# Is this handplane any good?



## Sawdustmaker115

I was looking across eBay and I've been wanting to get a #7 so i was wondering if this plane would be good. One concern is the fact of the broken tote is that a simple thing to fix by just throwing a bunch of clamps on it? And my other question is that is it worth around $50 (buy the time i consider the shipping). Also wondering if anyone has experience on buying this kind of thing on eBay? And just any other pointers to considerate when buying hand planes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Bailey-No-7-22-Hand-Plane-Patd-1902-/191095316616?pt=USHandTools&hash=item2c7e2b2088


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## Loren

Looks like a good buy at $40-$50. Your distance may affect shipping.

Broken totes are common in older planes and nothing to worry about.
You'll pay a higher premium for a plane with intact tote and knob
but pragmatically if you want to do woodworking with the
plane it doesn't much matter, imo. Many of my planes have
broken tote horns and I actually prefer the feel of a shortened
and rounded horn.


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## Deycart

I wouldn't worry about the wood, its not that big a chore to fix it up especially for a user(use epoxy, tite bond is no good on an oily wood or you can clean with alcohol or acetone and then use tite bond. It also looks like a nice clean break. After fixing the main crack you may still have a few gaps in the wood. I use super glue and sand it while it is still wet and you will be amazed at how well the crack gets filled. I would finish with some nice wax. Shellac or lacquer don't hold up well to a tool that is use regularly and polly just looks like hell. My main concerns for this plane is the life in the blade. That blade is near death. The reason you don't see the back side is because there is about 1/4" left in it. 2 3/8" blades will run you about 20 for a stanley replacement or more for an upgrade form lee valley or lie Nielsen btw a 4 1/2 5 1/2 and a 6 use the same blade. Most No. 7 SW go for around 80-140 bucks on ebay. I keep track because I run a shop on there under the same name. Other wise I would say it would be a steal for 50, how ever it will likely run up a bit more than that.

The question that was not raised is why does it have a brass nut holding down the end of the tote…. Not a huge deal for a user plane if you don't like it you can re-tap and use something from HD or lowes or buy the right part, if i'm not mistaken both the screw and post is 1/4 at 20 threads per inch.


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## BillWhite

Stanley does not use standard thread pitches.
Highland Woodworking has a Stanley re-hab kit with the appropriate screws, threaded rods, etc.
Bill


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## JayT

Good advice above. That could be a good user plane. I'll repeat Deycart's advice-the tote can be glued, but you cannot use regular wood glue on rosewood. Epoxy is best or I have had good luck with polyurethane glue, as well.


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## Sawdustmaker115

I have a spare Stanley iron and chip breaker that i found in my grandfathers stuff, but the width of it is only 2'' can i put that in there for now? or will it not work at all. Just one other curious thing is why is there a ''Z'' on the iron?


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## Deycart

You can put any size blade and it will "fit" as long as it it not wider than the mouth, you just wont be taking a cut that is the full width the plane is capable of. However a chip breaker from a woody will not work. The slot that engages the yoke is cut higher in the chip breaker. The blade that is with the plane will work fine. It just wont last very long and you are very like likely to have to take another 1/16 to 1/8 to get to some good metal.

Keep the old blade and use it to learn how to sharpen. You will be amazed at how fast you will eat a blade learning how to sharpen. I have tried the scary sharp system(uses various grades of sand paper) and water stones with a vertas MKII guide. I prefer the stones and guide. WAY less time and a consistent edge. Plus the sand paper method sounds cheaper, but if you stay with wood working and edge tools(chisels, awls, planes, and the such) you will be constantly sharpening and you will actually save a whole lot of money and time by investing in a quality sharpening system than trying to work with sandpaper. Plus only quality sandpaper will work well. I recommend buying your higher grits from an automotive store than a home depot or the like. Crappy sand paper just wont work on a car finish. Add a good course quality diamond stone and you can sharpen all your flea market and ebay finds in jiffy.

There is usually some kind of stamp like the Z on all Stanley blades some times its a circle sometimes its a set of numbers. I figure its to help identify batches of blades for quality testing. Make 100 test 2 or 3 and if they pass they whole batch is good. If not they are all bad. The latter blades use a circle and I think they got it cheap enough to test all blades and that's why they went away with the numbers and letters. The circle is lower on the blades where the tool steel is.


