# Hand Planes



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Groz planes, Plane and Simple*

I have commented all over the net about Groz planes. I really think they are a good option to save some money. My set included a #4 smoother and a low angle block with adjustable throat. It was on sale for about $40-50 over at Woodcraft. Quality-wise they are comparable to a flee market or e-bay Stanley branded plane. I think the Stanley is a bit nicer, but it is definitely a buyer beware situation buying a 30-100 year old plane sight unseen (know what I mean Vern). With the Groz you get a virgin plane that is unlikely to have been truly messed up by someone with good intentions and a file/drill/sandpaper/whatever. With a Stanley of unknown background you can easily find yourself in over your head as a new entry into the world of hand planes.

You will notice that I have not mentioned saving time. Yes, that is the hook. You get a Stanley knock-off. Other than looks and basic features the similarities end and you have to choose your battles. You new plane will require sharpening, flattening of the sole, cleaning up the throat, and some adjustment to get the best performance out of it.

Before you go running off to buy a Lie Neilsen or Veritas check this video:
My initial thoughts on the Groz
I took this video after little use of the planes. I paid the $5ea to have woodcraft sharpen the blades and started using the tools as soon as they arrived. They do work just fine, but are not of the caliber to take to a $50 piece of exotic wood. Heck, they may never be.

At this point I have owned the planes for about a month. I have taken the time to flatten the soles on both. Neither were that great to begin with. Can't say that it drastically effected their performance, but I figured that it would be time well spent none the less. Only issue that I came across was that the block plane's adjustable toe sits differently open vs. closed, so it can only be flat at either extreme. I chose flat at the narrow throat position. Here is a shot closing in on flat. I went until I was flat across the throat, but left the hollow between the throat and heel.


The #4 required some filing at the entry of the throat. A poor casting job had left it uneven, almost jagged, at the edge. A small mill file and about 5 minutes was all that it took to remedy that. If you find that you need to go that route, keep a square close by to make sure you don't go off course and make things worse.

After dressing up the plane bodies it was time to move onto the blades. Here is an idea of what you will receive from Woodcraft sharpening…


Ewww gross. To their credit they do actually cut fair in this condition, but imo they are really not too sharp in this state.

The #4 received a Hock blade and cap iron. The Hock iron took a bit more work than I would have liked to get sharpened up initially. But the cap iron was beautiful right from the start. Actually just for s&g I placed both right into the plane and ran a couple of test cuts. They gave a similar cut to the sharpened factory setup. After a good sharpening of the Hock cut very nicely and remedied the chatter I was seeing in the cuts done with the factory blade. The combination of the nice Hock parts ($55 shipped at Craftsman Studio) and the tuned up plane body this smoother now lives up to its name and really can smooth hardwood. It still has some tearout on difficult grained walnut, but I have my doubts that any plane other than a scraper could deal with this board.

The low angle block got a full service sharpening. A few times over in fact. I got impatient the first couple of times and rushed to higher grit paper/stones before those deep factory marks were really gone. The state that this blade came from the factory is really a bit of work to get cleaned up. I ended up using a backer board, so I could apply more pressure at the courser grits. I went from 120g on granite to 220 on granite, 400g on cast iron, 4000g waterstone, and 6000 waterstone to flatten and polisth the back. The bevel was prepped on water stones (800,4000,6000), leaving the Woodcraft hollow grind.
Results:



With prep and tuning these Groz planes went from functional to enjoyable to use. I can pull shavings about .001" thinner than before (full width). Surface finish left by them is very smooth. Their only limitation seems to be that their throats don't adjust narrower. If you get into a situation that requires a narrower throat you will need to shell out for a high end plane from Lee Valley or Lie Neilsen.

So do I recommend these??
Yes. No. It depends on who the user is. If the user has no interest in tuning these planes to maximize performance then I definitely wouldn't recommend them. If the user is on a tight budget and can donate a bit of time to figuring out how to work these then I would recommend them. Personally I think they are a good value.


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Groz planes, Plane and Simple*
> 
> I have commented all over the net about Groz planes. I really think they are a good option to save some money. My set included a #4 smoother and a low angle block with adjustable throat. It was on sale for about $40-50 over at Woodcraft. Quality-wise they are comparable to a flee market or e-bay Stanley branded plane. I think the Stanley is a bit nicer, but it is definitely a buyer beware situation buying a 30-100 year old plane sight unseen (know what I mean Vern). With the Groz you get a virgin plane that is unlikely to have been truly messed up by someone with good intentions and a file/drill/sandpaper/whatever. With a Stanley of unknown background you can easily find yourself in over your head as a new entry into the world of hand planes.
> 
> ...


Nice review .
I agree with your summary entirely.
Often we overlook valuable tools that require a bit of tuning but with the cost of wood working today it is a very decent alternative to folks with a limited budget and the skills needed to tune these tools.
I have my eye on a 10 1/4 Jack Rabbeting Plane for $32.00 that normally would not get a place in my tool rack at $400.00 of more.
similar design to this Lie Neilson:















Bob


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Groz planes, Plane and Simple*
> 
> I have commented all over the net about Groz planes. I really think they are a good option to save some money. My set included a #4 smoother and a low angle block with adjustable throat. It was on sale for about $40-50 over at Woodcraft. Quality-wise they are comparable to a flee market or e-bay Stanley branded plane. I think the Stanley is a bit nicer, but it is definitely a buyer beware situation buying a 30-100 year old plane sight unseen (know what I mean Vern). With the Groz you get a virgin plane that is unlikely to have been truly messed up by someone with good intentions and a file/drill/sandpaper/whatever. With a Stanley of unknown background you can easily find yourself in over your head as a new entry into the world of hand planes.
> 
> ...


