't that how the artisans of days past would have demanded that it be? They were paid for their output, so they needed to work quickly. They needed sharp saws to do that and they didn't have time to piddle away on complex sharpening methods.
> 
> So if you've ever thought about trying it, add it to your list of projects. You'll add a layer of skills to take your craftsmanship to the next level.
> 
> Wishing you sawing success!


Dude - you are my hero.


----------



## planepassion

*Try Square Rehab*

Whenever I visit art fairs and museums, I always find myself standing before the works that use mixed media. Maybe it's the shiny parts working in concert for artistic effect. To me, the creative aggregation of wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, and/or paint is more engaging than their one-media brethren.

I think that's why I like vintage try squares so much. In an early 20th century age where quality mattered, try square beams were made of rosewood. To this brass was added-which over the decades builds up a nice patina. Brass rivets affix the steel blade (still another element), to the wood beam. A brass strip protects the handle from repeated rubbing against surfaces.

To wood, steel and brass, I would add one more "media", functionality. You can use these works of art to:

-Aid in the squaring of boards
-To layout lines, and
-To ensure that glue ups are square…among other uses

For a guy who likes them so much, you would expect to see several in my shop right?

Nope. Not a one.

It's not that I haven't been on the lookout for one. I always stop to inspect try squares during antiquing and flea-market excursions.

But the examples I found had a few…let's call them flaws. On some, the wood was drier than a camel's carcass in the Mojave Desert. These showed noticeable cracks. Others had blades that were so pitted they looked like they had been through a sand storm in said desert.

And then there were times where a beauty would leap off the display case into my caressing hands. My heart would beat faster looking at the wood, brass and steel, painted to perfection in patina and small dings. Only to have it skip a few beats when I looked at the you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me price.

*A nice find*
"No antiquing. We're here to taste wine," said Dagne as her husband and I walked out of a tasting room to go get cigars. The Prescott Arizona area has some good wines and that's why we were visiting to share our passion for the fruity stuff. This afternoon, we were in Cottonwood, a name in my mind more fitting to an old west gunfight than a wine oasis.

As we stepped out of the tobacco shop, the "Antiques" sign was too strong to resist. The bell above the door jingled as I entered. Buried under a Disston panel saw, screw drivers and rusty bits, something caught my eye.









This try square had potential. I tested it for squareness as best I could against shelves and other surfaces in the shop. Very nice. And at $5.95 the proprietor quickly had cash in hand moments before my treasure found a spot next to the Macanudos in my bag. I marveled at how $5.95 plus tax could bring so much joy to my life.

*Rehabbing my first vintage try square*
Back at home, I took stock of the tool's condition and drafted a rehab plan. Here's what I had to work with:









The overall goal was to make the try square clean and serviceable. To me, that means rehabbing the tool versus "restoring" it to its original condition. Normally, I like brass patina, but for this tool I decided to clean up the brass elements. Brasso made quick work of the filth, grime and dirt decades of use-and disuse-had built up on the metal. Choosing to maintain the aged character of the dinged brass, the sandpaper remained unused in its storage area.

I cleaned the steel blade by spraying WD-40 on it to act as a lubricant for 220-grit wet-dry emery paper. It took a bit of sanding to get most of the rust off. As you can see in the after pictures, I didn't get it all. I was torn between going to town on the blade or doing just enough to make it serviceable. Not wanting to remove the faint measuring gradations on the blade, I chose the latter.

Then I stepped to my sharpening station where I keep a plate of float glass with emery sandpaper affixed by spray-on adhesive. I lightly sanded the top edge of the square to true it. Then I did the same for the steel blade's bottom edge, being very careful to register the brass strip along the side of the glass to maintain squareness. This worked pretty well.

For the rosewood handle, I opted for a minimalist approach. That meant scraping off the paint blotches on the handle using a small flat-head screwdriver in combination with a very light touch so as not to mar the wood. Then I cleaned the beam with a cloth rag dipped in mineral spirits. To repair the small crack I squirted in some CA and clamped it until it dried.









After that dried, two coats of BLO went on to condition/protect the wood.

*Who in the world is J.E. Miller?*
The next step was to hop on the Internet to see if I could find out who J.E. Miller was. You see, that's the name stamped on the tool's beam. And it's still another reason I wanted to own it.









My rudimentary Google search of the name + Prescott Arizona turned up a Reverend J.E. Miller around 1866; a J.E. Miller, brother of Elizabeth Miller circa 1934; and a J.E. Miller who was a general manager for a mine circa 1930. No dice. It's tough to make the leap between a reverend, brother or mine manager to that of a try square owner.

Maybe some of you have been successful attributing tools to their owners. If you have, don't be shy about sharing some tips on how you did it.

Here's the finished tool, ready for service in my woodshop.









Long after the wisps of Macanudo smoke dissipated over a glass of wine in Prescott Arizona, I'm still enjoying the try square that used to occupy J.E. Miller's toolbox.


----------



## hObOmOnk

planepassion said:


> *Try Square Rehab*
> 
> Whenever I visit art fairs and museums, I always find myself standing before the works that use mixed media. Maybe it's the shiny parts working in concert for artistic effect. To me, the creative aggregation of wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, and/or paint is more engaging than their one-media brethren.
> 
> I think that's why I like vintage try squares so much. In an early 20th century age where quality mattered, try square beams were made of rosewood. To this brass was added-which over the decades builds up a nice patina. Brass rivets affix the steel blade (still another element), to the wood beam. A brass strip protects the handle from repeated rubbing against surfaces.
> 
> To wood, steel and brass, I would add one more "media", functionality. You can use these works of art to:
> 
> -Aid in the squaring of boards
> -To layout lines, and
> -To ensure that glue ups are square…among other uses
> 
> For a guy who likes them so much, you would expect to see several in my shop right?
> 
> Nope. Not a one.
> 
> It's not that I haven't been on the lookout for one. I always stop to inspect try squares during antiquing and flea-market excursions.
> 
> But the examples I found had a few…let's call them flaws. On some, the wood was drier than a camel's carcass in the Mojave Desert. These showed noticeable cracks. Others had blades that were so pitted they looked like they had been through a sand storm in said desert.
> 
> And then there were times where a beauty would leap off the display case into my caressing hands. My heart would beat faster looking at the wood, brass and steel, painted to perfection in patina and small dings. Only to have it skip a few beats when I looked at the you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me price.
> 
> *A nice find*
> "No antiquing. We're here to taste wine," said Dagne as her husband and I walked out of a tasting room to go get cigars. The Prescott Arizona area has some good wines and that's why we were visiting to share our passion for the fruity stuff. This afternoon, we were in Cottonwood, a name in my mind more fitting to an old west gunfight than a wine oasis.
> 
> As we stepped out of the tobacco shop, the "Antiques" sign was too strong to resist. The bell above the door jingled as I entered. Buried under a Disston panel saw, screw drivers and rusty bits, something caught my eye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This try square had potential. I tested it for squareness as best I could against shelves and other surfaces in the shop. Very nice. And at $5.95 the proprietor quickly had cash in hand moments before my treasure found a spot next to the Macanudos in my bag. I marveled at how $5.95 plus tax could bring so much joy to my life.
> 
> *Rehabbing my first vintage try square*
> Back at home, I took stock of the tool's condition and drafted a rehab plan. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The overall goal was to make the try square clean and serviceable. To me, that means rehabbing the tool versus "restoring" it to its original condition. Normally, I like brass patina, but for this tool I decided to clean up the brass elements. Brasso made quick work of the filth, grime and dirt decades of use-and disuse-had built up on the metal. Choosing to maintain the aged character of the dinged brass, the sandpaper remained unused in its storage area.
> 
> I cleaned the steel blade by spraying WD-40 on it to act as a lubricant for 220-grit wet-dry emery paper. It took a bit of sanding to get most of the rust off. As you can see in the after pictures, I didn't get it all. I was torn between going to town on the blade or doing just enough to make it serviceable. Not wanting to remove the faint measuring gradations on the blade, I chose the latter.
> 
> Then I stepped to my sharpening station where I keep a plate of float glass with emery sandpaper affixed by spray-on adhesive. I lightly sanded the top edge of the square to true it. Then I did the same for the steel blade's bottom edge, being very careful to register the brass strip along the side of the glass to maintain squareness. This worked pretty well.
> 
> For the rosewood handle, I opted for a minimalist approach. That meant scraping off the paint blotches on the handle using a small flat-head screwdriver in combination with a very light touch so as not to mar the wood. Then I cleaned the beam with a cloth rag dipped in mineral spirits. To repair the small crack I squirted in some CA and clamped it until it dried.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After that dried, two coats of BLO went on to condition/protect the wood.
> 
> *Who in the world is J.E. Miller?*
> The next step was to hop on the Internet to see if I could find out who J.E. Miller was. You see, that's the name stamped on the tool's beam. And it's still another reason I wanted to own it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My rudimentary Google search of the name + Prescott Arizona turned up a Reverend J.E. Miller around 1866; a J.E. Miller, brother of Elizabeth Miller circa 1934; and a J.E. Miller who was a general manager for a mine circa 1930. No dice. It's tough to make the leap between a reverend, brother or mine manager to that of a try square owner.
> 
> Maybe some of you have been successful attributing tools to their owners. If you have, don't be shy about sharing some tips on how you did it.
> 
> Here's the finished tool, ready for service in my woodshop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long after the wisps of Macanudo smoke dissipated over a glass of wine in Prescott Arizona, I'm still enjoying the try square that used to occupy J.E. Miller's toolbox.


I recently acquired the same model try square along with its mate, a nice bevel gauge, at $8 for the pair at a vintage collectibles show.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Try Square Rehab*
> 
> Whenever I visit art fairs and museums, I always find myself standing before the works that use mixed media. Maybe it's the shiny parts working in concert for artistic effect. To me, the creative aggregation of wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, and/or paint is more engaging than their one-media brethren.
> 
> I think that's why I like vintage try squares so much. In an early 20th century age where quality mattered, try square beams were made of rosewood. To this brass was added-which over the decades builds up a nice patina. Brass rivets affix the steel blade (still another element), to the wood beam. A brass strip protects the handle from repeated rubbing against surfaces.
> 
> To wood, steel and brass, I would add one more "media", functionality. You can use these works of art to:
> 
> -Aid in the squaring of boards
> -To layout lines, and
> -To ensure that glue ups are square…among other uses
> 
> For a guy who likes them so much, you would expect to see several in my shop right?
> 
> Nope. Not a one.
> 
> It's not that I haven't been on the lookout for one. I always stop to inspect try squares during antiquing and flea-market excursions.
> 
> But the examples I found had a few…let's call them flaws. On some, the wood was drier than a camel's carcass in the Mojave Desert. These showed noticeable cracks. Others had blades that were so pitted they looked like they had been through a sand storm in said desert.
> 
> And then there were times where a beauty would leap off the display case into my caressing hands. My heart would beat faster looking at the wood, brass and steel, painted to perfection in patina and small dings. Only to have it skip a few beats when I looked at the you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me price.
> 
> *A nice find*
> "No antiquing. We're here to taste wine," said Dagne as her husband and I walked out of a tasting room to go get cigars. The Prescott Arizona area has some good wines and that's why we were visiting to share our passion for the fruity stuff. This afternoon, we were in Cottonwood, a name in my mind more fitting to an old west gunfight than a wine oasis.
> 
> As we stepped out of the tobacco shop, the "Antiques" sign was too strong to resist. The bell above the door jingled as I entered. Buried under a Disston panel saw, screw drivers and rusty bits, something caught my eye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This try square had potential. I tested it for squareness as best I could against shelves and other surfaces in the shop. Very nice. And at $5.95 the proprietor quickly had cash in hand moments before my treasure found a spot next to the Macanudos in my bag. I marveled at how $5.95 plus tax could bring so much joy to my life.
> 
> *Rehabbing my first vintage try square*
> Back at home, I took stock of the tool's condition and drafted a rehab plan. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The overall goal was to make the try square clean and serviceable. To me, that means rehabbing the tool versus "restoring" it to its original condition. Normally, I like brass patina, but for this tool I decided to clean up the brass elements. Brasso made quick work of the filth, grime and dirt decades of use-and disuse-had built up on the metal. Choosing to maintain the aged character of the dinged brass, the sandpaper remained unused in its storage area.
> 
> I cleaned the steel blade by spraying WD-40 on it to act as a lubricant for 220-grit wet-dry emery paper. It took a bit of sanding to get most of the rust off. As you can see in the after pictures, I didn't get it all. I was torn between going to town on the blade or doing just enough to make it serviceable. Not wanting to remove the faint measuring gradations on the blade, I chose the latter.
> 
> Then I stepped to my sharpening station where I keep a plate of float glass with emery sandpaper affixed by spray-on adhesive. I lightly sanded the top edge of the square to true it. Then I did the same for the steel blade's bottom edge, being very careful to register the brass strip along the side of the glass to maintain squareness. This worked pretty well.
> 
> For the rosewood handle, I opted for a minimalist approach. That meant scraping off the paint blotches on the handle using a small flat-head screwdriver in combination with a very light touch so as not to mar the wood. Then I cleaned the beam with a cloth rag dipped in mineral spirits. To repair the small crack I squirted in some CA and clamped it until it dried.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After that dried, two coats of BLO went on to condition/protect the wood.
> 
> *Who in the world is J.E. Miller?*
> The next step was to hop on the Internet to see if I could find out who J.E. Miller was. You see, that's the name stamped on the tool's beam. And it's still another reason I wanted to own it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My rudimentary Google search of the name + Prescott Arizona turned up a Reverend J.E. Miller around 1866; a J.E. Miller, brother of Elizabeth Miller circa 1934; and a J.E. Miller who was a general manager for a mine circa 1930. No dice. It's tough to make the leap between a reverend, brother or mine manager to that of a try square owner.
> 
> Maybe some of you have been successful attributing tools to their owners. If you have, don't be shy about sharing some tips on how you did it.
> 
> Here's the finished tool, ready for service in my woodshop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long after the wisps of Macanudo smoke dissipated over a glass of wine in Prescott Arizona, I'm still enjoying the try square that used to occupy J.E. Miller's toolbox.


I have a similar one that was spray painted blue. It took a little deeper sa sanding. Nice restore.


----------



## jbertelson

planepassion said:


> *Try Square Rehab*
> 
> Whenever I visit art fairs and museums, I always find myself standing before the works that use mixed media. Maybe it's the shiny parts working in concert for artistic effect. To me, the creative aggregation of wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, and/or paint is more engaging than their one-media brethren.
> 
> I think that's why I like vintage try squares so much. In an early 20th century age where quality mattered, try square beams were made of rosewood. To this brass was added-which over the decades builds up a nice patina. Brass rivets affix the steel blade (still another element), to the wood beam. A brass strip protects the handle from repeated rubbing against surfaces.
> 
> To wood, steel and brass, I would add one more "media", functionality. You can use these works of art to:
> 
> -Aid in the squaring of boards
> -To layout lines, and
> -To ensure that glue ups are square…among other uses
> 
> For a guy who likes them so much, you would expect to see several in my shop right?
> 
> Nope. Not a one.
> 
> It's not that I haven't been on the lookout for one. I always stop to inspect try squares during antiquing and flea-market excursions.
> 
> But the examples I found had a few…let's call them flaws. On some, the wood was drier than a camel's carcass in the Mojave Desert. These showed noticeable cracks. Others had blades that were so pitted they looked like they had been through a sand storm in said desert.
> 
> And then there were times where a beauty would leap off the display case into my caressing hands. My heart would beat faster looking at the wood, brass and steel, painted to perfection in patina and small dings. Only to have it skip a few beats when I looked at the you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me price.
> 
> *A nice find*
> "No antiquing. We're here to taste wine," said Dagne as her husband and I walked out of a tasting room to go get cigars. The Prescott Arizona area has some good wines and that's why we were visiting to share our passion for the fruity stuff. This afternoon, we were in Cottonwood, a name in my mind more fitting to an old west gunfight than a wine oasis.
> 
> As we stepped out of the tobacco shop, the "Antiques" sign was too strong to resist. The bell above the door jingled as I entered. Buried under a Disston panel saw, screw drivers and rusty bits, something caught my eye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This try square had potential. I tested it for squareness as best I could against shelves and other surfaces in the shop. Very nice. And at $5.95 the proprietor quickly had cash in hand moments before my treasure found a spot next to the Macanudos in my bag. I marveled at how $5.95 plus tax could bring so much joy to my life.
> 
> *Rehabbing my first vintage try square*
> Back at home, I took stock of the tool's condition and drafted a rehab plan. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The overall goal was to make the try square clean and serviceable. To me, that means rehabbing the tool versus "restoring" it to its original condition. Normally, I like brass patina, but for this tool I decided to clean up the brass elements. Brasso made quick work of the filth, grime and dirt decades of use-and disuse-had built up on the metal. Choosing to maintain the aged character of the dinged brass, the sandpaper remained unused in its storage area.
> 
> I cleaned the steel blade by spraying WD-40 on it to act as a lubricant for 220-grit wet-dry emery paper. It took a bit of sanding to get most of the rust off. As you can see in the after pictures, I didn't get it all. I was torn between going to town on the blade or doing just enough to make it serviceable. Not wanting to remove the faint measuring gradations on the blade, I chose the latter.
> 
> Then I stepped to my sharpening station where I keep a plate of float glass with emery sandpaper affixed by spray-on adhesive. I lightly sanded the top edge of the square to true it. Then I did the same for the steel blade's bottom edge, being very careful to register the brass strip along the side of the glass to maintain squareness. This worked pretty well.
> 
> For the rosewood handle, I opted for a minimalist approach. That meant scraping off the paint blotches on the handle using a small flat-head screwdriver in combination with a very light touch so as not to mar the wood. Then I cleaned the beam with a cloth rag dipped in mineral spirits. To repair the small crack I squirted in some CA and clamped it until it dried.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After that dried, two coats of BLO went on to condition/protect the wood.
> 
> *Who in the world is J.E. Miller?*
> The next step was to hop on the Internet to see if I could find out who J.E. Miller was. You see, that's the name stamped on the tool's beam. And it's still another reason I wanted to own it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My rudimentary Google search of the name + Prescott Arizona turned up a Reverend J.E. Miller around 1866; a J.E. Miller, brother of Elizabeth Miller circa 1934; and a J.E. Miller who was a general manager for a mine circa 1930. No dice. It's tough to make the leap between a reverend, brother or mine manager to that of a try square owner.
> 
> Maybe some of you have been successful attributing tools to their owners. If you have, don't be shy about sharing some tips on how you did it.
> 
> Here's the finished tool, ready for service in my woodshop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long after the wisps of Macanudo smoke dissipated over a glass of wine in Prescott Arizona, I'm still enjoying the try square that used to occupy J.E. Miller's toolbox.


Very nice looking tool. I am envious.

I have three large squares, can't say I like any of them very much, for a variety of reasons. I like measurements to be accurate, and I don't do framing, so the thirds side of a framers square gets in my way. Most rulers and squares I have run across arent' very accurate on the measurement side, but are square. I finally found an aluminum yard stick at Home Depot that is accurate right from the end.

Now that I understand some the older tools, and the prices, condition etc, I will be looking at tools while my wife paws through the antique shops (she rarely buys anything). A square now will be on my shopping list.

Thanks for the post, that square is cool….....(-:


----------



## hairy

planepassion said:


> *Try Square Rehab*
> 
> Whenever I visit art fairs and museums, I always find myself standing before the works that use mixed media. Maybe it's the shiny parts working in concert for artistic effect. To me, the creative aggregation of wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, and/or paint is more engaging than their one-media brethren.
> 
> I think that's why I like vintage try squares so much. In an early 20th century age where quality mattered, try square beams were made of rosewood. To this brass was added-which over the decades builds up a nice patina. Brass rivets affix the steel blade (still another element), to the wood beam. A brass strip protects the handle from repeated rubbing against surfaces.
> 
> To wood, steel and brass, I would add one more "media", functionality. You can use these works of art to:
> 
> -Aid in the squaring of boards
> -To layout lines, and
> -To ensure that glue ups are square…among other uses
> 
> For a guy who likes them so much, you would expect to see several in my shop right?
> 
> Nope. Not a one.
> 
> It's not that I haven't been on the lookout for one. I always stop to inspect try squares during antiquing and flea-market excursions.
> 
> But the examples I found had a few…let's call them flaws. On some, the wood was drier than a camel's carcass in the Mojave Desert. These showed noticeable cracks. Others had blades that were so pitted they looked like they had been through a sand storm in said desert.
> 
> And then there were times where a beauty would leap off the display case into my caressing hands. My heart would beat faster looking at the wood, brass and steel, painted to perfection in patina and small dings. Only to have it skip a few beats when I looked at the you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me price.
> 
> *A nice find*
> "No antiquing. We're here to taste wine," said Dagne as her husband and I walked out of a tasting room to go get cigars. The Prescott Arizona area has some good wines and that's why we were visiting to share our passion for the fruity stuff. This afternoon, we were in Cottonwood, a name in my mind more fitting to an old west gunfight than a wine oasis.
> 
> As we stepped out of the tobacco shop, the "Antiques" sign was too strong to resist. The bell above the door jingled as I entered. Buried under a Disston panel saw, screw drivers and rusty bits, something caught my eye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This try square had potential. I tested it for squareness as best I could against shelves and other surfaces in the shop. Very nice. And at $5.95 the proprietor quickly had cash in hand moments before my treasure found a spot next to the Macanudos in my bag. I marveled at how $5.95 plus tax could bring so much joy to my life.
> 
> *Rehabbing my first vintage try square*
> Back at home, I took stock of the tool's condition and drafted a rehab plan. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The overall goal was to make the try square clean and serviceable. To me, that means rehabbing the tool versus "restoring" it to its original condition. Normally, I like brass patina, but for this tool I decided to clean up the brass elements. Brasso made quick work of the filth, grime and dirt decades of use-and disuse-had built up on the metal. Choosing to maintain the aged character of the dinged brass, the sandpaper remained unused in its storage area.
> 
> I cleaned the steel blade by spraying WD-40 on it to act as a lubricant for 220-grit wet-dry emery paper. It took a bit of sanding to get most of the rust off. As you can see in the after pictures, I didn't get it all. I was torn between going to town on the blade or doing just enough to make it serviceable. Not wanting to remove the faint measuring gradations on the blade, I chose the latter.
> 
> Then I stepped to my sharpening station where I keep a plate of float glass with emery sandpaper affixed by spray-on adhesive. I lightly sanded the top edge of the square to true it. Then I did the same for the steel blade's bottom edge, being very careful to register the brass strip along the side of the glass to maintain squareness. This worked pretty well.
> 
> For the rosewood handle, I opted for a minimalist approach. That meant scraping off the paint blotches on the handle using a small flat-head screwdriver in combination with a very light touch so as not to mar the wood. Then I cleaned the beam with a cloth rag dipped in mineral spirits. To repair the small crack I squirted in some CA and clamped it until it dried.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After that dried, two coats of BLO went on to condition/protect the wood.
> 
> *Who in the world is J.E. Miller?*
> The next step was to hop on the Internet to see if I could find out who J.E. Miller was. You see, that's the name stamped on the tool's beam. And it's still another reason I wanted to own it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My rudimentary Google search of the name + Prescott Arizona turned up a Reverend J.E. Miller around 1866; a J.E. Miller, brother of Elizabeth Miller circa 1934; and a J.E. Miller who was a general manager for a mine circa 1930. No dice. It's tough to make the leap between a reverend, brother or mine manager to that of a try square owner.
> 
> Maybe some of you have been successful attributing tools to their owners. If you have, don't be shy about sharing some tips on how you did it.
> 
> Here's the finished tool, ready for service in my woodshop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long after the wisps of Macanudo smoke dissipated over a glass of wine in Prescott Arizona, I'm still enjoying the try square that used to occupy J.E. Miller's toolbox.


I have 5 vintage try squares, picked up at various places. I've never spent more than a few dollars for one. I buy them to use. This one here must have sat somewhere for a long time, on top of a gun and wrench, or underneath. There is a distinct pattern transferred onto the square.

It's marked - Henry Disston & Sons, Philad'a USA.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*

I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.

So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.










*Blinded by shiny objects*
Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.










When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.

Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.

Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.

My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.

Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.










*Turning it into a User*
I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.

After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.

The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.

After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.










There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".

The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.










Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.

*How does it feel?*
I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.

So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?

Quite well.

My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.










*But does it take nice shavings?*
I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.










*What do I have?*
Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.

Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.

The plane carries two trademarks.










Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.

The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.

Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?










*Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.

Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


----------



## RGtools

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Thanks for getting me thorough my lunch break. this was a wonderful walkthrough.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


that's a beautiful save. I've got a 9 1/2 with an #18 knuckle. I thought it was an #18 when I bought it. Even though it tricked me when I bought it, its the first block plane i reach for. I paid around $10 for it. I'd say the #20 is an after affect, but I could be wrong.


----------



## Bertha

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Outstanding post. This is a very nice plane rescued with a bit of effort. It's one that's reached for often in my shop and I like the heft and feel of the swell in my palm. Hat's off to you!


----------



## WayneC

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Nice work on the #18. I love knuckle block planes. If your 60 1/2 is too small try the #65. It is my favorite Stanley block plane. Larger, more mass, low angle and it is a knuckle block. What is not to love…

(With a LN 60 1/2)


----------



## mafe

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Really a sweetheart!
Nice restore, congrat.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## blackcherry

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Brad and WayneC your guys know how to get under a guys skin, just brilliant work on your restorations. I really like block planes of all sorts…BC


----------



## Bundoman

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Well done lateral repair. She turned out nicely.


----------



## JoeP001

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


Brad, 
I recently found a Stanley Knuckle Joint Block Plane.
In your great write-up you indicated that the "mouth" was stuck.
How did you free it up?
I have the same problem with mine.
I'm also missing the "mouth adjuster" and thumbscrew.
Can't find any on-line except for a place in Australia. Not going that route….too costly.
Going to try and make the "mouth adjuster" and find and modify the thumbscrew.

But again….how did you free the mouth up?


----------



## Edosulli

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a #18 Stanley Standard-Angle Block Plane*
> 
> I have a late-model Stanley #60 ½ low-angle block plane, a hand-me-down from my dad. It's tuned perfectly and I like it, but there are times when it feels a bit small in my hands. So I've had my eye out for a Stanley knuckle block plane. You know, the ones with the cool rounded top gleaming from a nickel coating? The #18 Stanley block plane also seats the iron at a standard angle, and I wanted one to complement my low-angle model.
> 
> So when a #18 caught me eye recently at a garage sale Sweetheart model no less-I zeroed in on it like my black lab going after a liver treat.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Blinded by shiny objects*
> Alas, my plane lust blinded me to a few imperfections as you can see in the picture below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first picked up the plane, I didn't notice that it was missing the mouth adjuster mechanism. Later I realized that the missing piece is needed to fully tighten the thumb-screw that secures the adjustable mouth plate. Initially, I used a small washer to fix the problem. But the desire for a complete plane motivated me to buy eccentric lever on eBay. Jeez. Add shipping and the cost was $8.30. Perhaps the $2.00 one advertised on Stanley's Website would have worked just as well. Nevertheless, I chalk this up as a lesson to the trials and expense of picking up parts for planes that are 70+ years old.
> 
> Another thing I noticed was that the mouth was "stuck". It wouldn't move, even after removing the thumb screw that holds it in place. After the owner freed the mouth, I noticed some factory finish (looked like drips of tar) in the adjustable mouth-plate housing. I took this to mean that the plane had hardly been used. Or it had never been tuned.
> 
> Then there were the chips at the back of the mouth. Ouch! Frankly, I don't think these were there when I first picked it up. I believe that I would have noticed something like that because it can affect the performance of the plane if the iron doesn't fully seat.
> 
> My best guess is that the owner created the smaller chip when he used a screwdriver to free the adjustable mouth plate. And then I-gasp-must have caused the bigger chip in my haste to take off the mouth plate after I got home.
> 
> Three days later I discovered yet another missing part. The lateral adjustment lever didn't have a "wheel". More on that in a minute.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Turning it into a User*
> I spent about an hour tuning the plane beginning with the mouth plate and housing. This involved cleaning all the metal surfaces with a Dremel wire brush which made quick work of the tar. The fit was still too tight so I lapped the mouth plate sides on 400 grit paper until it moved smoothly forward and backwards.
> 
> After that I lapped the sole, removed rust, polished surfaces and oiled moving parts.
> 
> The iron needed some tlc. That consisted of sanding the rust off both sides, polishing the back edge and establishing a new base bevel of 25 degrees. Interestingly, the original owner had ground a small radius onto the iron, which showed clearly as I was beveling it. To finish off the edge, I put a secondary 30 degree bevel on it.
> 
> After taking some shavings, I detected a bit of a track mark suspiciously in the same area as the chip in the center of the mouth. After fixing my puppy-dog sad eyes on the chipped sole for about the 50th time, I remembered an article by Christopher Schwarz. Sometimes, plane mouth chips can cause tracks and he would lightly file the mouth of planes to tune that nasty habit out of them. The deepest chip measured about 1/16th of an inch and I decided to file it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. I feel better now. On to the lateral adjustment "wheel".
> 
> The lateral adjustment "wheel" on my #5 measures 7/16" in diameter. I found a washer 3/8" in diameter to serve as the wheel. Then I selected a nail that would fit snuggly in the washer hole. This I fed through the lateral adjustment lever hole from the bottom and marked where it would be 1/8" proud of the other side. I cut the nail to length using my Dremel metal cutting disk. Then, I hammered the top of the nail to mushroom it, thereby affixing the new wheel/washer to the adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Surprisingly, the fix works quite well.
> 
> *How does it feel?*
> I like the iron depth adjustment mechanism a lot. A bit of oil has it turning smoothly and it has very little backlash. With the eccentric lever installed, the mouth adjusts very smoothly. And even after filing the back of the throat, I still have enough play to adjust for shavings, thick and thin alike.
> 
> So how does this plane compare to my Stanley 60 ½?
> 
> Quite well.
> 
> My new Sweetheart feels GOOD in my hand. The domed lever cap comfortably fills my palm while my fingers fit naturally into the side thumb recesses.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *But does it take nice shavings?*
> I easily took wispy-thin shavings from a douglas-fir 2×4 and thicker shavings came off without any chatter. And for you stickler's out there, this standard-angle block plane takes a nice end-grain shaving as well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *What do I have?*
> Whenever I bring home a new beauty, I try to learn a bit about her history.
> 
> Patrick's Blood and Gore Stanley plane site leads me to believe that this is a Stanley Bailey #18 block plane. But not just any #18.
> 
> The plane carries two trademarks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it's not polite to talk about a lady's age, the Sweetheart logo on the lever cap dates my sweetie to 1920-1935.
> 
> The second logo, on the plane iron…well it's just bizarre if taken at face value. According to one Website, the trademark dates to 1874-1884. Now that can't be right. The steel in the iron looks 20th century for sure. And I find it highly unlikely that a 19th century iron would find its way onto a 20th century plane.
> 
> Ever the coy lady there's still one more mystery. My Sweetheart sports a #20 on her side. Any of you have any ideas what that's about? Could it have been a shop's serial number?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Better than dinner and a movie (except with my Lady)*
> For $10 plus $8.30 for parts, my Sweetheart #18 showed me a great time. She's already given me many more hours of enjoyment (finding, fixing, tuning, researching, and using her) than the 2-hour films I've been bored by with friends this year while munching genuine-imitation-buttered popcorn.
> 
> Of course my flesh and blood girlfriend wasn't as pleased with how I spent my Friday night. But that's another post…


I bought a Stanley Sweetheart marked 2-18 13 which i believe makes it a No. 19 manufactured before WWII.
I bought it intact at a flea market and carried it around in my hand. I stopped to drink a bottle of water and noticed the throat adjustment lever knob was gone. I backtracked and found the knob on the ground on the opposite side of the fleamarket. I couldn't believe my luck. But my excitement was short-lived. During my backtracking the throat adjustment lever had slipped off. Does anyone know where i can get another? 
I added a washer under the knob and worked on the iron a little and it cuts end grain and long grain beautifully. I can get by but this old sweetheart deserves all her features intact.


