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View Full Version : A Little Gloat & A Lot of Work



Jim Koepke
02-21-2009, 2:50 AM
In another thread I mentioned the used tool shop across the highway from where we buy our groceries. How I can hear my name being whispered seductively in the breeze when ever near that enticing emporium. Today, I could hold out no more. To my down fall, there is a branch of our bank in the grocery store. Before doing anything in town, I wanted to check our balance. The store seemed to be crying out her siren song louder than usual. "Jim, come in and just smell the vintage of old tool. You don't have to buy anything, just come in and look."

Checked the balance and called the wife and headed off to the feed store. Had a good time there, the sales rep who supposedly has some coupons for the dog food we have switched to had just left. So the kind folks in the store gave me another sample bag. Now I thought the little single servings were the sample size, but it turns out the 6 Lb bags are also the sample size. Dang, my dog has been eating good for free lately. Bought some cans of food since I felt a little guilty. Then talked to the woman about building saddle racks and selling them in the shop. Now I have to build a saddle rack.

Anyway, took a different way back to the grocery store so I could finally give in to the soft siren's seduction, "just to sniff the vintage" or so I thought. That guy must have my number or something. A bunch of medium smoothers of #4 size from Sears and Wards and other 1950's kind of planes on the shelf. Then there is one, missing the front knob, no lever cap, cap iron nor blade. It has a solid tote though the finish is all cracked, it is rosewood. Then I notice, there is no provision for a lateral adjuster. It is kind of dark and shadowy inside, so the plane is picked up and the back end is held toward the window. It almost looks like there is some lettering inside the adjuster, can't quite tell, even after sticking my finger inside to try and move some of the dirt. It does have a right hand thread. No other markings on the plane. I ask how much, the guy says $15. Little does he know that all I have is about 83¢ in change in my pocket. Then he says let me ask the owner, he is the one that has to make the decision. He says how about $10. I come back with $10 total including tax? He says cash. I says, well have to ask the old lady, dealers seem to understand that one, and go to the bank. I ask the guy if he has a magnifier so I can check for cracks. He hands me a small lens. I walk over to the window and check the mouth, then the adjuster knob. Just as suspected, inside the adjuster is Bailey's Patent and two dates.

A type 4 #6 at $10. So I leave the store and call the wife, she is in California until Sunday, walk across the street and get some cash from the bank. Come back and pluck out my treasure or is it going to be torture cleaning and trying to find parts for this thing. Should have most of the parts to get it working in my shop. Getting the age correct parts is another story. Most likely will clean it up and get it working and see if it can be sold for a small profit. There has to be someone else on the slope who wants to build up an old plane, right... hello, is there anyone else out here?

jim

John Keeton
02-21-2009, 6:58 AM
Jim, here is a little known fact - well, perhaps theory. It seems that those "used tool shops", junk stores, antique stores - all spray their stuff with pheromones - particularly the ones that arouse indescribable feelings in males with long arms and hairy knuckles that drag a little.

Very well kept secret. That is why you feel those urges when you go by. Many of these places actually use fans to blow the wafty pheromones out of the street for unsuspecting passerbys. Alas, there is no known antidote!

Berl Mendenhall
02-21-2009, 7:37 AM
Great story Jim. We've all been there, aw that nasty musty smell of old tools, wonderful.

Berl

steve swantee
02-21-2009, 7:48 AM
Nice looking project you've picked up there Jim. I've got kind of a soft spot for pre-laterals. I have the sister plane to the one you have there, a type 4 No.6 in great condition. I also have a type 2 No.7 in great shape, and most recently my type 4 No.8 which needed some work, and is modified to accept LN's .175 iron. I think my favorite is the type 2 No.7 though. She's my baby. I don't really miss the lateral adjust, just a small tap on the side of the iron with my wooden mallet does the trick. Keep us in the loop on your progress. Good luck and Happy Fettling.

Steve

Matt Ranum
02-21-2009, 8:06 AM
There has to be someone else on the slope who wants to build up an old plane, right... hello, is there anyone else out here?


Yup I here you:D I gotta type 2(pretty sure anyway) #2 in real nice shape but shes missing the cutter, chip breaker and cap:(http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k65/mr_matt3764/DSCF2070.jpg

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k65/mr_matt3764/DSCF2067.jpg

But someday shes gonna peel some shavings again. I can just feel it.:)

steve swantee
02-21-2009, 8:40 AM
Hello Matt, nice No.2. I'm sure you'll find the parts to turn it into a great little user. I may be wrong, but the base looks like it has the type 4 frog receiver, although the frog has the type 2 round head mounting screws. The type 2 frog receivers normally resemble a capital I or H, but I'm not really sure right off hand if the No.2 follows the same type study of the larger bench planes or not, so I may be wrong. Maybe someone else knows for sure and can chime in. Either way it's a sharp little plane to have. I'd love to come across a No.2 in the wild, but they seem to be priced pretty highly most of the time.