Hand planes, just like chisels do require some work and prep to get them to do high quality performance. it's just part of the whole experience. and even if you did get a fully honed tool (does anyone really sell such a thing) - after some use, you'd have to resharpen a rehone it anyways, so it's not like you can avoid that normal routine by buying a sharpened tool off the shelf.

food for thought.

Nice review - very detailed! these look like nice tools.

p.s. when I got my stanley benchplane (brand new from the store) the sole was not flat, and I had to flatten it - not to mention the blade that needed sharpening and honing, and the throat that needed some fine cleaning…


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Another plane rehab*

Stanley 78 this time around. No patent dates and no marking other than the brand and model. Probably not very old. I saw this on e-bay a while back. All the parts, not much rust, and a buy-it-now price set below fair market value. So I snagged it up.


Upon receipt I gave it an inspection. Everything ship shape. Dull blade with a slight back bevel and no longer square may indicate a casual user as the previous owner. About 20 minutes on the granite slab with 120 and 220 grit paper cleaned and flattened the sole and sides. I left the slight hollow seen below. It would require a lot of sanding and I doubt it would improve performance by removing it.


After sharpening the blade, cleaning up the cap, and waxing it up with some parafin it was time to see what I had really bought into…



Verdict: works great, ready for years of service


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## king (Aug 5, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Another plane rehab*
> 
> Stanley 78 this time around. No patent dates and no marking other than the brand and model. Probably not very old. I saw this on e-bay a while back. All the parts, not much rust, and a buy-it-now price set below fair market value. So I snagged it up.
> 
> ...


looks good, works good, looks like a keeper to me.


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## thetimberkid (Apr 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Another plane rehab*
> 
> Stanley 78 this time around. No patent dates and no marking other than the brand and model. Probably not very old. I saw this on e-bay a while back. All the parts, not much rust, and a buy-it-now price set below fair market value. So I snagged it up.
> 
> ...


Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Another plane rehab*
> 
> Stanley 78 this time around. No patent dates and no marking other than the brand and model. Probably not very old. I saw this on e-bay a while back. All the parts, not much rust, and a buy-it-now price set below fair market value. So I snagged it up.
> 
> ...


Interesting hand plane dsb.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*No.7 rehab*

I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:









A bunch of paint overspray, very minimal rust showing, handles looked decent, but the blade looked short. I had hopes that the paint overspray may have actually protected the plane as well as deterred other bidders. I ended up right on both instances.

The plane arrived in good shape. I put it on my cast iron saw top and got no rocking. I then removed the handles and sanded them down with 180g. After a couple coats of polyurethane they are looking good. I still need to buff them out but I will let them dry a few more days.


I treated the body and the irons/cap to a scotchbrite and wd-40 bathing. The scotchbrite is a bit too abrasive on the japanning, so I will likely skip it there next time. I found that my dremmel tool with a soft wire wheel worked great to remove the paint overspray and not damage the epoxy much.



The end result of about 2 hours of restoration and tuning…










One shot of the growing family. 
Roll call:
Stanley Bailey no.7, n0.5
Stanley others: no.78, 60-1/2, no.29 transitional
Groz: no.4 smoother, LA block
Woodies: unknown manufacturer


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## jcees (Dec 31, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Doug,

To truly see what you can get out of this puppy you need to "joint" the sole. This added attention will payoff big time. And doing it to a corrugated sole is a cinch. I use an offcut that I picked up from a glazier. It's a piece of float glass that's 5/16" thick and measures 11×36. I lay down two strips of self adhesive wet/dry [Klingspor] in four different grits [two on each face] starting w/240 and ending with 600. I can take off .0001" shavings all day. Also, if you work it hard, you might want to think about changing the blade/chipbreaker set. I use a Hock iron and a Clifton Stay-Set chipbreaker. Schweeet!

If you need any more particulars, just ask.

always,
J.C.

P.S. If you joint the sole, remember to keep the blade in it but retracted. In other words, the plane must be in tension as it would be in use.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments. Normally I would flatten the sole and have done so to all my other planes. I just wanted to get a feel for how this one would do in factory condition. It will take shavings down to about .003 on HM. For a jointer I didn't think that finer work would be necessary. My no.4 and no.5 both can take thinner cuts and smooth after the jointer. I may invest the time down the line, but for now I will test drive it as is.

I will invest in a Hock blade and breaker. This iron has seen about it's fill. It only has about 1/2" left to the slot, so either this plane has seen some use or someone was a bit happy with the grinder during sharpening sessions. End result is that it will need a new iron. The chip breaker has also seen some use and quite a bit of hammer time. I don't know why it would have been hammered on, but it is a bit beat up. Whenever I get the $70 in hand I will promptly pass it on to Hartville or Craftsman Studio for the Hock replacements.


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## matt1970 (Mar 28, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


wow…i am really glad i checked this entry…because i was worried YOU were on your 7th re-hab…and like you said they are getting more expensive each time…

beautiful job on the re-hab--and may your health continue…


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## Darell (Jul 23, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Nice job on the restoration. You got me to thinking when you mentioned buying these planes from online auctions. My wife got into antiquing a few years ago. (Thank God she doesn't buy much) I've noticed that in several antique shops we've been in and in flea markets you can find all kinds of planes for $15 to $25. I'm not a plane guy but that may be a new source for someone who's into these things. I've looked at a bunch of these and most seem to be just in need of some TLC.


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## teenagewoodworker (Jan 31, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


nice!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Hah, funny stuff Napaman. Nope, my only affliction is to that marvelous malted adult beverage. I think one actually snuck on camera. Oops.

