Sunday auction find!

[James Taglienti]

The search is over, finally found a 289 "in the wild." This is a nice looking type one with (naturally) a fence off a 78. Oh well nothings perfect, but for 27.50 i can't really complain!! Everything else is there, nickers aren't even used, japanning is plentiful, and the iron is full length.. i couldn't have imagined it working better, either!

[Jim Koepke]

Well, that certainly rates one big YOU SUCK! salute.:D

Nice find. I went by one of the auction houses in this area. They did not have much. A lot of stuff he had prices on in his store was over priced. He did not seem to now a lot about woodworking tools. He had a few rusty items with NIB prices. Had a #5 with the back sawn off that he thought was a special plane.

Oh well, have to look around Portland.

jim

[lowell holmes]

Do you collect them or use them? :)

I have a 78 with all of the parts (including the adjustment lever) that never gets used.

[James Taglienti]

my wife just used it for about 2 hours tonight cutting the tongues for a 1/2" T&G back she is putting on the apothecary cabinet she's building... but i suppose we also collect.

[Jim Koepke]

my wife just used it for about 2 hours tonight cutting the tongues for a 1/2" T&G back she is putting on the apothecary cabinet she's building... but i suppose we also collect.

I collect mostly tools for my use. Will buy some that seem worthy of fixing up to sell. I imagine there are a few tools in my accumulation that may not get used.

There are not any tools that come to mind that were bought with the intention of not using them.

Is it still collecting if the intention is to put it to use?

Where does finding usable tools for their intended purpose end and collecting begin?

jim

[harry strasil]

I guess like a fella I met in south texas, he had every version of the stanley #1 behind glass in his living room along with some other rare pieces that will never get used, or like a friend of mine who does Smithing as a hobby, but works full time in a local Cabinet Shop. He collects Anvils, has about 30 or 40 of them to date.

[Jim Koepke]

He collects Anvils, has about 30 or 40 of them to date.

Now that is a heavy hobby.:eek:

jim

[harry strasil]

especially the 200 lb plus group, he has them up to and including a 500 lber.

[James Taglienti]

I will always consider myself a user, and then a collector. The reason i started "accumulating" antique tools was out of a desire for a better end-product. i have a number of tools that are unfit for use, have more efficient variations for use, or that sharpening them up and using them would just be superfluous since there is already one in the shop. My collecting grew as a result of my appreciation for the efficiency of these old tools, not out of the rarity or value. When i consider buying an old tool, i consider a few things, in this order:
1. Will this fill a niche (no matter how small :D) in my shop?
2. can i sell this to a user or collector for a profit?
3. would i like to add this piece to my collection?
from the few collections i have seen, it seems more like hoarding. it's not "gee, i don't have a #21, i wonder how it will work," it's "hey, i don't have a #21 type 7 made by Union tools, i think i've got to have it, no matter the cost."
i haven't got anything against the hardcore collectors. i have a friend with over 2 dozen #2's. one day i expressed curiosity about how they would work in the shop. he tried to had me a #602c flat top to go "sharpen up." i turned it down and settled for an off brand van camp #2 with a lot of mileage.

[John Eaton]

I don't own a #2 (or a #1 for that matter) - actually I can't think of very many applications where either would be useful, or that I couldn't get around not owning one by using something else or a combination of tools. I've held a #2 and in my hands (big palms and fingers) it was incredibly awkward. Does anyone here use one regularly, or even infrequently?

-- John

[lowell holmes]

I have an early Stanley #5, with no Bailey name and no frog adjustment screw. You can adjust the frog, but no screw in the back. The iron is long, no rust on the plane, and good japaning. I sings as it works. IIRC, it was identifies as an 1878 vintage.

It has a low knob, and original unbroken tote.

It could be a user, but it is behind glass. My user planes are Le Nielsen and Lee Valley planes.

I guess we all are collectors to some extent. I have Stanley 750, 720 and Defiance chisels as well as LN bench chisels. I do use some of the Stanleys, but for the most part, I just have them. :)

[James Taglienti]

John i use that #2 almost daily. I have big hands too, and it is awkward for me to hold a block plane. Also my palms keeps hitting the adjusters and popping the lever cap (on knuckle joint ones.) It is great for small parts. I rehabbed a small sewing cabinet for a woman the other day and it was the only plane i used. The iron on my 2 is ground completely square. I don't think it would make a good smoother, but it makes a great block plane with a tote. Just look at the knob and tote that lee valley offers for their block planes.