# Planes restored - Because I can.



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Planes Restored - Because i can.*

Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.

Stumbling onto this site I see that I am far from alone. So, since so many have helped me along the way, I figured I'd give a little back. I'll try to document as I go, and where I've been. I often look over my shoulder and chuckle at the mistakes, but like any good Carpenter, I've learned to cover my mistakes. One, two, three, four, five…..yep, still got all fingers.

Professionally I work in technology and travel extensively, so time is often limited. Most of this writing will be evenings spent in a hotel, wishing I was in my shop. Hey, next years bonus may mean a Lie-Nielsen.

My shop started in a converted cow barn back when I was trying to make a living at it. Ceilings were to low, concrete was uneven and it was damp almost year round. Last year I finally built my wood shop, so now I have a place to work. My wife has stopped complaining about the time I spend on the computer and replaced it with the time I spend in my shop. Hey, at least I'm suggesting the flee market outings. It's a win-win.

Here is the current state of my collection:









Some are restored, some are partially restored, and some just cleaned up and sharpened. All are working.

So far I have a few Stanley-Bailey's, Miller Falls, a Winchester and Craftsman. I'm looking for a 4 1/2 and a #2, but who knows what I will find next. I'm also hoping to stumble onto a 60 1/2 and a 9 1/2.

I haven't decided whether to keep using the A5. Its in reasonable shape and #5's are pretty cheap. I may start a "Just for show" set.

I have this week off before starting a new job next monday, but I have 2 projects to finish up. One is a set of drawers for my new bench, and the other is a rolling cart for my mechanics tool box. A new shop has needs you know!

Back to the shop for now.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Nice collection.

We get a lot of 4 1/2s this side of the pond

Welcome to LJ's

Jamie in a wet rainy midge infested Scotland


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Looking good.
Yes we are more than one here with that infection…
I don't even want to count my planes anymore.
Best thoughts and good luck on the new job.
Best thoughts,
MaFe


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Nice collection. And I am with Mafe "we don't want to count how many we have" 
When someone asks I just say >1<800.


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## ratchet (Jan 12, 2008)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Nice collection and story. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Have you ever thought of getting new blades like hock or something like that?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


I've thought about new blades, but the originals seem to be working just fine once sharpened.


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


Don, when you start lapping the soles of the planes, do you use a handheld belt sander or a stationary one? Does it matter? After spending hours trying to lap the sole of a plane today with 60 grit sandpaper on a granite tile, I'm ready for a quicker method, at least to get the plane into rough shape.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Planes Restored - Because i can.*
> 
> Throughout my many years of marriage, my wife has constantly dragging me on her antiquing outings. At some point I decided I needed to find a way to make the time useful. One day while looking over my 3 hand planes and knowing they needed serious tune ups, I started doing a little research. I was hooked at that point. I needed more planes, and I started buying and restoring.
> 
> ...


I have a stationary. I would say it wouldn't matter but would think it would be harder with a hand held. To be honest, I've only had a few that were bad enough to resort to that.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Making a knob without a lathe*

Today I needed to replace a missing knob on a cheaper #4 I wanted to tune and get working. I wanted to make one, but I don't have a lathe. I figured there had to be a way to do it with my drill press. I tried drilling a hole in a block and locking it down with nuts on a threaded rod, but the nuts kept coming loose, even though I doubled them to lock them.

I knew I needed something a little more substantial until I can pick up a lathe. I found an old drill that didn't work anymore. I pulled the chuck and bearing end. In this case, the drill was so cheap, it wasn't even a bearing but a bushing. I drilled a hole in a block of wood the size of the bushing (or bearing) and drove the bushing into the hole.


















I then drilled a hole next to the chuck to place a rod to act as a tool guide. I didn't need to attach the top, it sat in a groove where the spring case met the drill press frame, but you may want or need to attach it.










I then needed a drive center and a live center. Looking around the shop I found a couple old forstner bits. I chucked one in each chuck, made sure the bottom and top were centered, marked the center of the wood blank, raised the bed to tighten the blank and made sure the bits were connected in the blank.



















I then happened to have a few turning tools, but some rasps would probably have worked as well. I created a guide from a piece of 1/4"plywood to match the knob I wanted to reproduce. Once it was shaped, I could sand and finish as I normally do.

Note this particular piece of wood was something I grabbed off the firewood pile. Next one will be a little better quality.

Also I found shaping worked best with the drill press spinning at a higher speed. Then I slowed it down a little for sanding.









Hope it helps
dw


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## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a knob without a lathe*
> 
> Today I needed to replace a missing knob on a cheaper #4 I wanted to tune and get working. I wanted to make one, but I don't have a lathe. I figured there had to be a way to do it with my drill press. I tried drilling a hole in a block and locking it down with nuts on a threaded rod, but the nuts kept coming loose, even though I doubled them to lock them.
> 
> ...


Nice Job so far !!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a knob without a lathe*
> 
> Today I needed to replace a missing knob on a cheaper #4 I wanted to tune and get working. I wanted to make one, but I don't have a lathe. I figured there had to be a way to do it with my drill press. I tried drilling a hole in a block and locking it down with nuts on a threaded rod, but the nuts kept coming loose, even though I doubled them to lock them.
> 
> ...


thank´s for sharing

Dennis


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## rhybeka (Nov 8, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a knob without a lathe*
> 
> Today I needed to replace a missing knob on a cheaper #4 I wanted to tune and get working. I wanted to make one, but I don't have a lathe. I figured there had to be a way to do it with my drill press. I tried drilling a hole in a block and locking it down with nuts on a threaded rod, but the nuts kept coming loose, even though I doubled them to lock them.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the blog, Mr.D! Going to have to do this for a 45 I just picked up with no knob. Any suggestions on best kind of wood to use?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a knob without a lathe*
> 
> Today I needed to replace a missing knob on a cheaper #4 I wanted to tune and get working. I wanted to make one, but I don't have a lathe. I figured there had to be a way to do it with my drill press. I tried drilling a hole in a block and locking it down with nuts on a threaded rod, but the nuts kept coming loose, even though I doubled them to lock them.
> 
> ...


They were rosewood originally. Replacement doesn't really matter.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Making a new tote.*

Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.

First i downloaded the templates from Lee Valley.
I then glued to to the blank and cut it to size. Make the grain parallel to the bottom of the template.









I then drilled the holes. Make sure you drill it before you cut it out. First the tote top hole, then I drilled the through hole. I drilled from both sides first, then with a longer bit, cleaned it through. To keep it square I clamped 2 speed squares to each side.



















I then drilled the two holes as the template instructions indicate.

Edit: I typically don't bother drilling the holes anymore. I just cut out the whole thing with the bandsaw. I really haven't noticed any difference.










Then off to the bandsaw to cut it out.




























Then off to the router table with a round over bit. I've done this with a rasp as well, but the router is quicker.

Remember to not go all the way around. I marked the area I wanted to round over using a tote as a guide.



















Then, i traced the top and the bottom from another tote. Off to the belt sander to round over and form the top and bottom.



















A little bit of rasp work.










Off to the spindle sander.










Then a little hand sanding and we're pretty close. Here it is next to a tote being refinished.










I'll finish and post the finished picture when available.

Here is the final.










I wound up painting these. I wasn't sure how'd they come out so I made them out of a couple maple scraps. I wasn't crazy about the light color.

Edit, some additional experience:

I typically start the countersink hole for the nut, and finish it after shaping to get it exact.
Use the template but a bit of advice. The angle of the threads for bench planes are not exact. Check the angle against your plane before shaping it and get it exact. We've all seen bent tote rods. That bend is to compensate for the difference in the angle. (I learned this from a fellow LJ). I slightly modify the tote to reflect the exact angle before cutting the thing out.

I also struggled to get the front hole on a #5 and larger plane. I've found the easiest way to get it exact is with a broken sole. I dropped a #5 on the concrete and shattered it way beyond repair. I was heart broken, but it became my ''front hole template''. I drilled a pilot hole all the way through, and now just hook up the tote and drill it exact.










For sanding I have an old transitional frame. I hook up the tote, hold the frame in the vice, and can sand with a long piece of paper (like a lath strip). Any base would work, but the transitional frame doesn't have the wider hump to get in the way.



















As with all woodworking, make more than one at a time to save time


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## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Very nice job and a very nice tutorial. Thanks!!