Darell, one issue with antique dealers is that they mix the valuable and run of the mill together. Now, you could end up with a sweetheart of a plane for a song but you can also end up paying $25 for a plane that is really worthless. My woodie and transitional planes are a great example of this in action. I got both of them for $10. At an antique store they would likely have been priced around $20ea. I think it is great to find these where you can. If you happen to already be into antiques or if you are regularly dragged into places by the spouse then I recommend keeping an eye out. Personally I don't spend the time searching, so I pay a bit more on ebay and take my chances. I have had very good luck so far.


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## thetimberkid (Apr 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum


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## ChicoWoodnut (Dec 15, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


That's one fine plane. I love my #7.

When will you have enough?


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## jcees (Dec 31, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No.7 rehab*
> 
> I got my No.7 in the mail on Thursday. They have been getting a bit higher in price on e-bay as of late. At least the nicer ones are going more than I care to spend and the rust seized ones are creeping up to about $30-45 at auction close. So I decided exactly what I wanted, a Stanley No.7 in user condition with a corrugated sole. I watched auctions for about a month got outbid on a couple, but stuck within my price limits on each so I don't feel bad about being outbid. Finally one popped up that I was sure wouldn't get too much attention:
> 
> ...


Chico, there is no such thing as enough. Just ask my missus. HA!

always,
J.C.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*My newest sweety*

Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.

Hmmm, what's that? Off to Blood & Gore for a quick ID. Apparently it is the ductile iron version of the scraper. Well, that could come in handy. The japaning looked good, but the sole was rusty and no picture of the blade. Seller claimed it to be a sweetheart, so I figured it was worth a gamble. Even at close it was less expensive than a new no.80 and much cheaper than the Veritas.

So it came in yesterday and I hit the net to find some information on sharpening and settings. I gave it a quick hone and was able to pull shavings (smaller shavings in first picture). But it was obvious that a bit more tuning and homework was necessary.

Today I got home and tackled it again, but armed with a bit more knowledge and familiarity with the intended settings. I flattened the sole, lapped the blade holder, flattened the casting where the blade rests, and took a bit more care and time to properly hone the blade. I was rewarded with fluffy shavings and a much more predictable scraper.

From 2008.08.19 planes

I haven't tried it with a burr. There is some debate as to the need for a burr. For now I figure that I will try it out w/o one. If I need to get more aggressive I will burr it.

A few more glamour shots of this Ol'gal. She did cleanup nice for being close to 90 years old.

From 2008.08.19 planes


From 2008.08.19 planes


From 2008.08.19 planes


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## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


Cool… I love a good find. It cleaned up nicely- you'll get years of good use from it I'm sure…


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## cabinetmaster (Aug 28, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


Great job of cleaning her up. You'll find lots of uses for that baby.


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## ropedog (Mar 26, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


they are very fun , nice looking plane.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


and now she heads towards her next generation of "working the wood"


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## Ampeater (Feb 21, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting.

As it happens, I have been looking on ebay for one of those, but haven't bid on one yet. Your post has convinced me to get one.


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


so thats what that things for.


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## douglas2cats (Mar 31, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


That was mt first scraper. I picked the exact same one up at a neighborhood garage sale about 15 years ago for $2.50 except not in as nice a condition. The blade was a lunar landscape so got replaced. Then like a dimwit I scrubbed off the nasty pitted paint with a wire brush and redid it with black Rustoleum. Who new that folks assess the things by the percent of "Japaning" they have left? Heck I didn't even know for sure what it was when I bought it - just thought it looked somehow useful. DOH! Once I figured out how to use the thing I was hooked too.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *My newest sweety*
> 
> Once I started using scrapers I was caught with the bug. They are just so handy, but the drawback to card scrapers is that they can and do catch the second your focus wanders. So I started looking around for the typical scraper, the no.80. I had been watching e-bay for a few days when this 80M shows up.
> 
> ...


Meh, japaning-shmaning percentages. Leave that stuff to the collectors. The 80M and sweetheart era were what got my interest. I have been getting a kick out of just how nice these old tools are. I have gone through about 5 planes and tuned them up for use. In contrast to my imports these older planes just seem not only to be built better but have some character to them. When people walk into my shop I can tell them some of that history. I think that is much more interesting than, "hey, here is my POS from ??? imported and sold for dirt cheap. It is made of the finest compilation of the cheapest parts that could be thrown together to resemble a quality tool."

Thanks for the comments.

MsDebbie, when you say it that way it just sounds dirty. I like it, thanks for the chuckle.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Plane restorations*

Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.

Here is a photo slideshow of a few of them:

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


It looks like we've spent our summers doing similar things. I was/am working on restoring stanley number 3,4,5, and 7. I have to say, yours looks to have come out better than mine. I did the electrolysis thing, which does a good job getting them clean, but I had trouble getting the planes dry before they'd start rusting again. Then I added boshield rust remover (basically phsphoric acid) to the process and applied that as soon as it came out of the electrolisis bath. It definitely grays the iron quite a bit, but it should help prevent future rust.

The drawback is that the grayish metal makes black streaks and eliminates and possibility of a mirror finish on the planes, so I guess I'll need to run it over some scrap a few times to at least remove the black streaks. The jointer (7) has been sharpened and seems to work pretty well in the limited applications I've put it through. I'm working on sharpening the rest of the blades, but I'm not so good at this yet.

The photo where you look to have tested a plane on some cherry (maybe a #5?) looks awesome. Youve got a mirror finish and clean consistent shavings. I don't think mine is quite there, but I think it has more to do with my struggles sharpening. Thanks for the great pics. You are right, it is a real satisfaction to give these tools a second life. I'm ussually sick of hearing people say they don't build things like they used to, but this may be one of the cases when this is true! Great work!