----------



## planepassion

*Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*

Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".

A few things immediately piqued my interest:

-To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar

-I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.

-His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.

Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.

*Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.

Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.










Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.

All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".

[cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.









In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."

Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.

*Disassembly*
Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.









Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.

Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.

The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.

Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.

*Rust removal*
I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.

-Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.

-Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.

-Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.









The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.

*Filing*
Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.

For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.









My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.

What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).









The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.









*Sanding*
The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.

Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.









The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.

You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".









In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.

*Chuck lessons learned*
When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.

Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.









To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.

I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.

*Polishing*
Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.









I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.









Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.

That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)

*Finishing the wood*
I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.

This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.









Here's Dusty "before" and after />









...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.










*Putting it to use*
After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.

When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.









However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.

For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.

As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


Wow, very dedicated restore and Very Impressive Result!


----------



## redryder

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


Wowza. Nice series of photos with the blog…...........


----------



## racerglen

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


Nicely done, And a great tribute to both your new skills and to Andy's tutorials !


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


Wow Brad!!! Fantastic blog and a great restoration. I love the way you write and your infusions of humor (see I even spelt humour the American way). Phrases like:

"Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right." 
"Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion." 
"I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert."

You had me in fits of laughter.

Dusty looks fantastic and you've quite obviously got what it takes Brad. You can't get those results without doing it right. I can't wait until the next episode.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


this is great. I always cheat and use power on my restorations.

I like the details you've written in. Great blog.


----------



## RGtools

planepassion said:


> *Brace yourself: the nuanced differences between restoration and rehabbing*
> 
> Andy, a prolific contributor to Lumberjocks.com, posted a comprehensive blog series about hand braces. He started his superb tutorial by restoring a hand drill. And his subject was an 8" Skinner brace that he dubbed "Rusty".
> 
> A few things immediately piqued my interest:
> 
> -To my eye, the chuck is beautiful, sporting the lines and curves of a 1960s racecar
> 
> -I liked the fact that Andy chose to restore the tool versus simply rehabbing it for use. Restoration requires additional skills as well as a finer attention to detail.
> 
> -His restoration went beyond just refurbishing up the brace to encompass the selection and use of braces. In essence, the collected posts represent a treatise on the topic. Which in turn is a valuable contribution to us folks who don't have a lot of experience with braces.
> 
> Inspired by Andy's post, I made the decision to restore a brace of my own. I was looking forward to learning new skills (like metal filing) as well as gaining some tool-restoration experience. The next step was to track down a Skinner brace.
> 
> *Rusty, piece-of-crap-looking brace, come on down! You're the next contestant on the Restoration is Right.*
> What I learned was that while Skinner braces may be common place in Merry old England, they're not readily found in the State of Colorado. So I took the hunt to the next level: including searches on the Ebay UK, Australia and Oh Canada sites. I actually found one on Ebay UK but the seller would not ship his treasure beyond his Anglo-Saxon shores.
> 
> Sadly, I turned to Plan B to find a restoration test subject on Ebay USA. Here was a candidate that turned up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh…it's obvious why this was listed for $1.99. The description read, "Turns freely, top knob sticks and squeaks a little. Has some rust, some pitting, and wear from use." I just LOVE how sellers have the propensity to use the qualifier "some" when describing tools that are obviously caked in oxidation.
> 
> All the better. This brace was the kindred cousin to Andy's "Rusty".
> 
> [cue sarcasm] Surprisingly, I turned out to be the only bidder and $6.99 and a few days later I opened the package to find this-complete with the squeak.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In Andy's honor, I named her "Dusty."
> 
> Rather than recount the blow-by-blow restoration here, I'll note the insights, issues, mistakes and triumphs I experienced by following Andy's guidance.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> Screwing off the chuck was easy. Here it is after taking it apart.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of rust. The jaws weren't too badly scarred from the rusticles on the inside of the chuck.
> 
> Taking apart the head was a bit trickier.
> 
> The top handle required a woodworker's potion mixed from cursing, coaxing, muscle and a rubber pad used to remove stuck jar lids. One screw hole was a bit stripped. I had to use a small screw driver to apply upward pressure on the screw head at the same time I was unscrewing it. This pulled it up, past the stripped portion to engage the wood and finally pull it free. Then I had to twist the top using the rubber pad to finally unseat it. That sucker was really stuck.
> 
> Now that I had it apart, it was time to give Dusty a dermal abrasion.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> I've made it a point to try different rust removal techniques over time so that I could compare their effectiveness. Here are my experiences to date.
> 
> -Mineral spirits + sandpaper-this approach has worked well on the handsaws I've tried it on. Be warned that saw etches are sensitive to this treatment and you have to use a light hand.
> 
> -Citric acid-A quick trip to a brewers store found me pouring the powder into water. It worked just ok on a saw plate. While the trick is to let the metal soak for a sufficient amount of time, the acrid solution turns the metal a sickly dark gray. On the saw rehab project I tried citric acid on, I abandoned it in favor of the mineral spirits + sandpaper treatment to finish it.
> 
> -Something new: Evaporust. This time around I ponied up $26 for a gallon of Evaporust. The results were amazing. Let things soak over night then put green scour pad and brass brush to work on removing the pale gray coating that forms where rust used to be.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The curved handle wouldn't fit all the way into my Evaporust-filled container so I had to scrub at it with a brass-wire brush over time to get it off. I've read about others putting rusty parts in plastic bags but I didn't want to waterlog the wood handle.
> 
> *Filing*
> Thanks to Andy and my own mistakes I learned a lot about files and filing metal on this restoration.
> 
> For example, you need to take care not to use too course a file like I did on curved surfaces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My round file was just too darn aggressive and even using 100 grit sandpaper didn't get out the deep scratches it left.
> 
> What I learned was that I needed to use "fine" files. Ones that have a single (versus double) hatch pattern(s).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The brace shaft was pretty rough, (pits, scratches and dings), so I took a file to it before sanding. I used Andy's method to file the round shaft very effectively. It's well worth reading about here. Since then I've applied this technique to filing rounded corners on wood. So this is one of the new skills I was hoping to learn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sanding*
> The chuck had curved, versus flat, facets, so I skipped the filing step (how do you file a curved surface anyway?) and went straight to sanding.
> 
> Since I had some deep pits to remove, I started with 100 grit paper, then progressed through 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1,000 and 1,500. By cutting long strips of sandpaper (Andy's method), I was able to create my own manual "belt sander". Simply wrap the paper around curved surfaces (chuck and shaft) then see-saw the paper back and forth across the surface. This was extremely effective.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The lower grits took me a while to get out the pits and dings but once that was done I quickly progressed through the finer grits.
> 
> You'll find that your brace has many hard to reach places. For this restoration, there were areas where I only had about 1/8" of surface area to sand. For these I used my 1/8" chisel as a "sanding block".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In order to finish the entirety of the brace shaft and bends, I had to vice it up in different orientations.
> 
> *Chuck lessons learned*
> When I first started sanding the chuck I secured it in my face vice. However, this was a big mistake because I think I tightened it down too much and squished it a little to make it out of round. It's possible it came that way but I don't' think so.
> 
> Instead, I suggest you do what I eventually did, which is to make a round-thing-a-majig jig out of 2" x4" stock to hold it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To smooth the inner surface of the chuck, I tried Andy's dowel/scrubpad technique. I couldn't apply that approach too well so I used 100 grit sandpaper and my finger as a sanding block to sand the chuck interior. This was probably a mistake because the fit between the inner chuck surface and the jaws is a bit "loosey goosey" now. Stick to Andy's scour pad.
> 
> I can tell you that it was a mistake to sand the chuck shaft threads, even though I only use 400+ grits. The chuck fits loosely on the shaft and I don't like the feel of it. In the future, I'll heed Andy's instructions on thread treatment quite strictly.
> 
> *Polishing*
> Andy didn't use any power tools to complete his restoration. I cheated a bit and used the buffing wheel on my bench grinder with some white rouge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to tell you that this step left a mirror finish so clean that you could use it to signal rescue aircraft in the desert.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that there are still some pits and light scratches on the surface. The restoration process was a LOT of work for me (hours and hours) and I didn't have the patience to sand, sand, sand till all the pits were gone. I suspect that had my initial filing been more accomplished that I would have had a lot less sanding to do.
> 
> That said, for the areas where I did take out pits and such, I was able to achieve a perfectly mirrored finish such as the one you see in the picture of the curved handle (lower right-hand picture above.)
> 
> *Finishing the wood*
> I taped the metal surface before sanding the wood handle and progressed through 150-400 grits before "polishing" the wood on my bench grinder buffing wheel. I found this step leaves a baby smooth surface that feels nice to the touch. I made the mistake of using the same buffing pad that I used to polish the metal. This infused Dusty's wood parts with micro-pieces of metal, giving it a grayish tint. Yuck.
> 
> This was followed by 2 coats of BLO and three coats of polyurethane finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Dusty "before" and after />
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and after applying Andy's restoration techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Putting it to use*
> After everything dried I reassembled the brace, putting a dab of silicon grease in areas where parts move.
> 
> When I chucked up a bit and drilled a hole, I noticed that the brace was off-center while being turned. Because I didn't try it out before my restoration I can't say whether it came that way or if I bent something during the restoration. That said, it performs well, delivering straight holes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I don't like that I have to manually push the jaw halves apart to make room for a bit. (perhaps a spring is missing?) Though once chucked, the bit doesn't move.
> 
> For the areas where I followed Andy's instructions, I'm very pleased with how things turned out. And while I made a lot of mistakes on this restoration, I accept that as the price for learning a lot of new skills. Better to learn those lessons on a $6.99 Dusty, than on a precious Skinner brace.
> 
> As luck would have it, two Skinner braces did make their way into my life courtesy of a Lumberjocks buddy! And that's the topic of two "before/after & this-is-what" I learned posts to come.


So Shiny. I think I can see myself in your brace.

Well done.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*

Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.










My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.

The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.

The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.

*The rehab*
The first order of business was to break down the brace.










Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.

There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.

For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.

I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.

Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.










And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):










…and some detail shots:










Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.

*Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.

Here's Ken at work:










And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.










There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.

I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


----------



## PurpLev

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


sweet


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


Don't tell me you're going to name the 6" brace *Barbie*. 

Nice job Brad, the wood came up lovely. You're starting to get quite a collection going.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


Another brace that has been "andy'ed". Nice job. Although the ken and barbie reference seem a little creepy


----------



## BrandonW

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


Sweet! And it's good to see that "andy" as a verb is gaining traction.


----------



## racerglen

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


Sweet work..Can hardly wait for Barbie !
And LOOK Andy's back..his avitar that is..
Watching over the restoration worlds.

;-)


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing an English Brace-Before and after eye candy for a 10" Skinner hand drill*
> 
> Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus. Soon after finishing my restoration of "Dusty" an 8" Stanley brace on Andy's superb "Humble Hand Brace" series came early to my doorstep.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy Andy was kind enough to hook me up with two Skinner braces (10" and 6"). He was tireless in his pursuit, even stopping at a Dutch rest stop to bid on Ebay UK for me while driving home from a consulting gig.
> 
> The 10" Skinner arrived in decent shape so I chose to rehab it rather than restore it. I named him Ken.
> 
> The 6" Skinner, however, was in pretty rough shape…which makes it PERFECT to be my next restoration subject.
> 
> *The rehab*
> The first order of business was to break down the brace.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, the piece was in pretty good shape. The chuck jaws had the faintest signs of scoring. And while the chuck showed some pitting, the metal surfaces were in pretty good order. Don't let the prairie-wind-swept look of the wood fool you. They cleaned up very well.
> 
> There were some rust spots, so I soaked the metal pieces overnight in Evaporust, then used a brass brush and/or green scouring pad to clean up the surfaces.
> 
> For the wood, I followed Andy's instructions closely, sanding through 150, 220 and 320 grits. I followed this up by buffing the wood parts on my buffing wheel (not in Andy's tutorial but I've come to like this step). I bought a clean cloth pad, removing the one I use to polish metal so as not to impregnate (i.e. color) the wood with tiny gray, metal particles.
> 
> I followed this with several coats of BLO and three coats of wipe-on varnish. To that I added three coats of paste wax using 0000 steel wool. This last tip from Andy really made the wood warm and inviting to the touch.
> 
> Here it is post-rehab and ready for assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here is my Skinner pal after reassembly (post -Evaporust/wood finish):
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and some detail shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm pleased with the rehab. Choosing not to polish steel gives Ken a rugged, serviceable look. A square jaw, ruffled hair, 5-oclock shadow.
> 
> *Testing Ken and adding him to my tool kit*
> I chucked up an auger bit and was pleased with how tightly the chuck cinched it up. Then I vised a 2" x 4" and bored a hole. Man is Ken smooth. All the oiling Andy suggests makes him rotate effortlessly with nary a sound.
> 
> Here's Ken at work:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here he is in his new home, an honored place next to my Stanley brace. Note that they're both 10" braces but the Skinner looks and feels more compact.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There he sits, waiting patiently for work on my next project. He won't have to wait long. But I fear that the Stanley will become jealous of the new guy I'll be using to put bit to wood. There's nothing worse than a brace suspicious that you're two-timing, uh, two-boring her. The last thing I need is more drama in my shop.
> 
> I need to find Ken a girlfriend.


you better find a 8inch or 12 inch girlfreind to Mr Stanley before you let 
the little 6inch nips enter the thrugh the door to the shop …. if not ….. huu ..just the thought scary me

thanks for sharing the serie with us 

Dennis


----------



## planepassion

*Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*

Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.

Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.

*Starting with a diamond in the rough*
First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:










…and a closer look:










A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.

*Rust removal*
Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.










There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:










*The makeover*
The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.










After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.










Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.

Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.

For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.










Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.

The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.

I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.

Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.

*The reveal*
[cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]

And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]










…[camera zooms in for a closer look]










*On a date*
Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.










*A new home*
Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.










One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.

*What's in store for Musty?*
Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.

As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Ooops. Forgot to include the "after" detail shots.









...and Musty's quick-change bit accessory:


----------



## tsangell

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Me likey. I had a "wow moment" at the 600 grit chuck shot.


----------



## ronniebo

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


just FABULOUS


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Simply stupendous! I feel like a parent on graduation day. I never thought you'd get that chuck to look as good as you did, but I guess files and sandpaper are the anti-aging cream of the tool restoration make-up bag.

Between the two of us, we're fast running out of '*?usties*'. Well maybe there's still a '*crusty*' out there somewhere. I just hope you get to it before I do. LOL.

Brad, you have more than met the challenge I set you. Now I just have to meet yours. Yikes!


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


nice. I love these before and after shots.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Andy, I was amazed how the draw filling + sanding + polishing with white rouge on a buffing wheel made the metal pop. This is my last brace restore though I'm hunting for a decent 12" brace to add to my 6", 8" and 10" pieces.

I picked up a "jewelers" (read small as in about 10" long) Goodell Pratt eggbeater that I'm currently rehabistoring (that's part rehab, part restoration). Stay tuned.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Brad it is definitely worth getting a 12" sweep brace. It makes so much difference when you're drilling anything over 3/4".

Is your jewellers saw like this one Brad? I bought this some time ago, but I haven't found any of the dimpled drill bits for it yet. To be honest, I forgot all about it. It is a sweet little drill though so I'll be watching to see what you do with yours.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


Andy,
That is one sweet vintage eggbeater. It has a 19th century look to it. My Goodell Pratt appears to be from the 1920s/1930s I think. I'm having trouble finding much on the Internet about Goodell Pratt.

The new paint on the main gear crank is drying. I put on a coat on one side, let it dry over night, then apply a light coat on the other side and let it dry over night-to prevent drips. I've put three coats to cover everything and want it to dry fast before reassembling it. Denver got pasted by snow so my shop's been pretty cold the last few days. Thus slowing the drying process. I suppose I could bring it inside, but you know how the SWMBOs of the world take to the smell of drying paint in the homestead 










That five-foot pile of snow is the result of my shoveling the driveway.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a Skinner 6" Brace*
> 
> Having finished the rehab of the 10" Skinner brace, and practicing my restoration techniques on an 8" brace, it was time to move on to restoring my "new" 6" Skinner beauty.
> 
> Rather than bore you with repetitive details that you can read elsewhere, "then I removed rust by….", I'll focus on the before/after eye candy. I'll also note any gotchas, or obstacles that were out of the norm.
> 
> *Starting with a diamond in the rough*
> First things first. Andy, whose techniques I followed for this restoration, names his subjects. Here's what I had to work with:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and a closer look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A name….hmmm. There's already a Rusty…and a Dusty…ah, let's go with Musty.
> 
> *Rust removal*
> Musty clearly needs a makeover. And she's decided to go with my "The Works" package, down to polished, mirrored metal. As a tool stylist, my magic begins by peeling away unsightly rust (blessed be for Evaporust). Here are some detail shots of before/after rust removal.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There. That's a good start for Musty's new look. Yikes. Look at what I had to work with on the chuck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The makeover*
> The jaws were in decent shape, with hardly any acne scars. The chuck however, shows deep scarring. Too many late-night drinking parties in Musty's past. But it's amazing what a little filing and sanding can do to wash those memories away. Well, it wasn't a "little" but it did have the desired effect.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the chuck through 150, 220,320, 400, 600 grits, I walked it over to the bench grinder to give it a good polish with white rouge. That's the tool equivalent to tooth whitening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that Musty is outfitted with a winning smile, let's see what I can do for her wobbly handle. I don't have to tell you how important a nice sway here, or a jiggle there, is to sex appeal.
> 
> Musty had a small, 1/16" gap between the retaining rings and her center handle. That was just enough to create some play in use. I cut that distance in half and now the handle sashays in rotary fashion in a very pleasing way. Pleasing to the eye. Pleasing to the hand.
> 
> For this step, I used the jig Andy suggests to hammer a tighter fit. But the 4" x 4" wood I used, probably Douglas fir, wasn't up to the task. The top portion kept breaking apart on me. Finally, I used a straight piece of wood as sort of a "chisel" and pounded one side of the retaining ring, then the other, to sneak up on the desired 1/32" gap. That worked ok, but I hesitate to suggest that method to you. Perhaps making the jig out of hardwood (as Andy did) able to withstand hard taps would be a better solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's move on to Musty's weather-beaten and pitted body.
> 
> The only thing I did differently during this restoration than on Dusty was to avoid the use of rounded and aggressive files. This reduced the amount of sanding, and time, I spent on this step.
> 
> I got some cheap sandpaper for Christmas. It kept breaking on me as I used thin strips to "belt-sand" the surfaces. So I broke down and spent the extra money on good sandpaper. Big improvement.
> 
> Note that there were some areas-the top of the chuck housing area, the ratchet assembly and underside of the top handle seating-that were very difficult to work. Hence, while I gave sanding some of these areas the college try, I kept my work here to a minimum. I would rather have an imperfect surface than one that was highly polished with looser tolerances (talking about the ratchet surfaces) that negatively affected the tool's performance.
> 
> *The reveal*
> [cue music…curtain moves as Musty finds her way out from behind it…]
> 
> And here's Musty! [applause, crowd oohs and aahs]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …[camera zooms in for a closer look]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *On a date*
> Now that Musty had a new look, it was time for her to get back into the game. On her first date, she chucked up a small auger bit and drilled a hole. On her second date, she accessorized with a quick-change ¼" drive changer to drive a screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A new home*
> Feeling better about herself than she has in years, Musty moved to a new home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of her neighbors is a 10" Skinner brace named Ken. Musty thinks he's "tasty" in a Marlborough-Man sort of way. I think they make a cute couple.
> 
> *What's in store for Musty?*
> Musty's 6" sweep makes for a fast-moving rotation. That's ideal for drilling small holes, oh, say less than 3/8", and perfect for driving screws. So her quick-change drive-bit accessory will be ever by her side.
> 
> As for Ken, well, Musty is taking things slow.


We were meant to get snow last night, but so far we've escaped it. That's a nice pile of the white stuff you built there Brad.

My wife has finally put a stop to saw handles hanging from the kitchen cabinet to dry. She says it gives her a headache, so my finishes are also taking twice as long to dry. Such is life.


----------



## planepassion

*"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*

I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.

The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.

Here's what I brought home.










*Tuning up my GP*
I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.

*Disassembly*
I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.

As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.

*Cleaning*
That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).

Next, I turned my attention to the crank.









I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.

I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.

*Painting*
Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.

When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.

Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.

I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.

The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.

I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.










With the piece masked it was time to paint.

I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.

To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.

*Reassembly*
With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.

Here's the before after collage:










...and some before/after crank shots










...and some before/after crank detail shots










...and finally some before/after body detail shots.










*Testing and adding to my tool kit*
I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".










It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.

No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


----------



## swirt

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


That's a really nice restoration. Great before and after shots. I am surprised by the evapo-rust eating the paint, I have not run into that before. It must be something specific to the kind of paint used on these.


----------



## BrandonW

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


It cleaned up very nicely! I'm sorry to hear about the paint, I've never had a problem with japanning and evaporust, but I guess paint is another story. You got a great deal on an egg beater and one that should serve as a nice user.


----------



## timbit2006

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Good job on the restore!


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Nice restore Brad.

swirt, I think typically if evapo-rust removes the paint, it means there was rust under it. Same with electrolysis. It goes after the rust and separates the paint.


----------



## racerglen

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Well done Brad, and nice blog, I'd agree with Don on the rust UNDER taking out the paint, had that happen too.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Ah! Rust under the paint. That makes sense. The paint was chipped and worn away at several spots so rust could have seeped in through those entryways.

I got a kick out of using this drill the other day. I drilled a hole to slip my coping saw blade through to cut an arc in some material. There's nothing like using a tool you've nurtured on an actual project.


----------



## Chipncut

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


*Nice job of restoring, I have one similar, but an old Japanese version. It wouldn't help trying to restore a piece of junk!*


----------



## bfergie

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Nice rehab! Your timing is great for me, I just dug out some of my Dad's old tools that need refurbishing. He got them in trade and I inherited some time ago . One is a Pexto Eggbeater Drill. Don't know anything about it but it seems it pretty good shape.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Brad:
great restoring .-)
and with that old paint job be glad the evapro got rit of it 
since it didn´t look good.. even though you may have try´d to save the history in the tool

and thank for the reminder of the boydays when making models 

take care
Dennis


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


*Dennis* - Thanks for posting on this because I somehow missed this when Brad first posted it.

*Brad* - Wow! Great restore. I like that Rustoleum Sunrise Red. I'll give that a go when I come to restore my Millers Falls hand drills. Back in the 1980's I used to do watercolor painting and when I didn't want the wash to go on a certain area of the paper or I wanted a hard edge to a shape, I used masking fluid to protect that area of the paper. Masking fluid is a rubberized solution. You just paint it on with a small brush and let it dry which doesn't take long. Then you can paint around it and even over it. Once the surrounding paint is dry, you just peel off the masking fluid leaving white paper underneath. I don't know if it would work on metal, but I don't see why not. I'll have to give it a try because it has to be easier than messing around with masking tape on the fiddly bits.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


glad to be helpfull Andy … LOL
and thanks for the reminder of the masking fluid ….. now I just have to stea… RRRHH borrow 
the bottle from the wifes painting box …............ if I dare :-(

Dennis


----------



## Kessler

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Do not be afraid of the chuck. Look into the end of the chuck while it is opened to accept a large bit….see three springs? If this is a 9 piece chuck, meaning the outside housing, three springs, three jaws, screw off end cap and a alignment "plunger" that fits on the shaft, then it is pretty easy and simple to take apart and reassemble.

Remove the chuck, unscrew the end cap, sit chuck on table with bit end up, use a wooden dowel or unsharpened pencil and insert gently and pust each jaw to the table, slightly lift the chuck and push a little further, the plunger, the jaws and the springs should be on the table by now. Clean them up.

To reassemble, insert a spring into one of the jaws while sitting on the table pointed jaw side up. Insert the other end of the spring into another jaw and so forth. I use a round toothpick to lift the spring up to the jaw as my fingers are too big. Use a very small bit of grease in each spring hole if you must, but I don't. Once you have all three springs back in the jaws, take the chuck housing and place over the jaws and gently press down until the chuck housing is on the table. Slide a piece of paper under the chuck and invert. Now, use your finger and gently push all three jaws into the chuck. Now, screw the end cap of the chuck back onto the shaft until about a half inch protrudes and sit the plunger on the end of the shaft and then the chuck body and screw it together.

It really is pretty easy, I can take one apart and put it back together and have it working in under five minutes. If you need springs, Stanley makes a chuck jaw & spring set and the springs work perfect for this drill. Cost about .80 plus shipping, pretty cheap, huh?................Good luck!


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Andy, I like the masking fluid idea a lot…as in "I like gold coins," and "I like turkey with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving." If it works it will save a lot of time and I can focus on rehabistoring versus "modeling" masking tasks.

Kessler, thanks for the chuck tutorial. That's just the inside information that we need to complete a successful repair/cleaning. And the source for for a chuck jaw and spring set is priceless.


----------



## wormil

planepassion said:


> *"Rehabistoring" of a Goodell Pratt Eggbeater Drill*
> 
> I was poking around in my favorite tool dealer's booth when I came across a couple of smaller eggbeater drills. One was a Millers Falls and one was a Goodell Pratt. I gave the MF drill a good long look. The crank rotated very smoothly with the merest sound of hummingbird wisps as gears interlaced at high speed. Unfortunately, the chuck jaws failed to work properly so I put it back on its shelf with a heavy heart and a frown.
> 
> The Goodell Pratt drill also had a smooth rotating action, though it was noisier than its iconic brethren. I attributed that to the previous owner who clearly had lubed the piece up for a good ole fashioned pig chase. The chuck functioned properly…all the parts were there…and there were brass appointments as well. At $9.95, I couldn't go wrong.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning up my GP*
> I resolved to do a minimal restoration. In fact, I wanted to do a part rehab, part restoration-a rehabistoration. I would remove rust and polish metal surfaces where possible (restoration) and leave existing paint and wood finishes (rehab) because they added some nice character. That was the plan. The plan didn't unfold the way I thought it would.
> 
> *Disassembly*
> I decided to do a basic break down. Basically, I only removed the main crank and unscrewed the chuck. Since the chuck works ok, I decided not to take it apart and risk tinsy springs boinging all over hell's half acre never to be found again. Or worse-risk breaking one of those springs and having to fashion a new one. Boy, reading the thread about one guy's spring-making chuck-restoration experience was enough to make me break into a cold sweat.
> 
> As for the pins holding spindles and such-screw that. They stayed right where they were. No pin pinging for me on this project.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> That left the body with rust spots and the crank. I chucked up a new brass wire brush from my Arizona tool hunt into my Dremel and removed what rust I could. Then I wiped down the spindles with a toothbrush and mineral spirits. This I followed by a good polishing of gear teeth, metal shaft and brass pieces on my bench grinder's cloth buffing pad (no rouge).
> 
> Next, I turned my attention to the crank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gave the disassembled crank the mineral spirits/toothbrush treatment before putting it into an Evaporust bath to remove the rust spots here and there. The next morning, I discovered that the Evaporust had also removed all the original paint! Damn it! I didn't know Evaporust would do that. Shaking my head, I upgraded the crank's rehab to a restore.
> 
> I used the brass Dremel brush to polish up the crank gear teeth as best I could and called it good.
> 
> *Painting*
> Have you ever built a model airplane? Or perhaps painted a miniature tank model to play war games? For those of you who haven't, you can find books and instructions crammed with excruciating detail about which specific, German-Western-Front-Tank-Track-Grey paint to use where.
> 
> When it comes to Goodell Pratt painting manuals, well there aren't any. I scoured Sawmillcreek.com and Lumberjocks but there's scant little information about what paint colors to use. I did glean that some guys had used Rustoleum Sunrise Red to good effect on their Millers Falls eggbeater restoration projects. It was worth a try.
> 
> Now the most time-consuming part about painting a wheel crank isn't the painting. It's the taping of the parts you don't want painted. That includes each of the crank gear teeth and a few other zones. Which zones? Fortunately, I took many photos before the crank went into the paint-killing Evaporust. From those I was able to piece together where to mask and where to paint.
> 
> I used blue painter's tape to mask most of the pieces. But the gear teeth proved tricky.
> 
> The blue tape did not have sufficient adhesive to stay in the tiny gear valleys. So I used masking tape. And I used the back of an Exacto knife blade to press the tape to the metal surfaces. I also cut a small arc in 1/2" strips of tape at a time to mirror the rounded crank shape.
> 
> I started by pressing masking tape to the top of a gear tooth then pressing masking tape to the inside wall of the tooth, the bottom of the valley then to the opposite side wall. I made sure the tape was securely attached to the side wall and fully seated in the valley before tapping down the tape on the opposite tooth top. Otherwise, the tape would be pulled from the valley to leave a fill-me-with-paint gap above the tooth. This laborious process took about a half hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the piece masked it was time to paint.
> 
> I've heard of people who create a hard painted surface by baking the finished pieces in their ovens. My research turned up spotty instructions on what temp and how to do this…at best. Witkor Lutkov "bakes" his crank and chassis paints but he doesn't share the finer details about how to actually do that nor what colors he uses. So I opted to let nature take its course and dry each light coat overnight before adding the next one.
> 
> To prevent runs, I painted one side, let the coat dry overnight, then flipped it over and painted the other side. Three total coats took six days.
> 
> *Reassembly*
> With the respective parts completed, reassembly took two minutes. The "hardest" part of this step was determining how tightly to screw on the nut that holds the main crank. Initially I tightened it too much and the crank was hard to turn. I progressively loosened the nut until it was too loose (the crank would wobble) then tightened it down until it stopped wobbling.
> 
> Here's the before after collage:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and some before/after crank detail shots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and finally some before/after body detail shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing and adding to my tool kit*
> I chucked up a small bit (13/64") to test the drill in a scrap piece of 2" x 4".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It started easily and drilled through easily. The action was smooth. A bit quieter than before I cleaned and polished it but still audible as the gears rotate. More like raven's wings flapping.
> 
> No matter. She performs well, and I've added her to my tool kit.


Nice job, big improvement. I have a couple Goodell Pratt tools to paint and like you I've been debating various colors. There is a Rustoleum engine enamel called Chevy-red-orange that seems to be close but I haven't seen it in person yet. And I was curious about baking it in the oven, might try that while the wife is away.


----------



## planepassion

*Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*

I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.

Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.

*Ask and ye shall receive*
Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.