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Excellent tutorial! I have to make one of these for my #5.


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link, I've avoided the hassle of buying some semi-decent planes due to busted handles and needing to design new handles. This solves the problem nicely.


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## Dcase (Jul 7, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I saw this blog when you posted but I must have missed the link. I just read the blog again and I have to thank you for posting that link. I have made a few totes to some success but its always been a pain to get all the holes lined up. That pattern will work great.

I know my project for tonight.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


There is a warning about making sure the scale is right when you print the template. I never had a problem until the last one I did. It was just slightly smaller. I only have one printer, but it could have been printed from a different computer. Just keep this in mind when you print the template.


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## wb8nbs (Jan 11, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I'm leery of doing the half inch roundover on a router table. There is not enough mass in the work to keep the bit from grabbing and flinging it and part of your fingers across the garage. DAMHIKT.

I used a smallish router and half inch roundover with the handle secured to a good sized board. I put two screw eyes in the board, put the handle between them, and slid a metal rod thru the handle hole and the screw eyes. Then tweak the screw eyes until the rod held the handle down firmly.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


wb8nbs, you can also clamp the handle in a wood clamp. That allows for more control surface.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I very seldom make these one at a time. I stated making a few cherry totes.























































That's it for now, its at the router ready for the round over.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


























































__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


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## wb8nbs (Jan 11, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Great photos Don W. Looks like you sacrificed a couple of old broken planes to use as fixtures. Good idea., and I will remember the two square clamp on bit for vertical alignment.

A photo of three I made using the Lee Valley template  is here


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


they look great wb8nbs. Where's the planes they went on?


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## wb8nbs (Jan 11, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


A 605, 606, and an 8.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


NICE…........


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## hhhopks (Nov 22, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Don,
Thanks for the post.
I was getting ready to give it a go.
Always help when you can pick up some insight.

Any suggestion on the type of wood? I am using walnut on mind. Not because of looks or any in depth analysis that it is better….. It is simply what I got on hand. I also got the walnut to turn the knob if I ever get motivated.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


That's pretty clever clamping the transitional top while you work. C'mon Don, all the kids are doing light colored totes now


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Walnut works well. I've made some out of walnut and not had any problems. I've also used bloodwood, rosewood, wenge, cherry and am making a set right now out of maple for another LJ.

I used my new Walker turner band saw for the maple. That was pretty sweet.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I loooooove bloodwood, but I'm allergic to it now. I used to use it all the time when I had access to it.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


bloodwood


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Very informative blog Don. I'm adding it to my favorites.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I am going to bump this one because I found it so informative. Just finished forming my first tote and knob using these instructions. Thanks Don. I used White Ash because that is what I had on hand. My second knob turned out OK, after destroying the first and nearly the second, on my first 'turning project'. The tote ended up a bit small because of all the extra sanding involved in correcting for numerous catches and divots. My Sargent planes are at 20-degreees and not 27-degrees as the Stanley on the Lee Valley PDFs.

Again, thanks. This was a good start.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


A few more from this weekend made.


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## djang000 (Jul 24, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


Very interesting. Found this after I made one yesterday. Don; what round over bit are you using? I used a 3/8 and don't like the final look; the handle looks too square.. I went for a final thickness of 1". Maybe it would be less of a problem if I try slightly thinner? Or you're using a bigger radius for the round over?

sam


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Making a new tote.*
> 
> Today I decided to make a new tote for a plane. This is the first tote I've made, so I learned a few things, and I know there will be more. Here is the steps I took.
> 
> ...


I use a 1/2" round over then rasp it to get the final shape.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Fixing a tote.*

I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.










The hard part is holding it together while the glue dries.

I've tried several ways. here is what I do.



















But the way that seems to work for me best:










I typically use whatever glue is handy, either titebond II or III. I asked this group on LJ's in another thread, and the samer answer came back several times.

Update: Since I wrote this I have had a couple handles rebreak using regular glue. Having done some gun smithing and stock repairs in the past, I know this epoxy will hold anything. It also comes with a coloring agent which helps hide the line if its not a nice clean break. A kit would do a lot of totes.

Sand and finish as you would anything.

Hope this helps


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


I like your use of the vice. I've also had good luck with large wood screw clamps….


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


thank´s for sharing Don and wayne 

take care
Dennis


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## SST (Nov 30, 2006)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


Great pics. It seems that most planes I find have a broken tote, so I've got to go through the same process. The nice part, as you know, is ending up with a repair that is virtually invisible. I use a similar jig to hold the pieces together. It's the key to a good fix. The most frustrating ones are the previous (poor) repairs that you have to undo first. Way to go. -SST


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


I like the blocks idea for clamping in the vice. A 50s Craftsman smoother my son gifted to me yesterday has a broken tote (flea market find, and will be it's own blog post for the story that goes along with the find), so this type of restore action is in my very close future!


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


Like it never happened. Nice job!


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## palaswood (Aug 9, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *Fixing a tote.*
> 
> I've had some question on how I fix the totes. Its a relatively easy task. I typically remove the tote, clean the break and simply glue it back together.
> 
> ...


cool. i need this.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*#7 - more of the story - fixing the cap iron.*

So for more of the Stanley #7 story. As I was riding through the foothills of Vermont and collecting a nice #3 and #7, I had bid on another #7 on Ebay. My bid, I thought, was low enough that I just wanted it to show up in my bidding list. When I got home, toting a #7 in my saddlebags, didn't I have an email telling me I had won the bid. With the price i paid, I was happy enough. I went from no #7s to two #7's in a single day.

As I started to clean this one up, the one issue with this plane was the very end of the iron and the cap iron was rusted and pitted pretty bad. With the iron, I simply "sharpened" it down about an 1/8". That got it past the bad spot. I always polish up the cap iron (also know as chip breakers) for a much smoother operation. This blog will show you how I get the cap iron job done.

Depending on the severity of the work needed, I may just wire brush the top side and polish, but in most cases its more severe than that. I will sand this out starting with a grit appropriate for the rust, (this one started with 120, it was pretty bad) and gradually increadse grit size up to 600, then polish on the wheel.

Its only important to get from the tip to the top of the crown. After thats its just cosmetic and i don't get as fussy. I will clean this one up a little better, but it will not shine all the way to the top.




























You also want to make sure there is a tight fit between the cap iron and the iron itself. If there is not a tight fit, wood chips will clog up between the two and just ruin your day.

First grind the tip so its sharp. It doesn't have to be sharp like your iron, but smooth and straight so a good seal is formed when you screw the two together. I usually do this on my horizontal wet stone, by simply holding the top end lower than the tip.










It usually doesn't take much. If you don't have such a grinder, a wetstone will work, as before, hold the top lower than the tip.










Next lets ensure there is some spring in the cap to force it against the iron when the two are attached. Using a straight edge, make sure there is a gap when the straight edge is set tip to tip.










If there is not a gap, clamp the cap iron in a vice and gently push it to create it. Try to keep the pressure low so the movement comes at the bend in the iron. You can also clamp from the other end and tap it with a hammer. Use a block of wood as wide or wider than the iron so the whole width gets bent evenly.










After the iron has been sharpened, here is the results.










I have some more cosmetic work to do on this second #7. I'm waiting to get to tractor supply. At the advise of several other LJ members, I'm going to try evapo-rust to strip this one.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *#7 - more of the story - fixing the cap iron.*
> 
> So for more of the Stanley #7 story. As I was riding through the foothills of Vermont and collecting a nice #3 and #7, I had bid on another #7 on Ebay. My bid, I thought, was low enough that I just wanted it to show up in my bidding list. When I got home, toting a #7 in my saddlebags, didn't I have an email telling me I had won the bid. With the price i paid, I was happy enough. I went from no #7s to two #7's in a single day.
> 
> ...


Beautiful shaves.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## Lifesaver2000 (Nov 17, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *#7 - more of the story - fixing the cap iron.*
> 
> So for more of the Stanley #7 story. As I was riding through the foothills of Vermont and collecting a nice #3 and #7, I had bid on another #7 on Ebay. My bid, I thought, was low enough that I just wanted it to show up in my bidding list. When I got home, toting a #7 in my saddlebags, didn't I have an email telling me I had won the bid. With the price i paid, I was happy enough. I went from no #7s to two #7's in a single day.
> 
> ...