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


2 more things. It looks like you have the same honing guide as me, so there goes my excuse to blame my sharpening skills on my tools. lol. I am trying scary sharp method for now, but to be honest, I think it is still just a lack of practice.

Also, what did you do to clean up the handles? they look great.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


Yep, from the looks of e-bay sales we aren't the only ones on this quest. I hear you on rust, summer in the South has been an interesting experience for me. I came from CA, so this cast iron rusting within minutes is new to me. I was using wd-40 and paste wax or parafin until recently when I picked up some t-9. Gotta say the t-9 stops rust much better. I do the spray on and wipe dry. After an overnight cure I go back over the top with wax to make the surface slick. I haven't noticed any tracks, maybe the post t-9 waxing prevents that.

I have been pretty selective in my planes. I try to get ones with a nice patina and avoid ones with active rust running wild. Generally I do a combination of scotchbrite, steel wool, and wire brushing on most parts. Then I follow with sole flattening and truing the sides if I plan to use the plane on side. Personally I think the quest for a mirror finish is a bit silly for anything but a finish smoother. The cast iron is a bit soft and will take on scratches from the wood (or minerals embeded in it). I go to flat on the important areas, if it is not too far off I may go until everything is flat. Generally I don't spend that much time lapping. There is minimal improvement in performance for the extra effort.

Biggest improvement in my sharpening was the addition of a granite slab and introduction of stone flattening often. It may erode the stones quicker, but keeping them flattened throughout a sharpening session gives much more consistent results. So far that cheap honing guide has worked on most of my blades. Only my shoulder plane iron doesn't work.

Handles are sanded with 320g, then refinished. Can you find the 2 tote cracks on the no4? The no7 I used poly on. The 3 I just buffed up. The no4 I used shellac. So far I think the poly is the brightest finish, but is a bit more work to apply. The shellac is more genuine and can be used even over the japaning.


----------



## wadestock (Jun 25, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the post. I have a 181 rabbit , a 75 bullnose and a 60 1/2 plane in the mail from ebay. They look pretty rusty but I'm going to try the electrolysis method. I managed to get my #4 sharp enough to get me excited about using planes.


----------



## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


It seem that I was not the only one who caught the old plane virus this past summer. Over this past summer I've collect roughly 20 planes and had a great time in bring these beauty back to life. The joy of using a well tune plane is the most fun I have in woodworking in such a long time. I have to credit Lie Neilsen associate demostrator with his keen insight in sharpening….once he straight me out on his method of repeatability of setting the hone guide the rest is shear magic. Some of my favoite user friendly plane are the WWll extra heavy cast bodies…these planes do not have the brass ajustment wheel instead they have a stamp hard rubber wheel. I do plan on posting some pic when time permit. Thanks Dsb for the post


----------



## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


I didn't notice the cracks in the handles. I have tried BLO on one of the lighter handles and i did garnet shellac over some dye on another. I think the other two might be rosewood, but they are pretty covered in paint and dirt. I'll have to give it an awful good cleaning beforeI can figure out what needs to happen.

I really want to try some sharpening stones (all I've got is a diamond stone right now), but my birthday wish list is so long already, who knows…


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane restorations*
> 
> Over the last several months I have taken time that could have been spent woodworking to adopt and care for some old planes. Most were inexpensive, rusty, and unkept. With a little time and attention these antiques are ready to serve another generation of user. I think that is pretty cool. In this era of disposable tools these relics of a time gone by are heartwarming. These tools have character. All are 50-100 years old and a testament to the "they don't make em like they used to" sentiment.
> 
> ...


Most of my handles are rosewood. The no.5 is one of the lighter painted black types though. I haven't done any restoration on those handles yet. I am thinking black dye with shellac over it to maintain the original look without paint.

Sharpening is a disease. It can be done a million ways and you may end up wanting to atleast test drive half of the methods. I am not a huge fan of the diamond stuff and only have some smaller paddles of it. In the end I like to set the bevel in the plane iron with sand paper then go to 2-3 water stone grits and call it good.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Working on planes*

Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?

Evapo-rust
Yep, that's right Evapo-rust
This stuff is cool. Dissolves/converts rust in a non-toxic and non-corrosive chemical reaction. It is rare to come in contact with a cleaning solvent that actually works yet is not something that you have to worry about getting on your skin. Here is an example…

before:


after:

About 5 minutes with a wire brush and the dark oxide comes right off leaving a surface about as good as new. Other than a little babysitting this process is a very minimal effort for the returns. Cost is about $20/gal and it is reusable.

Here is another example of what can be done.

before:


after:


There is some sort of an etching reaction as part of the process. Note the gray hue to the raw metal. This etch by itself will prevent rusting up to 2 weeks. Of course if you want shiny metal you do have to buff through it.

The No.6 pictured above was a fun project. I will most likely release it back into the wild though. I was looking for this size plane and picked up this rough one on ebay. Then out of the blue my dad shows up with another one. So here I am with 2 of the sme plane except one does have some family relevance. I think I can flip this one now that it is restored for enough to cover the evapo-rust, stripper, and paint. Time is out the window though since I don't get payed to tool around in the garage.


----------



## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Thats a beaut. I spent significant time messing with electrolysis and then a quick spray with t-9 rust remover (phosphoric acid). This looks much easier and safer (not electircal cords dunked in buckets of water, no acid). Do you dunk the plane in the evaporust, or do you just bruch it on and then scrub? Do you know why the graying occurs? Does the gray rub off on the wood when planing? Sorry for all the questions. I've just foudn plane restorations to be more challenging than I originally thought.