It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.

His reply:

"What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.

Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."

*Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.

First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.










It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.

Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.










*Too smart for my own good*
To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.

Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.

Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.

This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.










Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.

*Sharpening*
When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.










Here's the after rehab money shots:




























I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.










An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.

Happy rehabbing!


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*
> 
> I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.
> 
> Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.
> 
> *Ask and ye shall receive*
> Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.
> 
> His reply:
> 
> "What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.
> 
> Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."
> 
> *Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
> My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.
> 
> First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.
> 
> Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Too smart for my own good*
> To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.
> 
> Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.
> 
> Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.
> 
> This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the after rehab money shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.
> 
> Happy rehabbing!


Wow! Great job Brad as usual. You've got a nice little collection going on there. Thanks for the info on converting crosscut to rip. I'm going to need to do that soon. Did you do it all with one file? I don't mean did you use two different size files, but I was just wondering if one file lasted long enough to do all the re-shaping of the teeth. Also, please share the tooth geometry. How much rake? How much set did you add per side?

I hope my backsaws come out as good as that. Thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*
> 
> I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.
> 
> Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.
> 
> *Ask and ye shall receive*
> Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.
> 
> His reply:
> 
> "What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.
> 
> Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."
> 
> *Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
> My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.
> 
> First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.
> 
> Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Too smart for my own good*
> To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.
> 
> Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.
> 
> Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.
> 
> This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the after rehab money shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.
> 
> Happy rehabbing!


Great restore Brad.

Yea, I wouldn't recommend goof off for wood. Its great fore removing almost anything off almost anything as long as you want nothing left. It works well on glass and metal.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*
> 
> I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.
> 
> Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.
> 
> *Ask and ye shall receive*
> Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.
> 
> His reply:
> 
> "What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.
> 
> Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."
> 
> *Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
> My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.
> 
> First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.
> 
> Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Too smart for my own good*
> To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.
> 
> Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.
> 
> Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.
> 
> This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the after rehab money shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.
> 
> Happy rehabbing!


Don, I love the way you describe Goof Off…that is funny.

Andy,
My shaping skills are nascent and I'm still feeling my way on them. As you've probably learned, there's a nack to looking at the jointed flat and knowing whether to apply more pressure to the right-hand tooth or left-hand (i.e. the front of the right-hand tooth or the back of the left-hand tooth) in the gullet. I just kept working until the flats were gone. This alone seemed to do the sharpening trick. And while there was a lot of metal dust after the operation, the one 6" slim file I used still has plenty of life.

As for rake, I've been using negative 5 degrees on all my rip saws. And I did not set the teeth at all. The reason is that my test cut was excellent. The saw tracked well, cut quickly and the 7 ppi left a smooth surface…unlike my S&J 5 1/2 rip. So I decided to skip setting.

Every single handsaw, panel saw that I've gotten has had too much set. That's evident by their jumping around in the kerf. So I've found on the initial sharpening that I don't need to set them. My backsaws are a different story. I've had to add a bit of set to prevent binding. And my sharpening of those tiny, tiny teeth need more work. My general rule of thumb on set is to apply the minimum I think is necessary and then see how the saw performs in wood-then adjust accordingly.

I've reached a lull in my tool acquisition phase, meaning that I've achieved a critical mass of tools that I need to perform almost all the things a project requires. So I'm backtracking to fine-tune my sharpening of the joinery saws in my nest.

This saw performs well. And while we as collectors/users may scoff at Warranted Superior-branded saws because they were not the top of the line, I was quite impressed with its cutting action. Maybe the steel is inferior and will dull more quickly in use, we'll see. But for a good quality user panel saw, this one fit the bill big time.

One last thing Andy. While there is an etching on the saw, I can't read it no matter how hard I try. So I wasn't able to give this saw the historical treatment that your blog posts have set as a standard for any saw rehab


----------



## mafe

planepassion said:


> *Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*
> 
> I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.
> 
> Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.
> 
> *Ask and ye shall receive*
> Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.
> 
> His reply:
> 
> "What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.
> 
> Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."
> 
> *Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
> My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.
> 
> First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.
> 
> Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Too smart for my own good*
> To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.
> 
> Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.
> 
> Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.
> 
> This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the after rehab money shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.
> 
> Happy rehabbing!


Great job on that saw!
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## RussellCavallaro

planepassion said:


> *Filling a hole in my saw nest: Rehabbing a panel saw and converting it to rip*
> 
> I saw a lot of boards in my vise. I also "stub" the toes of my long, 26" hand saws while using them with my saw bench. The bench is the appropriate height for the knee of a 5' 6" tall galoot. But unfortunately it's a bit short for my full-sized saws.
> 
> Long-story-short, I've been on the lookout for a panel rip saw.
> 
> *Ask and ye shall receive*
> Fortunately, I came across one while visiting family in Arizona. I found St. James Bay Tool Company on the net (mere miles away)…and subsequently the Warranted Superior 22", 7 ppi saw picture below as found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was reasonably priced and while my saw sharpening skills are still at the beginner level, I knew I could convert it from a crosscut to rip tooth configuration. I knew this because Bob Rozaieski, of Logan Cabinet Shoppe fame [check out his how-to videos and articles-a true artisan], gave me some good tips. I asked him if I could buy a vintage Disston 7 or 8 ppi saw and convert the crosscut filing to a rip filing.
> 
> His reply:
> 
> "What you are thinking about is a great way to get yourself a finer point rip saw. It's very easy to refile a crosscut saw to a rip profile (or vise versa). You will have to joint and refile several times to get the entire tooth profile changed, but it's not that much work.
> 
> Just joint down about 1/3 of the tooth height, reshape to a rip profile, joint 1/3 of the height again, refile, etc. until the teeth are completely reshaped. Then set, rejoint and sharpen. I've done this countless times, especially with old backsaws, which are often filed crosscut. The process is no different for larger saws."
> 
> *Rehabbing the latest addition to the nest*
> My rehab consisted of the usual steps you can read about elsewhere. There were a couple of twists though.
> 
> First, I built myself a tub to soak the plate in Evaporust. The "miracle" in a bottle has become my go to potion to banish rust. But saw plates are very long and a bit wide. After pricing plexiglass and alternative materials at the big-box store (damn that stuff is expensive) I opted to make my own container.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It consists of a 2×8 base with ½" poplar scraps to act as edges. At one end I fitted the edge tightly but did not affix it to the base. This allows me to adjust the length of the tub to suit any size of saw plate…and hence minimize the amount of Evaporust I have to use at any one soaking. I use a garbage bag to line it, being very careful to gingerly lower the toothline into the bath.
> 
> Here's the saw plate after the Evaporust bath and sanding/polishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Too smart for my own good*
> To get some crud off the handle, I tried a new product, Goof Off. Oh, it got the crud off alright…plus the original finish I had originally intended to keep. So I opted to refinish the whole handle by sanding it.
> 
> Enter my baby-smooth formula for handles. Sand using 150, 220, 320, 400 grits, then buff the wood on a bench grinder-no rouge. For the hard-to-reach inner handle surfaces I used a Dremel equipped with a tiny buffing wheel.
> 
> Now there were some hard to reach places along the top and bottom edges. So I used my spanking new (last year) scraper to treat those areas-and it worked very well. I got that idea while watching Jameel Abraham finish the tote of his Winter Smoother plane. If you haven't watched Jameel's video series of him building this plane, it's FASCINATING and well worth checking it out.
> 
> This panel saw sports a wheat-design handle. I've never restored one of those before. There were some original stalks that were missing from the back end of the handle after I sanded it. My solution was to use a dental pic to "carve" thin stalks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before God I tell you my solution sucked. There's nothing like looking at obviously ham-handed wheat stalks to motivate you to add a good carving class to your schedule.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> When I first learned to sharpen, the concept of shaping teeth after jointing escaped me. But after corresponding with Matt over at The Saw Blog [INSERT ]http://thesawblog.com], it made sense. So I aggressively jointed the saw (it needed it badly), and proceeded to shape/sharpen the teeth. Because the shaping and sharpening added no fleam, the crosscut saw was converted to a rip configuration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the after rehab money shots:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to rip some ¼" plywood to serve as dividers on the bench appliance till I built…and this saw cuts like a dream. It tracks straight, cuts quickly and leaves a fine finish. But best of all, it fits my hand well.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An added bonus, I hope is that the toe-stubbing of ripping days past are long gone.
> 
> Happy rehabbing!


New telegraph is found for the information for all challenges. The percentage of the information as to how to get rust off Blackstone for the channels. The program is met for the informative use for the customers. The rust is demolished for the ray of hope for all individuals.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*

Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)

When I got it home, I took a closer look.

It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.










When I unwrapped it this is what I found.










A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.

It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.










As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?










That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.

Let's move on to the handle.










Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.

Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.









*A little research goes a long way*
Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.

A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…










Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.

There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.










See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!

*Restoration Twists*
The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.










That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.

The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.










After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.

*Awww nuts!*
The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.










Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?

With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.

In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.

Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.










The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.

*Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.










That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.










*Post-restoration beauty shots*
Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.










And an AFTER panorama shot.










And now the handle.










A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.

A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.










*Testing the saw*
With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.

I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.










And here's the test cut.










It works beautifully!

Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


Great post Brad and I'm glad you didn't have to kiss your nuts goodbye. 

I've never seen a rip saw with backsaw teeth cut into the back, but it isn't a bad idea really is it? Nice to know the saw has passed from one resourceful owner to another and at $2.00 you can't go wrong. Even if the saw ended up becoming a set of card scrapers it would still have been money well spent.


----------



## kenn

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


Beautiful post and saw. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


very nice. The handle has some great features.


----------



## chrisstef

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


Doing a little digging around the web on the #12's your "V" may be half of an "X" which would identify the saw as a 12. The 12 im working on (luckily with an etch) has an X under the handle.

Great looking restore on a top notch saw. I like the customization of the extra filing on the spine of the saw too. All though I don't think I would modify my 12 but would certainly think about it on a D8 or the like.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


Yes, it's likely that the V is a half X. By chance, do you have any links to share on the X discussion?

Like yourself, I've found the user modification to be interesting and thought provoking. "Now why did he do that?"


----------



## chrisstef

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


Ill have to see if i can pull it back up again for ya Brad. Im pretty sure that after i posted this i found out some other saws were stamped with the X denoting "extra". Extra what i cant recall but id call it extra awesome.


----------



## chrisstef

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?160564-Disston-12 (almost at the bottom of the thread)

http://thesawblog.com/?p=275 (about 1/2 way down)

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/markings-under-tote-disston-handsaw-165872/ (this is the good article)


----------



## Klif

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Pre-1918 Disston handsaw with a couple of unique curiosities*
> 
> Recently, I scored a Disston handsaw for $2.00 at an estate sale along with some other finds. The more refined shape (yes the horns have long since broken off) of the handle told me that it was an older saw. As did the Disston medallion , marked H. Disston & Sons…Philada. (That dates the medallion to between 1896-1917)
> 
> When I got it home, I took a closer look.
> 
> It was wrapped in a Denver Post front page dated September 27 1995. From the yellowed packing tape holding the bundle together, I took it that the saw hadn't been touched in over 16 years. Talk about farm fresh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I unwrapped it this is what I found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A couple of cracks in the handle…a missing saw nut for a still in place saw bolt. Some rust and deep pitting in a few areas. Not perfect, but the saw could be a decent user.
> 
> It had a 7 stamped on the heel. As in 7 ppi. But the tooth line looked much courser than that and my ruler confirmed that it was filed 5 ½ ppi. Someone had obviously retoothed the saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I studied the saw, the oddities started to pile up. Take the spine for example. At the toe. Have you EVER seen such a thing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That couldn't have been native to the saw. The owner had to of filed 16 ppi backsaw teeth into the top of the blade. And I'll bet he used that to start cuts for the main saw below. I feel confident making that bet because the test cut I made doing just that performed perfectly.
> 
> Let's move on to the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now what on earth is up with the hand grip ovals? Hmmm. That brings to mind something I was in a Christopher Schwartz video. He sat on a saw bench to rip stock vertically. I remember it because I cringed when he faced the business end of the saw toward his…uh…groin area and started ripping a board.
> 
> Look how the handle fits two hands perfectly for just such an operation. With the teeth faced away from the sawyer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A little research goes a long way*
> Sitting down with a cup a tea, I sauntered on over to www.disstonianinstitute.com to learn more about my saw. An etching would have been nice to determine a model number. But alas, it has long since vanished from this world.
> 
> A full minute of searching revealed that the handle "modification" I spoke of above is no modification at all. It's the stock configuration of a Disston No. 12. The Disstonian Institute, had some tool-porn pics of a No. 12 too. Her turn-ons are puppies, silk sheets and walks on the beach…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the No. 12 was the top of the line. Moreover the "tensioning" of the blade's steel left it with "…a characteristic ringing or singing sound when tapped." And that is exactly, what I noticed when I accidently "strummed" the blade while rehabbing it. It has a pleasing twang sound to the steel that my other saws don't.
> 
> There's also an interesting mark on the sawplate at the top of the heel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See the "V" in the top right of the plate. Could the "V" in this case mark the saw as Disston's top-line Victory series? Darn that missing etch!
> 
> *Restoration Twists*
> The saw plate cleaned up nicely after rounding up the usual suspects. Evaporust + 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit sandings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's me with my trusty Canon PowerShot you see in the reflection.
> 
> The handle required more work. CA glue repaired the cracks. In this case the liquid version was better than the gel because the dryness of the wood drew it into the crack via capillary action.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After sanding the glue spots smooth it was time to turn my attention to the horn tips. The broken tips were about as attractive as an IRS agent waiting outside your front door, so I used a rasp to shape it to a more pleasing rounded end. A sanding with 220, 320, 400 grits followed by some time on a clean, cloth buffing wheel brought the handle to a baby-smooth and oh-so pleasing, shine.
> 
> *Awww nuts!*
> The saw nut slots were very shallow and had been stripped through use over the years. A Dremmel armed with a metal-cutting disk made a perfect "re-slotting" tool. This is an operation you want to do with the precision and attention your dentist uses to fill a cavity. Cut too deeply and you can kiss your nuts goodbye.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the cutting wheel defined a square bottom to the slot so that the screwdriver fits it snuggly?
> 
> With the delicate surgery complete, it was time to polish the brass. A few minutes at the buffing wheel with some white rouge had the brass nuts gleaming like Titanic's wheel mount, before she slipped beneath the waves 100 years ago next month.
> 
> In the past, I did the nuts and bolts separately, which made it difficult to hold the pieces against the rotating cloth wheel without snagging them to launch across the garage floor. The sound of a vintage Disston medallion hitting the concrete floor at terminal velocity makes me cringe. Just like swilling a shot of nasty tequila. Retrieving it has become a religious ceremony of sorts, complete with genuflecting and praying to God that it's still intact.
> 
> Always one to get out of going to church, I finally figured out that it's easier to hold the pieces when you screw the bolt into the nut and buff each end of the assembly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The garage is now safe from shooting brass and tearful prayers.
> 
> *Getting the No. 12 ready for action*
> After reassembling the saw, I jointed and filed the rip teeth (bottom). Then I flipped the saw over and jointed and filed the "backsaw teeth on the top spine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was a lot of work and soon a very fine saw pixie dust coated the vise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Post-restoration beauty shots*
> Here's what the saw looked like after the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And an AFTER panorama shot.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And now the handle.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A 4" x 4" USPS box arrived today from Mark Harrell at www.badaxetoolworks.com. It wasn't the 14" sash saw I've been coveting and squirreling away quarters for (have I mentioned that I want the thin plate model, filed crosscut with a Texas honey mesquite handle and…oh, there I go again)…but it was the next best thing.
> 
> A vintage Disston saw nut and bolt that I ordered from Mark. After putting it in, I let out a contented sigh, secure in the knowledge that my estate sale beauty was complete for the first time in at least 17 years. There, there No. 12. You can sleep easy this night.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Testing the saw*
> With the filing done, it was time to put steel to wood.
> 
> I turned the saw upside down and started a rip cut with the "backsaw". Then I flipped the saw over and finished the cut with the rip saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the test cut.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works beautifully!
> 
> Having passed the cut test, I added my $2.00 estate sale saw to my tool kit. The No. 12 now sits among its handsaw brethren, ready to rip as it has for the resourceful craftsmen who held it long before me.


I realize this post was quite sometimes ago, but I thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I have been in the carpentry business for 55 years and I had the good fortune of serving my apprenticeship under a couple of older Swedish brothers who came from many generations of carpenters. Since our work consisted of both remodeling and new construction they improvised a lot of tools and one of their improvisions was to file "hacksaw teeth" on the top of their saws that they used to flip the saw over and cut through nails when they encountered them. I still have a saw modified in this way that I use for cutting nails to this day. Perhaps that was the same reason your saw was altered. 
Klif


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a Stanley #3 smoother*

For years now, I've been lusting after a #3, so I bit the bullet and picked up a Type 11 to go with my other Type 11s (8, 7, 5, 4).










It's been in my shop getting acquainted with its friends and waiting for me to show it some loving care. Sunday (this was last March mind you) proved to be a beautiful break from the wicked wind and snow.

The rehab followed my usual routine.

-Sand iron and chip breaker up through 400 grit.
-Flatten the iron back and tweak the fit with the chip breaker to make the seam between them as tight as Ali Baba's cave.
-Sharpen the iron to a 25 degree bevel
-Flatten the frog face through 400 grit paper. You can see from the picture that it needed it. Looks like it had some residual paint on it. See the lower-left picture above.
-Put some valve grinding compound (found at an auto parts store) on the frog mating surfaces and worked it back and forth in its slot in the plane bed. After 50 strokes, the surfaces firmly mated with no rocking or unsupported areas.










-Lapped the sole through 400 grit paper. Didn't quite get the hollow out near the toe, but that 1/8" more represents working-in-a Roman-mine-with-copper-tools level of labor. Since it's not critical to the tool's function, I'll leave it to my decedents to fix. Or more specifically, to the one who inherits both the plane and the family anal-retentive "just-gotta-get-that-last-little-bit-out" gene.

After putting it back together, I had this.










Then it was time for the test drive moment of truth. Will it be an Indy 500 rear-end-a-pace-truck disaster? Or a checker-flag experience? What say you?










Swwwweeeeeet!! I've never, and I mean never, had a vintage Stanley rehab take so little time and deliver girlfriend's thigh's smooth wood surfaces. Number 3 will always have a home with me…along with numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Here's a family photo.










You'd think the #5 could at least comb his hair before the family pic…










And here's the rest of the family.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Stanley #3 smoother*
> 
> For years now, I've been lusting after a #3, so I bit the bullet and picked up a Type 11 to go with my other Type 11s (8, 7, 5, 4).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been in my shop getting acquainted with its friends and waiting for me to show it some loving care. Sunday (this was last March mind you) proved to be a beautiful break from the wicked wind and snow.
> 
> The rehab followed my usual routine.
> 
> -Sand iron and chip breaker up through 400 grit.
> -Flatten the iron back and tweak the fit with the chip breaker to make the seam between them as tight as Ali Baba's cave.
> -Sharpen the iron to a 25 degree bevel
> -Flatten the frog face through 400 grit paper. You can see from the picture that it needed it. Looks like it had some residual paint on it. See the lower-left picture above.
> -Put some valve grinding compound (found at an auto parts store) on the frog mating surfaces and worked it back and forth in its slot in the plane bed. After 50 strokes, the surfaces firmly mated with no rocking or unsupported areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -Lapped the sole through 400 grit paper. Didn't quite get the hollow out near the toe, but that 1/8" more represents working-in-a Roman-mine-with-copper-tools level of labor. Since it's not critical to the tool's function, I'll leave it to my decedents to fix. Or more specifically, to the one who inherits both the plane and the family anal-retentive "just-gotta-get-that-last-little-bit-out" gene.
> 
> After putting it back together, I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then it was time for the test drive moment of truth. Will it be an Indy 500 rear-end-a-pace-truck disaster? Or a checker-flag experience? What say you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Swwwweeeeeet!! I've never, and I mean never, had a vintage Stanley rehab take so little time and deliver girlfriend's thigh's smooth wood surfaces. Number 3 will always have a home with me…along with numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8.
> 
> Here's a family photo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'd think the #5 could at least comb his hair before the family pic…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the rest of the family.


Brad, you've done those tools proud Sir! Excellent work, and the action shots say it all. If you're interested in talking planes, sharpening, specialty tools, etc., think about hitting up the Handplanes of your dreams thread here on LJs… Lots of talk every day, all day, you might enjoy… Thanks for posting the family pics!


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Stanley #3 smoother*
> 
> For years now, I've been lusting after a #3, so I bit the bullet and picked up a Type 11 to go with my other Type 11s (8, 7, 5, 4).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been in my shop getting acquainted with its friends and waiting for me to show it some loving care. Sunday (this was last March mind you) proved to be a beautiful break from the wicked wind and snow.
> 
> The rehab followed my usual routine.
> 
> -Sand iron and chip breaker up through 400 grit.
> -Flatten the iron back and tweak the fit with the chip breaker to make the seam between them as tight as Ali Baba's cave.
> -Sharpen the iron to a 25 degree bevel
> -Flatten the frog face through 400 grit paper. You can see from the picture that it needed it. Looks like it had some residual paint on it. See the lower-left picture above.
> -Put some valve grinding compound (found at an auto parts store) on the frog mating surfaces and worked it back and forth in its slot in the plane bed. After 50 strokes, the surfaces firmly mated with no rocking or unsupported areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -Lapped the sole through 400 grit paper. Didn't quite get the hollow out near the toe, but that 1/8" more represents working-in-a Roman-mine-with-copper-tools level of labor. Since it's not critical to the tool's function, I'll leave it to my decedents to fix. Or more specifically, to the one who inherits both the plane and the family anal-retentive "just-gotta-get-that-last-little-bit-out" gene.
> 
> After putting it back together, I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then it was time for the test drive moment of truth. Will it be an Indy 500 rear-end-a-pace-truck disaster? Or a checker-flag experience? What say you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Swwwweeeeeet!! I've never, and I mean never, had a vintage Stanley rehab take so little time and deliver girlfriend's thigh's smooth wood surfaces. Number 3 will always have a home with me…along with numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8.
> 
> Here's a family photo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'd think the #5 could at least comb his hair before the family pic…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the rest of the family.


Beautiful restoration Brad as usual and nice tip re: the valve grinding paste. #6 next?


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Stanley #3 smoother*
> 
> For years now, I've been lusting after a #3, so I bit the bullet and picked up a Type 11 to go with my other Type 11s (8, 7, 5, 4).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been in my shop getting acquainted with its friends and waiting for me to show it some loving care. Sunday (this was last March mind you) proved to be a beautiful break from the wicked wind and snow.
> 
> The rehab followed my usual routine.
> 
> -Sand iron and chip breaker up through 400 grit.
> -Flatten the iron back and tweak the fit with the chip breaker to make the seam between them as tight as Ali Baba's cave.
> -Sharpen the iron to a 25 degree bevel
> -Flatten the frog face through 400 grit paper. You can see from the picture that it needed it. Looks like it had some residual paint on it. See the lower-left picture above.
> -Put some valve grinding compound (found at an auto parts store) on the frog mating surfaces and worked it back and forth in its slot in the plane bed. After 50 strokes, the surfaces firmly mated with no rocking or unsupported areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -Lapped the sole through 400 grit paper. Didn't quite get the hollow out near the toe, but that 1/8" more represents working-in-a Roman-mine-with-copper-tools level of labor. Since it's not critical to the tool's function, I'll leave it to my decedents to fix. Or more specifically, to the one who inherits both the plane and the family anal-retentive "just-gotta-get-that-last-little-bit-out" gene.
> 
> After putting it back together, I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then it was time for the test drive moment of truth. Will it be an Indy 500 rear-end-a-pace-truck disaster? Or a checker-flag experience? What say you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Swwwweeeeeet!! I've never, and I mean never, had a vintage Stanley rehab take so little time and deliver girlfriend's thigh's smooth wood surfaces. Number 3 will always have a home with me…along with numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8.
> 
> Here's a family photo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'd think the #5 could at least comb his hair before the family pic…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the rest of the family.


nicely done Brad. That's a great family of Stanley's you have there.


----------



## SamuelP

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Stanley #3 smoother*
> 
> For years now, I've been lusting after a #3, so I bit the bullet and picked up a Type 11 to go with my other Type 11s (8, 7, 5, 4).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been in my shop getting acquainted with its friends and waiting for me to show it some loving care. Sunday (this was last March mind you) proved to be a beautiful break from the wicked wind and snow.
> 
> The rehab followed my usual routine.
> 
> -Sand iron and chip breaker up through 400 grit.
> -Flatten the iron back and tweak the fit with the chip breaker to make the seam between them as tight as Ali Baba's cave.
> -Sharpen the iron to a 25 degree bevel
> -Flatten the frog face through 400 grit paper. You can see from the picture that it needed it. Looks like it had some residual paint on it. See the lower-left picture above.
> -Put some valve grinding compound (found at an auto parts store) on the frog mating surfaces and worked it back and forth in its slot in the plane bed. After 50 strokes, the surfaces firmly mated with no rocking or unsupported areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -Lapped the sole through 400 grit paper. Didn't quite get the hollow out near the toe, but that 1/8" more represents working-in-a Roman-mine-with-copper-tools level of labor. Since it's not critical to the tool's function, I'll leave it to my decedents to fix. Or more specifically, to the one who inherits both the plane and the family anal-retentive "just-gotta-get-that-last-little-bit-out" gene.
> 
> After putting it back together, I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then it was time for the test drive moment of truth. Will it be an Indy 500 rear-end-a-pace-truck disaster? Or a checker-flag experience? What say you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Swwwweeeeeet!! I've never, and I mean never, had a vintage Stanley rehab take so little time and deliver girlfriend's thigh's smooth wood surfaces. Number 3 will always have a home with me…along with numbers 4, 5, 7 and 8.
> 
> Here's a family photo.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You'd think the #5 could at least comb his hair before the family pic…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the rest of the family.


Great job! I need some time at the bench myself.


----------



## planepassion

*How to (and not to) repair that tote: My Stanley Bailey #7 Type 11 journey.*

When I first got back into woodworking, there was a period where I scoured Ebay for hand planes. Along the way I picked up a Stanley Bailey #7, Type 11 jointer for $61.04. At the time, I thought it was a really good price. But with some experience behind me, the main reason it was so "affordable" was that the beaver tail on the rear tote was broken off.

Still, I didn't give much thought to it…until I built my saw bench and used the #7 to dimension the legs.

I got a nasty blister in the webbing of my right hand for my efforts. You see, the tote break was smack-dab in just the right place to chew up my hand. And so the tote lay in that state for over a year. Then I came across a few articles on tote repair. One by Scott Grandstaff, another at RexMill.com and a third at George's Basement. And while crafting a new beaver tail looked intimidating, I resolved to give it a shot.

*Assessing the damage*
I removed the tote to find that in addition to the missing beaver-tail section, there was also a clean break about one-third of the way from the bottom. I decided to address this first.

*Repairing the break*
The first attempt was rooted in the ole college try. After a gentle brushing of both sides to clear out any dust or gunk, I liberally applied wood glue. Then I reaffixed the handle to the plane body, using the tote bolt and nut as a vice of sorts.

The joint came apart in my hands when I tested it. Admittedly, I only let it sit for about an hour, but still, the repair did not hold. Epoxy it would be.

A picture in the RexMill article showed glue holes to reinforce a repair. Mimicking this technique, I drilled 1/8th inch holes about 1/8th inch deep in both sides of the break, then filled them with 5-minute epoxy and used the plane as a "clamp" as the whole kitten caboodle sat over night.

The next morning, the repair held firmly against my tests. During the glue-up, the tote halves had not lined up perfectly, so one side was a tinsy bit proud on the upper tote side and likewise a bit shy on the lower-tote side. I would deal with that during the refinishing stage.
*
Beaver-tail repair*
This was the plan:

1. Complete a cut at the break that is perfectly flat and parallel to the tote handle bottom. This would make it easier to clamp up when the replacement block was glued to the top.
2. Acquire and cut a wood blank that will form the beaver tail.
3. Drill glue holes in the tote and wood block pieces, epoxy them and let it sit over night.
4. Drill the bolt hole through the top of the wood block. Then drill the recess hole for the retaining nut.
5. Layout and rough-shape beaver tail.
6. Fine-tune shaping with small files and sandpaper.
7. Finishing

*1.-Prepping the broken tote area*
The first step turned out to be pretty tricky. Grandstaff's approach uses the table saw. He places the tote's flat bottom against the fence and trims off the broken end of the tote parallel with the base. I don't have a table saw. I also don't have the balls to try that. What I do have is a router table.

I chucked a straight bit, held the flat base firmly to the fence and slowly fed the broken end from right to left with the spinning metal (spinning counterclockwise)…only to watch it catch the tote and launch it across the room. Hmmm. Thinking that it would be better (and you just know this sentence can only end well with a lead-in like that) to feed the wood into the rotating bit instead of with it, I tried making a pass from left to right. That too sailed across the room. As it turns out, I don't have the balls to use this technique either.

Next up, a shooting board. I should have made a jig to hold the tote parallel to the shooting edge. Instead, I "eyeballed" it and proceeded to take small shavings off until the broken surface was smooth. It wasn't perfect, but it was close enough to make it work.

*2.-Blank preparation*
To get the approximate size of the missing beaver tail as well as it's orientation to the remaining tote, I printed out the Stanley #5 and UP plane tote template at Lee Valley.

Then I positioned the tote on the template so that its curves and front edge lined up with the template. The overall size didn't match but I was looking for a general shape. Then I drew a horizontal line where cut tote ended…and sketched a block on the template that would be large enough to sculpt and shape the new beaver tail. From that, I determined the block's dimensions.

Rooting about my scrap pile I pulled out a piece of red oak and cut it to size. But before gluing it to the tote, past experience told me to test the Minwax Wood Finish Jacobean 2750 stain Scott Grandstaff uses on it first. It was a good thing I did too, because the stain utterly failed to match the wood. The repair would have been flagrantly obvious and stuck out like a sore, yet un-blistered thumb.

Craftsmanship won out over convenience so I made the round trip to my closest woodworking store. Two hours and $5.50 later (that was before $4.00/gallon gas) I was studying a block of Indian rosewood sitting on my bench. It was a near-perfect color and grain match to my vintage tote.










I cut a blank from it. The rosewood was a pleasure to work with and threw off a scent like none I've experienced before.
*
3.-Prepare and glue tote-blank assembly*
I placed the blank on my bench, then the tote "face down" on top of it. Then I traced the outline of the handle onto the blank. This gave me an oval outline to guide the drilling of 1/8" wide and deep glue holes in the blank. The tote top received the same treatment. After applying 5-minute epoxy, the blank-tote assembly went into a wooden hand-screw clamp to dry over night.

*4.-Drill bolt and recess holes through the tote*
Before doing any shaping, I chose to drill the hole for the support rod that affixes the tote to the plane. I figured that the existing bolt hole would act as a guide for the bit shaft so that the tip would emerge through the top of the beaver tail blank.

Since I couldn't find a 5/16th inch bit long enough to penetrate the 8 inches of tote plus blocked beaver tail material I opted for a slightly smaller Hitachi ¼" bit with a 12" shank.