I used Evapo-rust to clean a Stanley #7, and it worked great. That stuff works so well it is almost unbelievable, and very easy to use.

Now, the one thing I ran in to with the #7 was finding a container large enough to hold the plane, where a single gallon would completely submerge it (I'm too cheap to buy two gallons). Now, there is some talk on-line that you can cut the Evap-o-Rust with water and just soak it longer, but my solution was to use a piece of 4 inch Sewer and Drain PVC pipe just long enough to hold the plane, with a cap glued on each end. I then cut out a section of the pipe big enough to be able to put in the plane. I also used a couple of blocks of wood with circular cutouts to hold the pipe.

If you decide to do this, I suggest you put the pipe in a larger container. After the fourth day or so, as I was removing the last plane, I had a little of the Evap-o-Rust on the floor. It may have been because the plastic sheeting I had covering this had dipped into the fluid, but it could have been that after that many days the product had eaten at the PVC pipe cement. A secondary container will prevent any floor damage or loss of product. Remember, it can be used over and over.

If you aren't used to working with PVC pipe (I did installations for 15 years so it was old hat to me) and decide to try something else, just remember a gallon is 231 cubic inches. At the size of a No 7, getting it completely submerged in any standard container will be difficult. I couldn't find anything close that I had on hand or could buy. I did consider a wooden box with a plastic liner.


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *#7 - more of the story - fixing the cap iron.*
> 
> So for more of the Stanley #7 story. As I was riding through the foothills of Vermont and collecting a nice #3 and #7, I had bid on another #7 on Ebay. My bid, I thought, was low enough that I just wanted it to show up in my bidding list. When I got home, toting a #7 in my saddlebags, didn't I have an email telling me I had won the bid. With the price i paid, I was happy enough. I went from no #7s to two #7's in a single day.
> 
> ...


Cool Don. I've double bought in the same day as well…doh! I admit I've been paying more attention to my cap irons after reading some of your stuff. I usually upgrade to O1 hocks blades, but often I just put some work into the existing cap iron and use it.


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## falfan (Dec 16, 2021)

donwilwol said:


> *#7 - more of the story - fixing the cap iron.*
> 
> So for more of the Stanley #7 story. As I was riding through the foothills of Vermont and collecting a nice #3 and #7, I had bid on another #7 on Ebay. My bid, I thought, was low enough that I just wanted it to show up in my bidding list. When I got home, toting a #7 in my saddlebags, didn't I have an email telling me I had won the bid. With the price i paid, I was happy enough. I went from no #7s to two #7's in a single day.
> 
> ...


Don W,
Thank you for your blog post. I have a stanley #6 that gets blocked with shavings and could not find the correct way to mate the cap iron to the iron.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*

I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.

First I went to this Plane dating flow chart 1-20. It works ok, but a lot of information is on the part of the frog I didn't have. Also you never know if all the parts (particularly the iron) is original.

I had purchased this replacement frog for my #3 of of ebay.









But this is was what mine is" 









Notice the legs are shorter

The nice thing about The RexMill site is it has pictures.

So I knew mine didn't have the frog adjustment screw, but didn't realize there was more to it when I ordered the replacement frog. At this point I still didn't really know if it had a lateral adjustment or not.

In comparing it seemed to be a type 4 or 5. A look at the iron showed "Stanley" in a straight line instead of a curve, which should represent a type 5.

So I've been waffling back and forth between a 4 (without a lateral adjustment) or a 5 (with a lateral adjustment). I am currently under the impression its a type 5.

The other information that is a bit misleading is whether the number is stamped in the bed. Apparently a type 5 had the number stamped in the bed, and mine did not. Further research lead me to understand that the number may not have been stamped in the 2's and 3's. Again, it could be a 5.

Off to compare feature on the Stanley Plane Features Timeline MegaChart. This chart is amazing. It should help narrow down the type even more.

So I guess its a 4 or a 5, and if I find a replacement frog with an lateral adjustment that fits it will make it a type 5, if I find one without, it'll wind up a 4, although my goal would be to keep it original if I know what that means. Any further insight would be greatly appreciated. In the mean time, it works just fine with the broken frog.









I love working as a "plane" mechanic, and this will not deter me at all. The more I learn, the more fun it becomes.

Hope this helps 
dw

Typing hand planes start page on timetestedtools.net

References: (also see my Plane reference blog)
Rexmills type Study
antique-used-tools.com frog comparison

Plane dating flow chart

Brass City quick plane ID

Stanley Plane Features Timeline MegaChart


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


I would leave it the way it is. It is a wonderful old plane as it sits.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


I agree with Wayne Don. Lateral adjustment levers are over-rated. You will get far more accuracy and finer adjustment using that little brass mallet to tap the side of the blade when it needs adjustment.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


Pretty.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


If it ain't broke don't fix it, but in your case if it's broke and still works don't fix it! LOL


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


See, I know you're right, but I just couldn't leave it alone. I'll use it until I find one, but it will get fixed. It has to, it just has to!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


the one picture here is a #3


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


Lateral adjusters are for men without hammers. Screw it. It's handsome as it sits. I've got a pretty #3 myself that might get his picture taken tonight.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


"Lateral adjusters are for men without hammers" says the man on a frog mission a while back. That mission is still being talked about today. It was a dangerous mission, but you went with all guns ready. < sounds of chuckling as I'm typing>


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


There were frogs that lost their life on that mission. We need to establish a tomb of the unknown frog or something similar…


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


its ever immortalized in Al's profile picture, but I can image the trend. The next picture will be the frog and the pup, then just the pup and the frog will be just a distant memory.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Typing your plane, oh the dilemma*
> 
> I'm writing this to help everyone avoid some of the confusion I have encountered trying to buy parts for a particular plane. For me it started with an early #3 i bought with a broken frog.
> 
> ...


I thought about doing a obiturary for Sargent "Rock", born in New england almost 115 years ago was peened in action earlier this month….


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Sharpening. Its all in your head.*

*Edited 1-12-2014*

Edited to add some notes for plane restoration and for further free hand instructions and clarifications.

I use an 8" aluminum oxide wheel for my bench grinder. 









And yes I've put the cover back on.

I can still burn a blade if I'm not reasonably careful, but It works fairly well. I like the 8" wheel because the hollow in the bevel is smaller, making for a stronger edge. I also made this bench guide similar to one in one of Krenov's books. I simply use wedges to adjust for different angles or thicker blades.



















The wedges are marked so I can get back to the place I need to be. Flat without any wedges is 25 degrees.










*Note,* you can also hollow grind on a belt sander, if you want to try it before buying a grinder, or you just don't have space for a grinder and you already have a belt sander.

The slot serves two purposes, a place for your fingers to slide, and you could make a guide if you have problems keeping the blade square. I made some square cut marks for references and that's all I need.

.









.










*If the cutter is from a plane restore,* re-grinding a cutter is just a matter of taking a few more passes on the grinder were needed. Keep a square in your hand and check it as often as you need to. I always keep a gauge to check the angle to. Since this is a make shift angle jig it's prone to getting moved on me sometimes.

I typically take 4 or 5 strokes, a dip of water between each (or almost each pass), then step to the extra course DMT to work on the back. Yes, I know I'm not finished with the bevel yet. I have 2 sticks on the bench, one about 1 1/2" wide and one just shy of 2", about a foot long that I use to hold on top of the cutter while flattening the back. Use the one slightly narrower than the cutter.




























Just back and forth for a few strokes ( 30+\- depending on my mood) while pushing down on the stick, then back to the grinder. I do the back and front rotation thing so the grinder doesn't burn. I tend to be impatient. (note for cutters that have a really out of flat back, or some pitting, I will often start on a belt sander)

Once the edge is square and I have a burr, (some don't wait for the burr, but I always do) and the back is flat on the extra course stone then I hit the hard Arkansas. I do the back first. Its already flat, so a few strokes to get it smooth. I then polish it on a felt wheel.





































Then back to the Arkansas, Set the hollow ground bevel on the stone with your pointer finger of each hand on the front, pushing down hard. Rock it forward and back and hear the click. Forward and back until you know its sitting flat. Click front, click back, shorter and shorter forward and back movements until its down flat on the stone. Now pushing down so hard with your pointer fingers it hurts, then slide the cutter forward, using the sides of your hands. Now pull it back. Eventually you will see you don't need to push down so hard it hurts, but keep it up until you feel comfortable that you can keep it flat.