Thanks for the post!


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Yep, this may not be the fastest but it makes up for that in the fact that it is safe to work with. It is also kind of a 2in1 since it strips and does an etch similar to phosphoric.

You need to either submerge the parts or brush on a heavy coat and bag to prevent evaporation of water from the solution. I just found a tray at Lowes big enough to fit a #6.

Best results were to clean and disassemble the planes, strip the japanning, then dunk for about 1-2 hours, pull it and give it a quick scrub and wipe down, then dunk overnight. You don't have to remove the japanning, but I found that most of the planes I have done this to had rust under what appeared to be good japanning. It would be a shame to have the situation where a good looking restore starts to deteriorate from unseen rust. Of course if the plane was over 75% japanning I would leave it intact.

The gray is an oxide I imagine. It will not just wipe off. It can be broken through with scotchbrite or sandpaper pretty easy though. I left it on for protection, personally I wasn't going for the shiny new tool look. It doesn't leave marks on the wood.

I agree, restoration is a challenge but I like bringing these great tools back to life.


----------



## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Doug, This is a really nice restoration job. I love seeing neglected tools like this transformed into, for all practical purposes, a brand new looking piece.

Well done.


----------



## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Very nice! I've done a couple of planes myself, but haven't gotten any of them tuned up correctly so far as I can tell. Personally, I kind of like the gray oxidation. Makes it look like an older tool…which it is of course


----------



## SteveKorz (Mar 25, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


That's pretty cool… it intrigues me… I've got some planes that are on my list to restore, I may have to give this a shot. Thanks for the info.


----------



## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the answer. I think I might just give this a try. I assume you used some spray paint to replace the japaning? It really does look great. I keep checking ebay, but I think I've got to stop buying for a while. Woodworking can be an awfully expensive hobby.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


Here is the process as it has evolved
1. disassemble and scrub everything down with a cleaner, simple green works well for me.
2. Strip the original finish or what's left of it in my cases
3. Dunk the now bare castings into evapo-rust, this will completely derust the plane and is a very minimal investment of time and effort. A few hours or overnight, your call.
4. Air dry. Overnight is probably best. This is okay after evapo-rust since it is protected against flash rusting.
5. Spray on 5-6 coats of Duplicolor semi-gloss engine enamel
http://www.duplicolor.com/products/engine.html
This enamel after about 5 coats take on a very close to original look.

Here is one that has been sprayed. I masked the sides and plugged the screw holes, placed it on a foam pad that I had laying around, oiled the frog contact areas so paint would not stick, and sprayed repeat coats every 10 minutes until I got the desired thickness.
http://picasaweb.google.com/anon102/20081119#5270635097874054898


----------



## willmego (Mar 27, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Working on planes*
> 
> Been fussing over some hand planes in the garage. Okay, so what's new there?
> 
> ...


I too can vouch for evaporust, I restored a completely solid block of rust that contained a stanley block plane within, and you've never know it had a speck of rust on it. On a flat bastard file I picked up at an estate sale of an old friend and neighbor I painted it on with a tiny brush and just let the stuff seep into the grooves and later just wiped it off (you wet the surface before applying, and rinse after, both times with water) and it looks a million times better. It's good stuff.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*No5 Restoration*

I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.

In the beginning we have a sub $10 e-bay win. Never going to win any beauty contests and not of a very well regarded vintage. So it is a perfect candidate for a facelift.


Initially I just cleaned it up and put it to work. This gave me a chance to test drive prior to investing much time or money. I would recommend testing a plane prior to a full restore if it is in a state that allows it.


Okay, now tear it down and strip it to bare metal. I used a combination of Aircraft paint removers. After a couple of application and rinse cycles you get to something that will likely look like this.


Next up is rust removal. There are several ways of going about this. Brute force method is to just take a wire wheel to it. Electrolysis is better option, but it is messy and requires hot wires in an open tub of water. Electrolysis is probably the most economical method if you plan on doing a lot of planes. Then there are the chemical chealators. Naval Jelly is just nasty stuff, but it will convert rust.

My preferred method is Evapo-Rust. Non-toxic, no offensive oddor, no worries of a chemical burn. It removes rust and creates a protective barrier against flash rusting.

After a couple of soak and rinse cycles you end up with a part that looks like this.

Some rust staining will remain, but the bulk of it will scrub off with a soft wire brush. So scrub it. After you are satisfied with the surface do a dip in the evapo-rust and let the part air dry. This will leave a protective film that lasts up to 2 weeks. I let the parts air dry overnight before proceeding.

Up next masking and painting. I stuff paper towel wads into the screw holes and mask the sides. I oil the frog pads so enamel won't bond. Pretty simple. For paint I was recommended Duplicolor Engine Enamel. After using it a couple of times I agree that it is the way to go for a finish that mimics the original japanning, but is much easier to apply and readily available at places like Autozone. You will need to apply 4-6 coats in short sessions. Give about 10 minutes between coats. Here is what you will be looking like.


Allow 20-30 minutes after the last coat, but not enough time for the enamel to fully cure. Then remove all masking and plugs from the screw holes. Take care not to touch the wet enamel as it will leave marks in the finish. Allow the finish to cure overnight. You should now have something like this.




Now it is time to remove the enamel from the areas that it doesn't belong. To remove it from the front, back, and top of the cheeks I just use some 120g sand paper. This is mainly just to restore the plane to an original aesthetic. You could leave the enamel on those areas if it doesn't bother you.