I mounted the tote upside down in my vice as near to vertical as I could. Then chucked the ¼" bit and applied light pressure to drill the hole completely through the blank. Even so, the bit drifted a little before making its way through.

Next, it was time to drill the recess hole to accept the brass tote retaining nut. I would have preferred to use a 7/16" forstner bit or even brad-point bit, but I didn't have one. So I pulled out a 7/16" flat bit.

Now the thing with these flat bits is that you're going to get tearout. I chose to drill the recess hole now knowing that the shaping process would remove any tearout. With the tote in the vice, I placed the bit on the hole and applied slow, and light pressure downward until I felt the bit meet the original recess point. A chisel removed the epoxy that had settled on the bottom of the recess hole during the blank glue up.

*5.-Layout and shaping*
With the bolt hole and retaining nut recesses drilled it was time to shape the beaver tail.

Laying out
I photocopied the template with my marking on it to help size the blank and then cut out the portion corresponding to the blank. This, I laid on the blank, lined up with the tote sides as a reference point. Then I used an Xacto knife to scribe the beaver tail shape onto the blank.

Rough shaping
A lot of the waste was accounted for with a backsaw, being sure to leave at least 1/8" of material outside the layout line for the shaping process.

There was still a lot of material. And even though the temperature was in the teens in my garage shop, I reached for a belt sander rather than slug it out by hand. I used this to shape the curl at the top of the beater tail. And to remove more material on the sides of the replacement block.










Then I broke out my rasps to shape the beaver tail. All the while I studied the totes on my #5 and #8 for guidance.










Next, I fired up the Dremel with a sanding drum to do fine shaping. To finish the shaping, I used 80 grit sandpaper.

*6.-Fine-tune shaping with small files and sandpaper.*

Sanding
At this point, the tote had an obvious repaired break near the base and an obvious replacement of the beaver tail. The next step, staining, would help cover these efforts but before I could apply the paint, it was time to sand.

I progressed through grits 100, 150, 200, 320 and 400. The courser grits were used to refine the shape of the new beaver tail and blend it in with the original tote. This sanding process also accomplished two more things. It blended the tote repair near the base to help mask the break, but you can see it if you're looking for it. Sanding also removed the ancient shellac and stain that had traveled (that's travelled for you Brits out there) with the plane since its birth between 1910 and 1918.

After the final 400 grit sanding I was ready to flip on the buffing wheel. I took this tip directly from Scott Grandaff's article. The results were amazing. I was shocked at how buffing the Indian rosewood made it gleam. And it's as smooth to the touch as your high-school sweatheart's…wait, I've overused that analogy Let's just say it's very pleasing to the tactilely-aware among us.

*7.-Finishing*

Staining
I stained the entire tote in a single coat of Minwax Jacobean (another Grandaff tip).










Look closely and you can tell that the wood doesn't quite match. But that's the point. In person, you have to look closely. The whole tote, while not perfect, does maintain the same look and feel of the original with-beaver, without-breaks piece.










Protective Coating
To protect the stain from vigorous rubbing and sweat during use, I sprayed on two coats of polyurethane finish.

Testing the repair
After remounting the tote, it was time to put the repairs to the test. Wanting to score my best, I put a fresh edge on the iron and vised-up a piece of cherry. One tentative stroke. Another.










Hmm. How does the tote feel? Stroke. Did I shape the beavertail so that it fits inoffensively in the web of my hand? A few more strokes. Uh, the board edge is jointed now.










Now for the big question. Can I use this plane to dimension a lot of wood blister free? Yep. You betcha. After a year of using it, the verdict is in. 









Successfully repairing the tote was a rite of passage. It showed me that I could apply a number of never-used woodworking skills to achieve a decent result. And it gave me confidence to take up the challenge again. That opens a dangerous door. Previously, I would avoid used planes with broken totes-which is most of them. But now….God help me.

------------------------
P.S. A couple of months ago I was jointing some hickory. I took too thick a shaving and the darn beaver tail broke right the heck off. I drilled out the previous epoxy glue holes and glued it back on, but alas, I decided to go with Plan B for the long run. A new tote and knob from Bill Rittner of www.hardwarecitytools.com. Stay tuned.

P.S.S. You'll note that the photos accompanying this post are…let's be kind, not exciting. You would have loved the original pics I took to chronicle the process in detail. There were closeups showing every nuance of the process. Yep. It would have been nice to share them with you. But they disappeared from my camera and my life forever. --sigh--


----------



## planepassion

*Learning to Remove a Bow: My new, old favorite crosscut saw*

Here's my favorite user crosscut saw.










You astute sawyers out there will immediately recognize that the nib and medallion are incongruous with the handle. I didn't pick up on that at first. The saw first came under my view as I was helping a friend get ready to run an estate sale. A number of gigs made me pass on buying it, even at the $3.00 affixed price.

--the blade had a bow in it
--the handle was boxy, uncomfortable and had one rusty steel/nickel-plated nut.
--I already had a good nest of user saws and didn't want to have to join SBA (Saw Buyers Anonymous).

Well, long story short, the estate sale ended and my friend was bundling up the pitiful leftovers for a one-way trip to the dump. Perched atop the pile was the lonely saw that no one wanted. So I salvaged it, free of cost. Saw-buyers anonymous will have to do without me for one more month.

In my mind I justified it as an opportunity to learn a new skill, that being how to remove a bow from a saw plate. In retrospect, the brass nuts and bolts as well as the steel were well worth the free price let alone the $3.00. And if I was really thinking about it, I could always replace the handle with a vintage tote or even make my own. But to be honest, the "can I really fix the bow to make this a good user or will it become clutter in my shop?" devil was sitting on my left shoulder sparring with the "learn new skills!" angel on my right.

In any event, after rescuing the Disston creation from an ignoble landfill death, I cradled it homeward to take it apart.

The medallion dates the saw to between 1896 and 1917 ( Philada). The weak, but somewhat readable etching proudly proclaims this to be a No. 8. Then there's the handle.

Hmmm. Obviously the handle was an aftermarket replacement decades after the saw's manufacture. The owner had drilled new holes to accommodate the crappy tote.

*New skills a cometh*
My prime resource for sawsmithing a bow came from this Smalser article.

The hardest part was getting a feel for how hard to hit. You don't have to smack it with the fervor you use at the carnival "whack-a-mole" booth. There's a Goldilocks' knack to it-not too hard, not too soft. I also found a good tip here that details what pattern to use when hammering.

I don't have an anvil. Only a postage-stamp bit of space on the new vice I bought at said estate sale.










So I used that (the anvil, not the postage stamps), my 5lb sledge and a 20oz ball-peen hammer.

Psychologists say that we learn best from our mistakes. So that means I really learned a lot about how to remove a bow.

First off, don't do jack to the saw plate until you've smithed it. I made the mistake of sanding it to a fair shine, then hammering it. Therefore, my second mistake (hammering too hard with the peen) is even more obvious in the form of dimples.










That said, I was pleasantly surprised that I did indeed get the bow out.










*From boxy to hand friendly*
Next it was time to do something about the uncomfortable handle. I studied my comfortable vintage handles and noted that rounding over all the squarish edges would go a long way toward making things tolerable.

For inspiration, I read Andy's blog on reshaping a handle. Inspiration aside, I need more practice to translate the fine tutorial into the motor skills necessary to achieve a vintage look.

In retrospect, I did overdo the use of the rasp. It didn't feel that way at the time. But my rasps are new to me for this purpose and I didn't grasp just how deeply they were cutting. Next time I'll use them sparingly then switch to 80 grit sandpaper to do more of the shaping. That method, in fact, worked well to give the back of the handle a naturally-looking rounded profile. I used sandpaper strips in a "see-saw" motion across the back handle.

It doesn't look as refined as what the 19th century Sheffield tote specialists produced, but the handle fits comfortably in my hand.










*Sharpening and using*
Next I jointed the teeth and shaped them. That was followed by sharpening the teeth at 15 degrees of rake and 20 degrees of fleam.

My test cut showed that there was plenty of set so I left it as it was.



















Whenever I add a new saw to my nest, I make a point of using it alone-forsaking all others. That way I get a good feel for it in various cutting conditions. In hard- and soft-woods, plywood, MDF and foot-long doggie chews ("honey can you cut this in half for me?"), it cuts cleanly and tracks well. And it is sharp. I really enjoy the quality of the steel. The 7 ppi also delivers a good balance between the speed of cut and the fine finish it leaves.

All in all, my newest, old saw has become my favorite crosscut tool. At first I promised her that I would hunt down a vintage handle to make our relationship all nice and legal. But, my modification worked, and both the handle and its light color (only 2 coats of BLO) make it easy to quickly identify and retrieve it from the saw till. So why buy the tote when the sawing's free?


----------



## PurpLev

planepassion said:


> *Learning to Remove a Bow: My new, old favorite crosscut saw*
> 
> Here's my favorite user crosscut saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You astute sawyers out there will immediately recognize that the nib and medallion are incongruous with the handle. I didn't pick up on that at first. The saw first came under my view as I was helping a friend get ready to run an estate sale. A number of gigs made me pass on buying it, even at the $3.00 affixed price.
> 
> --the blade had a bow in it
> --the handle was boxy, uncomfortable and had one rusty steel/nickel-plated nut.
> --I already had a good nest of user saws and didn't want to have to join SBA (Saw Buyers Anonymous).
> 
> Well, long story short, the estate sale ended and my friend was bundling up the pitiful leftovers for a one-way trip to the dump. Perched atop the pile was the lonely saw that no one wanted. So I salvaged it, free of cost. Saw-buyers anonymous will have to do without me for one more month.
> 
> In my mind I justified it as an opportunity to learn a new skill, that being how to remove a bow from a saw plate. In retrospect, the brass nuts and bolts as well as the steel were well worth the free price let alone the $3.00. And if I was really thinking about it, I could always replace the handle with a vintage tote or even make my own. But to be honest, the "can I really fix the bow to make this a good user or will it become clutter in my shop?" devil was sitting on my left shoulder sparring with the "learn new skills!" angel on my right.
> 
> In any event, after rescuing the Disston creation from an ignoble landfill death, I cradled it homeward to take it apart.
> 
> The medallion dates the saw to between 1896 and 1917 ( Philada). The weak, but somewhat readable etching proudly proclaims this to be a No. 8. Then there's the handle.
> 
> Hmmm. Obviously the handle was an aftermarket replacement decades after the saw's manufacture. The owner had drilled new holes to accommodate the crappy tote.
> 
> *New skills a cometh*
> My prime resource for sawsmithing a bow came from this Smalser article.
> 
> The hardest part was getting a feel for how hard to hit. You don't have to smack it with the fervor you use at the carnival "whack-a-mole" booth. There's a Goldilocks' knack to it-not too hard, not too soft. I also found a good tip here that details what pattern to use when hammering.
> 
> I don't have an anvil. Only a postage-stamp bit of space on the new vice I bought at said estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I used that (the anvil, not the postage stamps), my 5lb sledge and a 20oz ball-peen hammer.
> 
> Psychologists say that we learn best from our mistakes. So that means I really learned a lot about how to remove a bow.
> 
> First off, don't do jack to the saw plate until you've smithed it. I made the mistake of sanding it to a fair shine, then hammering it. Therefore, my second mistake (hammering too hard with the peen) is even more obvious in the form of dimples.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That said, I was pleasantly surprised that I did indeed get the bow out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *From boxy to hand friendly*
> Next it was time to do something about the uncomfortable handle. I studied my comfortable vintage handles and noted that rounding over all the squarish edges would go a long way toward making things tolerable.
> 
> For inspiration, I read Andy's blog on reshaping a handle. Inspiration aside, I need more practice to translate the fine tutorial into the motor skills necessary to achieve a vintage look.
> 
> In retrospect, I did overdo the use of the rasp. It didn't feel that way at the time. But my rasps are new to me for this purpose and I didn't grasp just how deeply they were cutting. Next time I'll use them sparingly then switch to 80 grit sandpaper to do more of the shaping. That method, in fact, worked well to give the back of the handle a naturally-looking rounded profile. I used sandpaper strips in a "see-saw" motion across the back handle.
> 
> It doesn't look as refined as what the 19th century Sheffield tote specialists produced, but the handle fits comfortably in my hand.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpening and using*
> Next I jointed the teeth and shaped them. That was followed by sharpening the teeth at 15 degrees of rake and 20 degrees of fleam.
> 
> My test cut showed that there was plenty of set so I left it as it was.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whenever I add a new saw to my nest, I make a point of using it alone-forsaking all others. That way I get a good feel for it in various cutting conditions. In hard- and soft-woods, plywood, MDF and foot-long doggie chews ("honey can you cut this in half for me?"), it cuts cleanly and tracks well. And it is sharp. I really enjoy the quality of the steel. The 7 ppi also delivers a good balance between the speed of cut and the fine finish it leaves.
> 
> All in all, my newest, old saw has become my favorite crosscut tool. At first I promised her that I would hunt down a vintage handle to make our relationship all nice and legal. But, my modification worked, and both the handle and its light color (only 2 coats of BLO) make it easy to quickly identify and retrieve it from the saw till. So why buy the tote when the sawing's free?


not my cup of tea- but a nice find, and nice work on putting it back to service. that's a sweet vise by the way.


----------



## SamuelP

planepassion said:


> *Learning to Remove a Bow: My new, old favorite crosscut saw*
> 
> Here's my favorite user crosscut saw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You astute sawyers out there will immediately recognize that the nib and medallion are incongruous with the handle. I didn't pick up on that at first. The saw first came under my view as I was helping a friend get ready to run an estate sale. A number of gigs made me pass on buying it, even at the $3.00 affixed price.
> 
> --the blade had a bow in it
> --the handle was boxy, uncomfortable and had one rusty steel/nickel-plated nut.
> --I already had a good nest of user saws and didn't want to have to join SBA (Saw Buyers Anonymous).
> 
> Well, long story short, the estate sale ended and my friend was bundling up the pitiful leftovers for a one-way trip to the dump. Perched atop the pile was the lonely saw that no one wanted. So I salvaged it, free of cost. Saw-buyers anonymous will have to do without me for one more month.
> 
> In my mind I justified it as an opportunity to learn a new skill, that being how to remove a bow from a saw plate. In retrospect, the brass nuts and bolts as well as the steel were well worth the free price let alone the $3.00. And if I was really thinking about it, I could always replace the handle with a vintage tote or even make my own. But to be honest, the "can I really fix the bow to make this a good user or will it become clutter in my shop?" devil was sitting on my left shoulder sparring with the "learn new skills!" angel on my right.
> 
> In any event, after rescuing the Disston creation from an ignoble landfill death, I cradled it homeward to take it apart.
> 
> The medallion dates the saw to between 1896 and 1917 ( Philada). The weak, but somewhat readable etching proudly proclaims this to be a No. 8. Then there's the handle.
> 
> Hmmm. Obviously the handle was an aftermarket replacement decades after the saw's manufacture. The owner had drilled new holes to accommodate the crappy tote.
> 
> *New skills a cometh*
> My prime resource for sawsmithing a bow came from this Smalser article.
> 
> The hardest part was getting a feel for how hard to hit. You don't have to smack it with the fervor you use at the carnival "whack-a-mole" booth. There's a Goldilocks' knack to it-not too hard, not too soft. I also found a good tip here that details what pattern to use when hammering.
> 
> I don't have an anvil. Only a postage-stamp bit of space on the new vice I bought at said estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I used that (the anvil, not the postage stamps), my 5lb sledge and a 20oz ball-peen hammer.
> 
> Psychologists say that we learn best from our mistakes. So that means I really learned a lot about how to remove a bow.
> 
> First off, don't do jack to the saw plate until you've smithed it. I made the mistake of sanding it to a fair shine, then hammering it. Therefore, my second mistake (hammering too hard with the peen) is even more obvious in the form of dimples.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That said, I was pleasantly surprised that I did indeed get the bow out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *From boxy to hand friendly*
> Next it was time to do something about the uncomfortable handle. I studied my comfortable vintage handles and noted that rounding over all the squarish edges would go a long way toward making things tolerable.
> 
> For inspiration, I read Andy's blog on reshaping a handle. Inspiration aside, I need more practice to translate the fine tutorial into the motor skills necessary to achieve a vintage look.
> 
> In retrospect, I did overdo the use of the rasp. It didn't feel that way at the time. But my rasps are new to me for this purpose and I didn't grasp just how deeply they were cutting. Next time I'll use them sparingly then switch to 80 grit sandpaper to do more of the shaping. That method, in fact, worked well to give the back of the handle a naturally-looking rounded profile. I used sandpaper strips in a "see-saw" motion across the back handle.
> 
> It doesn't look as refined as what the 19th century Sheffield tote specialists produced, but the handle fits comfortably in my hand.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpening and using*
> Next I jointed the teeth and shaped them. That was followed by sharpening the teeth at 15 degrees of rake and 20 degrees of fleam.
> 
> My test cut showed that there was plenty of set so I left it as it was.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whenever I add a new saw to my nest, I make a point of using it alone-forsaking all others. That way I get a good feel for it in various cutting conditions. In hard- and soft-woods, plywood, MDF and foot-long doggie chews ("honey can you cut this in half for me?"), it cuts cleanly and tracks well. And it is sharp. I really enjoy the quality of the steel. The 7 ppi also delivers a good balance between the speed of cut and the fine finish it leaves.
> 
> All in all, my newest, old saw has become my favorite crosscut tool. At first I promised her that I would hunt down a vintage handle to make our relationship all nice and legal. But, my modification worked, and both the handle and its light color (only 2 coats of BLO) make it easy to quickly identify and retrieve it from the saw till. So why buy the tote when the sawing's free?


Nice Job. This will be saved when I can get to one of mine.

THANK YOU. And nice saw till.


----------



## planepassion

*Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*

"Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.

So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.

I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.

Here's what I brought home.










Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.










It still rumbled.

Off to the Internet to do some research.

The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.










It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.

No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.










*Tuning her up*
I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.

There's nothing like a good KISS
Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?

I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.










And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.

The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.










That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.

Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?

Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.

Not bad.

I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.

*Lessons Learned*
If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.

1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.

2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
a. Ask/look for its manual
b. Be sure to get the chuck key
c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.

3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.

Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Great drill for $25. Nice restore. I'm doing the same thing on a vintage planer. Blog to come shortly.


----------



## spunwood

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Great story and experience. Thanks


----------



## davidroberts

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


ditto, great story and a great lesson. FYI - Chuck keys are about $2 and change at the borgs, various sizes are available, based on the hole diameter. I made a wedge just 2 weeks ago out of 3/4" by 1/4" flat stock (soft steel) with a hand grinder and file. Don't wear sandals unless your toes are tough as nails. Haven't changed out the bearings but may give it a go one day. For now a new set of belts did help my old Cman calm down a bit. That crank handle you made is industrious. $25 is a gloat - and probably you suck, actually you suck. Rough it out with power, refine by hand. That is what I'm learning to do more of.


----------



## Dusty56

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Very well written and informational story. Thank you : )


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Nice drill press Brad and glad you got it running smoothly. By the way the wedge thingy that separates the chuck from the spindle is called a 'drift'.


----------



## OnlyJustME

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


I'm currently looking to replace my old cheap chinese bench top drill press. This info will be helpful. Thanks 
My problem is i can't get the chuck to stay on the spindle anymore. any ideas on how to keep it from falling off short of using epoxy or super glue?

I really hope i find one like yours for $25.


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Man that is the way to go. A nice find, refurbish and a killer drill press. Grats!


----------



## BigTiny

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Hi Brad.

$47.66 eh? I'll give you $50 for it! (grin)

Pretty good deal. One thing you didn't mention about belts. Even if they look good and have no cracks, if they've been left under tension for a long time they develop a "memory" of the oval shape and will vibrate like a kootchy dancer on Saturday night. If this is the case, new belts are the answer. I had an old belt operated Beaver saw that a friend inherited from his father-in0law and had no real use for so he loaned it to me. I had been used maybe 15 or 20 hours total but had been sitting unused for several years. I fired it up and it danced the solid heavy wooden base all over the shop! If you take a belt off and can't get it to lay on the bench in some semblance of a circle, it's probably time for a new one.

Paul


----------



## BigTiny

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


To: OnlyJustMel

Have you tried roughing up the mating surfaces with some medium-coarse emery cloth? They may have glazed over.

Paul


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Brit, how right your are my friend. We even call them drifts on this side of the pond 

OnlyJustMe,
Mine popped out a couple of times until I whacked the chuck good with a rubber dead-blow mallet. Now it stays firmly in place. If you try that, take care to retract the chuck jaws so as not to damage them during said whacking.

David Roberts,
I tried making a drift from some steel I had but got fair results. I think it was too narrow.

Don,
Looking forward to reading about your planer restoration.


----------



## OnlyJustME

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


I did use some emery cloth on it but i think it was more fine than medium-course. I've wacked it with all kinds of hammers. It just doesn't seem to want to stay on anymore.


----------



## DaddyZ

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


Nice, I would be tempted to bolt it to the floor though, you never know when you might bump it, then you are looking for a new drillpress…..


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Tuning My first Drill Press-An invaluable education.*
> 
> "Does it run?", I asked the goatee-wearing college kid working the estate sale. "I don't know, let's plug it in and see." So we did. And it ran. But it made a loud rumbling sound. "Could be the bearings," goatee-boy said. "How much you asking for it?" "Make me an offer." "25 bucks work for you?" "Sold," says he.
> 
> So I borrowed a dolly, backed up my Mini Cooper to the garage-you'd be surprised what a Mini Cooper can haul-then took the head off, and with the help of another college kid working his summer job, got-er loaded.
> 
> I know. I emphasize hand tools in my woodworking. And I L O V E my hand braces. But there are times when I've longed for the precision of a drill press. And besides that, I'm not a handtool purist. There. I've said it out loud.
> 
> Here's what I brought home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I gave my new treasure a good cleaning and fashioned a wood handle to replace the broken table adjustment lever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It still rumbled.
> 
> Off to the Internet to do some research.
> 
> The nameplate spelled out what I was researching.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like something from the 60s or 70s but I hoped that I could dig up a digital manual for it.
> 
> No dice and no manual. But I did find this manual, which I used as a guide. The Troubleshooting page was most helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning her up*
> I found a few resources to help me bring my newest shop addition to working order. The Tune Up Your Drill Press video on Youtube was excellent. This video on replacing a spindle helpful too, because it showed me how to disassemble the head to replace the bearings. More on that in a moment.
> 
> There's nothing like a good KISS
> Keep it simple stupid. That's what I remind myself whenever I start a rehab like this. In my case, I started at square one. My research suggested that bad belts might be the root rumbling cause. So I took them off and inspected them. Sure enough, there were small cracks in the rubber and one of them had a bulge that I could feel. I just needed to replace them right? How hard could it be to find a new belt?
> 
> I'll save you a lot of driving around. Forget the auto part stores. I found replacement v-belts at a local Ace Hardware superstore. Six bucks each.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And sure enough, it did help. A lot. But there was still some vibration-enough to make stuff dance a bit on the metal disc tray.
> 
> The troubleshooting guide suggested securing the base better to the floor. Here's my solution.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That helped too. I was making progress. But surely there was more I could do.
> 
> Perhaps it's the bearings. I should replace them. How hard could it be to find new bearings?
> 
> Fortunately, the old bearings had the maker's name plus the numbers 4201z and 4204z. I'll save you a lot of Internet research. I found them on Ebay. While I did buy them from an outfit in Hong Kong (Dragonmarts (Hong Kong) Limited), they were $10.66 total. A single NTN (original manufacturer's bearing) 4204z was going for $17.00! I went with Hong Kong. Nine days later I had the bearings in hand and changed them out.
> 
> Not bad.
> 
> I suspect that my drilling machine is noisier than other drill presses, but heck, I've got a nice running machine for $25.00 + $12.00 in belts + $10.66 in bearings =$47.66 hard costs. I would also tack on a Drill Press 101 education-priceless.
> 
> *Lessons Learned*
> If'n you go shopping for a used drill press here are a few things I learned from my experience.
> 
> 1. If it rumbles you may have to replace bearings and pully wheels. If you're lucky you just need new belts. It's not hard to do, but you should brace yourself for the worst case and factor the cost of potential parts into your thinking before you make an offer.
> 
> 2. When you buy your vintage drill press:
> a. Ask/look for its manual
> b. Be sure to get the chuck key
> c. Try to get the chuck key wedge (the thingy that helps you separate the chuck from the spindle)
> d. Have the seller include any accessories in the price. Sanding drums, desirable bits, whatever, because picking up this stuff piecemeal could start racking up the buckaroonies.
> 
> 3. Give your DP a good KISS-Start with the easiest (read cheapest) solutions and work your way from there. Start with a thorough cleaning. Then progress to new belts, bearings and pullies in that order.
> 
> Once you've got your new beauty running like a TSA scanner, you'll want to build a table for it. The metal-working table that comes with a drill press simply isn't up to the precision tasks that woodworking requires.And that brothers and sisters, is the subject of a future post.


OnlyJustMe,

Another possibility is that the retaining ring that holds the upper bearing in place has come loose. It wraps around the spindle and if it comes out the chuck will work it's way downward. My chuck was "falling out" too, but when I tightener the retaining ring, it put an end to that. That was after I tried the whacking…Start with the easy stuff to fix, then progress from there.


----------



## planepassion

*Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*

Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.

When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.

Before:



















Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.

Here are the beauty shots.



















Taking some shavings.










A new addition to my tool kit.


----------



## ShaneA

planepassion said:


> *Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*
> 
> Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.
> 
> When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.
> 
> Here are the beauty shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking some shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A new addition to my tool kit.


Great buy, and restore.


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*
> 
> Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.
> 
> When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.
> 
> Here are the beauty shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking some shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A new addition to my tool kit.


Man that is a purdy plane. You have done a wonderful job.


----------



## OnlyJustME

planepassion said:


> *Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*
> 
> Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.
> 
> When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.
> 
> Here are the beauty shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking some shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A new addition to my tool kit.


lucky duck. nicely done.


----------



## davidroberts

planepassion said:


> *Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*
> 
> Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.
> 
> When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.
> 
> Here are the beauty shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking some shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A new addition to my tool kit.


very nice. i've learned from reading the plane type studies that the Type 11 is a real sweet spot in the history of Stanley planes. That high knob started with Type 12, but I suspect some made it on to Type 11 bodies at the transition, or it was simply switched out at some point. Since I've been looking at a lot of planes recently, I see "transitional" bodies and features "the tween times" with attributes from one type to the next. I was outbid by just a gnats behind on fleabay on a #6, type 11. Settled on a Type (mid-red in the Stanley lever cap notched rectangle) 13 from a good home, and sold by an organization that i admiire. Hey, wait a minute. I think I can see my reflection in that knob…


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Stanley #5C-Restoration Before/After*
> 
> Here's a SB #5C I picked up at an estate sale. I actually had a frown on my face when I first spied it because I had just finished looking at some overpriced saws in very sorry condition. The eight dollar price tag changed that and I was absolutely beaming when I discovered the three patent dates behind the frog making it a Type 11-the very type I collect.
> 
> When I first got into rehabbing vintage planes, I sanded the hell out of them. Did my best to make the sides square to the bottom and everything gleam. Years later I do the minimum necessary to make it a good user while pleasing to the eye.
> 
> Before:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note the rust, rust everywhere. Since it wasn't a nice grey patina, I sanded off the rust. The left side of the plane has a few deep scratches and they're not exactly square to the bottom. Don't care. I already have a Veritas LA jack dedicated to shooting duties.
> 
> Here are the beauty shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking some shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A new addition to my tool kit.


Nice restore. The type 11's are one of my favorites too. I'd lean more to a type 12, but who knows. A type 12 should have the larger iron adjuster, so who knows. Great restore and a nice addition.


----------



## planepassion

*J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*

Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.










Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.

Here's what she looked like out of the box:










*Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:

1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.










2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.









3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.










*J.H. Noble history*

[this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]

*The rehab-highlighting twists*
Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.

A stuck nut
At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.

To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.

The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.

I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?

Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.

So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.

A loose nut
When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.

I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.










Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.

Taking off the back
When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.

Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.










This worked well in removing the spine.

Removing rust
For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)

Putting the back, back on
Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.

The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.

Finishing the handle
I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.










Sharpening
The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.










Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.

Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.

*The reveal*
Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.










Close-ups of the sawplate.










Perty brass.










And a before/after reveal comparison:










*How does it cut?*
Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.










And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.










The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.

Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.










I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.

All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.










Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.

That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.

###


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


nice comparison. You did a nice restoration as well.


----------



## lysdexic

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


A really great post Brad.