Now, to round the corners you'll want about 10 strokes with pressure on one side and then the other.

This is why I don't care for a jig at this point. Let say you're grinding at 25 degrees, you need the jig set at precisely 25 degrees. What if one is 25 1/2 degrees? It has to be perfect. Without the jig, minor variations are indifferent.

Now pull the back across a strop. I have one of Red's that works great, but even a piece of brown paper bag will work. I don't usually use any compound, but you can if you want. Paul Sellers recommends 30 strokes. I don't think you need that many. 10 is good in my book. *Keep the back flat,* this is important. Now the front. I just pull it by eye. Its better to error to far back than to far front. To far front can round the edge. You just want to strip the burr if any is left and possibly polish the face, but it should already be pretty close.

If I'm in a hurry and resharpening, I'll sometimes just drag it across the palm of my hand. Yes be careful if you decide to try it, but it works!

Also just touching up on the strop can help prolong between sharpenings.

**
a few notes*
-I use a mixture of Diesel fuel and mineral oil in a spray bottle with the oil stones.
-Note for equipment I've used a grinder (something every shop should have)
-A *good* wheel. (I think mine is 120 grit)
-An extra course DMT (any course stone or sandpaper will work)
-I use dollar store window cleaner (I don't know the chemistry of it, but dollar store window cleaner uses cheaper chemicals that coincidently helps against rusting the plates)
-A hard Arkansas stone. A good fine waterstone will work if you prefer water stones.
-A strop
-A felt wheel for polishing. I run mine on an electric motor, but one in the drill press will work as well. Green or red compound. If you really don't want to bother with a felt wheel, just some extra work on the strop with some compound will work as well

Here is the fine Arkasa stone. ($15 at a flea market)










And no I'm not suggesting equipment like the Tormek doesn't do a nice jib, I am suggesting you don't need them if you don't have that kind of money or just don't want to spend that kind of money. Plus my technic is quicker.


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


Looks like a nice addition to your shop. Glad the flea market stars aligned for you….


----------



## CharlesAuguste (Jun 11, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


That hand grinder is sweet, i believed that once you flatten the back, and grind the correct angle,
you should only have to touch up the blade from time to time, and not on the grinder on your stone,
i use a diamond stone, takes 5 minutes and your back to work.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


updated…


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


Yep, your technique is much different than mine. You do several things I believe makes for faster edge breakdown. However, I agree with you - if it works for you, great! There's certainly more than one way to skin a cat.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


You may be right about the edge breakdown, but I can sharpen an iron in under 3 minutes, and if its touchup, it's just over a minute, and that includes taking it out of the plane itself.

It is very seldom I have to sharpen a plane more than once per project, so the edge break down may be quicker, but its a very small difference.

I'm not usually in a hurry, but sharpening isn't one of my favorite task, so the quicker its done right, the better.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening. Its all in your head.*
> 
> *Edited 1-12-2014*
> 
> ...


Very different techniques for sure.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Electrolysis*

First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.

Go get a rubber tote, a battery charger, some Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and a long piece of metal (like a length of rebar, or steel rod or bar)










Add water and about a table spoon of Washing soda (baking soda doesn't work nearly as well) to each gallon of water. I like to error on the "more"side, this stuff is $2.77 a box. Cost doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

Stick the rod in the water so it doesn't touch the metal your derusting. Connect your positive side of the battery charger to this rod, bar, or whatever you chose.










Clamp the negative side to the metal piece. You may need to clean a spot up enough to get contact. Let it "cook"for a few hours. Over night if its really bad. Cooking to long doesn't hurt. If there is no rust to act on, its just idling.
This went in late morning










This came out early evening:










A couple of squirts of WD40, polish the brass and wire brush the outside for this:









It can't get any simpler. If it sounds at all complicated, re-read. If you think its complicated stop thinking. It so easy its scary.

Edit 4-2-2012
I thought I'd post an update. I struggled with this a little. It always took to long so I never really bothered with it. Somewhere threw another conversation I mentioned I had a new battery charger and it didn't seem to work right for electrolysis. Another LJ suggested putting a battery inline between the charger and the vat. What a difference. I had a dead garden tractor battery so I stuck it inline. In just seconds an old rusty block plane created this reaction.










Those are bubbles you see.

In the morning it looked like this









I'll be using this method much more now.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing. Have a recommendation for the battery charger?


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


My 30 year old battery charger dies this spring. I plugged it in to charge the motorcycle battery and the smoke poured out of it. I wanted one -now, and on a sunday, so it was the only one Walmart had in stock. Not a recommendation, but the point that I think almost anything will do.


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## Rev_John (Oct 3, 2007)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


What setting on the battery charger?


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


I have read anything over 3 amps will work. I just set it to charge a normal charge.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


updated for use with a newer battery charger.


----------



## BustedClock (Jun 30, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


Battery in line on the positive or negative side?


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Electrolysis*
> 
> First and formost I want to thank Al for his Electrolysis: on the cheap for vintage tool people and all the other LJ members who responded. This is a shortened version of the forum thread.
> 
> ...


I put it in line on both sides.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*

So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.

*NOTE: This blog is not a suggestion to strip every plane and repaint. I actually would suggest otherwise if the japanning is in reasonable condition. Some are not savable and I don't like tools that look terrible. If you can save it, I'd recommend that. If not, strip it.*










I figured since this plane needed almost anything a plane restore could need, I would expand on it a bit and talk about my methodology for metal bench plane restoration, because when I pulled it from the pile it looked like this.











__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content










First i should note that you may find the occasional picture from another plane restore. I'm not trying to trick anyone, just get the details in and I can't guarantee i have all the pictures I need from the Millers Falls #10. Most of my planes are Stanleys, but I have to admit I have a sort of soft spot for the good Millers Falls planes. Maybe its because they are the underdog, or maybe its the brighter shinier metal that I usually have to strip because its flaking away, either way, here we go.

First I take it all apart and put the parts in a plastic container. That to keep all the parts together as best as i can. I tend to have multiple projects happening in my shop, and since I don't do this for a living, its possible i don't get back for a few days or a week. I don't want to have to remember where I put the parts. I then stand for a minute to contemplate what to start on first. The decisions are usually based on mood more than a real process.









*Lets talk about the japanning*. I'm a firm believer in leaving the japanning on an older plane if its reasonable. It could increase the value of the plane, but a lot of the planes I find the japanning is shot. Determining what to do next will take some trial and error if you've never done it, but here is what I use.

If you are just looking for clean up, what this http://lumberjocks.com/replies/612946
If you just want a good tune up, try this.

If your not going to repaint, its a good idea to give the japanned areas a couple of coats of shellac. This will bring back a bit of the luster and help protect both the japanning and any bare metal where the japanning is gone. If you don't like shellac, a good waxing will do as well.

*Electrolysis.* Its a a great process and will get rid of the rust, or at least make it easy to brush off. I have used it and I will continue to use it at times. The draw backs are this. It takes a little time. You need to get it set up and it typically takes over night for most planes. You need a plastic container big enough for the piece your de-rusting and you need a battery charger. I will guarantee once you've used it you will continue if you plan to do this often. See Al's blog for further instructions.









*Evapo-rust*. Sold at some Tractor Supply's and internet sites. Its $20 a gallon so its more expensive than electrolysis. A gallon will do a quit a few plane and other tools though. Just set the piece in it and let it set over night. Again the rust will either wipe off or wire brush right off the next day. I wire brush my parts first, just to make the evapo-rust last longer and try to keep it cleaner.









To use evapo-rust, you can use a plastic tote like the electrolysis, or I made an aluminum tray out of flashing material. Its narrower so it takes less to cover the plane. I can also tilt it in one direction so its deeper on one end.

*VERY IMPORTANT* NOTE. MAKE SURE THE WHOLE PIECE IS COVERED. EVAPO-RUST WILL LEAVE AN ETCH MARK AT THE WATER LEVEL THAT WILL *NOT* EASILY COME OUT!










I also made a wire basket for the smaller parts.










This is what the Millers Falls looked like when it came out of the evapo-rust. I had hopes I could save the japanning, but there was to much rust under the japanning that I didn't see until it was lifted.










I knew it needed to be painted, so lets break out the sand blaster.

