Record Planes

[Jerome Hanby]

Someone local is selling several Record Planes, all listed as excellent condition, new in box, never used. Is this a good thing? My first thought is these must be relatively new, are current Record Planes worth having or are they like Stanleys (possibly excluding their new line) where vintage is great and modern aren't?

Are there some specific questions I need to ask? Certain details to look for?
The info I have:

Record 06-1/2 Block Plane - $45

Jack Plane, Record 05 - $70

Record 05-1/2 Jack Plane - $70

Record 07 Jointer Plane - $95

Record 04-1/2 Smooth Plane

[scott spencer]

I've got several Record planes that I like a lot. Not sure about newer ones, but mine are all roughly 20 to 50 years old and work well. I like them at least as well as my Baileys. Those prices aren't bargains by any means, but they don't seem unreasonable either.

How much do they want for the 4-1/2? That's one I don't have.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/Planes/9-10-08004.jpg

[Ben Rafael]

I have a 30 year old record #7. I paid about $100 for it. Nice plane, well worth $100.
I have no clue if the newer ones are any good.

[Jerome Hanby]

I've got several Record planes that I like a lot. Not sure about newer ones, but mine are all roughly 20 to 50 years old and work well. I like them at least as well as my Baileys. Those prices aren't bargains by any means, but they don't seem unreasonable either.

How much do they want for the 4-1/2? That's one I don't have.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/Planes/9-10-08004.jpg

He listed $60. I emailed asking how old they are...

[David Keller NC]

Jerome - In general, Record planes are good users all the way up to the point that they were bought out and dissolved (in the late 90's, I think). The later ones have plastic totes and handles, but if you can over look that, the machining is good, the frogs work well, and the body of the plane is substantial. I've the Record #7, manufactured just before they went under. Other than the plastic totes and the fact that I found the plane to be a much better performer with a Hock blade, it's an excellent user - I've not had to do anything that I would have to an old Stanley, like flattening the sole, filing the frog for a good fit to the body, etc...

[Jerome Hanby]

These are 20+ years old and appear to all have wooden totes. I just emailed him asking for a buy all price. Thanks for the great info!

[Mike Henderson]

Overall, Record planes are good tools and bring a decent price in the used tool market. I don't follow them so I can't tell you if the prices he's asking are reasonable or not. You should decide if they're worth it to you. Make sure they're complete and not damaged before you buy.

One thing I can comment on is the 4 1/2. Any decent 4 1/2 for $60 is a bargain. The rest seem a bit expensive but I don't really know their worth.

Mike

[Dave Matson]

FWIW here is a price guide for record planes: http://www.record-planes.com/the-value-of-record-planes-and-spokeshaves

It looks like those prices are within range. The price guide at old tool heaven says it best: "condition is all."

[Jerome Hanby]

Sorry it took so long to post pictures. These are the Record Planes I bought locally off of Craigslist a few months. According to the story, they were purchased over twenty years ago, placed on the shelf, and never touched again. From my inspection, they look like they have never touched wood. Most of them were wrapped in oil paper. They were all in their boxes and the boxes looked like they had been sitting on the shelf for 20+ years. My wife snapped the pics for me, if anyone wants more detailed/useful pictures, I'll try to get them.

[Wilbur Pan]

At those prices, I'd say that you got a good deal.

Can you post some photos of the frogs on these planes? Newer Stanley and Record planes had frogs that looked something like this:

http://www.toolexchange.com.au/Imagesparts/stanley3frog5518.jpg

which is a very functional frog. The Stanley planes that I own have this style of frog, and they work very well.

Record seemed to carry over the older style Stanley frog for a longer time than Stanley did. Many consider the older frogs to be better than the newer style frogs. If your frogs look like this:

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/content/binary/frog_best_IMG_4532-2.jpg

then they are the older style frogs, and you got a really really good deal.

[Jerome Hanby]

I'll take a look Tonight. Wife and Kids have abandoned me for the next week so I've got plenty of time:p

[Maurice Ungaro]

Jerome,
Very nice score! I got my #7 in 2002 on the clearance table at Highland Hardware (now Highland Woodworking). It has the wood tote, and was being cleared out because Record went the way of the dodo. I paid $75 and never looked back - particularly since the full retail price of around $125. After badly nicking the stock blade, I replaced it with a Hock. Cuts like a dream!

Enjoy!

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like a pretty good gloat!

Those look a little nicer than some of the late Records I have seen with rougher castings.

jim

[Jerome Hanby]

Funny you should mention Highland, that's where these came from originally. Guess they have been in business for a while.


Jerome,
Very nice score! I got my #7 in 2002 on the clearance table at Highland Hardware (now Highland Woodworking). It has the wood tote, and was being cleared out because Record went the way of the dodo. I paid $75 and never looked back - particularly since the full retail price of around $125. After badly nicking the stock blade, I replaced it with a Hock. Cuts like a dream!

Enjoy!

[Maurice Ungaro]

Funny you should mention Highland, that's where these came from originally. Guess they have been in business for a while.

Yup...about 31 years!

[Frank Drew]

Jerome,

I have a number of Record tools; they were about the first quality tools I bought, back in the early Seventies. I've done a ton of work particularly with the 05 jack and 09-1/2 block planes, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get the slightly wider 05-1/2 jack.

[John Schreiber]

I've got a #7 I bought used for $75. It's a good plane. The tolerances aren't the same a Lie-Nielsen, or even a good old Stanley. But once it is set up, it adjusts easily and works reliably.

[Jerome Hanby]

One of the Records is a 5 1/2. Not sure if my wife got it's picture. I've got at least 2 Stanley #5s (One in great shape, other needing cleanup)

Got 7 more planes of assorted sizes and makes coming home that my wife found in Texas. Sounds like a couple of wooden models, another Stanley #5, one that sounds like a Stanley #3, some Miller Falls model (at least I think that's what she read off to me). Hopefully she will email me some pictures soon, I'd hate to wait until next week when she gets home. All the prices were yard sale range, averaged about $5 a piece I think. lady that ran the shop said her tool guy sets up a table every other Friday and has lots more items at lower prices? Hopefully we'll find out this Friday:D.


Jerome,

I have a number of Record tools; they were about the first quality tools I bought, back in the early Seventies. I've done a ton of work particularly with the 05 jack and 09-1/2 block planes, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get the slightly wider 05-1/2 jack.

[Jerome Hanby]

Finally thought about this when I was at home. Looked at the 5 1/2 this morning. Frog didn't have a solid face like the pic below, more of a grid. I thought you had also put a picture of that style, but I can't see it from work, not unusual, I can pretty much only see pics actually uploaded to SMC unless I'm browsing from home. If I can locate my camera and get a charge on it, I'll take some photos, else I'll have till my wife gets home...



Record seemed to carry over the older style Stanley frog for a longer time than Stanley did. Many consider the older frogs to be better than the newer style frogs. If your frogs look like this:

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/content/binary/frog_best_IMG_4532-2.jpg

then they are the older style frogs, and you got a really really good deal.