----------



## exelectrician

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


Your fine work in restoring this saw is an example for many to follow. I totally agree with you on the acid dislike, I never use the stuff. Elbow grease is the only thing that works, also nothing comares to the pleasure of the slowly emerging shiny metal as the corrosion gets put to rest.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


Nice job Brad. Very interesting read. You want a 4" double extra slim file for 15ppi, although some people prefer a 7" triangular needle file.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


4" 2XS for the Noble it will be Andy! I have 2XS files, but none that are 4". So the shorter stroke might be just the ticket for me to get Andy-like sharpening results. A man can dream…


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *J.H. Noble No.1 Backsaw rehab-Why two carcass saws?*
> 
> Not long after I finished rehabbing my Disston #4 backsaw, I stumbled across this little beauty on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of you might be wondering 'why would he need two 12" crosscut backsaws?' Truth be told, I didn't. But at 11 ppi, my Disston leaves a rough cut relative to the Noble's 15 ppi. Or at least that's the rationalization I made to place my conscious-free bid. Mostly, I was curious to experience the differences between the manufacturers. So I ponied up the $15.86 including shipping and my new treasure made the trek from Hagerstown, Maryland to my workbench.
> 
> Here's what she looked like out of the box:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Disston #4 and J.H. Noble No. 1 backsaw differences*
> It was interesting to note the differences between the two saws:
> 
> 1. The Noble is lighter than the Disston.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2. The Noble has a thinner saw plate. I don't have calipers to measure it, but it's obvious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3. The Noble handle is smaller and daintier, compared to the Disston's bigger hand hole and mass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *J.H. Noble history*
> 
> [this space left intentionally blank because I couldn't find any information on the company]
> 
> *The rehab-highlighting twists*
> Rather than recount the basic rehab steps I did on the Disston #4, I'll just showcase the unique differences on this rehab.
> 
> A stuck nut
> At the base of the screws, there is a square-shaped outcrop of about 1/8". This is supposed to "lock" in the square hole that the screw seats in. However, the handle was so old that the saw bolts rotated in their socket when I tried to unscrew them.
> 
> To hold the screws in place, and to allow my screwdriver to loosen the nuts, I applied pressure to the bolt heads using one of those rubber hand towels that you use to loosen the lids on jars. This solution worked beautifully!...on two of the three screws.
> 
> The last one-and there's always a last one-wouldn't budge.
> 
> I put the rubber towel on the garage doorstep, then the saw handle then my foot on top to apply downward pressure while turning the screw counterclockwise. No dice. Then I tried holding the nut in place using vice grips (with the brass covered by the rubber towel so as not to damage it). That also failed. For the love of Mike what does it take to get this thing unscrewed?
> 
> Well, I've always believed that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to fire.
> 
> So I got out my cigar lighter and heated the nut to expand it so that I could unscrew it using the rubber towel. In addition to giving me traction on the brass nut, the rubber towel also prevented me from burning my fingers on the hot metal. It took two tries and firm pressure but in the end, this worked. Of course I singed a bit of the wood but I like to think that it gives it character.
> 
> A loose nut
> When it was time to reattach the handle to the plate, I found that the top bolt-nut assembly was a teensy bit loose, making for some play where the handle met the backsaw spine. That drives me nuts when I'm sawing so something had to be done.
> 
> I tried tightening the screw firmly, but found that it was already fully seated in its mating nut. To correct the play, I sanded the bolt end to shorten it a smidgen. I kept fitting it as I sanded a little at a time so as not to over shorten the screw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally, I was able to tighten down the nut so that the handle fits snuggly with no play at all.
> 
> Taking off the back
> When I rehabbed my #4, I didn't take the back off. So in the interests of learning something new, I decided to remove this one. It would also allow me to fully clean the saw plate.
> 
> Doing this proved a bit tricky. I turned the saw upside down and secured it in a vise between wood blocks. I left the spine protruding out the end so that I could hold a block of wood against the spine to tap/firmly strike with a hammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This worked well in removing the spine.
> 
> Removing rust
> For this project, I tried something new (for me) to remove the rust-citric acid. I didn't like it. It left a grayish film and the idea of acid eating at the saw didn't appeal to me. So I fell back to using sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. (Note, I don't use WD-40 anymore. Sandpaper all by its lonesome works just fine for me.)
> 
> Putting the back, back on
> Reaffixing the spine required some finesse. First the plate was secured in a vise. Then came a little finesse.
> 
> The spine opening is its widest towards the saw's heel. I cocked the spine at 45 degrees (low end toward on the heel, high end toward to the tow), and tapped it lightly until it caught on the rear of the saw plate. Then I rotated it downward toward the toe of the saw plate, tapping lightly as I went to secure the spine. It was critical to properly locate the spine at the heel before beginning this operation. Too far back and it wouldn't seat properly. Too far forward and there would be a noticeable gap between the handle and the back of the spine.
> 
> Finishing the handle
> I would have preferred to have kept the original patina on the handle, but the finish near the saw nuts was shot, leaving a rough surface. So I sanded everything down to bare wood, buffed it on the grinding wheel, applied three coats of BLO and three coats of poly followed by three coats of wax applied with 0000 steel wool.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sharpening
> The saw came with calves and cows, meaning the teeth were uneven due to previous sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Despite my improved skills, I'm still not happy with the sharpening I gave this. The teeth are so much smaller than what I'm used to, I need to learn the nuances of addressing them. I also think that my 2XS file may be too big for the task.
> 
> Still, I jointed the saw, shaped the teeth (the net effect of this operation is to essentially file the saw in a rip configuration), sharpened them (adding 20 degrees of fleam), then set the teeth using the lowest setting on my fine-saw set.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's what she looked like after all the restoration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close-ups of the sawplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perty brass.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a before/after reveal comparison:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *How does it cut?*
> Very nicely! This little saw leaves a fine finish. It's easier to start than my Disston #4 and cuts a thinner kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a finer finish, though it may not be obvious from the pictures.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The smaller (compared to the Disston) handle feels better in my hand and in use I feel like I have more control over the tool.
> 
> Truth be told, the thinner kerf and better handling characteristics have made the Noble my go-to carcass saw. I use it primarily with my bench hook to cross-cut small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also use it to crosscut tenon shoulders.
> 
> All in all, this little saw has found a happy home in my backsaw till.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Picking up a second carcass saw could have been a shop-cluttering exercise in "collecting". Instead, the difference in features and performance characteristics helped me define my backsaw preferences. It was worth the time to find out that I like a backsaw with a higher ppi, a thinner plate and a smaller handle.
> 
> That's priceless information when it comes time to make, (or order one from Badaxe Toolworks), a shiny new saw for myself.
> 
> ###


Well done and well written. A fine blog on the saws. I did enjoy.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*

My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?

• Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
• Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
• Because my tenons need to be trued too.
• Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
• Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.

*But where to find one?*
In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.

You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.

-------------
Here's what I had to start with.



















*The rehab*
The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.

The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.

And here's the body after cleaning it up.




























*There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.










I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.










It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.

After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.










That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.










I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.

I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.

Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.

Route on brothers and sisters!

###


----------



## lysdexic

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


A very handsome plane and ingenious method of flattening the iron.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Great read Brad and thanks for the link to the different types. I now know that mine is a Type 7…










...and I know how to sharpen the iron. I hope to restore it soon, not that it will take much.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


By the way, I don't disagree with you about buying a Veritas or LN for greater precision, but I believe you can also increase the performance of your #71 by simply buying the Veritas iron for it. Check out Dave Bardin's test where he did just that.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


great blog Brad. Great restore as well.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Thanks guys. Andy, that Type 7 is a beauty and looks to be in fantastic shape. Dave's test of a Veritas iron was persuasive. But I don't like the fact that the depth adjustment is at the limits of its extension. That's the problem I've run into on replacement blades/chipbreakers for my Stanleys. I can either use the thicker chip breakers OR the iron without having to file the mouth. In either case the thumb adjustment wheel is at the limits of its extension, which doesn't feel secure when I work it…

One advantage of the Veritas router plane is that it comes with several irons…and replacements are readily available through them. The LN comes with just one iron.

Thanks Don. I've found that now that I have the router plane in my tool kit I reach for it when I want to shave just a tidbit off a joinery piece.

****I flagged the jamesartko post above for the obvious spam that it is.


----------



## mochoa

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Sweet "new" tool Brad!

I've got one and have been using it, I haven't really dedicated the time it deserves to get the iron just right but it has come in very handy in trueing up tenon cheeks.

Sharpening it by hand is pretty tricky. I like your idea for doing it, I may have to try that.

I don't know how much better a high end tool could do, I mean it's such a simple tool, All it needs to do is hold a blade at a certain depth, the 71 does that just fine. Also, the surface you are working on will be hidden.

Here is mine:









I almost bought new, the reason I didn't is that neither the LN nor the Veritas can do both closed and open throat. You would have to buy two planes. Plus I think the old Stanley's beat both of them on style.


----------



## DrPain

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


I'm with Mauricio-assuming your iron is well sharpened I'm not sure how much better performance you can expect from a Veritas or LN. A router plane doesn't have a chipbreaker or a sole in front of the iron, so it's never going to produce the sort of clean surface you'd get from a well-tuned bench plane, no matter who makes it. On the other hand, having the different shapes of irons is nice.


----------



## affyx

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Brad, I just got a type 8 in the mail today. thank you for this posting! your sharpening idea is simple genius!


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


John, please post some pics when you get your new router plane up and running.


----------



## Belg1960

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Brad love the idea of the sharpening/flat "jig". Was wondering do you have any special jig you could share for sharpening the top side? The one I just got has a decent nick in the tip and needs considerable work. Thanks Pat


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Belg1960, the top I sharpened freehand.

Also, there's a drawback to the flat jig I used. I have since learned that you want a slightly canted blade, from toe to heel. If you flatten the bottom, the blade can "skate" across the surface to be cut. And that has been the case for my Stanley blade. It works ok, but not as well as the Veritas router plane I got a year after this one.


----------



## PaulDavisfireman

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


I saw how you could set the bottom to the right setting. Just pinch a small shim at the bottom when tightening the cutter in place. This will tip the tool just a little so that you can flatten the edge. You could use a piece of the break away razor blades for a shim. This would give you a slight angle when you remove the shim. I would share a picture but do not have a plane for demo.


----------



## Belg1960

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Brad, found that out as well a shearing action on the blade is preferable.


----------



## PaulDavisfireman

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a SB Router Plane #71 Type 8*
> 
> My tool kit has longed for a router plane for some time. Why?
> 
> • Because my dados need their bottoms flattened to a consistent depth.
> • Because my rabbets need to be trued-and to the same depth.
> • Because my tenons need to be trued too.
> • Because I wanted to do these functions accurately by hand versus a power router.
> • Because my Stanley family was anxious to add a new brother to the mix.
> 
> *But where to find one?*
> In the year I've been combing estate and garage sales I've never seen even one router plane. So it was to eBay I went, picking up a Type 8 [1909-1915], "buy it now" find for $35.00. The $15.00 priority mail shipping fee was a bit steep. But it arrived well-packed and undamaged to my door.
> 
> You would think that that is to be expected, but based on the number of horror stories I've read in the last six months from woodworkers it's not. Apparently the US Postal Service is a shadow of its past glory, delivering hand planes cleanly broken in half, broken totes and other fates too chilling to recount here. The bottom line is this, don't eschew high shipping costs if you confirm that your seller is going to liberally use protective wrapping along with a suitable box size for your treasure.
> 
> -------------
> Here's what I had to start with.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The rehab*
> The disassembled parts went into Evaporust overnight. The handles were in great shape so I just wiped them down with mineral spirits to clean them, followed by a coat of BLO then some paste wax.
> 
> The sole was not perfectly flat. In fact, it has "seagull" wings, meaning that the tips angle upward about 1/16" higher than the base in the center. Rather than sand off the original plating (nickel?) I elected to leave it alone for now.
> 
> And here's the body after cleaning it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *There's always a problem child-Truing the iron bottom*
> In this case, the problem was the iron. After "flattening" the iron's bottom, or so I thought, and sharpening the bevel, the bottom of my test cut slanted from left to right. The difference in depth from one side to the other was about 1/64"-very exasperating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tossed aside the notion to flatten the blade free hand. Instead, I came up with an iron bottom flattening jig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It mimicks how the tool is used by placing two 1" x 4" boards parallel to each other on top of sandpaper. Then I lowered the iron until it touched the paper and-holding it so the iron tip pointed away from me-pulled the router toward me. I tried pushing it, but the iron just sliced up the sandpaper. Lapping through the grits (150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1500, 2000) developed a portion of the bottom that is flat and square to the sole.
> 
> After that, I touched up the bevel again until it would shave hair off my arm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. A test cut of a hand-sawn rabbet left a bottom that was flat and square to the sides.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been using this tool on the wine glass rack I'm building. It was the last tool to touch the half laps and such. My overall impression of it is that it adjusts ok, and does decent work. But it feels more like a carpenter's tool than a woodworker's tool. Same goes for the Stanley #78. Yes, I can do decent work with it, but I still have to go over the rabbet with my shoulder plane if the iron is off so much as a smidgen.
> 
> I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to joinery tools-where precision is measured in thousandths of an inch-that it makes sense to buy new. So I'm eyeing the Veritas router, skew rabbet plane and plow plane.
> 
> Still, my Stanley family is happy to have a new member. The allure of a vintage tool minted about a century ago-when Dough Boys faced off against the Hun in the Fields of France is hard to beat.
> 
> Route on brothers and sisters!
> 
> ###


Well I finally built my router plane. With hand sharpened allen wrench. Placed a washer under my bottom lock post to give Allen wrench an angle then finished sharpening the tooth.removed washer and have a nice angle under the tooth when I tighten it in place.This is part of my start in making wood working tools so critsism welcome I Know there are some mistakes in plane but will work for a learning tool.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums/72157717514600982


----------



## planepassion

*How to doctor your saw handles*

"We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."

My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.










My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.

"Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"

The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.










I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.

I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…

*What's your surgical plan doctor?*
The red circles below identified three spots for repair.










The plan was this:

• Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
• Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
• Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then 
• Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.

*Tracking down an organ donor*
I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.

The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.

Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.

*A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.










Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:

-Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
-LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
-15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
-Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
-Chisel for detail work around excavations

When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.

*Making the first incisions*
Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.










I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
--------------
The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.

A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.



















*Collecting the donor wood*
Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.

This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.



















*Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.










Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.










*Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.

A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.

During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.

Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.










Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.










*Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.

After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.

*The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.










The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.

In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.

And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.

If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.










Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.

She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.

###


----------



## DonBroussard

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


Nice write up on a nice job. I like the way you personified the saw and its tote into the "patient". Good writing.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


I resisted the urge to scroll to the end and I was on the edge of my seat Brad. Beech is a really hard wood to match, which is weird really because you'd think it would be easy. It looks OK to me though, especially when you see it on the saw. The good thing is that the saw will go on for another 125 years now you've shown it some love.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


A good read and nice job Brad, you should post some pic's over on the saw thread.


----------



## Dennisgrosen

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


you did a good job 

Dennis


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


I think the line add a bit of character to the saw. Well done on the surgery and the stitches.
You have a frankinsaw. And it looks great


----------



## CFrye

planepassion said:


> *How to doctor your saw handles*
> 
> "We're going to have to cut out a big chunk to save her," I could hear the saw-handle doctor saying. "We'll also have to deal with that cheek chip." I swallowed hard before he continued. "The horn repair is pretty straight forward, but the other two things add up to major surgery." After waiting a moment to let that sink in, he added "As her ward, you're going to have to make the decision one way or the other."
> 
> My heart sank at the diagnosis. But the x-rays showed over a century's worth of damage as clear as a harvest moon.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My head told me that 124 years of kicking around shops and jobs are bound to produce some dings. But my heart longed to put the worst of these indignities in her past. So that she could face the next century with pride.
> 
> "Let's operate," I said. "What forms do you need me to sign?"
> 
> The "doctor" in this case was me. And the patient was a Disston No. 7 handsaw I recently picked up at a handsaw honey hole I wrote about here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I resolved to repair the handle as best as I could. Still, I was nervous about putting her under the knife. I had never repaired a handle like this before, so I would be adding to my rehab skills on the fly. *shudder* "Surgery," and "on the fly" are four words you never want to hear spoken in the same sentence.
> 
> I thought back to the first time I spied the Disston No. 7 standing in the "$3.00 each or 4 for $10.00" barrel. Its fine lines, distinctive lamb's tongue and incuse medallion had 19th-century written all over it. Back home, the Disstonian Institute's Website confirmed it, dating her to between 1878-1888. That makes her at least 125 years old. Oh the stories she could tell…
> 
> *What's your surgical plan doctor?*
> The red circles below identified three spots for repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plan was this:
> 
> • Cut out the offending areas-removing as little of the adjacent "good" material as possible (e.g. use a fine-kerf saw)
> • Flatten the cut bases to a consistent depth using a router plane
> • Glue oversized donor wood in place, and then
> • Shape and blend them to form, using rasps, files and sandpaper.
> 
> *Tracking down an organ donor*
> I have all sorts of scraps around my shop from cocobolo to mahogany to cherry. My goal was to have the repairs be as inconspicuous as possible-so none of those species would do.
> 
> The original handle appeared to be beech. I didn't have any beech. In retrospect, I should have hunted some down. Instead, I hit eBay and garage sales to buy a few, worn out vintage saw handles to serve as donors.
> 
> Many of them were still in good shape and had neglected to check off the Yes under "organ donor" on their drivers' license. But tragedy being a part of life, I found a brain-dead handle that had indeed given its consent in the form of a "Y". And even though it was applewood, I paid up a whopping buck for it at a garage sale. As I walked away, I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not.
> 
> *A wood-surgeon's tool kit*
> The delicate task of excavating damaged wood-and preparing the surface to graft healthy wood-called for my most precise tools.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Starting from the top and going counter-clockwise my surgical kit consists of:
> 
> -Dozuki dovetail saw for making very precise cuts
> -LN dovetail saw for drift-free cuts where a thicker kerf is ok
> -15 ppi carcass saw for preparing donor wood to be grafted
> -Router plane to establish a consistent depth of the excavated area
> -Chisel for detail work around excavations
> 
> When I need to make a very precise cut, I like to have the nurse slap my Dozuki saw into my hand. That's the one at the top of the picture above. I've found that the very small kerf, pull-stroke cutting action and handle combine to give me surgical control over my sawing.
> 
> *Making the first incisions*
> Cutting away the horn's damage was pretty straightforward.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I made the rip cut first using the Dozuki saw. Then with the 15ppi JH Noble carcass saw I crosscut away the remaining waste.
> --------------
> The top and cheek cuts were a bit trickier. The lateral rip cuts could not be made with the saw teeth parallel to the handle because they would bite into other areas. So I angled the Dozuki as best I could to establish a shoulder. Then I used a chisel to pare away the bulk of the material.
> 
> A SB #71 router plane pared the last bit of wood to ensure even depths for both cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Collecting the donor wood*
> Even if I had a 125 year old piece of beech I think it would have been difficult to get donor wood to match my handle's grain. So I didn't worry too much about using applewood. That said, I paid particular attention to ensure that the grain of donor wood matched the orientation and direction of the "healthy" handle.
> 
> This was really difficult to do because to get donor pieces thick enough, and with the grain oriented in the right direction, I had to work around saw-nut holes and the saw plate kerf.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Stitching up the cuts-the right adhesive for the job*
> Desirous of strong repairs, I opted to use 5-minute epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note that the donor piece was oversized to allow for the shaping stage to come.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Performing plastic surgery-it's all about symmetry and blending*
> Once the glue was dry, it was time to shape the oversized parts and blend them in with the rest of the handle.
> 
> A course rasp took off the majority of the excess while roughing out the curves. This was followed by a double-cut-half-round file to refine the shape and to remove more excess. As I got to 1/32" of material, I used sandpaper to complete the final shaping. Eventually, the "proud" surfaces blended into the adjacent material, leaving a surface that felt to the touch to be in the same plane.
> 
> During the shaping process, I took great care to maintain a symmetrical appearance using the undamaged sections on the opposite side of the handle as a reference. This turned out to be more difficult than I thought because my labors display slight differences between the two sides.
> 
> Before sanding the new pieces flush to the side of the handle, I shaped the saw-bolt holes using a 9/16" spade bit. I put it in a hand brace, and only rotated the cutting edge along the newly added wood to "carve" out the remainder of the hole. This was done while simultaneously applying English so as to rim the new wood without cutting away any of the legacy wood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what the handle looked like after the repairs but before finishing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Applying a dermal abrasion to get that youthful look*
> Once the shaping was done, I sanded the whole handle through the grits (150, 220, 320 and 400), then took it for a spin on the cotton wheel of my bench grinder. This polishes the handle to leave a silky-smooth surface inviting to the touch.
> 
> After letting two coats of BLO dry overnight, I applied three coats of paste wax, allowing each coat to dry for at least 15 minutes before buffing it out.
> 
> *The reveal…good thing they signed the "informed consent" form*
> Well, for my first effort, I'm ok with it. My suture work could use some improvement however.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The epoxy glue lines are far too conspicuous in my opinion so next time I'll try using yellow wood glue. And while I did a decent job aligning the grain in the upper fix, the cheek repair was a few degrees off.
> 
> In my own defense, I was collecting donor wood from an old saw handle, complete with weird angles, changing grain direction and such.
> 
> And the grains of the two woods are sufficiently different that I might as well have tracked down some beech stock. It would have been easier to work than the vintage handle I butchered up.
> 
> If you don't look too closely, you'll see a 19th century No. 7 that's going to become a nice user once I sharpen it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Once the finish dried, the patient was discharged.
> 
> She'll still have to go in for outpatient care-to be sharpened-but we expect her to make a full recovery, and lead a normal, productive, sawyer's life for the next century. And that's a healthy prognosis in my book.
> 
> ###


"I wondered if I had the courage to cut into it-cadaver or not."

Loved that line, Brad! Thanks for sharing your trials and tribulations. I, being a nurse, particularly appreciated the medical slant.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*

History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.

I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.

One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.

Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.

But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.










Isn't she sexy?










Nice figure huh?

*History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.

From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.

Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.

So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.

*Rehabbing the coffin*
Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:

-Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.

-Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.

-Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.

Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.

Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.

*Cleaning*
I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.

That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.

My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.

I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.

*Mouth adjustments*
I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.

*Iron and Cap*
After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).

Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.

*Flattening the sole*
To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.

*The reveal*
Here's the after restoration shots.



















*Setting the iron*
OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.



















Here's what I've figured out so far.

*Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.

*Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.

*Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
*
Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.

*Curiosity-How does it feel?*
The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.

*Performance-How does it finish?*
This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.










But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.

Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!










###


----------



## Deycart

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Correct me if I am wrong, but is SB is for Stanley Bailey?


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Indeed it is Deycart. Stanley Bailey.


----------



## ShaneA

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


You got it looking good. Well done.


----------



## Deycart

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


I think it is interesting that you use an LN for initial smoothing and then what looks like a late SW era Stanley number 3. I would think that most people would tune them for use in the reverse order.


----------



## LukieB

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Looks awesome Brad, thanks for sharing your process. I got a coffin that looks a lot like that one. Been hesitant to tackle the restoration, you "after" pics have me inspired…


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Nice Job Brad. I just did a New York Tool.










In case you didn't know in 1893 the Ohio Tool company merged with the Auburn Tool Company of New York. I collect any Ohio Tools Planes I come across so the NY Tools seems to fit into the collection.

I've got some more info here.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Deycart, my SB #3 is a Type 11 and the iron is made of O-1 tool steel versus the A-2 that my LN uses.

I've read comments by galoots that claim that you can hone the O-1 to a keener edge. Based on the results I'm seeing, I'd tend to agree with them. As a result, I plan to purchase an O-1 replacement blade for my LN #4. Also the #3 is shorter, so it can get into, and smooth, more of the "valleys" (as measured in tiny fractions of an inch) than the #4.

As I mentioned in my post about rehabbing the #3, I have never gotten such excellent results from a rehabbed plane.

Don, the Ohio Tool, Auburn Tool and NY Tool all have interesting histories. And quality products too. It doesn't surprise me at all that you collect them. And being in NY, you at ground zero of NY Tool's production. Thanks for the link buddy.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


That's a beauty Brad. Wooden smoothers have a lot of charm don't they? I have a few myself that are waiting for me to get them working properly again. You made a really nice job of that.


----------



## BigRedKnothead

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Haven't entered the world of wooden planes yet. I'm afraid there will be no turning back. Coffin looks sweet and tempting though. 
Also, I'm starting to favor 0-1 myself. Tried it with hock replacements and I might stick with it. 
I don't have anywhere near the knowledge or experience you guys do but I'm learning fast. A slippery slope but it's quite a ride.


----------



## mochoa

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad you post some of the most detailed blogs I've seen. Great work.

I love me a wooden smoother when its working just right. I have yet to try a coffin smoother but I have fiended over the old adjustable mouth ones I see from time to time but there always too expensive.
Those and the old toted wooden smoothers are the bees knees.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Andy, after you're done with the saw sharpening videos, I'd love to see a blog on your woodie restoration. More particularly I'd love to see benefit from your guidance on setting up and adjusting the coffin smoother to take some nice shavings.

BigRedKnothead, God help you brother if you've been bitten by the plane bug. Most of what I've learned about this trade has been from LJs, Websites, books and videos. Woodworking does have a huge learning curve, though you can start making projects from day 1. If you accept the fact that it will take time, and a few key tools, to get tight joinery and finished projects you'll be proud of, then you'll be good to go. My frustrations, in retrospect came from me having unrealistic expectations about the results I could achieve with the skills and tool-set I had. More emphasis on skills than tools. Much more.

Mauricio, I like delving into the detail, but what really matters is, do you like it?

I write for your readers. So I try to develop content that I would want to see if I were reading it. On LJs, it's like adding knowledge in little bits to a woodworking archive that people who aren't even members, can take advantage of in the future.

Eventually, you're going to come across a woodie that isn't "too much," and you'll have many hours of exploration, discovery and using it ahead of you brother.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad - Me thinks you give me too much credit. I have four or five wood-bodied planes which I haven't touched since I bought them. When I eventually get around to restoring them an learning to use them, it will all be new to me too. Mind you, I suppose you could say that about anything I blog about really. I'm just making it up as I go along my friend, trying to stay one step ahead.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


And staying one step ahead very well. Both of you.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad - Phil Edwards from Philly planes posted this on YouTube.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


*Brad* - I totally blame you for my having to buy these two woodies with I. Sorby blades for £0.99p. Thanks!!!


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Nice Andy. They look in good shape.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


That's right Andy! I assume FULL responsibility. I'll fork over the .99p next time I see you.

In the mean time, please post some detail shots of those two works of art. They do look to be in fantastic shape, imbued with rich history, and in the hands of someone who will love and nurture them like a babe at his mother's breast. And you are truly a humanitarian to keep the siblings together by adopting them both.

I do envy your location Andy.

You live at ground zero of a woodworker's hand tool paradise. And your fellow citizens don't even know it. 99 pence? Really? The seller clearly either didn't know, or didn't care about the value of those treasures. I can only imagine what other cool things that car boot sale had for offer. That said, I am very happy for you.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


*Brad* - I won them this morning on ebay.co.uk. That is the seller's photo. I guess everyone else must have had a lie-in this morning. As for envying my location, it is good for some things and not others. Try to find a good vintage Stanley No.40 scrub plane over here. They are few and far between and even crappy ones go for ridiculous amounts of money. On the other hand, ebay.com always seems to have a steady stream of them at very reasonable prices. It is swings and roundabouts really.


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad that was fun to read and walk with you step by step. Job well done. 
The history behind the prisoners making the planes is interesting as well. I have two that were made by prisoners.









A few things that peak my interest in the wooden planes. The irons were often may by a different company then bought by the plane body manufacturer. You can find some that are the same model body with different iron manufactures that are original.
Most wooden planes have the original users name or mark stamped on them. This comes from a English habit so they could be insured. As you trained as an apprentice you would mark your tools with your name while you set out as a journeyman. I wish I could find one with a famous woodworkers name on it. It can be fun to research the user.
Good luck with the new to you coffin. They work very well on crazy grain.
Thank you for the shout out.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Dave, I've always researched any name I've found on a tool or tool box. So far it hasn't taken me anywhere, but like you, I'm waiting for the day.


----------



## TechRedneck

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad:

I purchased one just like yours at a flea market last year. Once it I had it tuned I was surprised how well it felt in my hands and how well it worked. Nothing like bringing back a little piece of history.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


TechRedneck, By chance, would you be able to share your "tuning" process?

Dave, I've tried researching owner's names on other tools I've picked up. No dice. But hope springs eternal. And with the advent of ubiquitous online genealogical information and tools, I suspect that the names stamped into our tools will slowly come to life.


----------



## TechRedneck

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


Brad:

With all the character of some of these old tools I like to keep the patina intact. This one had paint splatter that I removed with some mineral sprits and steel wool.

The Iron was ground to 25 degrees and the back flattened starting with a XC DMT (diamond plate). After that I use a granite block. Using spray adhesive and 1/2 sheet of wet/dry paper lengthwise, I put four grits on the stone using both sides. one side (the un-polished) holds the lower grits #220 and a 300-500 (whatever I can get) then I flip it over and use 1200 and perhaps 2000.

Get a bottle of cheap glass cleaner and keep the paper wet using the long sides of the stone. Since the bevel is ground, I freehand on the center of the strips, always drawing towards me. Once you get to the last grit , I go to a strop with green compound.

The cap iron gets flattened on the DMT and run quickly through the grits just like the iron. If it is rusty, give it a few minutes with a wire brush chucked in the drill press.

The sole was flattened with 220 grit and given a couple coats of paste wax.

While working, I go to the strop to keep the edge. If it needs a little more I go back to the 1200.

The iron on this smoother is a bit wide for my water stones, this is why I use scary sharp on this one. Chisels and other planes get touched up on my 3000 and 8000 waterstones freehand then to the strop. If I am in a hurry then I spritz the sandpaper and touch up. All depends.










An older pic of the sharpening station.










Here is an old Stanley #37 Trans brought back from the graveyard.


----------



## DominickLane

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Coffin Smoother For Use In My Shop*
> 
> History, curiosity, performance. Those are the three things that motivated me to add a coffin smoother to my tool kit.
> 
> I got this plane at an antique mall in Scottsdale last summer. It had air conditioning and I reasoned that it was a great place to escape Arizona's 113-degree oven.
> 
> One booth caught my eye and soon I held the smoother, noting the New York Tool, CO. maker's mark plus the Auburn Tools Thistle Brand iron. At first, I was put off that the iron didn't seat fully nor the wedge. Later, I would attribute this to shrinkage after 150 years, but at the time I was concerned that this was a defect that I couldn't correct.
> 
> Still, I was drawn back to it because of its superb condition. Its surface sported nary a check, crack nor overly nasty ding. Sure it was dirty, but I was optimistic about bringing out the beech grain. The price read $25, but the ill-fitting wedge/iron combination allowed me to haggle the booth owner down to $20.00 via a call from the antique-mall operator. The moment I stepped back into the Arizona sauna, sweat began to bead on my…well everywhere for Pete's sake.
> 
> But you wouldn't know that from the smile on my face. No doubt it belied the delicious blend of anticipation and excitement I was feeling. A state of emotional intoxication that only woodworking tool restorers and children on Christmas morning can fully comprehend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't she sexy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice figure huh?
> 
> *History-The plot thickens-New York Tool, CO.*
> As it turns out, the New York Took, CO. name was a trade name of Auburn Tool, Co. out of Auburn New York. The parent company operated between 1864-1893, ending its life like so many other fine tool makers when it merged with the Ohio Tool Company of Columbus Ohio.
> 
> From what I can tell, Auburn used labor from the local Auburn NY prison in 1864-1865, losing their contract in 1866 to a competitor. They won the contract back circa 1875-1876.
> 
> Apparently, there's an 1867 Catalogue and Price List of Planes, Plane Irons, Rules, Gauges, Hand Screws &c. Manufactured and Sold by Auburn Tool Company, but I've had no luck tracking down an electronic copy.
> 
> So all I can really say is that this plane was manufactured between 1864-1893. It's possible that it was made by convicts but given that they were used during only four years of their 29-year run, I'd say it's statistically unlikely.
> 
> *Rehabbing the coffin*
> Being new to rehabbing wood planes, I did a bit of research. Among the best resources were:
> 
> -Lumberjock superdav721. A fantastic two-part video series chronicling the steps Dave took to rehab his own coffin smoother.
> 
> -Lumberjock legend Don W, who details his transitional plane restoration process here.
> 
> -Lumberjock Dan, who showcases restoration finesse with methods on re-soling a wood plane and inserting an inlay to tighten the throat http://lumberjocks.com/Dcase/blog/27655.
> 
> Overall, I've found that rehabbing woodies is straightforward. However it does require greater attention to detail at critical junctures. For example, flattening the sole is pretty easy, just sand it on a flat surface or run it over a jointer, or run your jointer over the sole.
> 
> Still, I've found that you have to be meticulously careful to remove only the absolute minimum necessary to make it a user. Otherwise, you risk widening the mouth so much that you have to either resole the bottom or inlay a piece to tighten up the mouth.
> 
> *Cleaning*
> I seem to remember reading that Bob Rozaieski of Logan Cabinet Shoppe is a minimalist when it comes to cleaning beech planes. He uses soap and water.
> 
> That's a good idea I think if you've got a plane in nice shape. Also, sometimes planes have stuff written on them in the hands of the shop keepers and merchants of the 19th and early 20th century. I'd suggest leaving those historic scribbles alone.
> 
> My smoother was pretty dirty, and there was no handwriting that I could see. So I queried some Lumberjocks as to their cleaning techniques and many of them combine beeswax with turpentine, then rub it into the wood using steel wool. Apparently the wax fills the pores while the turpentine removes dirt and grime.
> 
> I was too anxious to get started to track down some beeswax, so I cleaned the wood with denatured alcohol, then soaked the plane twice in BLO, letting it sit for 15 minutes each time before wiping it off and letting it dry over night. After that, I waxed the surface. I'm happy with the results because the plane has maintained a lot of the age and patina while showing off the beech grain.
> 
> *Mouth adjustments*
> I read somewhere to use an auger bit file to dress the sides of the mouth. This worked very well because the shape of the file easily gets into the tight confines of the side grooves that the iron moves in. There was a bump in the groove near the mouth for some reason. The file took this out along with over a century's worth of dirt. Note that I used a light hand during this operation, taking off the minimum necessary because I didn't want to have to put it back on.
> 
> *Iron and Cap*
> After a night in Evaporust, I scrubbed off the remaining rust then sanded the surfaces from 220-320 grits. Next, I flattened the iron bottom to a mirror finish through 2000 grit and reestablished a consistent 25 degree bevel. I polished the bevel too, to 2000, and then stropped the bevel and back a few times on bare leather (no compound).
> 
> Then I flattened the underside of the cap iron to 400 grit to mate tightly with the iron. After affixing the cap iron to the iron I noticed that the sides of both did not line up fully. The cap iron was hanging over one side about 32nd of an inch and was shy of the other side of the iron by the same amount. Using a file, I filed off the excess (cap iron on one side and excess iron on the other) so that the cap and irons were flush. The edges were still a bit rough so I sanded the side edges together on the 150, 220, 320 grits affixed to marble slabs.
> 
> *Flattening the sole*
> To finish the rehab, I drew a crosshatch pattern on the bottom of the sole with chalk and then sanded it on 150 grit paper affixed to marble. After about 20 total strokes, the sole was pretty flat according to my steel ruler. Then I finished with a few strokes on 220, and 320 followed by some paste wax.
> 
> *The reveal*
> Here's the after restoration shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Setting the iron*
> OK. I'll be up front here. I had trouble getting a feel for this. In fact, I'm still learning the nuances of getting that iron tight, at the correct depth and at a perpendicular angle. But I have the new hickory plane mallet that I built to help me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what I've figured out so far.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #1: *To advance the iron a very little, I tap the top of the wood wedge. This tightens the wedge-iron grip against the bed while simultaneously deepening the iron ever so slightly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #2:* To advance the iron more, I tap the iron directly.
> 
> *Figured-out Item #3:* To back out the iron, I tap the heel of the plane
> *
> Figured-out Item #4:* It's easy for me to muck up the above adjustments and have to back out the iron and start all over.
> 
> *Curiosity-How does it feel?*
> The coffin smoother fills my hands making for a beefy/stocky feel to my grip. It also feels quite secure without worries about slipping.
> 
> *Performance-How does it finish?*
> This smoother definitely takes some nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But will it replace my others? Probably not. At least, not yet. I'm going to have to fettle with it some more before I approach the glassy finish my LN #4 can sheer on cherry, or the gossamer, cloud-like shavings my SB #3 floats out. Those are my two, go-to smoothers. The LN for first passes and light planing work, then the SB (set for very-fine shavings) for the final goings-over.
> 
> Still, when it comes to history, those two fade in comparison to the rich life this 19th-century plane has lived. Welcome to the family my Auburn Thistle Lady!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ###


A lumber joke is launched for the firm themes for the structures. The payment of the penetration testing service provider are aspired for the success. Now, the jokes are hard to find for the use of the manners and patent rights for each other.