Steve

Matt Ranum
02-21-2009, 9:35 AM
Hello Matt, nice No.2. I'm sure you'll find the parts to turn it into a great little user. I may be wrong, but the base looks like it has the type 4 frog receiver, although the frog has the type 2 round head mounting screws. The type 2 frog receivers normally resemble a capital I or H, but I'm not really sure right off hand if the No.2 follows the same type study of the larger bench planes or not, so I may be wrong. Maybe someone else knows for sure and can chime in. Either way it's a sharp little plane to have. I'd love to come across a No.2 in the wild, but they seem to be priced pretty highly most of the time.


Steve

The #2 was actually "thrown in" with some other stuff I bought at an estate a while back. Gotta love it when that happens.;)

Jim Koepke
02-21-2009, 12:56 PM
Jim, here is a little known fact - well, perhaps theory. It seems that those "used tool shops", junk stores, antique stores - all spray their stuff with pheromones - particularly the ones that arouse indescribable feelings in males with long arms and hairy knuckles that drag a little.

Very well kept secret. That is why you feel those urges when you go by. Many of these places actually use fans to blow the wafty pheromones out of the street for unsuspecting passerbys. Alas, there is no known antidote!

Just don't let the wives know or they would have the respirator companies come up with a filter for us to wear.


Nice looking project you've picked up there Jim. I've got kind of a soft spot for pre-laterals. I have the sister plane to the one you have there, a type 4 No.6 in great condition. I also have a type 2 No.7 in great shape, and most recently my type 4 No.8 which needed some work, and is modified to accept LN's .175 iron. I think my favorite is the type 2 No.7 though. She's my baby. I don't really miss the lateral adjust, just a small tap on the side of the iron with my wooden mallet does the trick. Keep us in the loop on your progress. Good luck and Happy Fettling.

Steve

Any tips on finding parts for these oldies?


There has to be someone else on the slope who wants to build up an old plane, right... hello, is there anyone else out here?


Yup I here you:D I gotta type 2(pretty sure anyway) #2 in real nice shape but shes missing the cutter, chip breaker and cap:(

But someday shes gonna peel some shavings again. I can just feel it.:)

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

And it has its credentials, look at the paint spatters by the tote.


The #2 was actually "thrown in" with some other stuff I bought at an estate a while back. Gotta love it when that happens.;)

That is the stuff some of my greatest days are made of.

jim

steve swantee
02-21-2009, 9:47 PM
Don't have any tips for finding parts, Jim. Lever cap is pretty much the same up to type 11, I think. As far as an age appropriate c/breaker with Bailey's pat. stamp, iron and beaded front knob and tote from the correct period, these might take a bit of searching on ebay. But, if you're not hung up on historical accuracy and just want to turn it into a great user it should be pretty easy to pick up an iron/chipbreaker combo and low front knob. Heck, Jim, after exchanging various posts over the last year or so I would almost be willing to bet that you probably already have everything you need to put this plane back in service. Good luck with your search and if you would like a pic of my type 4 No.6 for reference let me know, I'd be glad to post one for you.

Steve

Jim Koepke
02-21-2009, 11:08 PM
Don't have any tips for finding parts, Jim. Lever cap is pretty much the same up to type 11, I think. As far as an age appropriate c/breaker with Bailey's pat. stamp, iron and beaded front knob and tote from the correct period, these might take a bit of searching on ebay. But, if you're not hung up on historical accuracy and just want to turn it into a great user it should be pretty easy to pick up an iron/chipbreaker combo and low front knob. Heck, Jim, after exchanging various posts over the last year or so I would almost be willing to bet that you probably already have everything you need to put this plane back in service. Good luck with your search and if you would like a pic of my type 4 No.6 for reference let me know, I'd be glad to post one for you.

Steve

I ain't gonna take the bet, you would win.

Thanks for the offer, but I am about to go out and see if I can make some shavings with the beast. I know there is at least one sharp blade out there. I thought my only lever cap was going to be from an old transitional, but that one must have been sold, found a plain one that should work. There are a lot of the Bailey Patent chip breakers in my accumulation, but they are all 2 inch.