Next prep the frog to sole interface. A light sanding to remove any enamel overspray may be all that is required. On the other hand some light machining may be in order. Several of my planes have had rocking at the interface. Use a file or machinist scraper to remove metal from the sole or the frog high points until the rocking is removed. Oil everything and reassemble.

I installed a Hock iron and chip breaker. I am really a fan of these. The added mass does make a significant difference in cut quality. I also like the clean interface that the machined chip breaker provides compared to the stock sheet metal version. I still have the stock iron and breaker, maybe I will camber them and use that set for roughing.

I used aftermarket replacement tote and knob on this plane. Since the originals were Beech painted black they weren't worth restoring. I think I will put up a seperate blog to discuss refinishing of handles and cleaning/polishing of brass hardware.

The end result


----------



## baller (Nov 14, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


i need to do this exact thing for the exact plane, thanks for sharing..looks great!


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## Robb (Aug 18, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


That looks great! I admire your craftsmanship in restoration. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


Great blog. Thanks for posting it. I feel a little foolish because I spent hours trying to clean up a cracked knob on one of my planes that was just as you described (dark stained beach). The crack isn't enough to go all the way through, so it's still usable, but it isn't a clean enought break to be easily repairable. I'm thinking of trying to make my own replacement. We'll see how that goes. Thanks again for the blog. Looking forward to a handle restoration blog!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


glad you all enjoyed the read.


----------



## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


This is a nice restoration job. I have one of these that I have restored to a functional state but this post gives me the inspiration to take it to the next level. I will definately have to put this on my to do list. Your plane simply looks wonderful!!


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


Nothing wrong with functional state. Mine would likely still be there if I hadn't been spurred into action by my 2 rust bucket no6 and some extra evapo-rust sitting in the tub.


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


Nice work!


----------



## Dwain (Nov 1, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


Did you do any work to the sole or sides? Just curious. You have a fantastic resto there. Congratulations. I aspire to that quality of work…


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *No5 Restoration*
> 
> I have been recieving some questions on plane restorations, so I figure I will put together a start to finish on one of the planes I just did.
> 
> ...


Hey Dwain, I lapped the bottom of the plane with 120g during the test drive period. I used the belt sander belt laid out on the cast iron TS top method (I just picked up a big granite surface plate, so I will be using that going forward). The sides are square, so no need to do any tweaking there. I realized as I was writing this up that a full restoration blog in one shot is not really going to happen. I could dedicate an entire entry to adjusting the frog-sole interface. So I think I will just cover topics as I document them.

I do have to caveat these blog entries. These are my methods, discovered online, developed through trial and error, and are subject to change/modification without notice. There are many ways of getting each step completed. This is just one method. Documentation is far from being a professional tutorial. It is more for the sake of giving others a taste to inspire them to get out and learn to do this themselves.

Thanks again for the comments. They are constructive and appreciated.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Little woodie*

Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.

Here is how I got it. Honestly it doesn't look too bad.

But initial looks are a bit deceiving. Iron and cap were a bit rusted. The plane sole had a couple cracks and the wedge was anything but flat.

The wood got sanded down. I used titebond3 to seal and bond the cracks. Then it got a couple coats of 2lb cut shellac. Finished it off with a rub down and paste wax.

The blade has given me a bit of trouble. Not only was it rusted, but it had been beat pretty good. Fortunately no pitting. Once the rust was resolved I went at flattening the back. This turned into a 2 week process. A previous owner had dubbed over one corner badly (probably the same guy who hammered the tar out of the blade). With a combination of coarse paper and grinding the bevel back this is just about remedied. But it was a lot of work. In retrospect it would have been better to take it to the belt sander and forget about preserving the Sandusky logo. Oh well, live and learn.

Well, initial results are in.










a bit slack jawed…


It does cut a nice shaving, but the mouth opening leaves something to be desired if it is ever going to be a smoother. Either I need to re-sole it or camber the blade and make it a scrub. Jury still out on that.


----------



## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Little woodie*
> 
> Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.
> 
> ...


*Beautiful plane!* Thanks for the post.


----------



## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Little woodie*
> 
> Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.
> 
> ...


Nice shavings you've got there! Very sweet little plane you've got there.


----------



## rtb (Mar 26, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Little woodie*
> 
> Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.
> 
> ...


With those shaving's 'if it ain't broke fix it'. any idea about its age?


----------



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Little woodie*
> 
> Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.
> 
> ...


Beautiful plane.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Little woodie*
> 
> Well, this one has been on the workbench for about a month now. Before that it was on the shelf for a while. I don't really know the last time this plane actually saw any use.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the kind words. I have no idea on the age or original usage of this plane. It was probably just a block plane for rough work.

rtb, I had hoped to use it as a smoother. Those shavings are about .004", which is far from smoother territory. It needs more support in front of the mouth and a tighter throat to turn it into a smoother. The blade will pull nice thin shavings, but not at full width. I dunno, might just be fighting against the original design intent.


----------



## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Plane fun*

I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.

Here is some detail on the sweetheart from a previous blog:
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/dsb1829/blog/6473

I started both planes at the same time, but stalled on the type6. It was a family heirloom, if you can call a rusty and dilapidated plane such a thing. It had belonged to one of my great grandfathers. It was missing a knob and the tote was obviously in disrepair under the tape holding it together. So I found a no5 of the same vintage with a damaged sole, but good wood and hardware, as a donor.

Here we are about a month later. I finally have finished stripping and painting the sole. Tuning the frog to the sole was fairly short work. All that is left is a lapping of the sole and this plane will be ready for active duty. I am looking forward using it. With it nearing completion I decided it was time for a family portrait.