----------



## planepassion

*Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*

The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.

Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.










Here's the prize of my quest:










As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.










*A Horny Situation*
In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.

*The Rehab*
I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.

*Handle*
After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.










I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.

*Sharpening*
The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.










Here's the finished rehab.



















*The Testing*
This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.




























And here's a look at the cut finish.










So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.










Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"

###


----------



## bobasaurus

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Nice work. That's a beautiful-looking saw. Sharpening the teeth by hand looks challenging, though. I have an old backsaw (a "Pennsylvania Saw Corporation No. 78") that needs the same treatment so I'm paying close attention.


----------



## BrandonW

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Wow, what a great find and an excellent restore. Some nice optimism, too.


----------



## GMatheson

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Great looking saw Brad. I need to find myself a 16" saw someday.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


great restore Brad


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


beautiful rehab and nice find.


----------



## CL810

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Textbook worthy restore!


----------



## johnLT

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Saw the title vintage tool and thought I had slipped and went into Craig List! But wait, it is about Craig List.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Brian, to get the polish on the saw spine I sanded it through progressive grits through 600, then charged my grinder's buffing wheel with white compound and buffed it to a polish. The sawplate, I spent a lot of time with progressive grits affixed to a sanding block. At 400 grit, I switched to just using my hand and progressed through 600 grit. Then added, and buffed out, several coats of wax polish.

Please note that vintage sawplates vary widely in their condition. I've found that some are more pitted than others. This saw plate has some pits, but for some reason, it simply cleaned up better than the others.


----------



## b2rtch

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


I only wish I could find one for me.

'This saw plate has some pits, but for some reason, it simply cleaned up better than the others" 
Something interesting here:
While in France I repaired two very old clock.
I noticed the the frame which was made a some kind of forged steel was as clean and as shiny as new stainless steel.
For some reason this steel just did not corrode nor taranish.


----------



## richardwootton

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Great restore brad! Are you sure that handle is applewood? It looks a lot like the rosewood I see on my vintage plane totes.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Restoring a 19th-Century Disston Backsaw*
> 
> The Craig's List ad said there were some old woodworking tools. That's it. No pictures, no heart-throbbing prose. Still, the garage sale was in an older neighborhood. And close by in case it was a bust. So I fired up my Chili-Red Mini and motored on over.
> 
> Five minutes and $5.00 later I walked to my car clutching a Disston 16" backsaw, some brass screws and brass l-reinforcing thingies. The saw cost me 300 pennies. A bit of sleuthing on the Disstonian Institutes Website revealed that the saw was born between 1878-1888 per its medallion.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the prize of my quest:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As grungy as it looked, I was very happy overall. The top horn was split off but I figured I could find some apple wood to mend it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Horny Situation*
> In the interests of expanding my rehab skills, I decided to fix the horn. And to ensure an aesthetically-pleasing repair, I sought out two vintage handles. But that didn't work out too well. The aged applewood didn't pair well with either of the two donor handles. So I set them aside to wait for another handle repair. The horn would stay as it was.
> 
> *The Rehab*
> I gave the sawplate the usual rehab as I've detailed here and here.
> 
> *Handle*
> After experiencing a "glassy" look from the use of polyurethane finishes I decided to go with BLO followed by wax. That's it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I like the natural feel of the wood in my hand. BLO + plus was works pretty well.
> 
> *Sharpening*
> The original tooth line suffered from calves and cows so I had some evening out to do. I also tried adding some slope to my sharpening for the first time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the finished rehab.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *The Testing*
> This baby has some pleasing heft to it. I also like the longer, 16" length versus my 12" Disston backsaw. I find it easier to keep it true through the cut. And the longer length allows for a longer stroke through the work piece.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's a look at the cut finish.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So all it took to add a nice user to my saw next was a five-minute drive, three dollars and two fun-filled rehab hours.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not bad for a 125-year old saw. I wonder if 125 years from now (c 2138) some woodworker will get as much pleasure from finding this treasure as I did. I can see her driving up to the garage sale in her fusion-powered Mini Cooper (some things never go out of style.) "I found it among some other tools on a table," she'll say to her husband. "And I only had to hand over three $1,000 bills!" Her ever-supportive husband is sure to reply, "What a steal sweetie!"
> 
> ###


Six years hence I've settled in to using this for cross cuts on wider boards. Works like a dream.


----------



## planepassion

*Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*

You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.

But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.

*"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage* 
Here's my prize as-found.





































A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."

----------------

I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.

*Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.



















Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.










After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.










When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.

Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!

*Rehabbing*
The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.

By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.










After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.

Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.










After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.










Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.

Here are the after shots.





































The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.

*How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.

Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.

What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.

Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.



















And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.










It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.





































There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)










The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.

Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.

It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.

###


----------



## Handtooler

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Magnificant Blog! Thanks. And it's a real keeper after your fine work.


----------



## CL810

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Interesting analysis Brad. Great rehab.


----------



## WayneC

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Well done on the restore. Wonder what is causing you issues with the T11.


----------



## BigRedKnothead

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Good stuff Brad. I've spent some time comparing baileys and MF as well. I think MF knobs and totes are lacking. The base castings on bailey are thicker and better. But I always liked MF frogs, lever caps, and thicker irons.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Wayne, this was my first plane upon getting into woodworking in 2008. So I may have overdone the tuning of it. I sanded and sanded the sole. Recently, I lapped the sole using my current level of knowledge. Then I sharpened the iron. And it does perform better. But it's still extremely fussy. The merest adjustment to the depth knob and I can be out of whack. I've never had this many issues with getting a plane to work.

BRK, I'm with you brother. I too like the lever caps and thicker irons. From what I've seen so far the lever cap is of a superior design. It holds things in place well. It's my first MF and I'm liking it. Perhaps I should try a Keen Kutter next?


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Nice blog Brad. I've always been amazed at the likeness of the different planes. One of my first major restore from a rusty piece of crap was a MF #10.

I like your comparison and your marketing experience shows in your writing. I often get a few paragraphs in the longer blogs and start skimming, but you hold the readers attention. Well done.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Thank you Don. I always make an effort to make what I write interesting and visually appealing.


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Brad I have a Stanley and Miller smother. I find myself grabbing the Stanley first. I do like the Miller. But I still like the Stanley.
Great work and well written blog.


----------



## mochoa

planepassion said:


> *Rehabbing a Millers Falls No. 9 Smoother-And comparing it to my trusted Stanley No. 4*
> 
> You'd think that Kay's cooking would be enough to land her the title of "Life-long Friend." And you'd be right. Her Thanksgiving spreads are legendary in our social circle. But then she shows up one day with a nice Millers Falls No. 9 smoother from an estate sale. In my book, that earned her a hefty deposit into her Karma account…plus my beaming and grateful smile.
> 
> But this is the real world and I'm a woodworker addicted to vintage hand tools. So what was Kay's reward when her back was turned to chat with my lady? My tip-toed retreat to the shop to inspect my loot. She took it well. I'll make it up to her. That's what friends do.
> 
> *"Estate-fresh" from the previous owner's garage*
> Here's my prize as-found.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A straight-edge confirmed that the sole was pretty flat with no wind or obvious issues. For the second time in five minutes, I smiled broadly. "Not bad at all."
> 
> ----------------
> 
> I'm a marketer by trade (copywriter.) So I appreciate Millers Falls' approach to differentiating their products in what was a crowded marketplace at the time. Take the lever cap. The recessed lettering proclaiming "Millers Falls" on it was a great start. So was emblazoning their brand name in bright red letters-though my example lacks that eye-catching detail. Which makes it a Type 3 made around 1941-1949 according to Old Tool Heaven's type study.
> 
> *Inspecting my 65-year-old plane*
> Overall, I was impressed. Let's see…some surface rust on the sides and sole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some minor pitting in insignificant areas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a minute or so, I got the inkling that this plane hasn't seen much use. Why? For one, the blade is at full length and had but one minor nick in the edge. The back was untouched, showing prominent machine marks from the day it left the factory. The bevel wasn't polished either. That alone doesn't prove the plane was hardly used, the blade could have been a replacement. But it's what I saw next that clinched it in my mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I first inspected the cap-iron and iron assembly something struck me as queer.
> 
> Then it hit me. The chip breaker was affixed backwards to the iron, with the bevel up rather than down. --shudder-- I can only image how crappy the plane performed with that setup. I'll bet the owner cursed it too. I can just hear him saying, "I must have bought a lemon. This thing doesn't work worth a damn!" And so it sat around his shop unused for the next 65 years, preserving its excellent condition before making its way to me. Thank you kind sir!
> 
> *Rehabbing*
> The jiggered iron assembly aside, the overall condition of the plane is excellent. The japanning sits at about 98% and the plating on the cap iron and chip breaker is 99%. The stained hardwood knob and tote are in great shape too, so I let these be. The brass adjuster knob got a basic polishing while the knob/tote retaining nuts kept their patina. With the cosmetic bases covered, it was time to focus on making this a good user.
> 
> By definition, a smoother needs to have a very flat sole. So to identify potential low spots, I marked it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a few strokes on a granite plate, I discovered a slight hollow spot in front of the mouth as well as a deeper one on the left heal portion of the sole.
> 
> Five more minutes of lapping-checking-lapping on 150 grit paper was all the flattening it needed. The edges show a few remaining low spots, but nothing to get worked up over. In fact, they will help prevent catching an edge in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After progressing through 220, 320 and 400 grits I had this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next, I sanded the sides. I did not sand them square to the sole because that would have taken far too much material off. Plus, I won't be using this plane for shooting so there was no need to do it. I simply sanded the rust off free-hand using the same grits as the sole.
> 
> Here are the after shots.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The iron had a nick in the middle of the cutting edge which took a minute at the grinding wheel to remove. After that I reestablished a 25 degree bevel using my Veritas honing guide and polished it to a mirror finish using the scary sharp method. The back was also lapped to a mirror finish followed by a few strokes on a naked leather strop. That was sufficient to shave hair off my arm.
> 
> *How does it measure up to a Stanley smoother?*
> I'll be honest. I was so eager to compare this baby to my trusted Stanley Type 11 that before I did any of the sole lapping described above, I sharpened the iron. Then I plopped it in to give it a test run.
> 
> Hmmm. It was not good. And a few minutes of playing with it didn't help any. I didn't want to give up on it just yet so I finished my tuning activities and dropped the iron back in.
> 
> What a difference lapping the sole made. And closing up the mouth (duh!) to 1/32 of an inch. How did I miss that before? The mouth was set to 1/8" wide-yet another indicator that the previous owner didn't know how to properly adjust his plane.
> 
> Now that the plane is properly tuned and set up it takes some very nice shavings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it leaves a near-mirror finish, though it's difficult to see that in this picture.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It feels as comfortable to use as my Stanley No. 4, Type 11. And even though their date of manufacture is separated by about 25 years, there are a lot of similarities.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are several differences too. For example, the Stanley side walls are thicker than those of the Millers Falls (MF.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The MF's lateral adjustment lever is much looser than the Stanley, though this doesn't seem to affect performance. The MF's depth adjustment feels like it has less back lash than the Stanley and it is easier to dial in the desired shaving thickness.
> 
> Based on my experience, I'd have to give the MF's No. 9 the nod over my Stanley #4. Despite hours of fettling, I've never been able to get my Stanley to perform to my satisfaction. Compare that to an hour of tuning with the MF smoother which resulted in nice, fluffy shavings floating over the chip breaker.
> 
> It's a good thing too. Because that leaves me more time to tune up my friendship skills. So the next time Kay comes over, I can practice being the attentive friend she deserves. I think I'll start by asking, "What would you like to drink?" Yes. Marketing friendship with liquor is always a good start.
> 
> ###


Sweet plane man!


----------



## planepassion

*A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*

While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.


























It had no checks.










And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.










So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.










At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.

Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.

Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.

And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?

When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.










A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.



















With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.



















That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.










Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.

###


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


Nice save Brad.


----------



## BigRedKnothead

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


Cool. I've never been real interested inn transitionals….but I've never seen one in that good of shape. I would've taken it home too!


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


I agree BRK. Most of the ones I've come across have nasty checks, and/or the rear tote is mangled. I think that Dan has restored a number of trannies.

Don W had some excellent feedback regarding the vintage of the plane and iron via a PM. I post it here for all to benefit from.

"Transitional types don't follow the same numbering as bench planes. According to John Walters, the logo on the toe of yours is from a Type 14, or 1912-1920.

The iron is actually older, dating from 1905-1908 for transitional planes. There is overlap, but different dates than the same logo on bench planes.

I hope you wanted to know this, and as we all know, this type study stuff is subject to some interpretation.

Either way, nice job on the save. It will make a great fore plane. "


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


A super plane Brad.
Nice.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


Someone asked me what my camber is on my #6. I don't know. I ground it by hand. However, it is less pronounced than the 11" camber I put on this transitional. That's why I'll use it to clean up after using the #26 transitional.

I've used it several times since posting and am growing to like it more. I really like the lighter weight of it for one. And it flattens just as well as the steel planes I've used in the past for this purpose.


----------



## superdav721

planepassion said:


> *A Problem-child Stanley Transitional #26*
> 
> While meandering through an antique store, something toolish and vintage wooed me into a stall. It was a Stanley #26 transitional jack plane. Not that there's anything remarkable about them. But what set this one apart was its just-came-off-the-assembly-line looks. Even the tote and knob were intact with but one chip to show for its long life. Here's what I brought home, $20.00 the poorer for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had no checks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the Stanley logo dates it c. 1909-1912.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it fits right in with my favored 1910-1918 vintage tool time frame. You Stanley plane collectors will recognize that range as the type-11 period. I really like the retro styling and STANLEY lettering font.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At home the metal parts got dunked in Evaporust while the wood pieces slurped up a coat of BLO. The reassembled plane went into the vise upside down. Then a few light passes with a #8 trued up the sole. After sharpening the iron, I put the rehabbed jack to the test on some pine.
> 
> Stroke-clog. Clear clog. Stroke-clog…and so on. "What the…oh. That's why." The chip breaker wasn't mating fully to the iron and shavings were getting trapped between them. After fixing that, I took a few more passes. And clogged the mouth big time. After an hour of fettling I gave up and it collected dust upon my home office tool display shelf. Every once in a while I'd see it there, mocking me, and be egged on to try again. Clog. Clog and clog were the results. Each time back to the shelf it went.
> 
> Then, I watched Shannon Rogers' video From Boat Anchor Junk to Fore Plane.
> 
> And that got me to thinking. I already have three jack planes including this one. So why not configure it as a fore plane like Rogers does?
> 
> When I got to the step to open the throat, I scratched my head. I could have sworn that my previous fettling attempts included moving the frog backward. But as I inspected it, there was clearly room to spare. So I adjusted and tested it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A few passes on some pine produced thick, clogless shavings. That was good, but I still had a third jack plane. In order to make this a fore plane, its iron needed a camber. Rogers puts an 8" radius on his jack. I wanted something a bit less pronounced and opted for an 11" radius.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With that done, I tested the camber by cross-planing a rough-sawn board. Open Sesame.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That did the trick. And I'm glad. Because now I have a woodie jack to fore plane with. "But Brad, what are you going to do with two fore planes?" Well, Grasshopper, I'm going to use the lighter #5 transitional for strenuous cross-grain flattening duties and the #6 along the grain to take out its predecessor's track marks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you Shannon Rogers for helping me get the you-can't-tune-a-transitional-plane monkey off my back. And for clearing space for another tool on my display shelf.
> 
> ###


Brad I love the lightness and feel of all my wood planes. That is the reason I use them still over a metal plane.


----------



## planepassion

*Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*

On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.










The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.

Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.










I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.

At home I took a closer look.




























The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.










Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.

That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.



















The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.

After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.

The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.










I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.

*Before/After tool porn*




























With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.

My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.



















Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?










Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.

I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.

From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.

###


----------



## Handtooler

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


SUPER Rehab! Thanks for the blog through the steps. "Ya got it going".


----------



## BTimmons

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


Beautiful work. I'm sure that plane is much happier to be in your hands.


----------



## theoldfart

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


Really nice rehab Brad. I love the shaving collections we find under the frog!


----------



## ratchet

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


Rehab beautifully executed.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


a keeper for sure. Nice cleanup Brad


----------



## ShaneA

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


Nice pictures and shavings. A great plane to have, for sure.


----------



## ToddJB

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


Nice save, Brad. Looks to be in stellar condition.


----------



## AndrewJansson

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


It really looks great. On our educational website we review some interesting things, so you can check out our last grab my essay review at https://edureviewer.com/services/grabmyessay-com-review/. Maybe this topic is also appropriate. If you would like to contribute, just let me know.


----------



## Nylaren

planepassion said:


> *Into each life a #4 must fall: Stanley #4-T11-pictoral essay and rehab*
> 
> On a recent rust hunt, I happened across a Stanley #4.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The very reasonable price and three patent dates behind the frog motivated me to have the nice lady open the display case.
> 
> Once it was in my covetous little hands, I started ticking off the distinguishing characteristics of a vintage Type 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been burned before. So before forking over good tool money, I made sure that all the parts were present and in good working order. Check, check, check and-here's my check.
> 
> At home I took a closer look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The experiential archaeologist in me likes to look over how the previous owner configured my new plane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow. Either a youngster gave cambering the ole' college try, or an Irish workman decided to do it first thing in the morning on March 18th. The cap iron was also set a country mile (3/16") from the edge. Let's see. A course camber and set to the iron, plus paint streaks and drops everywhere, plus some plywood chips ensconced under the frog. To me that all adds up to a lifetime dedicated to general purpose work.
> 
> That left a cosmetic layer of rust, tarnish, grime and dust everywhere.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The disassembled parts plopped into Evaporust. Everything else was treated to steel- and brass-wire brushes, cue tips, mineral spirits and that Spice-Girls-fluorescent-pink naval jelly rust remover.
> 
> After that, I followed the plane rehab regimen that I detailed in my restore of a #3. That includes lapping the iron, sharpening it with a hint of camber and polishing the leading edge of the chip breaker to a mirror finish.
> 
> The sole was in pretty good shape. A total lapping time of five minutes through the grits was all that was required.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I left the sides alone other than to remove some rust to reveal the patina beneath.
> 
> *Before/After tool porn*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the cleaning and sharpening complete it was ready for the test.
> 
> My minimalist rehab must have been sufficient, because it only took a few minutes to dial in some solid, smoother performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mmmm. Billowy, gossamer shavings. That's good, but what kind of finish does it leave on a piece of cherry?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! A glassy-smooth, reflective, no-sandpaper-needed surface.
> 
> I'm satisfied with that. More so, considering that I only spent 30 minutes on tuning activities.
> 
> From display case to my shop. This one's a keeper.
> 
> ###


The wood chipping tool shared here seems to be well-used and has been in pristine use. You have done a great job in fixing the tool and the finished work provided at the end shows how well it works in delivering a smooth cut. ivf treatment in kochi


----------



## planepassion

*Into the Beech: My first foray into molding planes--Rehabbing a side-bead plane*

Don't get me wrong-I like my router table. But moulding planes offer a silent and safe alternative to add decorative details to projects. So rather than continue pouring money into the router-bit pit, I decided to dive into molding planes. But which ones? An article by Joshua Clark helped answer that question.

My foray began with a 3/8" side bead plane that I got for $21.00 off Ebay. It was made by W. Greenslade, a planemaker that operated in Bristol, UK from 1828-1937. Now that's interesting history that none of my router bits bring to they shop.










Considering that the plane is at least 77 years old, it wasn't surprising that the body needed cleaning. A cloth rag soaked with mineral spirits worked off the decades of dirt, grim and sweat. A coating of wax served to protect the clean surface.

*Restoring and Tuning*
One thing that needed to be addressed was the boxing. The portion toward the toe had shrunk over the decades, so it was loose and moved in use.










To fix this, I decided to add a sliver of wood to both the boxing edge and the front that abuts the escapement. This would "true" up the length and width of the tight-fitting slat. For material, I picked up some yellow heart wood (1/8" x 3" x 24") at Rockler. I thought the color and grain kinda matched the original boxing. And a janka hardness rating of 1,790 lbf makes for a durable repair.




























After gluing the additions to the boxing, I completed many rounds of: test fit, remove, trim the piece with a single stroke of a plane, and test fit again…until it fit snuggly and perfectly.










That gap you see is from being compacted by the 1/8" chisel I used to remove the boxing for each test fit-trim iteration. It's cosmetic and doesn't affect the fit or performance of the boxing.

Once that was done, I put a straight edge to the boxing along the length of the plane and found it needed jointing.










Which I did by taking very light passes with a block plane.

After that, I sharpened the blade, taking care to maintain the bead profile.










It took a while to find the right iron depth. But once I did, the plane produced a nice 3/8" bead.



















Which I put on the wine rack I built soon after.



















And on the brace rack I completed.










As well as the Dutch tool chest I built.










I've since picked up other moulding planes, but this side bead is my favorite to use. It just zips through the wood, cascading curly shavings to adorn the shop floor.

And now I have a cool plane with a bit of history to give my projects a special detail.

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## Airframer

planepassion said:


> *Into the Beech: My first foray into molding planes--Rehabbing a side-bead plane*
> 
> Don't get me wrong-I like my router table. But moulding planes offer a silent and safe alternative to add decorative details to projects. So rather than continue pouring money into the router-bit pit, I decided to dive into molding planes. But which ones? An article by Joshua Clark helped answer that question.
> 
> My foray began with a 3/8" side bead plane that I got for $21.00 off Ebay. It was made by W. Greenslade, a planemaker that operated in Bristol, UK from 1828-1937. Now that's interesting history that none of my router bits bring to they shop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Considering that the plane is at least 77 years old, it wasn't surprising that the body needed cleaning. A cloth rag soaked with mineral spirits worked off the decades of dirt, grim and sweat. A coating of wax served to protect the clean surface.
> 
> *Restoring and Tuning*
> One thing that needed to be addressed was the boxing. The portion toward the toe had shrunk over the decades, so it was loose and moved in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To fix this, I decided to add a sliver of wood to both the boxing edge and the front that abuts the escapement. This would "true" up the length and width of the tight-fitting slat. For material, I picked up some yellow heart wood (1/8" x 3" x 24") at Rockler. I thought the color and grain kinda matched the original boxing. And a janka hardness rating of 1,790 lbf makes for a durable repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After gluing the additions to the boxing, I completed many rounds of: test fit, remove, trim the piece with a single stroke of a plane, and test fit again…until it fit snuggly and perfectly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That gap you see is from being compacted by the 1/8" chisel I used to remove the boxing for each test fit-trim iteration. It's cosmetic and doesn't affect the fit or performance of the boxing.
> 
> Once that was done, I put a straight edge to the boxing along the length of the plane and found it needed jointing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I did by taking very light passes with a block plane.
> 
> After that, I sharpened the blade, taking care to maintain the bead profile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It took a while to find the right iron depth. But once I did, the plane produced a nice 3/8" bead.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I put on the wine rack I built soon after.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And on the brace rack I completed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As well as the Dutch tool chest I built.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've since picked up other moulding planes, but this side bead is my favorite to use. It just zips through the wood, cascading curly shavings to adorn the shop floor.
> 
> And now I have a cool plane with a bit of history to give my projects a special detail.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Very nice work! There certainly is something very rewarding about using a molding plane isn't there?


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Into the Beech: My first foray into molding planes--Rehabbing a side-bead plane*
> 
> Don't get me wrong-I like my router table. But moulding planes offer a silent and safe alternative to add decorative details to projects. So rather than continue pouring money into the router-bit pit, I decided to dive into molding planes. But which ones? An article by Joshua Clark helped answer that question.
> 
> My foray began with a 3/8" side bead plane that I got for $21.00 off Ebay. It was made by W. Greenslade, a planemaker that operated in Bristol, UK from 1828-1937. Now that's interesting history that none of my router bits bring to they shop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Considering that the plane is at least 77 years old, it wasn't surprising that the body needed cleaning. A cloth rag soaked with mineral spirits worked off the decades of dirt, grim and sweat. A coating of wax served to protect the clean surface.
> 
> *Restoring and Tuning*
> One thing that needed to be addressed was the boxing. The portion toward the toe had shrunk over the decades, so it was loose and moved in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To fix this, I decided to add a sliver of wood to both the boxing edge and the front that abuts the escapement. This would "true" up the length and width of the tight-fitting slat. For material, I picked up some yellow heart wood (1/8" x 3" x 24") at Rockler. I thought the color and grain kinda matched the original boxing. And a janka hardness rating of 1,790 lbf makes for a durable repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After gluing the additions to the boxing, I completed many rounds of: test fit, remove, trim the piece with a single stroke of a plane, and test fit again…until it fit snuggly and perfectly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That gap you see is from being compacted by the 1/8" chisel I used to remove the boxing for each test fit-trim iteration. It's cosmetic and doesn't affect the fit or performance of the boxing.
> 
> Once that was done, I put a straight edge to the boxing along the length of the plane and found it needed jointing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I did by taking very light passes with a block plane.
> 
> After that, I sharpened the blade, taking care to maintain the bead profile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It took a while to find the right iron depth. But once I did, the plane produced a nice 3/8" bead.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I put on the wine rack I built soon after.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And on the brace rack I completed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As well as the Dutch tool chest I built.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've since picked up other moulding planes, but this side bead is my favorite to use. It just zips through the wood, cascading curly shavings to adorn the shop floor.
> 
> And now I have a cool plane with a bit of history to give my projects a special detail.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Well done Brad. I use molders more than I thought I would. I'm glad I bought the set when I did. You have started something big ;-)


----------



## niyaan

planepassion said:


> *Into the Beech: My first foray into molding planes--Rehabbing a side-bead plane*
> 
> Don't get me wrong-I like my router table. But moulding planes offer a silent and safe alternative to add decorative details to projects. So rather than continue pouring money into the router-bit pit, I decided to dive into molding planes. But which ones? An article by Joshua Clark helped answer that question.
> 
> My foray began with a 3/8" side bead plane that I got for $21.00 off Ebay. It was made by W. Greenslade, a planemaker that operated in Bristol, UK from 1828-1937. Now that's interesting history that none of my router bits bring to they shop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Considering that the plane is at least 77 years old, it wasn't surprising that the body needed cleaning. A cloth rag soaked with mineral spirits worked off the decades of dirt, grim and sweat. A coating of wax served to protect the clean surface.
> 
> *Restoring and Tuning*
> One thing that needed to be addressed was the boxing. The portion toward the toe had shrunk over the decades, so it was loose and moved in use.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To fix this, I decided to add a sliver of wood to both the boxing edge and the front that abuts the escapement. This would "true" up the length and width of the tight-fitting slat. For material, I picked up some yellow heart wood (1/8" x 3" x 24") at Rockler. I thought the color and grain kinda matched the original boxing. And a janka hardness rating of 1,790 lbf makes for a durable repair.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After gluing the additions to the boxing, I completed many rounds of: test fit, remove, trim the piece with a single stroke of a plane, and test fit again…until it fit snuggly and perfectly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That gap you see is from being compacted by the 1/8" chisel I used to remove the boxing for each test fit-trim iteration. It's cosmetic and doesn't affect the fit or performance of the boxing.
> 
> Once that was done, I put a straight edge to the boxing along the length of the plane and found it needed jointing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I did by taking very light passes with a block plane.
> 
> After that, I sharpened the blade, taking care to maintain the bead profile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It took a while to find the right iron depth. But once I did, the plane produced a nice 3/8" bead.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which I put on the wine rack I built soon after.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And on the brace rack I completed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As well as the Dutch tool chest I built.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've since picked up other moulding planes, but this side bead is my favorite to use. It just zips through the wood, cascading curly shavings to adorn the shop floor.
> 
> And now I have a cool plane with a bit of history to give my projects a special detail.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


The main heading here tells us all about Vintage Tool Rehab Projects so in case you are into something like that then we hope this site will offer you some facts that can be of some help that one can use in their academic life now. You think is pay me to do your homework legit now?