Cleaning what ever was on the tote was a bear and it still has some of the old stuff on there. Nothing around here would cut it, not sure if there is some paint stripper around but it would have been tried. It looks like it was given a clear coat of enamel or something, lacquer thinner or alcohol did nothing. Maybe I will see if there is any heavier weapons to attack with later. An old used up plane blade worked as a scraper for a lot of it. I don't throw much away.

It will not have date correct parts, but it should work fine, maybe it will be set up as a scrub plane.

jtk

Jim Koepke
02-22-2009, 1:24 AM
Well, it worked, but the blade needed a few licks on the stone.
I have been a free hander until just recently. Making a "wheel" for my blade holders seems to be a great asset. One can really move that blade a lot faster across the stones with something to hold it true and not having to think about keeping the body and arms aligned.

Any who, dug around and found a type 11 blade, who knows what vintage the cap iron, but the screw is likely right as it has smooth sides and is too big for any of my planes but this one.

Found a knob and lever cap, though I think the lever cap is for an early 5-1/2 as it is only 2-1/4".

Put it all together and made some shavings. First in pine to set the blade to cut square. Fiddled with the frog so there wouldn't need to be as much adjustment, just a light tap with the mallet in the picture and all was good. Maybe making a smaller mallet would be a good idea.

The big curl in front of the plane calipers out to about .010". That was a bit of work pushing a wide plane for a fat, full width shaving, even in pine.

After making a mound of shavings on the pine some purple heart was tried out, nice plane. Not sure what to do with two #6s. My other one is a type 9 and is also a good plane. The type 4 has not been checked for square, maybe it would be a good shooting plane or put a camber on a blade for a scrub if one is ever needed. The mouth is not very open though. Maybe just do as planned and put it up for sale on that big auction site. Gee, then maybe the money could be used to buy a #8. As long as SWMBO doesn't find out.

jim

steve swantee
02-22-2009, 9:08 AM
Looking good Jim. I guess you did have the parts after all-go figure. I don't really have many spare parts, but I'm starting to see the advantage of having them around. I was a freehand sharpener too until I bought a cheap side clamp honing jig, now I prefer using the jig. A step backwards I suppose, but oh well. The mouths are quite tight on these aren't they? This is what I was up against when I put that 3/16ths LN iron in my type 4 No.8. Very narrow mouth and LOTS of filing, but it was a fun project and it works great. Do you find it much of an imposition to adjust laterally by hand? I use a mallet about the same size as yours, a bit of overkill, but it's usually close at hand. I find with light taps I'm able to adjust them quite quickly.

Steve

Jim Koepke
02-22-2009, 12:52 PM
Looking good Jim. I guess you did have the parts after all-go figure. I don't really have many spare parts, but I'm starting to see the advantage of having them around. I was a freehand sharpener too until I bought a cheap side clamp honing jig, now I prefer using the jig. A step backwards I suppose, but oh well. The mouths are quite tight on these aren't they? This is what I was up against when I put that 3/16ths LN iron in my type 4 No.8. Very narrow mouth and LOTS of filing, but it was a fun project and it works great. Do you find it much of an imposition to adjust laterally by hand? I use a mallet about the same size as yours, a bit of overkill, but it's usually close at hand. I find with light taps I'm able to adjust them quite quickly.

Steve

Free hand sharpening will still be a useful skill. Sometimes there will be things to sharpen that just won't fit into a holder. It will be useful if one ever has to trouble shoot a sharpening set up. Also, the understanding one gains by learning to be steady with free hand sharpening will help with other tasks.

Some of my purchases have been of cheap broken planes for totes and knobs. It is amazing that one can often buy a plane with cracks in the base with all the other parts in good condition for less than one can buy just the tote.

The broken bases also comes in handy. Mine have been trimmed and filed to hold a knob or tote then set it in the vice to hold while working the wood.

The lateral adjustment actually was amazingly easy. The hardest part was to keep the frog from moving while it was being set. After the first few shavings, the frog was reset and now, the blade just pretty much is set to the sides of the frog. It barely needs a tap to get it even across the width. This will be tried out over time, but it almost seems less fiddling than using the lateral lever. Hope that is not truly the case, or my fleet of planes might all have to get downgraded to pre-laterals. :eek:

Though, most of my planes are set up so that the adjuster does not have to move very far from center. I guess mostly, the lateral adjuster lets one be a little less careful setting the frog and honing the blade square.

The mouth is pretty tight. Imagine the frog could go back a hair more. As it is, the blade will rub the back of the mouth if it is run out deeper than one can cut without rope hitched to a tractor. Using a ~30° bevel, the blade still has plenty of room without hitting on the base. If the blade rests smoothly on the base at the back of the mouth, the mouth is too tight to pass light.

Gee, one can only hope we can work so well when we are 125 years old.

jim