*edit 12/15/08*
I had wanted to discuss a few more items here, but had to run off yesterday. So I am going to pick back up here. I don't want this post to be a blatant tool gloat. I was trying to think of a good way to pull all of this together. At this point I have put up a fair amount of information as I have stumbled down the slippery slope. So I have pulled these posts into a series. Hopefully it will come in handy for other users here. Maybe it will inspire a few.

Here is a link to the series:
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/dsb1829/blog/series/1144
You can also find a link at the top of any of the blogs in the series.

The other topic I wanted to touch on was that of those shiny gold bits in the family portrait. There were a couple of planes that I needed to fill the roles of block and shoulder. I wanted these tools to be of little concern to me, to just work, and not to require hours of tuning. With good condition vintage samples of these tools climbing I turned toward the modern makers of quality hand tools. In this department and my limited budget that left Lee Valley and Lie-Nielsen as the contenders. The adoption of the new Lie-Nielsen tools is right inline with my reasoning for hunting out old Stanley planes. Patriotism. Maybe it is a bit foolish to think that buying American made tools will help our economy, but that is just it. In our global economy it is becoming increasingly rare to find products produced solely in the United States. LN tools satisfy my desire to keep money state-side and to get a high quality tool. Hats off to Robin Lee, he backs some fantastic tools. But until our American economy starts looking a bit brighter LN gets the nod of approval.


----------



## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane fun*
> 
> I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.
> 
> ...


You have a great collection going on there.


----------



## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane fun*
> 
> I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.
> 
> ...


Very nice! A good looking collection you've got there.


----------



## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane fun*
> 
> I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.
> 
> ...


Looks great. You're on the slippery slope for sure.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane fun*
> 
> I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.
> 
> ...


Nice collection you done gone down the slippery slope.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Plane fun*
> 
> I caught the hand tool bug back in July. Since then I have been adopting promising candidates for the garage shop. Most have required restoration to some extent. Some were just scrubbing, lubing, and honing of blades. Along the way I picked up bits of information on how to deal with rust, corrosion, tote refinishing and repair. With each plane I gained some confidence in just how much I could do to restore these tools. I just finished restoration of my most ill cared for planes. Two no6 planes made it into my shop, one Sweetheart era and the other a type6. Both were badly rusted and would require full restore.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments. I just got back to finishing this post. I also created a series to make it easier for folks to seek out everything that I have posted on these restorations.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Taking inventory*



I posted this photo on my last blog (it may get clipped, if it is just click the image to see the whole thing). Well this afternoon I took inventory. I had type cast a few previously, but wanted to do all that I could.

Back Row (L-R):
1 - Sandusky coffin smooth plane, pre-1900's
2 - Stanley No78 rabbit plane, likely from the 1940-1960's
3 - Stanley No40 scrub plane, 1920-1940
4 - Stanley No7 jointer plane, type11, 1910-1918
5 - Stanley No6 fore plane, type6, 1888-1892
6 - Stanley No5 jack plane, type18, 1946-1947
7 - Stanley No4 smooth plane, type11, 1910-1918
8 - Stanley No3 smooth plane, type17, 1942-1945
9 - LieNielsen medium shoulder plane, 2007-2008

Front Row (L-R):
1 - Stanley No80M cabinet scraper, Sweet Heart era 1919-1932
2 - Lie-Nielsen low angle block plane, 2008

Not pictured:
1 - Stanley No29 transitional fore plane, 1867-1909
2 - Ohio Tool wooden jack plane, unknown age
3 - Stanley No4 smooth plane, type17, 1942-1945
4 - Stanley No5 jack plane, type12-13, 1919-1928
5 - Stanley No608 jointer plane, type14, 1929-1930
6 - Stanley 60-1/2, unknown age, crack at mouth

Wow, they weren't kidding when they said that getting into hand tools and restoration is a slippery slope. I don't think I ever stopped and took inventory before just now. Simply shocking that over a dozen of these things have followed me home. The only saving grace is that most didn't start out looking pretty. The ugly duckling factor keeps the bidding low over at e-bay so most of these planes were under $20. After the elbow grease each is capable of pulling $50-100 at auction. Not a bad return on investment. Of course I have no plans of setting any of these loose any time soon. Gotta get my money's worth out of them or the Mrs. is gonna have my head 

So there you have it, the current low down on my hand planes. It has been a fun journey.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thats a nice list. I got a question how do you like those hock blades?


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey CJ,
I am a big fan of the Hock blades. I like to double-up by adding their chip breaker as well. The combination of these 2 items gives mass, rigidity, and a great cut. Also since I bought most of my planes fairly rough the stock blades had rust and pitting. Buying new blades and breakers improves performance, but also typically reduces the headaches required getting old plane off the ground again. I am not sure that the improvements are necessary for the fore planes, but on my jointers and smoothers it is nice.

Also initially as I was dailing in my honing techniques it was much easier to get a fine edge on these tool irons. In retrospect it was more my inexperience sharpening than deficiency of the stock iron and chip breakers. Now that I strop after stoning I can get very thin shavings even with stock irons.

I am still waiting for a personal thank you note from Rev. Ron after buying all that steel from him


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## Quixote (Jun 9, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Brother, Can you spare a blade?

......

O'kay it's kind of lame that I couldn't think of anything funny to rhyme with dime.

Q


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now you're just showing off


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not much of a show by some's standards. One of the other forums I use one of the guys had over 500 planes. And you think I have issues


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, I saw that on SMC…but he was showing off too 

Seriously, that's a nice collection you've got there, no 500 plane collection, but at least you can fit them all in one picture


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


So maybe that should be the metric. Once they no longer fit in frame you are done. Then you have to let one go to get another. I might be able to work that out. Of course in the end I would have all LN  Nah, not sure about that. I want to build some woodies and infills eventually. If I get the hang of that the LN don't offer anything more than a deeper hole in my pocket.