----------



## planepassion

*Tuning a try plane woodie for use*

It takes a lot to get me up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. But the "Barn sale. Tools…" ad worked like three cups of coffee. Still, my lady doesn't share my enthusiasm for rust hunting, so to entice her, I described it as an adventure. And if by "adventure" you take that to mean that I promised to buy her breakfast along with the hope of finding vintage treasure that would appeal to her, then you'd be right.

Three people entered the sale before us and damned if one of them didn't ace me out of a Stanley #5. The very offender was looking at the woodies when I tippie-toed next to him to slip this one off a high shelf for inspection.



















It had a crack near the handle due to shrinkage over the last century. And the previous owner had replaced the cap-iron bolt with a brass one that was too long. So he carved a space out of the back of the wood wedge to accommodate it.










Still, I figured that for $5.00, the iron alone was worth the price.










*Tuning for use*
The plane is 22" long, a perfect length for a try plane. I work with rough and resawn stock a lot. Since I don't have a bandsaw, my resawn faces can be pretty rough. So after using a highly-cambered foreplane, I remove the foreplane's scallops, and flatten the faces, with a medium-cambered try plane.

For an excellent discussion of iron camber (when to do it and how much) Bob Rozaieski's article on the subject is a must read.

Now I could use my Stanley #7 as a try plane, but it weighs over 8 pounds versus the woodie's 6 lbs. That adds up over the course of truing surfaces. Moreover, I've configured #7 as a jointer, meaning that the iron is sharpened straight across with zero camber. It won't get as much use in its role as a joinery plane, but when I do need it, it will fit the bill. Go here to read a detailed treatise on the differences between a try plane and a jointer.

*Truing the sole*
Placing a straight-edge along the bottom of the sole revealed a disappointing gap of about 3/16" at the toe and heel. I was worried that I'd have to remove a lot of material to flatten the sole-nearly ¼" of an inch. If that had been the case, I would have "resoled" the bottom afterward with some beech to make up the difference.

After securing the plane upside down in a vise, I used my #7 to true the bottom. It was set for light shavings and made quick work of truing the sole without removing too much material.



















*Dressing the iron bed*
In order for the plane to perform properly, and free of chatter, the iron edge must be fully supported near the tip. However, when the iron was seated, I could easily slip a piece of paper between it and the supporting bed. To properly bed the iron, I followed Bob Rozaieski's podcast tutorial.

The iron bed was so crusty, and uneven that I resorted to using a curve-cut mill-tooth file to remove it while leaving a smooth finish.

I also cleaned up the sides of the mouth with a toothbrush and mineral spirits to remove the dirt and crud.

Afterwards, my paper "feeler gauge" no longer slipped between the bed and iron.

*Securing the tote*
The tote was a little loose, and wobbled a bit from side to side.










Apparently the previous owner had the same issue because there's a screw through the front of the handle into the plane body.










My preference would have been to remove the screw, then reseat the handle securely using hide glue, as Bob Rozaieski suggested to me in an email response. However, the screw would not budge. So I squeezed hide glue into the open "slit" adjacent to the handle on one side and into the shrinkage crack on the other. Now the tote is secure.

*A bunch of iron work*
The mating between the iron and cap iron needs to be tight enough so that try-plane thickness shavings can't get caught between them. My test fit showed light between the two surfaces. To address this, I started by flattening the back of the iron to a mirror finish. That way, any adjustments I made to the cap iron would be relative to a "flat" reference point.

*Mating the iron and cap iron*
To do that, I followed Ryan's method to flatten the underside of the cap iron. And while I was at it, I filed the cap iron bolt so that it barely extends beyond the surface of the iron it mates to.

*Cambering the iron*
The key to flat surfaces with a try plane is a medium camber to the iron. Using an iron with zero camber will leave track marks on the face. By contrast, a medium camber will leave gouges shallow enough for a smoothing plane to remove.

To camber the iron, I mostly followed Ryan's tutorial here.

By "mostly" I mean that I did not rig a pen on a length of string to scribe a 12.5" arc across the tip of the iron. If you've never done it before, I suggest that you do. If you're going to get into cambering blades it's essential that you get this experience under your belt. Telling you how much to camber your iron won't guide you nearly as much as doing it yourself and experiencing the results in use.

That said, I've found that when I grind to a scribe line, I end up with a heavily cambered iron that is more appropriate to a foreplane/jack plane than to a try plane. So now, to get the lesser camber, I very gently freehanded it on the grinder.

So I started in the middle of the iron and pushed it towards the spinning wheel until it ever so slightly engaged it. Keeping a very light touch, I arced it to the right being careful to keep the arc shallower than my senses told me to. Then I did this to the left, and alternated to the right then left, until I had a perceptible camber. When I put the edge to a ruler, the camber was much larger than my eyes perceived it to be, but noticeably less than that of a foreplane. Perfect.

*Test cut #1*
After securing the iron with the wedge, I made a few adjustments and put the plane to some pine.



















The plane definitely takes some nice shavings. However, what I thought was a secure wedge, consistently came unseated during use. Upon closer inspection, I concluded that it was not original to this plane. It's too narrow for the throat and side abutments by a full ¼".










*Making a new wedge*
Bob's tutorial on making a new wedge made the experience easy.

I would add that while the original wedge was too narrow, its angles were correct. Meaning that the wedge did mate securely with the cap iron and abutment faces (not sides.) So I measured the angle with a protractor…










…and transferred it to the wedge blank. That worked like a charm and the new oak wedge keeps the iron secure in use.

It was a lot of work bringing this tool back to usable shape. But I learned a lot and look forward to using my new try plane on projects. Not a bad trade for the Saturday morning sleep minutes I lost. And of course, the real treasure of a weekend breakfast with my lady.

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## racerglen

planepassion said:


> *Tuning a try plane woodie for use*
> 
> It takes a lot to get me up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. But the "Barn sale. Tools…" ad worked like three cups of coffee. Still, my lady doesn't share my enthusiasm for rust hunting, so to entice her, I described it as an adventure. And if by "adventure" you take that to mean that I promised to buy her breakfast along with the hope of finding vintage treasure that would appeal to her, then you'd be right.
> 
> Three people entered the sale before us and damned if one of them didn't ace me out of a Stanley #5. The very offender was looking at the woodies when I tippie-toed next to him to slip this one off a high shelf for inspection.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had a crack near the handle due to shrinkage over the last century. And the previous owner had replaced the cap-iron bolt with a brass one that was too long. So he carved a space out of the back of the wood wedge to accommodate it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still, I figured that for $5.00, the iron alone was worth the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning for use*
> The plane is 22" long, a perfect length for a try plane. I work with rough and resawn stock a lot. Since I don't have a bandsaw, my resawn faces can be pretty rough. So after using a highly-cambered foreplane, I remove the foreplane's scallops, and flatten the faces, with a medium-cambered try plane.
> 
> For an excellent discussion of iron camber (when to do it and how much) Bob Rozaieski's article on the subject is a must read.
> 
> Now I could use my Stanley #7 as a try plane, but it weighs over 8 pounds versus the woodie's 6 lbs. That adds up over the course of truing surfaces. Moreover, I've configured #7 as a jointer, meaning that the iron is sharpened straight across with zero camber. It won't get as much use in its role as a joinery plane, but when I do need it, it will fit the bill. Go here to read a detailed treatise on the differences between a try plane and a jointer.
> 
> *Truing the sole*
> Placing a straight-edge along the bottom of the sole revealed a disappointing gap of about 3/16" at the toe and heel. I was worried that I'd have to remove a lot of material to flatten the sole-nearly ¼" of an inch. If that had been the case, I would have "resoled" the bottom afterward with some beech to make up the difference.
> 
> After securing the plane upside down in a vise, I used my #7 to true the bottom. It was set for light shavings and made quick work of truing the sole without removing too much material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Dressing the iron bed*
> In order for the plane to perform properly, and free of chatter, the iron edge must be fully supported near the tip. However, when the iron was seated, I could easily slip a piece of paper between it and the supporting bed. To properly bed the iron, I followed Bob Rozaieski's podcast tutorial.
> 
> The iron bed was so crusty, and uneven that I resorted to using a curve-cut mill-tooth file to remove it while leaving a smooth finish.
> 
> I also cleaned up the sides of the mouth with a toothbrush and mineral spirits to remove the dirt and crud.
> 
> Afterwards, my paper "feeler gauge" no longer slipped between the bed and iron.
> 
> *Securing the tote*
> The tote was a little loose, and wobbled a bit from side to side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the previous owner had the same issue because there's a screw through the front of the handle into the plane body.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My preference would have been to remove the screw, then reseat the handle securely using hide glue, as Bob Rozaieski suggested to me in an email response. However, the screw would not budge. So I squeezed hide glue into the open "slit" adjacent to the handle on one side and into the shrinkage crack on the other. Now the tote is secure.
> 
> *A bunch of iron work*
> The mating between the iron and cap iron needs to be tight enough so that try-plane thickness shavings can't get caught between them. My test fit showed light between the two surfaces. To address this, I started by flattening the back of the iron to a mirror finish. That way, any adjustments I made to the cap iron would be relative to a "flat" reference point.
> 
> *Mating the iron and cap iron*
> To do that, I followed Ryan's method to flatten the underside of the cap iron. And while I was at it, I filed the cap iron bolt so that it barely extends beyond the surface of the iron it mates to.
> 
> *Cambering the iron*
> The key to flat surfaces with a try plane is a medium camber to the iron. Using an iron with zero camber will leave track marks on the face. By contrast, a medium camber will leave gouges shallow enough for a smoothing plane to remove.
> 
> To camber the iron, I mostly followed Ryan's tutorial here.
> 
> By "mostly" I mean that I did not rig a pen on a length of string to scribe a 12.5" arc across the tip of the iron. If you've never done it before, I suggest that you do. If you're going to get into cambering blades it's essential that you get this experience under your belt. Telling you how much to camber your iron won't guide you nearly as much as doing it yourself and experiencing the results in use.
> 
> That said, I've found that when I grind to a scribe line, I end up with a heavily cambered iron that is more appropriate to a foreplane/jack plane than to a try plane. So now, to get the lesser camber, I very gently freehanded it on the grinder.
> 
> So I started in the middle of the iron and pushed it towards the spinning wheel until it ever so slightly engaged it. Keeping a very light touch, I arced it to the right being careful to keep the arc shallower than my senses told me to. Then I did this to the left, and alternated to the right then left, until I had a perceptible camber. When I put the edge to a ruler, the camber was much larger than my eyes perceived it to be, but noticeably less than that of a foreplane. Perfect.
> 
> *Test cut #1*
> After securing the iron with the wedge, I made a few adjustments and put the plane to some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plane definitely takes some nice shavings. However, what I thought was a secure wedge, consistently came unseated during use. Upon closer inspection, I concluded that it was not original to this plane. It's too narrow for the throat and side abutments by a full ¼".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Making a new wedge*
> Bob's tutorial on making a new wedge made the experience easy.
> 
> I would add that while the original wedge was too narrow, its angles were correct. Meaning that the wedge did mate securely with the cap iron and abutment faces (not sides.) So I measured the angle with a protractor…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and transferred it to the wedge blank. That worked like a charm and the new oak wedge keeps the iron secure in use.
> 
> It was a lot of work bringing this tool back to usable shape. But I learned a lot and look forward to using my new try plane on projects. Not a bad trade for the Saturday morning sleep minutes I lost. And of course, the real treasure of a weekend breakfast with my lady.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Nice find and nice tutorial sharing from both sides !
Like it all Brad .


----------



## Tim457

planepassion said:


> *Tuning a try plane woodie for use*
> 
> It takes a lot to get me up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. But the "Barn sale. Tools…" ad worked like three cups of coffee. Still, my lady doesn't share my enthusiasm for rust hunting, so to entice her, I described it as an adventure. And if by "adventure" you take that to mean that I promised to buy her breakfast along with the hope of finding vintage treasure that would appeal to her, then you'd be right.
> 
> Three people entered the sale before us and damned if one of them didn't ace me out of a Stanley #5. The very offender was looking at the woodies when I tippie-toed next to him to slip this one off a high shelf for inspection.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had a crack near the handle due to shrinkage over the last century. And the previous owner had replaced the cap-iron bolt with a brass one that was too long. So he carved a space out of the back of the wood wedge to accommodate it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still, I figured that for $5.00, the iron alone was worth the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning for use*
> The plane is 22" long, a perfect length for a try plane. I work with rough and resawn stock a lot. Since I don't have a bandsaw, my resawn faces can be pretty rough. So after using a highly-cambered foreplane, I remove the foreplane's scallops, and flatten the faces, with a medium-cambered try plane.
> 
> For an excellent discussion of iron camber (when to do it and how much) Bob Rozaieski's article on the subject is a must read.
> 
> Now I could use my Stanley #7 as a try plane, but it weighs over 8 pounds versus the woodie's 6 lbs. That adds up over the course of truing surfaces. Moreover, I've configured #7 as a jointer, meaning that the iron is sharpened straight across with zero camber. It won't get as much use in its role as a joinery plane, but when I do need it, it will fit the bill. Go here to read a detailed treatise on the differences between a try plane and a jointer.
> 
> *Truing the sole*
> Placing a straight-edge along the bottom of the sole revealed a disappointing gap of about 3/16" at the toe and heel. I was worried that I'd have to remove a lot of material to flatten the sole-nearly ¼" of an inch. If that had been the case, I would have "resoled" the bottom afterward with some beech to make up the difference.
> 
> After securing the plane upside down in a vise, I used my #7 to true the bottom. It was set for light shavings and made quick work of truing the sole without removing too much material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Dressing the iron bed*
> In order for the plane to perform properly, and free of chatter, the iron edge must be fully supported near the tip. However, when the iron was seated, I could easily slip a piece of paper between it and the supporting bed. To properly bed the iron, I followed Bob Rozaieski's podcast tutorial.
> 
> The iron bed was so crusty, and uneven that I resorted to using a curve-cut mill-tooth file to remove it while leaving a smooth finish.
> 
> I also cleaned up the sides of the mouth with a toothbrush and mineral spirits to remove the dirt and crud.
> 
> Afterwards, my paper "feeler gauge" no longer slipped between the bed and iron.
> 
> *Securing the tote*
> The tote was a little loose, and wobbled a bit from side to side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the previous owner had the same issue because there's a screw through the front of the handle into the plane body.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My preference would have been to remove the screw, then reseat the handle securely using hide glue, as Bob Rozaieski suggested to me in an email response. However, the screw would not budge. So I squeezed hide glue into the open "slit" adjacent to the handle on one side and into the shrinkage crack on the other. Now the tote is secure.
> 
> *A bunch of iron work*
> The mating between the iron and cap iron needs to be tight enough so that try-plane thickness shavings can't get caught between them. My test fit showed light between the two surfaces. To address this, I started by flattening the back of the iron to a mirror finish. That way, any adjustments I made to the cap iron would be relative to a "flat" reference point.
> 
> *Mating the iron and cap iron*
> To do that, I followed Ryan's method to flatten the underside of the cap iron. And while I was at it, I filed the cap iron bolt so that it barely extends beyond the surface of the iron it mates to.
> 
> *Cambering the iron*
> The key to flat surfaces with a try plane is a medium camber to the iron. Using an iron with zero camber will leave track marks on the face. By contrast, a medium camber will leave gouges shallow enough for a smoothing plane to remove.
> 
> To camber the iron, I mostly followed Ryan's tutorial here.
> 
> By "mostly" I mean that I did not rig a pen on a length of string to scribe a 12.5" arc across the tip of the iron. If you've never done it before, I suggest that you do. If you're going to get into cambering blades it's essential that you get this experience under your belt. Telling you how much to camber your iron won't guide you nearly as much as doing it yourself and experiencing the results in use.
> 
> That said, I've found that when I grind to a scribe line, I end up with a heavily cambered iron that is more appropriate to a foreplane/jack plane than to a try plane. So now, to get the lesser camber, I very gently freehanded it on the grinder.
> 
> So I started in the middle of the iron and pushed it towards the spinning wheel until it ever so slightly engaged it. Keeping a very light touch, I arced it to the right being careful to keep the arc shallower than my senses told me to. Then I did this to the left, and alternated to the right then left, until I had a perceptible camber. When I put the edge to a ruler, the camber was much larger than my eyes perceived it to be, but noticeably less than that of a foreplane. Perfect.
> 
> *Test cut #1*
> After securing the iron with the wedge, I made a few adjustments and put the plane to some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plane definitely takes some nice shavings. However, what I thought was a secure wedge, consistently came unseated during use. Upon closer inspection, I concluded that it was not original to this plane. It's too narrow for the throat and side abutments by a full ¼".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Making a new wedge*
> Bob's tutorial on making a new wedge made the experience easy.
> 
> I would add that while the original wedge was too narrow, its angles were correct. Meaning that the wedge did mate securely with the cap iron and abutment faces (not sides.) So I measured the angle with a protractor…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and transferred it to the wedge blank. That worked like a charm and the new oak wedge keeps the iron secure in use.
> 
> It was a lot of work bringing this tool back to usable shape. But I learned a lot and look forward to using my new try plane on projects. Not a bad trade for the Saturday morning sleep minutes I lost. And of course, the real treasure of a weekend breakfast with my lady.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Nice restore and very detailed information and links. Thanks a lot.


----------



## j1212t

planepassion said:


> *Tuning a try plane woodie for use*
> 
> It takes a lot to get me up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. But the "Barn sale. Tools…" ad worked like three cups of coffee. Still, my lady doesn't share my enthusiasm for rust hunting, so to entice her, I described it as an adventure. And if by "adventure" you take that to mean that I promised to buy her breakfast along with the hope of finding vintage treasure that would appeal to her, then you'd be right.
> 
> Three people entered the sale before us and damned if one of them didn't ace me out of a Stanley #5. The very offender was looking at the woodies when I tippie-toed next to him to slip this one off a high shelf for inspection.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had a crack near the handle due to shrinkage over the last century. And the previous owner had replaced the cap-iron bolt with a brass one that was too long. So he carved a space out of the back of the wood wedge to accommodate it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still, I figured that for $5.00, the iron alone was worth the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning for use*
> The plane is 22" long, a perfect length for a try plane. I work with rough and resawn stock a lot. Since I don't have a bandsaw, my resawn faces can be pretty rough. So after using a highly-cambered foreplane, I remove the foreplane's scallops, and flatten the faces, with a medium-cambered try plane.
> 
> For an excellent discussion of iron camber (when to do it and how much) Bob Rozaieski's article on the subject is a must read.
> 
> Now I could use my Stanley #7 as a try plane, but it weighs over 8 pounds versus the woodie's 6 lbs. That adds up over the course of truing surfaces. Moreover, I've configured #7 as a jointer, meaning that the iron is sharpened straight across with zero camber. It won't get as much use in its role as a joinery plane, but when I do need it, it will fit the bill. Go here to read a detailed treatise on the differences between a try plane and a jointer.
> 
> *Truing the sole*
> Placing a straight-edge along the bottom of the sole revealed a disappointing gap of about 3/16" at the toe and heel. I was worried that I'd have to remove a lot of material to flatten the sole-nearly ¼" of an inch. If that had been the case, I would have "resoled" the bottom afterward with some beech to make up the difference.
> 
> After securing the plane upside down in a vise, I used my #7 to true the bottom. It was set for light shavings and made quick work of truing the sole without removing too much material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Dressing the iron bed*
> In order for the plane to perform properly, and free of chatter, the iron edge must be fully supported near the tip. However, when the iron was seated, I could easily slip a piece of paper between it and the supporting bed. To properly bed the iron, I followed Bob Rozaieski's podcast tutorial.
> 
> The iron bed was so crusty, and uneven that I resorted to using a curve-cut mill-tooth file to remove it while leaving a smooth finish.
> 
> I also cleaned up the sides of the mouth with a toothbrush and mineral spirits to remove the dirt and crud.
> 
> Afterwards, my paper "feeler gauge" no longer slipped between the bed and iron.
> 
> *Securing the tote*
> The tote was a little loose, and wobbled a bit from side to side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the previous owner had the same issue because there's a screw through the front of the handle into the plane body.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My preference would have been to remove the screw, then reseat the handle securely using hide glue, as Bob Rozaieski suggested to me in an email response. However, the screw would not budge. So I squeezed hide glue into the open "slit" adjacent to the handle on one side and into the shrinkage crack on the other. Now the tote is secure.
> 
> *A bunch of iron work*
> The mating between the iron and cap iron needs to be tight enough so that try-plane thickness shavings can't get caught between them. My test fit showed light between the two surfaces. To address this, I started by flattening the back of the iron to a mirror finish. That way, any adjustments I made to the cap iron would be relative to a "flat" reference point.
> 
> *Mating the iron and cap iron*
> To do that, I followed Ryan's method to flatten the underside of the cap iron. And while I was at it, I filed the cap iron bolt so that it barely extends beyond the surface of the iron it mates to.
> 
> *Cambering the iron*
> The key to flat surfaces with a try plane is a medium camber to the iron. Using an iron with zero camber will leave track marks on the face. By contrast, a medium camber will leave gouges shallow enough for a smoothing plane to remove.
> 
> To camber the iron, I mostly followed Ryan's tutorial here.
> 
> By "mostly" I mean that I did not rig a pen on a length of string to scribe a 12.5" arc across the tip of the iron. If you've never done it before, I suggest that you do. If you're going to get into cambering blades it's essential that you get this experience under your belt. Telling you how much to camber your iron won't guide you nearly as much as doing it yourself and experiencing the results in use.
> 
> That said, I've found that when I grind to a scribe line, I end up with a heavily cambered iron that is more appropriate to a foreplane/jack plane than to a try plane. So now, to get the lesser camber, I very gently freehanded it on the grinder.
> 
> So I started in the middle of the iron and pushed it towards the spinning wheel until it ever so slightly engaged it. Keeping a very light touch, I arced it to the right being careful to keep the arc shallower than my senses told me to. Then I did this to the left, and alternated to the right then left, until I had a perceptible camber. When I put the edge to a ruler, the camber was much larger than my eyes perceived it to be, but noticeably less than that of a foreplane. Perfect.
> 
> *Test cut #1*
> After securing the iron with the wedge, I made a few adjustments and put the plane to some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plane definitely takes some nice shavings. However, what I thought was a secure wedge, consistently came unseated during use. Upon closer inspection, I concluded that it was not original to this plane. It's too narrow for the throat and side abutments by a full ¼".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Making a new wedge*
> Bob's tutorial on making a new wedge made the experience easy.
> 
> I would add that while the original wedge was too narrow, its angles were correct. Meaning that the wedge did mate securely with the cap iron and abutment faces (not sides.) So I measured the angle with a protractor…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and transferred it to the wedge blank. That worked like a charm and the new oak wedge keeps the iron secure in use.
> 
> It was a lot of work bringing this tool back to usable shape. But I learned a lot and look forward to using my new try plane on projects. Not a bad trade for the Saturday morning sleep minutes I lost. And of course, the real treasure of a weekend breakfast with my lady.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Thanks for the very detailed instructions, I am going to put them to use!


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Tuning a try plane woodie for use*
> 
> It takes a lot to get me up at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. But the "Barn sale. Tools…" ad worked like three cups of coffee. Still, my lady doesn't share my enthusiasm for rust hunting, so to entice her, I described it as an adventure. And if by "adventure" you take that to mean that I promised to buy her breakfast along with the hope of finding vintage treasure that would appeal to her, then you'd be right.
> 
> Three people entered the sale before us and damned if one of them didn't ace me out of a Stanley #5. The very offender was looking at the woodies when I tippie-toed next to him to slip this one off a high shelf for inspection.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It had a crack near the handle due to shrinkage over the last century. And the previous owner had replaced the cap-iron bolt with a brass one that was too long. So he carved a space out of the back of the wood wedge to accommodate it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still, I figured that for $5.00, the iron alone was worth the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Tuning for use*
> The plane is 22" long, a perfect length for a try plane. I work with rough and resawn stock a lot. Since I don't have a bandsaw, my resawn faces can be pretty rough. So after using a highly-cambered foreplane, I remove the foreplane's scallops, and flatten the faces, with a medium-cambered try plane.
> 
> For an excellent discussion of iron camber (when to do it and how much) Bob Rozaieski's article on the subject is a must read.
> 
> Now I could use my Stanley #7 as a try plane, but it weighs over 8 pounds versus the woodie's 6 lbs. That adds up over the course of truing surfaces. Moreover, I've configured #7 as a jointer, meaning that the iron is sharpened straight across with zero camber. It won't get as much use in its role as a joinery plane, but when I do need it, it will fit the bill. Go here to read a detailed treatise on the differences between a try plane and a jointer.
> 
> *Truing the sole*
> Placing a straight-edge along the bottom of the sole revealed a disappointing gap of about 3/16" at the toe and heel. I was worried that I'd have to remove a lot of material to flatten the sole-nearly ¼" of an inch. If that had been the case, I would have "resoled" the bottom afterward with some beech to make up the difference.
> 
> After securing the plane upside down in a vise, I used my #7 to true the bottom. It was set for light shavings and made quick work of truing the sole without removing too much material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Dressing the iron bed*
> In order for the plane to perform properly, and free of chatter, the iron edge must be fully supported near the tip. However, when the iron was seated, I could easily slip a piece of paper between it and the supporting bed. To properly bed the iron, I followed Bob Rozaieski's podcast tutorial.
> 
> The iron bed was so crusty, and uneven that I resorted to using a curve-cut mill-tooth file to remove it while leaving a smooth finish.
> 
> I also cleaned up the sides of the mouth with a toothbrush and mineral spirits to remove the dirt and crud.
> 
> Afterwards, my paper "feeler gauge" no longer slipped between the bed and iron.
> 
> *Securing the tote*
> The tote was a little loose, and wobbled a bit from side to side.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apparently the previous owner had the same issue because there's a screw through the front of the handle into the plane body.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My preference would have been to remove the screw, then reseat the handle securely using hide glue, as Bob Rozaieski suggested to me in an email response. However, the screw would not budge. So I squeezed hide glue into the open "slit" adjacent to the handle on one side and into the shrinkage crack on the other. Now the tote is secure.
> 
> *A bunch of iron work*
> The mating between the iron and cap iron needs to be tight enough so that try-plane thickness shavings can't get caught between them. My test fit showed light between the two surfaces. To address this, I started by flattening the back of the iron to a mirror finish. That way, any adjustments I made to the cap iron would be relative to a "flat" reference point.
> 
> *Mating the iron and cap iron*
> To do that, I followed Ryan's method to flatten the underside of the cap iron. And while I was at it, I filed the cap iron bolt so that it barely extends beyond the surface of the iron it mates to.
> 
> *Cambering the iron*
> The key to flat surfaces with a try plane is a medium camber to the iron. Using an iron with zero camber will leave track marks on the face. By contrast, a medium camber will leave gouges shallow enough for a smoothing plane to remove.
> 
> To camber the iron, I mostly followed Ryan's tutorial here.
> 
> By "mostly" I mean that I did not rig a pen on a length of string to scribe a 12.5" arc across the tip of the iron. If you've never done it before, I suggest that you do. If you're going to get into cambering blades it's essential that you get this experience under your belt. Telling you how much to camber your iron won't guide you nearly as much as doing it yourself and experiencing the results in use.
> 
> That said, I've found that when I grind to a scribe line, I end up with a heavily cambered iron that is more appropriate to a foreplane/jack plane than to a try plane. So now, to get the lesser camber, I very gently freehanded it on the grinder.
> 
> So I started in the middle of the iron and pushed it towards the spinning wheel until it ever so slightly engaged it. Keeping a very light touch, I arced it to the right being careful to keep the arc shallower than my senses told me to. Then I did this to the left, and alternated to the right then left, until I had a perceptible camber. When I put the edge to a ruler, the camber was much larger than my eyes perceived it to be, but noticeably less than that of a foreplane. Perfect.
> 
> *Test cut #1*
> After securing the iron with the wedge, I made a few adjustments and put the plane to some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The plane definitely takes some nice shavings. However, what I thought was a secure wedge, consistently came unseated during use. Upon closer inspection, I concluded that it was not original to this plane. It's too narrow for the throat and side abutments by a full ¼".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Making a new wedge*
> Bob's tutorial on making a new wedge made the experience easy.
> 
> I would add that while the original wedge was too narrow, its angles were correct. Meaning that the wedge did mate securely with the cap iron and abutment faces (not sides.) So I measured the angle with a protractor…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and transferred it to the wedge blank. That worked like a charm and the new oak wedge keeps the iron secure in use.
> 
> It was a lot of work bringing this tool back to usable shape. But I learned a lot and look forward to using my new try plane on projects. Not a bad trade for the Saturday morning sleep minutes I lost. And of course, the real treasure of a weekend breakfast with my lady.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


excellent work Brad.


----------



## planepassion

*New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*

I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.










The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…



















…and caked with what appeared to be glue…










…it came home with me.

I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.

I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.



















The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.










The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.










A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.

My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.










That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.

*So how does it cut?*
This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.










And it tracks accurately…










to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.



















Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## a1Jim

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Looks Like an impressive restoration and super saw.


----------



## Tim457

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Awesome saw. I think I'm settling on the minimal restorations for myself as well. I like to keep an old tool looking old.


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Its a keeper. Nicely done!


----------



## DocBailey

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Now that's the right way to do a tool rehab

I have always subscribed to the "less is more" approach.

Great job, Brad


----------



## chrisstef

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


A harvey peace in the wild is a great pick up no matter the condition. Ive got one HP, and like you, it fits my hand like a glove. You did that old saw a solid Brad!


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Great job Brad. That will now go on cutting for many more years to come. Well worth the time and effort you put into it.


----------



## theoldfart

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Real nice job Brad. My till is also lacking a finer point rip, so maybe a renovation is in order. Someday!


----------



## ToddJB

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Great job, Brad. She's a beauty.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Five years of consistent use have validated my initial impressions. It is my go to rip saw because it leaves a clean cut compared to my course 5 1/2 point rip saw. The steel is great. And I haven't had to sharpen it since the initial sharpening. I love it.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Good to hear Brad and nice to hear from you my friend.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Thanks Andy. It's been a trying past 5 years. How are things with you and yours?


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *New Life for a Harvey Peace No 45 Panel Saw*
> 
> I found this Harvey Peace saw buried under a bunch of rusty ones at an estate sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The nib and handle lambs tongue set it apart from the others. So even though it was covered in rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …and caked with what appeared to be glue…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> …it came home with me.
> 
> I've never owned or used a Harvey Peace sample before. This 8ppi specimen measures 22 inches long. Good. I can always use another panel saw.
> 
> I took a minimalist approach to my rehab, choosing to sand off decades of glue and rust while giving the handle and brass hardware a gentle cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The handle fits snugly in my small hands with little to no hang from what I can tell.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The tooth line, however, was a mess and included one broken point.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A good sharpening would fix all that. But how to use my latest acquisition? Glancing at my saw till, I spied a gap. You see, my courser rip saws leave some nasty tear out. And there have been times-a lot of times-where I would have preferred to have had neat edges. So I decided to convert this 8ppi saw from crosscut to rip.
> 
> My first impression of the Peace steel was very positive. It took well to two jointings and a sharpening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That went a long way towards filing out the broken tooth.
> 
> *So how does it cut?*
> This saw is sa-weet! It rips relatively quickly through birdseye maple.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it tracks accurately…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to leave a relatively neat finish in the backside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overall, I'm impressed enough to recommend adding Harvey Peace saws to your till. The excellent steel, handle and fit and finish make this No. 45 a keeper. And so are the clean rip cuts I'm getting in walnut, maple and cherry.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Sorry to hear that Brad. We are Ok thanks. My wife has been shielding due to her asthma and hasn't been out of the house since the lockdown. I just managed to get my daughter back home before lockdown started. We have all been working from home.