*Sand Blasting*. My favorite for planes that you know you need to paint. I bought a $30 sand blasting gun at amazon.com and haven't looked back. Again, I try to leave the japanning if I can, but if it needs painting this is the way to go. Screened play sand will work just fine, but I bought some aluminum oxide blasting grit which works a little better. Don't be afraid to stick with the play sand for a while. Its does a fine job. The draw back of sand blasting is you need a decent air compressor.

EDIT: I've noticed recently the sand blasting guns are even cheaper at Amazon.










I also created a small blasting cabinet. You can re-use the media and it keeps it contained. Plus it doesn't get all over my shop.









Note most of it is plastic except for a piece of glass in the front. That's so its easier to wipe off and see through. The bottom is open so I set it on my bench on a flat piece of steel (plywood would work too) to catch the sand. Note the 2 hand holes in the front. What you can not see is the top. I have 2 holes drilled in a piece of plywood. One is for the air hose. The other is for a shop vac. When using play sand for media, it helps to suck the dust out so you can see.

It takes me 30-40 minute to setup and clean a base using the Sand Blaster. Obviously doing 2 or 3 at once is quicker.










Edit 7-2013. Another Sandblasting upgrade. It works better than I anticipated. I like it a lot. Its highly recommended.










Take a look at my #8c restore for more picture of before and after sandblasting.

Edit 7-2013

*Citric Acid*. I finally ordered some citric acid to try out. This stuff is great. I had trouble finding it local, so I finally ordered it from Amazon. I started with a #1 bag, but it seems like even that small bag will go a long way. Just add water and some powder. I haven't used it enough to know how much exactly, but I added about 1/4 cup to my 24" window box liner and I've done several planes in it so far. I had a broken plane and wanted to see what happened if I left it soak to long, so I stuck it in on sunday, took it out the next Saturday. I had a nice rust free plane with no adverse affect. I highly recommend this stuff.

Note the citric acid won't strip the japanning, so it can be used like evapo-rust for de-rusting the planes you find that you'll be saving the existing japanning. I love finding those!!

*The old fashion way*. Wire brushes and scrapers and screw drivers and sand paper and whatever else you have to work the stuff off. This is the hardest way, but if you plan to only do one or two, it may be your choice.

*Paint Stripper*. Paint stripper will work if added to "the old fashion way" above. It will usually take a few applications. I have used it but for me its messy and time consuming. Again, if you are only going to do a few planes, it may a choice.

*Now lets move on to the frog*
Next you will want to wire brush the frog so you can paint them together. I don't have a picture wire brushing the frog, but you will want a course and a fine wire brush like this one:










There is usually a little hand work on the frog as well. I have some larger and smaller wire brushes I use. Use what ever works for you. I also have a collection of wire brushes for the drill. I will use whatever works.










Of course If your sandblasting the sole, the frog can be easily sandblasted as well.

It's typically easier on the frog to tape off the areas to not be painted. If the base hasn't been cleaned up I don't bother, but If I have the rest of the base complete, I'll mask it with painter tape.

*Next paint it*. Wipe it down with mineral spirits or paint thinner to get all the dust off it. I use Dupli-Color Engine Enamel DUPDE1635 Ford Semi Gloss Black spray paint I find the Dupli-Color to be a little closer to the original finish. What I like about the Dupli-Color Engine Enamel is you re-coat after 10 minutes. I usually let it sit for 15 minutes and add a coat. I will give it 4 or 5 coats. *VERY IMPORTANT Note* you can not re coat if you wait longer than about 1 hour though. If it starts to set up the fresh paint will cause the semi dry paint to peel and curl up. If you need to repaint wait 7 days as described on the can.

NOTE: If you want to try traditional japanning, here is a very very good series, http://lumberjocks.com/JayT/blog/series/5621










I try to paint the frog and base together just to save time.

I may take the fork off if it comes apart easily. I paint the fork as well.


















Next Polish the sides of the base. I use a belt sander if they need it, but have done a few by hand sanding. I find most can be cleaned up well enough with the wire wheel. It really depends on how much shine you're looking to get. I like the flat luster from the wire wheel.










*Flatten the frog*. File the frog flat. It really doesn't matter if you do this before or after painting. I usually wind up doing it after. I lock it in a vise and hold the file flat while filing it. It doesn't need to be perfect. Some like to polish this as well, but its not really necessary.










*Check and fix the cap iron*. First thing I do is wire brush it. It should be re-rusted by now with whatever you decided, or you can just wire brush it. I find I will wire brush it first, then throw it in the evapo-rust if It still needs a little help. You can also touch it to a belt sander to shine it up a bit if needed. I go into more detail here.

*Sharpen it* After cleaning up the iron (just like the cap iron) you'll need to sharpen it. How I go about that process is described here.

*Now for the wood*. I chuck the knob in the drill press.










I use a bolt with a 1/4" Philips head that's been ground down slightly so it fits inside the knob where the brass nut goes. Tighten it down with a washer and chuck it in the drill press. Only chuck it hand tight so you don't trash the threads.










Sand it with 60 grit if it still has a varnish or hard finish. then up through 500 grit. If it had an oil finish I'll start with 220 grit. First few coats of BLO goes on with steel wool while in the drill press. If the exisitng finish is hard, it is usually easier to scrape it first.

For the tote, I haven't found an easier way than possibly scraping if its a hard finish, and sanding as you would any other piece of wood.

Finish the wood with boiled linseed oil (BLO). If its a really dry old piece, soak it in tyhe BLO overnight.

If you need to make a new tote.
If you need to fix a broken tote

For the adjustment knob, I wire brush the outside. I try the fine brush first, if its bad enough you'll need to start with the course, just be careful, you can take the ridges off. Then I chuck it in the drill press. I will add a piece of paper towel or rag between the jaws and the knob to protect it. Just tighten it hand tight. I then rip some pieces of sand paper about 1/4" by 1" and sand the inside. If its bad I'll start with 120 grit up to 500 grid.










The brass nuts that holds the knob and tote on will go straight to the buffing wheel.



























Cap Irons get wire brushed. I usually leave it with the brushed look. This Millers Falls was chromed, but it was shot, so I took it right off and left it. I painted this one on a Solar.










To get the red background, I will mask the outside ouline, paint it, let it dray and sand it with a sanding block. 220 grit, 320 grit, and 500 grit works for me.

*Next flatten the sole*. I don't have a piece of granite yet, so I'm still doing it on the table saw top. If it proves to be real bad, I'll start it on the belt sander, like I do the sides, but I always finish it on the flatter surface of the table saw. Turn the plane front and push in all directions to keep it flat and even.




























*Wire brush all the remaining screws and washers*. I typically add a little axle grease before putting the screws back in.









As I'm putting everything together I *give it a coat of Fluid Film* to keep the rust away.









*Or Wax it*









And a few more "After" pictures.


















For more information, check out the links on my refernece blog.

If you use this blog, don't forget to post the pictures for us to see.


----------



## CharlesAuguste (Jun 11, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Beautiful work Don !! well done!


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## tsangell (Jan 10, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Now that is a remarkable transformation. You saved Mr. Miller from the junkheap of history.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Great blog Don. Thanks for putting it together. I'm sure many people (including myself) will find this useful.


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## AttainableApex (Aug 24, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


good job


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Nice blog, always wonderful to se one of these come to life again.
And finteresting to so how you work.
Sweet plane!
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Real nice work, and a great blog !
(don't know how you manage to get so much done AND find the time for the pix and writing as well..neversleep ? )


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Well Glen, you may have heard this before, but I typically travel a lot for my job. Its not uncommon from me to leave my house monday morning and not resturn until thursday or friday for several weeks in a row, but a while ago I pulled a rare project. First, it goes until xmas, which is longer than typical, and second, its commutable from home. This gives me evening in my shop. Since its rare, I am taking advantage of it and loving every minute of it. Real life will return soon enough.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Taking advantage while you can..great idea and the rest oif us benifit as well..


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## mcoyfrog (Jul 23, 2008)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Great post, I'm gonna have to hit the garage sales and get me another project woo woo


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## gawthrrw (Sep 13, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Love it! I've restored a few of these also. It's awesome to see them come back to life.


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## Dcase (Jul 7, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


You punch these things out so quick it makes all my restoration work look so slow. lol…

Very well done. Great looking plane.


