Would you have bought this #7 plane?

[Adam Woznicki]

I had a good day at the flea market today, and part of what I bought was a beat to heck Stanley #7 type 11.

The other planes that I've bought have been complete, and clearly restorable. This one is a big question mark.

I bought it because: I wanted a joiner and the pickings are slim around Cleveland, I've been wanting to make a custom shaped tote anyhow, and It was only $4.

The bad part is: the knob is cracked(but seems stable), the sole has been welded on the left side undercutting the throat, the iron(Victory) and chip breaker look like they have been used as chisels, the tote is missing and the tote rod(?) is bent.


So the question is, would you have bought this plane?

I'll going to do my best to make it useable, but I was wondering what the more experienced wood workers would have done.

[Sam Takeuchi]

Definitely no. I mean I'm sure you can make it a user for tasks that doesn't require precise planing, but chipped mouth alone is enough for me to pass. That side is...no go for me. I know some people say if it's nicely done, it shouldn't cause problems, but I simply don't trust it, especially for a heavy plane like #7.

You know, if you part it out, frog alone can probably fetch more than $4 on the 'bay, or maybe even over $10. Bad thing is, there is really not much else you can part with. So in the end, I guess you either make it a user somehow or part it and get the $4 back.

All in all, $4 for that seems like a fair price in my opinion. But I would say, you should keep looking for a better one. That one had a rough life.

[Martin Cash]

For $4 why not?
Especially since jointers are hard to find in your neck of the woods.
Give it a handle and grind the tops of the blade and cap-iron smooth, sharpen and hone the blade and you have a usable jointer even if it is ugly.
As has been pointed out, you can get your money back for the parts later if you decide to replace it with a better one.
In the meantime get out and make some cheap shavings.
Cheers
MC

[scott spencer]

It's worth $4 or more in parts. If you can make it work for you, it's worth a lot more. So, yes!

[Fred Childs]

Yes I would have bought it for $4. Just for the parts. I have a good number of planes now that I could use if I just had a replacement for the missing / broken part. I figure some day about 10 years from now my parts box will reach the point where suddenly I can put things together completely.

[David Christopher]

with some grinding, sanding and squaring you can make that as good as a new one. its just going to take more work ( but that is half the fun )

[Terry Beadle]

That's a great user. The chip in the mouth will not be a factor especially if you set up the blade as David Charlesworth recommends. The weld looks strong. I'd use a majic marker on the sole and then hit a piece of 80 grit mounted on the wing of my table saw. Look to see if the sole is nearly flat. A jointer doesn't need a completely flat sole as the usual cut is in the 4 to 6 thou range. Clean up with some 220 and a bit of WD40 to polish the 80 grit scratches out. Wax and use!

Making a tote would be a pleasure. I recommend Babinga or Apple for the interlocked grain. Shape it to fit your hand and you've made the plane better than a store bought one. Like a six pack of satisfaction when the shavings just stream out the top!

Enjoy!

[Robert Eiffert]

If you're right-handed, it would make a great shooting board plane. And the chip in the mouth wouldn't come into play.

+, for $4 you get to practice fettling and could well come out with a nice plane overall.

+ you get some work done with the #7 now and can upgrade if a better one comes along later.

[Adam Woznicki]

Thanks for the encouragement folks. I expected to do some grinding and lots of sanding.

A few of you said that the chip in the mouth wont be a problem. I thought a chip in the front of the mouth will cause tear out. I was going to attempt to fix it. I'm a welder, but maybe just some JBWeld?

Terry - What is the David Charlesworth set up?

[Jim Koepke]

I prefer smooth soles on my planes.

But at $4, the parts are worth it. Use it until a better jointer comes along.

Some collector might like the blade. Looks like something someone may need for their Leonard Bailey Victor plane.

The screw for the front of the tote is worth $4 to many of those who are missing one.

jim

[Phillip Pattee]

Yes, like many other here,I would have bought it for the parts alone. Your lever cap it probably worth more than the $4 you paid. It just so happens, this neander will probably be looking for a lever cap that size for his type 11 4 1/2 http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=122214.

Many of the other screws, brass depth adjusting nut, frog, etc. will be useful. You might be able to regrind the blade and the chipbreaker. I don't think I would try to make that one a user with the bed in that condition though.

[Ken Werner]

I'll toss in my $.02 also. For $4 I would buy it. But then I'd part it out. I can't see putting my time and effort into a welded plane like that. And Adam, I almost forgot, welcome to the creek.

[Jim Koepke]

Adam,
Didn't notice your newness, welcome to the Creek.

Where you located?

One thing to think about if you plan to rehab planes is the back end of yours will come in handy for holding totes and the front end for holding knobs you are refinishing.

Having a box of parts is also convenient.

jim

[Prashun Patel]

As a new rehabber of old planes, I say, "good buy".

If the business ends of the blade and cap iron are in good repair, then you can definitely find use for them.

I also think you can never have too many tote screws or depth knobs...

[Terry Beadle]

Mr. Charlesworth put out a video under the house of LN about how to sharpen a blade with a slight curve to the cutting edge. Simply put, you just sharpen the blade with a slight arc to the cutting edge. You do that by applying more strokes to the two outter edges of the blade....and also to the next finger position towards the center. On a smoother the curve is very slight at the edges..about 1 ~ 2 thou. On a jack the arc gap at the edge is about 3 to 6 thou depending on how aggressive you are going to use the jack. A jointer's gap should be about 3 thou. This slight arc is shaped on the 800 stone and polished on the highter grit stones. I polish on a 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10000 stone set.

The comment I made is to say that the little chip area broken out on the plane under discussion would be in the gap area of the blade where no cutting would normally be performed due to the curvature of the blade and the depth of cut set to say 4 or 5 thou..

I would be more concerned about how much warp might have been introduced to the sole by the welder. Hopefully he/she would have kept some heat sink material around the weld so that warpage would be minimized. Even if there was some warpage, if it were only on the order of 4 thou or so, the plane would still be a great user.

I hope that this explains my comment.

Take care and enjoy the dive!

[Adam Woznicki]

Thanks Terry, I've heard of that technique but I didn't realize I should be taking that thin of a shaving.

[Richard Niemiec]

As to the OP question, unless you are experienced in evaluating the issues the repair might have caused, your efforts at salvage (note I said salvage, not rehab) might be an extended period of frustration. So as long as you know what you're in for, you might as well have a go at it, but keep your eyes out for another sole. From my perspective its solely a parts plane, and on that basis I might have bought it but I'd more like have passed on it, there's just too many of them out there in better shape, e.g., original without welds, for a user.

[Jim Koepke]

As to the OP question, unless you are experienced in evaluating the issues the repair might have caused, your efforts at salvage (note I said salvage, not rehab) might be an extended period of frustration. So as long as you know what you're in for, you might as well have a go at it, but keep your eyes out for another sole. From my perspective its solely a parts plane, and on that basis I might have bought it but I'd more like have passed on it, there's just too many of them out there in better shape, e.g., original without welds, for a user.

This is one of those experiences that will teach a person things that may not be learned in any other way.

As long as there is learning and experience to be gained, the time will not be totally wasted.

jim