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## Sawdustmaker115

Okay so theoretically that iron will work? See the only concern that i have is the slot in the iron not clearing the lateral adjustment, I've been looking around for a spare iron for my #4 and #5 and that always seems to be the problem when finding another iron for them.


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## Deycart

I'm not sure why you're having a problem with your blade. The lateral adjustment should only engage the blade with the disc and all disc on the normal sized planes are the same. You might want to check to see if your planes lat is bent or if the disc has been smashed on the side and needs some light filling to get it round again.


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## Sawdustmaker115

Yeah it just doesn't really make sense to me either. the #4 is a craftsman and the jack is a Dunlap maybe it's just cause there a little lower quality names or no. could just be that there old so crap happens over the years so maybe a tune up is in order.


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## Deycart

AH, I was working under the assumption they were Stanleys. The craftsman may be a good user depending on who made it. I have not seen a Dunlap that was any good. Although a good use for crappy planes on a tight budget would be to convert them to a scrub plane. Just put a serious round edge on the blade and file the mouth wide open and any plane will scrub well. Personally I like to use a No. 5 for scrubbing I feel the longer bed enables you to just get crazy while planing and still end up with a fairly flat board. A short scrubber requires you to be paying much more attention because you can easily take too much off of one area and end up with a board that is an easy 1/8 or more too thin… Not that this has ever happen to me. Shoot me a pic of the craftsman. I would need a good look at the area around the front knob and the face of the frog and back of the frog with a bit of the bed.


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## bandit571

One maybe a Sargent ( Dunlap) the other maybe a Stanley. But, the "Stanley" Craftsman would be of the Handyman style. If you were to back the chipbreaker off to about 1/8", does the iron show through?

have had a few Craftsman planes, even the ones with groove along the sides. Have a few Dunlaps too, some by sargent, some by Millers Falls, and even one by Stanley. It would depend on who got the contract that year..


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## Deycart

I think the Craftsmans made by Millers Falls are the best, they were made almost to the same standard as their main line just a little sloppy with the paint and the grind on the lever cap. The Sargent ones seem ok I haven't had an opportunity to take one apart or use one so I can't say for sure.


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## Sawdustmaker115

Hey. Deycart i need to make a run out to HD and some other stores so i will shoot you some pics later i guess i could just PM you. I can tell you that both of my plane are Sargent made they have a i think it's a ''BL'' or something like that i will be back on here later so i will post some pics here or pm you which ever you prefer i do have another post on here somewhere about the planes I've got


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## WayneC

One other thing is that this plane was made before before 1910 and it does not have an adjustment screw on the frog. Most people don't have an issue with this.


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## Deycart

Whichever is fine. My phone beeps for both.


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## WayneC

Also, where are you located Sawdust? Local flea markets may be an option… Save on the shipping.


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## bandit571

The "BL" stamp was for a line called "Budget Line" of handplanes.

A Millers falls plane would have a DD BB after the number, like a 4DD BB, and this would be stamped on the left side of the plane..


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## Sawdustmaker115

Here you go Deycart


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## Deycart

That is defiantly a Sargent make, a later one from the looks. The depth adjuster is uniquely Sargent. Looks like it would make a good light duty smoother or scrub if you open the mouth.


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## Sawdustmaker115

I use it now as a smother and it works great!


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## bandit571

Looks firmilar









This was a Craftsman #4









and this was a Stanley #1204 Handyman









And a Dunlap #4


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## Sawdustmaker115

I had bought a cheap plane from Harbor freight and i put a real heavy camber on it and use it as a scub works pretty well although after using it for a good 15-20 minutes it does loosen up a bit but being that it's a scub i don't have many issues with it


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## bandit571

like this one?









This is one hungry little beastie. DO NOT get the two piece plane set. The Windsor #33 is THE plane to get.


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## Sawdustmaker115

Yep!!! that's it i also got the 3pc mini plane set and the little brass block in there is pretty good


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## Sawdustmaker115




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