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## clafollett (Feb 17, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Excellent work!!! I've got this one book marked for easy reference. I have several old planes I've been collecting with a few needing the full monty. Thanks for the fine details.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Great info, well written and very informative. Great restore job. Thanks for taking the time to share, someone could learn a lot here.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


thanks for the comments. I'm always open to suggestions. If you have or find a new, different way to approach these task, I'd love to hear them. I try to update this once in a while, so stop back now and then.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Wonderful reference, Don!


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## toymike (Nov 17, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


just what I needed thanks, Don


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Great blog, well written and documented. I will refer back to this for thoughts and ideas.


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Thanks for for the thorough documentation. I read this blog, what seems like ages ago but either my memory fails or you have added more content


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


questions welcomed. I do add content from time to time, so its possible.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


I've added the video from that Dave found if you are just looking for a clean up. http://lumberjocks.com/replies/612946


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Updated for citric acid work.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Any tips on bending up the Evaporust tank? I ended up with 3 tries in the recycle bin today. I'm using aluminum "valley flashing".


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


What happens wrong. I clamp it in a couple 2×4s to start the bend.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


I don't know, probably my bend sequence. I mark out the bends, so it looks like a long tic-tac-toe. Bend up the long edges first. This goes pretty well, but then I'm stuck having to flatten these out at the end to make the end bends, and one of the creases has to bend the opposite direction when the end comes up. I did manage to get one bent all the way, but it cracked along the crease, possibly from being bent one way, then the other. I'm using "valley flashing".

Also, do you put anything in there to keep the plane up off the bottom?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Make sure its aluminum flashing. Some of the junk they sell today is to brittle.

No, I usually just set it on the bottom.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Can you go over your bending sequence?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


I probably can't, but I'll try. I'd bend the sides first like you said. Then your going to have to bend the ends, as you bend the crease in the sides. You'll wind up with a "wing". Once you get the crease in the end pieces, fold the wings over.

An easier way is to go to Home Depot and pick up one of these garden box liners. $4 or $5 and your done.


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


I tried those, too, and I thought I had a good thing going, but every one of them had daylight peeking out around the pre-scored drain hole slugs. Plus they're up to $9.

So I'm through dicking around. I've built tanks before by capping both ends of a PVC pipe and cutting an opening down the side, and that's what I'm going to do here.


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Don, thanks for keeping this one updated. This is even more detailed with more links than the one on your time tested tools site.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Plane Restoration, roll it together with a Millers Falls #10*
> 
> So, I bought this bunch of planes in this pile which is shown with all the other weekend finds. Included at the bottom of the pile was this Millers Falls #10.
> 
> ...


Thanks Tim. I try to keep them both up to date.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Sharpening past the DMT.*

I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.

This is my normal sharpening routine. 
1. Hollow grind
2. Hit the edge (do it more and more by hand) on th 3 micron DMT
3. Strop the back
4. Hit the 3 micron DMT again.

So here is with just the 3 micron dmt. Back flatten to the DMT well

*EDIT:* This first picture is what I started with. It hasn't been flatten yet (at least not by me)



























Polishing the back on the felt wheel with green compound and sharpening with the hard arkansas stone ( I saw a slight difference from the dmt to the arkansas)









Same sequence….


















I did this with 4 different hand planes. The 2 shown, the Stanley #18, The sargent 710, and a Bedrock 604 and a Stanley 60 1/2.

All showed a subtle difference. The biggest difference was with the polishing of the back. Sharpening the bevel was barley distinguishable but I could see a slight difference in the resistance.

If, from the dmt, you polished the back with the felt, then sharpened with the dmt, the difference would be almost unnoticeable from sharpening with the arkansas. I'd have to do it a few more times to really know for sure, but my gut tells me the arkasas would have a slight edge.


----------



## JR45 (Jan 26, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


I think you might get a better result (IMHO) if you worked on flattening the back of the blade on your DMT or Arkansas stone first to provide a good reference point for honing the bevel. From your pictures it doesn't look as if the back of the blade has had a lot of attention paid to it to ensure that it is flat. Is there a danger that stropping the back of the blade could introduce a hollow? Apologies if I am mis-reading anything.
Jim


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


It maybe miss leading. The back of my blades are always flattened for at least the very edge. I believe its just as important as the bevel.

what I was trying to discover is if the 8k dmt was enough.

How much of the back do you polish? Maybe you're say just the edge isn't enough?


----------



## CalebJames (May 19, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Interesting. Will keep this in mind.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Hi Don, good blog. I use a two sided DMT with 600/1000, a lot less than your 8k DMT. I know a finer grit will make for a smoother and sharper edge, but I am convinced that I get a good enough edge finishing up with the 1k grit and doing touch up honing with it too as needed and it takes less than 30 seconds to do. I feel this is more than adequate for most any type of work and I can easily shave my arm with it.

I'm not trying to be controversial and I am not criticizing you or anyone else for going the extra mile, but I am directing these comments to those who are new to honing and may find such devotion to be discouraging rather than inspiring. I have become even more of a heretic by prescribing to Paul Sellers somewhat controversial sharpening methods which he blogged awhile back, one for chisels and the other for plane blades. My edges are a lot more robust now and they stay sharper a lot longer.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Hey Mike. No criticism taken. I just wanted to see why folks switched after the dmt.

I think the biggest take away should be the back of the blade is extremely important.


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the thoughts Don.


----------



## bluekingfisher (Mar 30, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


I'm certainly no expert on the point of honing (pun intended) but I would echo JR45's earlier input.

I have always been advised flattening the back of the blade across it's entire width is key to ultimate success when sharpening chisel or plane blades. It only needs to be done once of course.

I am convinced more on this when I look at antique furniture, (pre power tool era) I ask myself, what would the old timers have used to sharpen their blades? In a way their choice of sharpening would have been restricted by the limits of available sharpening materials of the day, yet the quality and longevity of their work is unsurpassed. I'm guessing what may have been available to them was limited to a pedal drive grinding wheel and an oil stone? that I suspect would have been it. Waterstones, diamond stones and ceramic sharpening beds and the like would not have been around to confuse the issue.

The modern and commercial age has bombarded us with an endless and often unneccesary list of "must haves" to ensure our success. Don't get me wrong, without some of it woodworking would not be as enjoyable or accessable to many of us. After all, the old masters served apprecticeships of 5 years in those days and I suspect a fair proportion of that time would have been learning how to glean a sharp edge for without a sharp edge there is little chance of producing the levels of excellence we can still see in their work today.

If the back of the blade is perfectly flat and you can shave the hair off your arm what more is required? I suspect honing with an 8000 grit could be useful for some work but it would require very frequent maintenance to ensure that edge. Just my two cents worth.


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


I do think that craftsmen had ways and means to get very sharp edges in the old days, and that the means probably differed a lot depending on what kind of stones were available, but the time need to get the sharpness desired probably varied a lot. I do think blades were re-honed a lot as work progressed. I have a Norwegian carving book that shows a 50cents piece size pendant with an incredibly small and detailed pattern which could only have been done with the sharpest of blades, and that was in 1850. I also know that craftsmen were extremely careful not to damage their edges by reasons of misuse or dropping them as grinding out chips and re-honing were very tedious and time consuming tasks.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


ok, so I think I found part of the confusion. I edited the post. The first picture was before I started. If you were thinking *that's* how I flattened the back, I understand the comments.

Next I have to say I have restored a lot of hand planes. *A LOT*. Both wood and vintage metal planes. I have found very very few of these planes with a flat backs on the irons. I would say of all of them, there has only been 4 or 5 irons that were previously flatten. Somehow these guys of yesteryear knew how to make a plane work without flattening the back or normal sharp was sharp enough.

I've already stressed that I think flattening and polishing the back make a big difference in sharpness. So a few points that we know.

There is a point were its possible to make a plane iron to sharp. Its not that to sharp doesn't cut quicker, it dulls quicker. Its like freezing hot water.

How sharp a plane *Needs* to be really depends on the wood.

How sharp a plane *Needs* to be really depends on the process. A jack doesn't *Need* to be as sharp as a smoother.

It was easier to find clear grained wood 100 years ago than it is today.