Quixote, what are you looking for? I do have most of the original blades. Some are in decent shape. Send me an e-mail.


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## Tomcat1066 (Jan 3, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Actually, once you can no longer fit them in the frame, you need a camera with a wide angle lens, then start anew


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## Radish (Apr 11, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now that you have all the thin laminated chrome vanadium stock irons laying around, you have to build some woodies, but then you'll want Hock for them too. What's a fellow to do!


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Douglas, don't put it past me 
Actually part of my reason for getting into wood planes was due to the fact that they are soooo cheap on e-bay. The Sandusky I picked up figuring I would just snag the blade and junk the rest of it. Usually for $5-10 you can pick up an old woody with a tapered cast blade that is over 1/8in thick. Not many other options that cheap for blades for your homemade wood planes.

The Sandusky just had such a nice shape that I decided to clean it up. I used some glue to stabilize the cracks then coated it with a couple layers of shellac. It really didn't take too much time. That blade on the other hand cost me about 3 hours to get the back flat. It was thick enough to handle the metal removal, but boy was it a chore.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Taking inventory*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks Doug, I will be buying a Hock Iron for my No 8 jointer plane. I already have their chipbreaker and its works good.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Blade prep, freehand*

I have tried a few different methods over the last few months to flatten blades. Here is my go-to method for flattening the back of a new blade.

Adhere some sandpaper to a flat surface. I prefer 3M super77 and a granite surface plate for the substrate.


Use 60-80g until you have a uniform scratch pattern. I prefer Norton 3X 80g at this phase. It is a fast cutter and the paper is thick, so it is easy to install and remove from the granite.


Next comes the 220g w/d. Generally I can get away with using it dry. Again, go for a uniform scratch pattern. I typically try to rotate 90 degrees from the previous pattern, so I know when I have removed all previous scratches.


Onto 400g w/d. Again, remove all previous scratches. I will start to do random motion at this point and lighter pressure once the 220g scratches are worked out. At this point you will begin to pick up a mirror finish.


Next comes 1000g w/d. You know the routine. Remove the scratches. At this time you will have a decent mirror polish going. It is about equivalent to my hard black Arkansas stone.


At this point I will go back and work over the primary bevel. On a new Hock blade or a previously prepped blade I usually can go to the 400 and back to 1000g.


Black Arkansas back, secondary bevel, then strop using green rouge.





Going freehand and by this routine doesn't give as pretty of an edge as going up through 8000g waterstones using an eclipse jig. But you know it is pretty liberating to ditch the training wheels. I have noticed no decline in cut quality or sharpness of the finished blade. This method is also fairly easy to apply to heavily cambered blades, just add a wrist roll to the regime.

At the end of the day I still need more practice. But I am looking forward to the day that I don't feel attached to a sharpening jig.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Blade prep, freehand*
> 
> I have tried a few different methods over the last few months to flatten blades. Here is my go-to method for flattening the back of a new blade.
> 
> ...


Nice work, Doug.


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Blade prep, freehand*
> 
> I have tried a few different methods over the last few months to flatten blades. Here is my go-to method for flattening the back of a new blade.
> 
> ...


thanks cj


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

*Sentimental plane restoration complete*

Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.

edit 1/21 okay, I managed to dig up a partial before image
Here it is in the Evapo-rust and it gives some clue what I mean by crusty…


Okay, on with the show…








This afternoon I prepped a blade for it. It isn't vintage. In fact the blade is from a type16 plane. But since I am cambering it heavily and using this No6 as a true fore plane I figured this is a moot point. The later planes have thicker irons which will work out adventaegously. Here is a shot of the cambered and sharpened blade. I may need to open up the mouth a bit to accomodate the thick shavings.

It didn't clog with my testing this afternoon. If it bugs me I will adjust it. As it is I am impressed with the workings of this plane. It cleans up like a scrub, but has a lot more mass and stability. I think I will be spending plenty of quality time with this plane in the near future.

Near as I can tell this is a type6. I have restored it to close to mint parts and function.


Hopefully this tool will last a few more generations…


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


Looks like a good user to me.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


A great looking plane. You should have had some shaving hanging off the edges in the picdtures.


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## Quixote (Jun 9, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


I have a similiar tool that belonged to my grandfather.

While he's been gone for many years, when I use the tool, I can reach back through time where he's teaching me how to use it and I'm 9 years old again.

Priceless.

Q


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## woodworm (Jul 27, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


Great restoration job!


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


nice restore


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


Nice restoration job.


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## Radish (Apr 11, 2007)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


Got my Granddad's low knob No. 5, still at work for the third generation in our family. Just like they say, "There's no tool like an old tool."


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## dsb1829 (Jun 20, 2008)

dsb1829 said:


> *Sentimental plane restoration complete*
> 
> Back at the end of November my Father rolled into town. He had brought a truck-load of booty from California. Amongst the junk from my childhood was a N06 that had belonged to my Great Grandfather. It was rusted, missing the knob, tote cracked into about 4 pieces, and had not likely cut a shaving in more than 30 years. I really should have taken a picture as I received the plane. To date it is the crustiest plane that I have brought back to life.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments everyone. This plane is a hoot. It is my oldest and the only one that doesn't have a reverse threaded adjuster. So I am adjusting it the wrong way more often than not.

I wish that I knew the whole story on the plane. Coming from sometime around 1890 my Great Grandfather was likely the 2nd or third owner of this plane. Wonder if it was a family tool prior to his ownership?


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