----------



## planepassion

*The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home*

One snowy day, I found this while rummaging around a used tool store in downtown Denver.










I was so gold-fever blinded by my desire to fill the #5 ½ hole in my collection, that I overlooked the fact that it had lived a hard life. And the fact that it wasn't a Type 11, my chosen user collection "model."










The cold must have dulled my senses too, because when I got it home, I found this.










Cracks don't work for me. So the plane went back. The owner's "we only give in store credit" policy didn't work for me either. So I'll never do business with them again. You can keep your credit and I'll chalk up the lost money to an expensive lesson of what happens when you don't give a plane a really careful review.

*Stanley #5 ½, take two*
A year later, I had a flashback when I came across this #5 ½ in a flea market.










Is it a type 11?


























Well yes. Parts all there? Yup. Everything adjusts as it should? You bet. Any cracks or other damage? Well, the tote was cracked clean through and it was missing its beaver tail. But I can work with that. And the price was reasonable.

Under the blaring lights of my shop, it was clear that this plane was a lot rustier and dirtier than I had thought.










































The chipbreaker, though, was properly set for a jackplane.










However, the iron was sloppily cambered and showed many nicks. The plane clearly hadn't touched wood in, possibly, decades.

After a serious de-rusting, cleaning and oiling, her inner beauty began to emerge.




























That's a spare, late-model tote you see in the pictures. It was on there so that I could tune it before turning my attention to repairing/restoring the original tote.

I sharpened the iron and put a mild camber to the edge. Then spent five minutes lapping the sole. Now normally, I wouldn't bother doing that on a course-cutting plane like this. The need for flatness is not as stringent as it is for a smoother or jointer. However, I wanted to make sure that the sole didn't have any twist. And the sanding scratch marks confirmed that all was good.

So too did test passes in some pine.




























In the next post, I'll detail three common repairs that I did to the ravaged tote.

###

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home*
> 
> One snowy day, I found this while rummaging around a used tool store in downtown Denver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was so gold-fever blinded by my desire to fill the #5 ½ hole in my collection, that I overlooked the fact that it had lived a hard life. And the fact that it wasn't a Type 11, my chosen user collection "model."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cold must have dulled my senses too, because when I got it home, I found this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cracks don't work for me. So the plane went back. The owner's "we only give in store credit" policy didn't work for me either. So I'll never do business with them again. You can keep your credit and I'll chalk up the lost money to an expensive lesson of what happens when you don't give a plane a really careful review.
> 
> *Stanley #5 ½, take two*
> A year later, I had a flashback when I came across this #5 ½ in a flea market.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it a type 11?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well yes. Parts all there? Yup. Everything adjusts as it should? You bet. Any cracks or other damage? Well, the tote was cracked clean through and it was missing its beaver tail. But I can work with that. And the price was reasonable.
> 
> Under the blaring lights of my shop, it was clear that this plane was a lot rustier and dirtier than I had thought.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The chipbreaker, though, was properly set for a jackplane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, the iron was sloppily cambered and showed many nicks. The plane clearly hadn't touched wood in, possibly, decades.
> 
> After a serious de-rusting, cleaning and oiling, her inner beauty began to emerge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a spare, late-model tote you see in the pictures. It was on there so that I could tune it before turning my attention to repairing/restoring the original tote.
> 
> I sharpened the iron and put a mild camber to the edge. Then spent five minutes lapping the sole. Now normally, I wouldn't bother doing that on a course-cutting plane like this. The need for flatness is not as stringent as it is for a smoother or jointer. However, I wanted to make sure that the sole didn't have any twist. And the sanding scratch marks confirmed that all was good.
> 
> So too did test passes in some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the next post, I'll detail three common repairs that I did to the ravaged tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Great save Brad! Nice to hear the till is filling up. How many spaces do you have left now?


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home*
> 
> One snowy day, I found this while rummaging around a used tool store in downtown Denver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was so gold-fever blinded by my desire to fill the #5 ½ hole in my collection, that I overlooked the fact that it had lived a hard life. And the fact that it wasn't a Type 11, my chosen user collection "model."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cold must have dulled my senses too, because when I got it home, I found this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cracks don't work for me. So the plane went back. The owner's "we only give in store credit" policy didn't work for me either. So I'll never do business with them again. You can keep your credit and I'll chalk up the lost money to an expensive lesson of what happens when you don't give a plane a really careful review.
> 
> *Stanley #5 ½, take two*
> A year later, I had a flashback when I came across this #5 ½ in a flea market.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it a type 11?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well yes. Parts all there? Yup. Everything adjusts as it should? You bet. Any cracks or other damage? Well, the tote was cracked clean through and it was missing its beaver tail. But I can work with that. And the price was reasonable.
> 
> Under the blaring lights of my shop, it was clear that this plane was a lot rustier and dirtier than I had thought.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The chipbreaker, though, was properly set for a jackplane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, the iron was sloppily cambered and showed many nicks. The plane clearly hadn't touched wood in, possibly, decades.
> 
> After a serious de-rusting, cleaning and oiling, her inner beauty began to emerge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a spare, late-model tote you see in the pictures. It was on there so that I could tune it before turning my attention to repairing/restoring the original tote.
> 
> I sharpened the iron and put a mild camber to the edge. Then spent five minutes lapping the sole. Now normally, I wouldn't bother doing that on a course-cutting plane like this. The need for flatness is not as stringent as it is for a smoother or jointer. However, I wanted to make sure that the sole didn't have any twist. And the sanding scratch marks confirmed that all was good.
> 
> So too did test passes in some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the next post, I'll detail three common repairs that I did to the ravaged tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


excellent!!


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home*
> 
> One snowy day, I found this while rummaging around a used tool store in downtown Denver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was so gold-fever blinded by my desire to fill the #5 ½ hole in my collection, that I overlooked the fact that it had lived a hard life. And the fact that it wasn't a Type 11, my chosen user collection "model."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cold must have dulled my senses too, because when I got it home, I found this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cracks don't work for me. So the plane went back. The owner's "we only give in store credit" policy didn't work for me either. So I'll never do business with them again. You can keep your credit and I'll chalk up the lost money to an expensive lesson of what happens when you don't give a plane a really careful review.
> 
> *Stanley #5 ½, take two*
> A year later, I had a flashback when I came across this #5 ½ in a flea market.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it a type 11?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well yes. Parts all there? Yup. Everything adjusts as it should? You bet. Any cracks or other damage? Well, the tote was cracked clean through and it was missing its beaver tail. But I can work with that. And the price was reasonable.
> 
> Under the blaring lights of my shop, it was clear that this plane was a lot rustier and dirtier than I had thought.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The chipbreaker, though, was properly set for a jackplane.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, the iron was sloppily cambered and showed many nicks. The plane clearly hadn't touched wood in, possibly, decades.
> 
> After a serious de-rusting, cleaning and oiling, her inner beauty began to emerge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a spare, late-model tote you see in the pictures. It was on there so that I could tune it before turning my attention to repairing/restoring the original tote.
> 
> I sharpened the iron and put a mild camber to the edge. Then spent five minutes lapping the sole. Now normally, I wouldn't bother doing that on a course-cutting plane like this. The need for flatness is not as stringent as it is for a smoother or jointer. However, I wanted to make sure that the sole didn't have any twist. And the sanding scratch marks confirmed that all was good.
> 
> So too did test passes in some pine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the next post, I'll detail three common repairs that I did to the ravaged tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Andy, this acquisition officially completed my user set of T11s. In this case I define "user" to mean what I would actually use. That means that I can live a happy life without a #1 nor a #2. I also am not caught up in the smooth-bottom, corrugated-bottom distinction-I have some of each. But as a practical matter, I am good to go for my bench planes having: #3, #4, #4 1/2, #5 (three), #5 1/2, #6, #7 & #8.

As for other planes, I'm coveting a smaller block plane, like the 60 1/2, but will probably either buy new or build my own using a stock Stanley blade. I would also be interested in picking up the Veritas router plane to advance my cause to have new joinery planes. Already have the Veritas rabbet and plough planes. My covetous eye is also falling upon the Lie-Neilsen #7. A girl can dream can't she?

And you Andy? Where do you stand?


----------



## planepassion

*The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*

In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.










Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.

1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.

*Repair #1: Fixing the break*
After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.

Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.

*Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.

*Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*

Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank

The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.










It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.

I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.










I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.

Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank

My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.

That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.

Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.










It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.

From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)

After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.

Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.










A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.










While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.










Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess

At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.

I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.










That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.










The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.

Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping

A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)



















Step #6: Finishing

The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.


























The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.

###

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## upchuck

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Brad-

I'm glad that you finally found your type 11 #5 1/2. It looks like you have restored a winning tool. Like you I have learned to restrain my enthusiasm, but I am sure I'll have to relearn that lesson. The more I want a tool the more I'm likely to overlook it's flaws; even it's fatal flaws.

Also thank you for the detailed description of your procedure for repairing totes. Some months back I asked about materials for adding to tote beavertails for repairs and you recommended Indian Rosewood. Your repair with I. Rosewood is smooth, well matched, and commendable. But I haven't been able to do it.

Instead I have scraped and scrounged every slinter and piece of Brazilian Rosewood I can find and stacked them up to create pieces large enough to do what you did so easily. I wonder if I'm being foolish.



















I have found broken totes, bevel gauges, knife handles, squares, brace pads, and any other scrap of B. Rosewood I could use. I think that there are 8 pieces of scrap to repair that knob and 3-4 or so on the tote with at least 2 more to go to complete that repair.

Nice work.

chuck


----------



## Brit

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


That is really impressive Brad. One of the best repairs I've seen.

Chuck - I applaud you.


----------



## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Ah Chuck, a stickler after my own heart. Nothing wrong with seeking out the original species for a repair. I look forward to seeing your "laminated" B rosewood solution.

I think that by using the Minwax Jacoba Bean stain on my repaired totes that it helps mask the color differences in the wood (and closely mimicks the original look) while the Indian Rosewood grain matches the B rosewood quite well to mine eye. It must be close because it doesn't set off the OCD alarm in my head


----------



## Tugboater78

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Real nice job, good seeing how you fixed the problem if I ever come to that point of needing to do the same. I have a t11 and a t13 5.5 (I think, haven't been using my planes much lately) but I love that size.


----------



## upchuck

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Brad-

Yeah, I'll admit to being a stickler. But I am neither a purist nor pure. One of the finest sets of knob and tote I have ever seen was made from Holly. The light color stood out and screamed, "Touch Me."

I just think that Brazilian Rosewood is such an endangered and rare species in my neck of the woods that it is worth my time and effort at using up the scraps I can get my hands on.

I also admire the field repair with an ugly broomstick. Lots of different ways to skin a cat.

chuck


----------



## ToddJB

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.





> That is really impressive Brad. One of the best repairs I've seen.
> 
> - Brit


+1 - I cannot imagine that coming out better. Great job.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Exceptional work, Brad!


----------



## terryR

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Brad, thanks for the tips on Beaver tail repairs…that one is seamless!  Using a shooter is an excellent idea!

I enjoy making new knobs and totes when none is present, but get lots more satisfaction from repairing the original wood, and keeping the plane 'all matching parts' if possible.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *The elusive #5 ½ T11 finally finds a home-Part 2*
> 
> In the last post, I completed the cleaning and tuning of the #5 ½. In this, Part 2, I cover three common repairs to the mangled tote.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most tote repairs are straight forward. However, I've found that replacing a beavertail is very tedious, exacting and time-consuming work. That's why I've described it in detail below. Still, by bother? I have four reasons.
> 
> 1. I'm a woodworker and there's a deep satisfaction that comes from repairing my own tools.
> 2. It can take a while to find a vintage replacement tote. And when I do, they are usually expensive.
> 3. I get blisters in the web of my thumb when I use totes that are missing beavers. So I find it necessary to repair them to make them users.
> 4. The main reason I fix totes, however, is because I want to keep as many of the original parts on my planes as I can. In so doing, my repair becomes a part of the tool's history for some future craftsperson to enjoy. I am after all, only a custodian of these tools for they will surely outlive me.
> 
> *Repair #1: Fixing the break*
> After removing the tote, I looked at the broken halves. The edges showed signs of wear, meaning that they were slightly rounded. That suggests to me that it got a lot of use after the break. So I used a wire brush to remove any gunk and dirt that may have seeped onto the surfaces over time.
> 
> Then I drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in each half to receive epoxy, and glued/clamped the two halves. There were two repairs yet to complete, so I waited until they were all done before sanding everything smooth. After sanding and staining, the glue lines were barely noticeable.
> 
> *Repair #2: Filling the nail holes*
> To fill the nail entry/exit holes, I jammed rosewood sawdust into the cavities followed by some CA glue. Yes, you can see them in the final pictures if you look for them. But after being sanded flush, I don't feel them at all.
> 
> *Repair #3: Adding a beaver tail*
> 
> Step #1: Prepare tote to accept replacement blank
> 
> The roughened break at the top of the tote doesn't offer an acceptable gluing surface.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It needs to be flat so that it can bond concrete-tight with the replacement blank. It also needs to be parallel to the tote bottom so that a clamp can hold the glued pieces without squirting out the glue-covered blank like a watermelon seed.
> 
> I have found that the most accurate, and blood-free way do this is with a shooting board.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I clamped a combination square to the fence so that the tote bottom could register square to the sole of the shooting plane. Then I placed a shim between the fence and tip of the tote and took light passes so as not to break anything. With that done, I turned my attention to the blank.
> 
> Step #2: Prepare & glue the blank
> 
> My shorts pile included a block of East Indian rosewood that I got from Rockler. I believe it's worth spending the money to get rosewood because the grain blends in quite well with the original tote after staining it. But before cutting it up, I needed to figure out what size to make it.
> 
> That I did by "superimposing" my beaverless-tote over a #5 tote template from Lee Valley. It wasn't an exact match, nor did I expect it to be because of variations in tote manufacture over the decades. Still, all I did was align the tote's leading edge with the template and mark the location of the break.
> 
> Using that as a baseline, I drew parallel and perpendicular lines to form a rectangle around the template beavertail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is oversized, allowing for 3/16" excess to the left, right and top. That gives me sufficient stock to work with during the critical shaping, smoothing and blending operations to follow. The end of the tail looked too short so I modified the template to be longer.
> 
> From the rectangle, I computed the blank's dimensions. To determine the blank's thickness, I measured the thickness of the tote at the break and added 6/16" (3/16" to either side.)
> 
> After cutting the blank to size, I took passes with a smoother until the blank seated perfectly flat against the tote's prepared surface. Then, I secured the tote in a bench vise and drilled 1/8" wide by 1/8" deep holes in both it, and the blank, so that five-minute epoxy could make a strong bond. A bar clamp fit between the vise jaws to secure the blank to the tote. It held firm with no slipping due to the opposing pressure being applied in parallel between the top of the blank and the tote bottom.
> 
> Step #3: Rough-shape glued blank
> Next I cut out and glued the template to the side of the blank.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A backsaw quickly removed a lot of excess material.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While some rough shaping with a coping saw produced this.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #4: Drill tote bolt hole and nut recess
> 
> At this stage, I like to drill through the top of the blank so that any tearout will disappear during the shaping process.
> 
> I use an extended-length, ¼" bit mounted in a brace to carry the bolt channel through the tote from the bottom.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's followed by drilling the nut recess with a 7/16" drill bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bit didn't cut well, so I had to clean up the recess with sandpaper wrapper around a dowel. Once the nut seated properly it was on to finish shaping the beaver tail.
> 
> Step #5: Mid- and final-beavertail shaping
> 
> A four-in-one rasp roughed out the beavertail shape. Then a drill-press-mounted drum sander helped shape the design further. That was followed by finer rasps, then sandpaper (60, 120, 220, 330,400 grits,) and finally, a polishing on the buffing wheel (no compound.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Step #6: Finishing
> 
> The baby-smooth surface received a coat of Minwax Jacobean stain. After drying overnight, I added two coats of amber shellac, using 0000 steel wool between coats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The final product is both functional and pleasing to the eye. Not bad for a mangled tote.
> 
> ###
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


I keep coming back to this blog and repair… It's great stuff. Is there an action shot of the plane on the way soon? How you liking the #5 1/2?


----------



## planepassion

*Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*

My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.

So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.

Here's what showed up on my front porch.










After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.

*Tuning the Record 043*
I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").

*Lap the skate*
The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.










I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.

*Add a fence*
In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.










Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.










I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.



















*Make shorter fence rods*
The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.



















To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.

The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.



















*Sharpen irons*
I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.

*Testing the Record 043*
With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.










That resulted in a pretty clean groove.










Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.










*Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.

Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen 

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## theoldfart

planepassion said:


> *Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*
> 
> My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.
> 
> So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.
> 
> Here's what showed up on my front porch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.
> 
> *Tuning the Record 043*
> I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").
> 
> *Lap the skate*
> The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.
> 
> *Add a fence*
> In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Make shorter fence rods*
> The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.
> 
> The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpen irons*
> I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.
> 
> *Testing the Record 043*
> With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That resulted in a pretty clean groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
> The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.
> 
> Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Brad, great post. If the 405 cutters will fit the 043 then you could also have metric cutters, My 405 has 2mm, 3mm 4mm.

I do like the fence as well as the shorter rods, should be a great tool.


----------



## bobasaurus

planepassion said:


> *Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*
> 
> My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.
> 
> So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.
> 
> Here's what showed up on my front porch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.
> 
> *Tuning the Record 043*
> I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").
> 
> *Lap the skate*
> The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.
> 
> *Add a fence*
> In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Make shorter fence rods*
> The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.
> 
> The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpen irons*
> I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.
> 
> *Testing the Record 043*
> With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That resulted in a pretty clean groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
> The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.
> 
> Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Looks like a useful little plane. I still don't own a plow plane, someday I hope to find a nice complete Stanley 45 or 50… for now I can use my router plane with the fence, but it's not as nice.


----------



## yuridichesky

planepassion said:


> *Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*
> 
> My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.
> 
> So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.
> 
> Here's what showed up on my front porch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.
> 
> *Tuning the Record 043*
> I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").
> 
> *Lap the skate*
> The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.
> 
> *Add a fence*
> In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Make shorter fence rods*
> The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.
> 
> The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpen irons*
> I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.
> 
> *Testing the Record 043*
> With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That resulted in a pretty clean groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
> The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.
> 
> Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Very nice! Small yet very handy tool!


----------



## donwilwol

planepassion said:


> *Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*
> 
> My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.
> 
> So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.
> 
> Here's what showed up on my front porch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.
> 
> *Tuning the Record 043*
> I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").
> 
> *Lap the skate*
> The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.
> 
> *Add a fence*
> In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Make shorter fence rods*
> The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.
> 
> The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpen irons*
> I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.
> 
> *Testing the Record 043*
> With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That resulted in a pretty clean groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
> The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.
> 
> Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Great post Brad.


----------



## Smitty_Cabinetshop

planepassion said:


> *Record 043 Grooving plane for my Dutch tool chest*
> 
> My Dutch tool chest was made for traveling. And when I'm on the road, I won't have access to a router table. So to make grooves, I needed a plow plane. Yes, I could take my Veritas small plow plane. But that would violate my rule to only take tools that I could accept-though grudgingly-being lost or stolen.
> 
> So I researched vintage (i.e. affordable) plow planes and settled on the Record 043 to serve my box grooving needs. Record is an English company, so it's not surprising that I found my eBay specimen in Norwich, UK. The price was decent but shipping boosted the final cost to around $80.00. And while the £15.00 shipping fee hurt, the sentimental value of having a tool that comes from my ancestral land takes a spot of the sting away.
> 
> Here's what showed up on my front porch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After a good sharpening of the 1/8", 3/16" and ¼" irons, the plane cut decent grooves. Even so, I decided to optimize its performance with a good tuning.
> 
> *Tuning the Record 043*
> I read a nice article here that guided me through the tuning process, (see "Will it work out of the box?").
> 
> *Lap the skate*
> The bottom of the skate was slightly out of true, plus showed machine marks from its manufacture. To correct these issues I lapped it through 2000 grit sand paper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also checked the edges to remove any burrs or hindering nicks. Now the polished cast iron sails across the wood.
> 
> *Add a fence*
> In my opinion, the stock fence is simply too small to deliver, spot-on and consistent grooves. So I crafted a fence out of walnut (½" T x 1 ¼" W x 4 ½ L.) I cut and chiseled a shaving escapement as detailed in the Record 043 owner's manual.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then rounded the bottom two corners and chamfered the outside edges.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finished the fence with Danish oil followed by a liberal waxing of the inside face to minimize friction.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Make shorter fence rods*
> The stock fence rods are 5 ½" long. What that means is that they extend several inches beyond one side or the other. And that interferes with my grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rectify that, I made 3" rods from some 7mm silver steel that I ordered from Chronos Engineering Supplies.
> 
> The shorter length won't be a problem since I'll be using this plane for box bottom grooves. And it clears the way to a better grip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sharpen irons*
> I sharpened the irons with a 30 degree bevel. The manual calls for 35 degrees. The 30 degrees has worked fine so far. But choose for yourself.
> 
> *Testing the Record 043*
> With the tuning and fence done, I set up the plane to make a 1/8" test groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That resulted in a pretty clean groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which fit some 1/8" plywood very nicely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Comfortable to use, perfect for grooving role*
> The 043 is surprisingly comfortable to use. And it performs the box/drawer grooving role quite well. So now my Dutch tool chest has that base covered.
> 
> Though after using it for a while, I must confess that I would be mightily disappointed if this plane was lost or stolen
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


+ 1 to what Don said. Excellent plNe, nice job on the rods and walnut fence, too.


----------



## planepassion

*An Ode to Panel Saws*

Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.

Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.

As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.










The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.



















Then sharpened it.










And put it to use










My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.

© 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


----------



## racerglen

planepassion said:


> *An Ode to Panel Saws*
> 
> Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.
> 
> Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.
> 
> As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then sharpened it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put it to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Nice work Brad, nice saws as well.


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## Tim457

planepassion said:


> *An Ode to Panel Saws*
> 
> Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.
> 
> Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.
> 
> As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then sharpened it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put it to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


That turned out great, the plate is in very good shape. What kind of finish did you go with for the handle?


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## Handtooler

planepassion said:


> *An Ode to Panel Saws*
> 
> Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.
> 
> Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.
> 
> As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then sharpened it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put it to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


My size (5'5" ; 31" sleeve) is similar to yours, and I agree with my saw bench allowing my saws to hit bottom too often. I'll certainly be on the lookout for a panel saw of the 16-20 inch length to rehab. Any hints on sharpening to your quality?


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## planepassion

planepassion said:


> *An Ode to Panel Saws*
> 
> Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.
> 
> Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.
> 
> As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then sharpened it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put it to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Tim, I think this handle has a poly coating. For handles, I've tried shellac, BLO + wax and poly. I like the feel of BLO, but the protective coating of shellac is nice too. Poly can have a plastic feel/look to it. Shellac isn't bad that way to me for some reason.

Handtooler, to get better at sharpening saws you have to keep doing it. Sharpening a rip saw is so easy that I think that everyone should do it. I blogged about sharpening here. It includes links to other saw sharpening resources.

And Andy created an amazing saw sharpening video here.


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## Brit

planepassion said:


> *An Ode to Panel Saws*
> 
> Most of my projects trend towards the smaller side. Boxes and such. So using a full-sized saw (26" or so) to cut out their parts is overkill. Add to that the incongruous fit between my shorter arm reach and long handsaw tooth lines. I stand at five-foot six inches and my saw bench is customized to accommodate my stature. That means it's shorter. So that when I use a full-sized handsaw, I smash the tip into the ground from time to time. I'd rather not do that to a 100 year old saw.
> 
> Enter the panel saw. The main differentiator between a handsaw and a panel saw is that the latter is shorter, usually in the range of 16-24" in length. An added bonus for me is that they tend to sport smaller handles. Ones that fit comfortably in my small hands.
> 
> As a result, panel saws are on my perpetual "short list" of tools to pick up. So when I came across this one at an estate sale I paid the $5.00 and took it home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The medallion dates the saw's manufacture to between 1917-1940. It's 22", has 8 ppi, and a smaller handle which fits nicely in my hand. After my initial inspection, I cleaned it up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then sharpened it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put it to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My hand/panel saw till contains two panel cross-cut saws, one 8 ppi for general use and one 11 ppi for fine cuts. Five dollars and a couple of hours of relaxing rehab and I'm ready to tackle the small-project crosscuts on my list.
> 
> © 2014, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.


Nice job Brad. I hope to grab another panel saw tomorrow.


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## planepassion

*Adding a Stanley #45 to the Till*

I've always been fascinated by the Stanley #45 contraption-with all its knobs and screws and accessories. It was tailor-made for folks who love gear and accoutrements. And to justify its purchase, I reasoned that I would put it in my Dutch tool chest for when I travel. It was after all, billed as "45 Planes in One."

An eBay foray delivered a Sweetheart model to my door for $158.35 shipped.

*A bit rusty…*
The initial inspection revealed a tinsy amount of rust…










































Add to that some missing parts. I'm just OCD enough to have to replace them. An exercise that set me back an additional $57.68.










*All cleaned up*
A little wire brush here, a little sandpaper there and the surfaces were free of rust.


















































*Taking the 45 for a test spin*
After sharpening the 3/16" plow and dado cutter I tried my hand at making a groove.


















Oh my. That was much more fun than I anticipated!

And now that my SW #45 is open for business, it's time to put it…uh…let's see. That drawer is full. So is that one. I have this plane body, fence, sliding section, two boxes of cutters and a whole bunch of accessories…and no place to put them.

-Sigh-

Time to build a box.

© 2015, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.

###


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## theoldfart

planepassion said:


> *Adding a Stanley #45 to the Till*
> 
> I've always been fascinated by the Stanley #45 contraption-with all its knobs and screws and accessories. It was tailor-made for folks who love gear and accoutrements. And to justify its purchase, I reasoned that I would put it in my Dutch tool chest for when I travel. It was after all, billed as "45 Planes in One."
> 
> An eBay foray delivered a Sweetheart model to my door for $158.35 shipped.
> 
> *A bit rusty…*
> The initial inspection revealed a tinsy amount of rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some missing parts. I'm just OCD enough to have to replace them. An exercise that set me back an additional $57.68.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *All cleaned up*
> A little wire brush here, a little sandpaper there and the surfaces were free of rust.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Taking the 45 for a test spin*
> After sharpening the 3/16" plow and dado cutter I tried my hand at making a groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh my. That was much more fun than I anticipated!
> 
> And now that my SW #45 is open for business, it's time to put it…uh…let's see. That drawer is full. So is that one. I have this plane body, fence, sliding section, two boxes of cutters and a whole bunch of accessories…and no place to put them.
> 
> -Sigh-
> 
> Time to build a box.
> 
> © 2015, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.
> 
> ###


Nice restore Brad, pretty good find of a SW. Now all you need is the extra cutters. 

Edit: Oh and the hollow and round sets ( 4 of 'em), and the nosing tool. It does lend itself to the slippery slope point of view.


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## Brit

planepassion said:


> *Adding a Stanley #45 to the Till*
> 
> I've always been fascinated by the Stanley #45 contraption-with all its knobs and screws and accessories. It was tailor-made for folks who love gear and accoutrements. And to justify its purchase, I reasoned that I would put it in my Dutch tool chest for when I travel. It was after all, billed as "45 Planes in One."
> 
> An eBay foray delivered a Sweetheart model to my door for $158.35 shipped.
> 
> *A bit rusty…*
> The initial inspection revealed a tinsy amount of rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some missing parts. I'm just OCD enough to have to replace them. An exercise that set me back an additional $57.68.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *All cleaned up*
> A little wire brush here, a little sandpaper there and the surfaces were free of rust.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Taking the 45 for a test spin*
> After sharpening the 3/16" plow and dado cutter I tried my hand at making a groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh my. That was much more fun than I anticipated!
> 
> And now that my SW #45 is open for business, it's time to put it…uh…let's see. That drawer is full. So is that one. I have this plane body, fence, sliding section, two boxes of cutters and a whole bunch of accessories…and no place to put them.
> 
> -Sigh-
> 
> Time to build a box.
> 
> © 2015, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.
> 
> ###


Looking good Brad. I've resisted the 45 so far, but I think I'm going to have to acquire one at some point. Hours of endless fun.


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## CO_Goose

planepassion said:


> *Adding a Stanley #45 to the Till*
> 
> I've always been fascinated by the Stanley #45 contraption-with all its knobs and screws and accessories. It was tailor-made for folks who love gear and accoutrements. And to justify its purchase, I reasoned that I would put it in my Dutch tool chest for when I travel. It was after all, billed as "45 Planes in One."
> 
> An eBay foray delivered a Sweetheart model to my door for $158.35 shipped.
> 
> *A bit rusty…*
> The initial inspection revealed a tinsy amount of rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some missing parts. I'm just OCD enough to have to replace them. An exercise that set me back an additional $57.68.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *All cleaned up*
> A little wire brush here, a little sandpaper there and the surfaces were free of rust.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Taking the 45 for a test spin*
> After sharpening the 3/16" plow and dado cutter I tried my hand at making a groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh my. That was much more fun than I anticipated!
> 
> And now that my SW #45 is open for business, it's time to put it…uh…let's see. That drawer is full. So is that one. I have this plane body, fence, sliding section, two boxes of cutters and a whole bunch of accessories…and no place to put them.
> 
> -Sigh-
> 
> Time to build a box.
> 
> © 2015, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.
> 
> ###


Nice Cleanup!


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## TheTurtleCarpenter

planepassion said:


> *Adding a Stanley #45 to the Till*
> 
> I've always been fascinated by the Stanley #45 contraption-with all its knobs and screws and accessories. It was tailor-made for folks who love gear and accoutrements. And to justify its purchase, I reasoned that I would put it in my Dutch tool chest for when I travel. It was after all, billed as "45 Planes in One."
> 
> An eBay foray delivered a Sweetheart model to my door for $158.35 shipped.
> 
> *A bit rusty…*
> The initial inspection revealed a tinsy amount of rust…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add to that some missing parts. I'm just OCD enough to have to replace them. An exercise that set me back an additional $57.68.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *All cleaned up*
> A little wire brush here, a little sandpaper there and the surfaces were free of rust.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Taking the 45 for a test spin*
> After sharpening the 3/16" plow and dado cutter I tried my hand at making a groove.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh my. That was much more fun than I anticipated!
> 
> And now that my SW #45 is open for business, it's time to put it…uh…let's see. That drawer is full. So is that one. I have this plane body, fence, sliding section, two boxes of cutters and a whole bunch of accessories…and no place to put them.
> 
> -Sigh-
> 
> Time to build a box.
> 
> © 2015, Brad Chittim, all rights reserved.
> 
> ###


Brad, a fellow LJ here put this video out recently.


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