I've given some thought to Mikes comments. I surely hope my blogs haven't in any way discouraged anyone from using hand planes. The problem with the sharpening process, is its thought of as a separate process than Planing, and its not, its part of the process. Over all it is somewhat of a complex process (planing) and there is a learning curve, just like any woodworking process.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Don, I can remember when just about every household had a few carpentry hand tools, especially since most male students had wood shop as part of their curriculum in high school. Most of these folks weren't real woodworkers and their tools were mostly used for simple house repairs and occasional relatively simple projects. Sharpening skills were pretty much limited to a single relatively coarse whetstone. I suspect that many of your restored planes might have been owned by people like that or at least handed down to them and the flattened part was probably ground off over the years. The ones with the flattened backs were probably used by more highly skilled folks prior to you buying them. Does this make sense?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


It does make sense Mike, and to further support your theory, I've restore quit a few that had never been sharpened.

But then there is the flip side. The plane where the blade is well worn and been sharpened many many times, and never flatten on the back. A normal person would have given up if the plane didn't do what it was suppose to.

But then, I spent many years using hand planes, sharpening on a belt sander, thinking that was good. All it meant was everything was sanded after.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


From the tools I have of Grand and Great Grand Dads before me, it seems the family mantra was, If it cuts wood, it's good. But of course, those gents were generalists rather than jointers or furniture makers when it came to hand tools.

Point being, not everyone knew everything about sharpening 75 years ago, simply by virtue of living back then.

Wish I had an old plane of the family's. Bet the back wouldn't show signs of being worked…

Thanks, Don, for sharing what you find along the way towards a better edge. Your approaches are reasonable and attainaible.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


I bought a nice Stanley no. 5 around 1981 and used it occasionally until 1996 when I became interested in woodworking as a hobby, and probably a few years after that, I finally learned to sharpen properly (slow learner I guess). There wasn't an awful lot of info out there when I began and unfortunately I was focused mostly on power tools at the time, but my Stanley was (somewhat) usable though far from sweet. I must admit that I didn't really know what sharp was, except for the knife I kept well honed and used a lot while I was in the Navy. I sharpened all my lath tools except for the skew chisel on the bench grinder and still do as they cut just fine that way.

I was at my local woodworkers store where I bought my first bandsaw, combo machine and other power tools one day and I saw a whole box full of Stanley and maybe some other brands of well used no. 4 smoothers. I asked if they were for sale and they told me they had been sent from school wood shop for sharpening. I was amazed that students weren't taught to sharpen their tools since any wood working depended on it. It looked to me that the store had just given them a fresh bevel with a bench grinder and not even honed at all! A case of putting the cart in front of the horse if you ask me.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


I always get facinated by these compares, it seem that we have many options that acually work, and so it is mostely to make a choice of what we like and what we can get friendly with.
Thank you for the efford.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


great post Don, thanks for putting it together. Any thought of trying the same test on end grain?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Mauricio, that's a good idea. I'll add it to my to-do list.


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## ksSlim (Jun 27, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Sharpening past the DMT.*
> 
> I decided to see if I could improve on my dmt sharpness. The *good* news, I did. The *bad* news, I did. It's not a tremendous amount, and not enough to make me go back to waterstones (yet), but I will leave my hard arkansas on the bench from now on.
> 
> ...


Interesting Thread. I use my 8k DMT for pllane irons, but use a black arkie rock for carving knives.
During a carving project, I strop the knife or gouge often during use. Hit the edge a few licks every 3-5 minutes.
Edges seem to last longer between actual honing.

Have even experimented with stropping smoother irons. Seems to help some especially on gnarly wood.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Tuning it up Bench plane style*

I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.

Now….why anyone but someone with a sickness for hand planes like me would buy this plane is a little beyond my understanding, unless it was given to you or almost given to you. A note, I'd rather have one of these than any handyman though, and I'd put them in a pretty close running with a Defiance line hand plane. Again, the Defiance can be made to work well pretty consistently, but it takes a little more love than a Stanley Bailey vintage or equivalent.

For clean up see http://lumberjocks.com/replies/612946

So the following is some advice on how to make almost any plane work well. I'll try to separate out my experience in the differences between these and vintage plane.



















If your plane needs a full restoration, as in stripping, painting, and parts replaced, go to either my restoration blog , Making a tote blog, turning a knob blog, or a list of possible places to find parts.

*Sharpen it*
So here is what you do. First sharpen it. See parts 7 and 10 It doesn't matter what your taste in sharpening is as long as it works for you. It *MUST* be sharp.

*Polish the end of the cap iron*
Polish the end of the cap iron This is more important than many people think. It helps with the breaking of the chip.

*Check and fix the cap iron if needed*. The cap iron must have good contatact with the iron. Any gap at all will collect chips, and clog. Make sure its clean and tight. It should be re-rusted by now with whatever you decided (if it needed it), or you can just wire brush it. I go into more detail here.

*Flatten the frog*. File the frog flat. I lock it in a vise and hold the file flat while filing it. It doesn't need to be perfect. Some like to polish this as well, but its not really necessary.



















here is the aluminum frog flattened. The aluminum actually took a lot to flatten, but flatten quickly because …... well,.......its aluminum. I'm also not thrilled with the amount of contact area on the Blue frog, but in the end, it did work reasonably well.










*Check the frog seating*
Also check the frog seating. I very seldom have to do this on a vintage plane, but once in a while one does not seat properly. You can use valve grinding compound and usually it doesn't take much. In my latest restore I used a block of wood and sand paper.



















The best way to tell if it needs seating is as your tightening the screws, or just force the frog down on the seat. You should feel no rocking. You can also use some machinist blue to ensure you're getting good contact with the two parts.

*Next flatten the sole*. Use a piece of granite or a table saw top. If it proves to be real bad, I'll start it on the belt sander, like I do the sides, but I always finish it on the flatter surface of the table saw. Turn the plane front and push in all directions to keep it flat and even.

For longer planes, use sand paper from a role or cut a belt for the task.

Note, I've found the older the plane, the less flattening it'll need. You'd think just the opposite would be true with advancements in manufacturing, but anything made after the 60's usually makes it to the belt sander. The Blue stanley took longer than most I've ever done.




























As I'm putting everything together I *give it a coat of Fluid Film* to keep the rust away.









*Or Wax it*









*The knob and Tote*

You will decide how much the knob and tote needs but here are a few tricks to help.

I chuck the knob in the drill press.










Grind the head so it fits in the hole (were possible). Put a washer on the bottom of the knob.










I use a bolt with a 1/4" Philips head that's been ground down slightly so it fits inside the knob where the brass nut goes. Tighten it down with a washer and chuck it in the drill press. Only chuck it hand tight so you don't trash the threads.



















Sand it with 60 grit if it still has a varnish or hard finish. then up through 500 (or more if desired) grit. If it had an oil finish I'll start with 220 grit. First few coats of BLO goes on with steel wool while in the drill press. If the existing finish is hard, it is usually easier to scrape it first.

This also helps with waxing. You can spin it fast enough in a drill press to heat the wax.

For the tote, I haven't found an easier way than possibly scraping if its a hard finish, and sanding as you would any other piece of wood.

Finish the wood with boiled linseed oil (BLO). If its a really dry old piece, soak it in the BLO overnight.

*Troubleshooting.*

If the mouth is to wide, its pretty hard to fix. You can slide the frog ahead just so far. If its still to wide, you have a couple of options. 
1. Turn the plane into a jack
2. Buy a thicker iron.
3. Make it a paper weight.

I've test with shimming and haven't had a whole lot of luck.

*Chatter* 
1. make sure its sharp
2. make sure your not taking to big of a bite. Thin down the shavings.
3. check the frog for both flatness, make sure the screws are tight, and make sure its seating well.
4. Don't go buy a thicker iron thinking it will fix it.

Then enjoy the results









I hope it helps and thanks for stopping by.

dw


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


They might be "just some planes restored" to you Don, but they're works of art to the rest of us.


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


yep some good ole instruction, on a subject that6 i am lacking in, thats a bunch don…the more i use my planes the more i fall in love with them, and wish i would have learned earlier…but now its onward and forward, and im really enjoying them.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Don I always pick up a few tips and tricks.
Great tutorial.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have learned a lot from your threads and posts in my time on this site. I appreciate it, and I am thankful for your efforts in posting this type of stuff.


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## bluekingfisher (Mar 30, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the free tutorial Don, always good to receive advice from folks who know what they are talking about.

Cheers

David


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Fine job saving Old Blue, you are to commended for your dedicated efforts. At least it appears to have slotted screws; I draw the line at any plane having phillips head screws. 

Excellent tutorial as usual, Don Yoda. Nice pics, too. Thanks!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Thanks everyone.

