The Motherlode [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Rick Boyett

10-30-2010, 10:35 PM

I took my wife to First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. For those of you that do not know, the entire town of Canton, TX becomes a huge flea market on the weekend prior to the first Monday of each month.

There you can find lots of planes, but there are two booths that are of particular interest. Those booths have the motherlode of hand planes and other tools.

First up a 19th century workbench from Hammacher Schlemmer & Co.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/5129840399_5ac1814ee6_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/5129840895_92d7234120_b.jpg

Have any of you ever seen an ALUMINUM No. 45?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1400/5129841993_fd9ebd34c9_b.jpg

The ever elusive Stanley No 2
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1378/5130444978_6e4e53d71c_b.jpg

Try to ID the planes in this photo. One of them will make your eyes bug out... well a couple of them probably will...
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1204/5129842993_195244b617_b.jpg

Some more
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/5130446018_c7528c1648_b.jpg

A skewed Stanley block plane (with a removable side)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1418/5130446896_3f86a50002_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1106/5130446444_d7f20a9fa9_b.jpg

Some really nice Japanese chisels. (I almost bought them)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1111/5130442350_da8678a668_b.jpg

Take a guess at this one.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1075/5129841471_e7cb853e63_b.jpg

And a really beautify Bedrock No. 608
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1324/5129844835_4096a667ae_b.jpg

So where are these booths?

Here is a map to the trading grounds..
http://firstmondaycanton.com/Directions.aspx

At the bottom of that page is a map showing the Civic Center. Both booths are about 100' North and a little East of that building. You'll have to look for it a little but you'll easily find them..

There are of course a lot of planes at other booths. Today was a little skimpy as I found mostly No. 5 and No. 4 planes. Lots of planes at good negotiable prices. Both of these guys will negotiate on SOME of their items. One vendor sometimes sells things for his friends, he won't negotiate on those items.

There is also another fella in the Civic Center itself. He has a nice selection, just not as big.

BOTH Vendors expect to be present in November and maybe December.

I hope you enjoyed the eye candy..

Bryan Wuest

10-31-2010, 3:30 AM

Rick,
How are their prices, are they pretty reasonable? Canton is about 320 miles from where I live in Somerset, just south of San Antonio but if I'm ever in the area on a First Monday weekend, I'll have to stop in for a look see.

Andrew Gibson

10-31-2010, 7:28 AM

the thing that popped out in the pic was the little brace. I have been looking for a little gentlemens brace.

Tony Zaffuto

10-31-2010, 8:52 AM

How much was the alum. #45? I need one to complete my "accumulation" of Stanley alum. tools. I passed on one a few weeks ago @$1,1100.

Roy Griggs

10-31-2010, 9:43 AM

Bryan,
Have you tried Wimberly? Not as big as Canton, but was good hunting last I was there (10+ yrs. ago)

Rick Markham

10-31-2010, 3:45 PM

Out of curiosity, in your fifth photo (the try and ID these planes) what is the one just above the block planes? What was it used for? (It's the one that looks like the toe is 2" above the sole of the rest of the plane)

I'd circle it, but my photoshop fu is weak...:D

Rick Boyett

10-31-2010, 3:55 PM

How much was the alum. #45? I need one to complete my "accumulation" of Stanley alum. tools. I passed on one a few weeks ago @$1,1100.

He told me it he was asking $1000 for that one.

Rick,
How are their prices, are they pretty reasonable? Canton is about 320 miles from where I live in Somerset, just south of San Antonio but if I'm ever in the area on a First Monday weekend, I'll have to stop in for a look see.

The prices are reasonable in that the vendor knows what he has. There are a few "minor" bargains to be had, but you won't find any major deals here.

However, throughout Canton are several other folks that are selling tools. These folks do not always know what they have. You can find some really good deals. I saw a No. 4 that I think was a Type 6 or newer that was $20. Unfortunately it was scooped up already..

There are also TONS of wooden and transitional planes everywhere..

Out of curiosity, in your fifth photo (the try and ID these planes) what is the one just above the block planes? What was it used for? (It's the one that looks like the toe is 2" above the sole of the rest of the plane)

I'd circle it, but my photoshop fu is weak...:D

That is a Stanley No 72 Chamfer plane:
http://www.handplane.com/the-stanley-72-chamfer-plane

the Vendor said he was selling it for a buddy. He also said that if it didn't sell this weekend he was going to buy it himself. He was drooling over it..

harry strasil

10-31-2010, 5:06 PM

I saw a cigar shave, and 2 I think type 1 66 hand beaders.

Bruce Page

10-31-2010, 5:21 PM

My wife & I were in Canton for the 2005 Trade Days and had a great time. I bought a cool little antique brass fire extinguisher.