Andy, I had to change the series. I wrote this in a layover, so I may have rushed a bit, although with the delays, I had plenty of time.


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## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Thanks Don.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Great resource Don, thanks for putting this together.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Excellent tutorial Don.


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## rossboyle52 (Dec 31, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Bought a #4 Stanley just like this one for $5.00 at a flea market. Did the restore based on this post. The plane cleaned up quite nicely and after some tweeking and honing it makes some decent ribbons. Ironically the sole is nearly dead flat. I didn't have to do anything but polish and wax it. Thought the blue paint was ugly so I stripped it and painted it flat black using rustoleum oil base paint then clear coated it with semi gloss clear coat. Now it looks more like a Stanley plane. "LOL"!
Going to send this one to my eldest son in Texas.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Nice job ross


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## rossboyle52 (Dec 31, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Tuning it up Bench plane style*
> 
> I brought this magnificent (note the dripping sarcasm) piece of machinery home with me during one of my flea market outings. This is a late model Stanley #4. Its painted Blue, made in the US, has a painted cap, a shorter iron than vintage, and no toe on the tote. The knob and tote is painted black, it has an aluminum frog and a pretty cheezy lateral adjuster.
> 
> ...


Like you said, nothing real special about this plane. I bought it with my son in mind. Figured for the amount that he would use it that it would last him a long time.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*

A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.

I show the repair done with a contrasting wood, but it can be matched if you'd prefer.










.

*
Here is how I repair them.
*

.


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## TechTeacher04 (Mar 17, 2014)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


I like the contrast better, you don't have to worry about the grain and color matching. The 2 tone adds a nice effect.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Great idea, Don. Looks terrific!


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Nice job Don! I like the contrast.


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## skipmathews (May 2, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Great job on the plane! I like the two tone look as well!
I did that recently with a handsaw tote and I think it looks good.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Don that is a neat solution
It would stand out in a busy shop with lots o benches

Jamie


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## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Well done Don.


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## MadJester (Sep 30, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *How to repair a Bench plane knob with a base blow out.*
> 
> A pretty common break on a bench plane is the bottom of the knob being blown out. There typically isn't enough surface area to glue a piece back on, so here is an alternative.
> 
> ...


Looks great!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*

I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.










To read the rest, visit my website........


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## Cantputjamontoast (Jan 1, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


That sandpaper device you made from a broken part certainly gives me an inspiration!!!!

Just because it looks like it belonged to Jacques Cousteau and he used it under water all that metal can clean up nicely.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Great article Don. You tactfully dealt with that can of worms. )


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## summerfi (Oct 12, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Don, this was a great read, and a question I deal with frequently. I agree with pretty much everything you said. There is a saw forum I follow on another site, but I wouldn't dare post one of my restorations there because the "experts" on that site would be aghast. They seem to believe nearly anything you do to an old tool is destructive. I think I personally lean towards doing a greater degree of restoration on a tool than most people do. There's something about my make up that causes me want to make something look and perform as good as I can. On the other hand, there are a couple unrestored 1830's saws laying on my bench that have been there for a good long while. I'd like to restore them, but a little voice in my head questions if that would be the right thing to do. I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer, but it is a continuing struggle.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


I agree Bob. And I think if you're asking yourself the question, you're probably going to be ok. I'm all for preserving history, I just don't understand how a well restored tool doesn't do that better than one that is completely unlike itself.

To me, its history is about how it started, not what some fool did to it along the way.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


I agree 100% Don. I also think about the people who designed, made and sold these old tools in the first place. What would they think of the neglected, rusty tools that we buy? I'm sure they would rather see them restored and used. If a tool is restored well and maintained well, it will last for ages. A lot longer than the rusty, neglected tools that land on my doormat. Having said that, I do believe there are some tools that should not be restored and they are the ones that have been looked after. Unfortunately though, they are few and far between in my price bracket.


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## terryR (Jan 30, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


excellent read, Don. 
Thanks for sharing!


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Couldn't agree more Don.


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## Slyy (Nov 13, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Don, fantastic read. Like Bob and Andy have mentioned you really hit the subject we've all talked about many times, both here with fellow LJ's and a talk we've all had with ourselves. I've always thought of restorations of tools in the mindset of the fact that first-and-foremost these are tools designed and manufactured for one purpose: to perform that task for which they were made. If we find them in a state that makes them incapable of performing that task, then are they even tools anymore? I can't disagree with the idea that an object that could singularly be considered historicaly significant probably shouldn't be messed with but if someone who might consider themselves a purist would say you shouldn't touch an old tool for any reason do we do ourselves a disservice by allowing that item to eventually fade to dust through a form of neglect?

The other point is like Bob said, what he does might be considered going too far sometimes but is it really? Is replacing a completely worn out handle, or plate, or spine (or some combination) on a saw to return it to a functional state any different then say replacing a worn out power cord on some beautiful vintage power magic lathe? Do any of these then make that tool less historically accurate or inherently less valuable? Certainly points you've touched on and things we've a thought about and no doubt, stuff that will be argued about through the ages. I think that if you do what you feel is right by you, how can anyone else really say you're wrong?


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## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Don, a well thought out dissertation. I think a lot of the debate over restore/preserve/leave it alone rises from people believing everything older than 50 years will be valuable and touching it will take money out of their pockets. Tools are just that, tools meant to perform a task. I treasure my vintage tools, I only own one modern plane. I take pride in them, they are products of New England craftsmanship and manufacturing.

Please continue writing essays like this. They add much needed common sense to the cluttered and at times absurd discourse around here.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


I like to think I have an eye for a nice plane. I've purchased a few, very few, and have a nice little set of users. I'd like to expand on that, but mostly just to use. One of the things that struck me the most was where you said "know what you have".

I definitely fall short here. I'm always eager when I get a new find. Sometimes too eager. Thank goodness there are so many knowledgeable people willing to share their expertise with those who ask.

Thanks for sharing those thoughts, Don. You are a treasure trove of insight and experience.


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## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Thanks Don.


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

donwilwol said:


> *To Restore a hand plane or to not restore a hand plane.*
> 
> I've always been a maker/restorer of tools and other things. My mother was sure I'd burn down the cow barn heat treating my new knives, or later bluing the rifles I was restoring. Then a few years ago, the hand plane collecting bug bit and bit hard. My wife was constantly dragging (and I mean kicking and screaming all the way) to antique shops. After a while though, I could hear the old tools crying for help. I had a few hand planes and hand saws and knew how to use them (or thought I did) but now they took on a new life. Pretty soon they started following me home in droves.
> 
> ...


Good read Don, !! I'm way behind you in dirty finger nails. I have (Hard Headdely), come to the thought that there are two categories, Users and collectables. My Collectables will only be maintained by regular wiping and oiling with no intent of repairing or changing the state that I receive them. Now, I do on the other hand enjoy taking an old neglected User and bringing it back to life and seeing it perform as it should. There is no profit in it other than a little pride from seeing it throw out a fine shaving. My process for finishing is still evolving and changes from the particular plane type I'm restoring. 
Jeff in Ky.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

*Restoring a Sargent Transitional*

For those interested in another Transitional restore series.

http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


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## rossboyle52 (Dec 31, 2012)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Beautiful restore Don. I can only hope that my capabilities will be as good as yours someday.
I just finished restoring a Stanley #4 WWII era. Picked it up on eBay for cheap money. Had a lot of surface rust. Once I got the surface rust off it started to look pretty nice. Lapped the sole (very little needed) and polished it so it's nice and smooth. Sharpened and honed the iron as well as flattening the back and she cuts like a dream. I was going to add it to my small collection of old planes but this one feels and cuts so nice that I am making it my go-to #4 smoother. I have a Veritas L/A smoother that I was using but the #4 is sooooo much smoother to use.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Thanks Ross. Glad you're gettin 'er done.


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## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Always impressive work Don. It is silly that they made the yoke/adjuster in such an inconvenient configuration.

Thanks.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Mighty fine restore


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Absolutely beautiful!


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

donwilwol said:


> *Restoring a Sargent Transitional*
> 
> For those interested in another Transitional restore series.
> 
> http://www.timetestedtools.net/2016/01/26/restoring-the-sargent-transitional-part-1-2/


Lovely Don.
Just restored one, should have seen your blog…
Best thoughts,
Mads


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