Gary Hodgin

10-31-2010, 6:23 PM

Thank goodness I don't live around that place!

Kent A Bathurst

10-31-2010, 7:00 PM

Deane Allinson

10-31-2010, 7:09 PM

[QUOTE=Rick Markham;1547518]Out of curiosity, in your fifth photo (the try and ID these planes) what is the one just above the block planes? What was it used

I think that it is a fiberboard slitter. I didn't look at it very closely at it. The guy at that booth is Amish. He is also a broom maker. He always knows what he has and only occasionally has a real bargain. A real nice guy. He always has some nice tools too, but never anything for me, since 1) I am picky and 2) I tend to be a bottom feeder. I have newer paid over $45.00 for a hand tool. (I don't own crap either). The guy in the Civic Center is a hammer guy. Just mention Maydole and you can't leave for 1/2 hour. He always has very nice carving chisels (about $18-25 each) He also keeps bone rules etc. Mostly English stuff. The real bargain are out there in the vast area with the garage sale stuff. I have found a mint 1/4" Stanley 750 chisel with label still on the handle for $2 and an extra nice 30" blade Disston back saw ("Philada") for $10. earlier this year, and a nice pre '28 Disston #12 tote for $5. I came home empty handed today. I go there almost every month since it is only 35 miles away.

Gary Hodgin

10-31-2010, 7:25 PM

Don't want to be a pest, but....my neighbor is getting ready to toss a workbench he inherited from his Dad, and the photos of the H-S bench look identical to his - any idea what that was selling for?

thnx

Kent

If your friend's bench is anything close to this one, tell him to toss it my way.

These benches are worth a significant amount of money. Just how much I don't know, but a 19th century bench in as good of shape as the one in the picture has value as a bench to users and to collectors. Maybe someone closer to the market than I am can tell about what the bench is worth, but my guess is at least $750.

You can get an idea of what a new one costs by going to Highland Woodworking or Lie-Nielsen's websites. Recently, I saw an old one linked on a ww forum that went for around $2500 as a dinning table or something like that.

Deane Allinson

10-31-2010, 7:41 PM

Sorry Mark, I was looking at the wrong plane, the one above the single block plane. I have no clue what the other one is. It was gone along with the Stanley 140 by the time I was there this afternoon. The near mint 65 block was still there with no price on it. I didn't ask how much.
Deane

brian c miller

10-31-2010, 9:50 PM

I have a H&S bench, got mine for 650 with an Emmert turtleback

Sorry Mark, I was looking at the wrong plane, the one above the single block plane. I have no clue what the other one is. It was gone along with the Stanley 140 by the time I was there this afternoon. The near mint 65 block was still there with no price on it. I didn't ask how much.
Deane

Rick Markham

11-01-2010, 2:05 AM

Rick, thanks for the explanation and the info, very interesting. I always enjoy reading about tools I haven't seen before.

Bryan Wuest

11-01-2010, 5:04 AM

Bryan,
Have you tried Wimberly? Not as big as Canton, but was good hunting last I was there (10+ yrs. ago)

Roy,
Is that Wimberly, TX just NW of San Marcos? No, I haven't tried there but that's a lot closer than Canton. Plus, the wife loves to go to the outlet malls in San Marcos. I'll drop her off there and I'll head to Wimberly.

Thanks for the tip if it's the same Wimberly.

George Sanders

11-01-2010, 7:46 AM

I'm glad I don't live near there. All my disposable income would be spent on things I don't have and probably don't need.

john brenton

11-01-2010, 9:13 AM

If you run across that cigar shave again I'd say get it. They raaaaaaarely pop up on any of the auction sites and are handy as hell.

john brenton

11-01-2010, 9:18 AM

Hammacher Shlemmer? The same Hammacher Shlemmer that makes all that useless crap featured in "SkyMall"? I had no idea that they once made useful things that don't "chill your beverage better than ice" or "massage your neck while kneading your buttocks".

brian c miller

11-01-2010, 6:05 PM

H&S gets referenced in Workbenches: From Design and Theory to Construction and Use By Christopher Schwarz

http://books.google.com/books?id=Ihc9Ma0i6rQC&pg=PA58&dq=hammacher+schlemmer+workbench&hl=en&ei=UjnPTIPkJcH58AbUs_y7AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=hammacher%20schlemmer%20workbench&f=false

They were the real deal 100 years ago.

jason thigpen

11-01-2010, 7:33 PM

Roy,
Is that Wimberly, TX just NW of San Marcos? No, I haven't tried there but that's a lot closer than Canton. Plus, the wife loves to go to the outlet malls in San Marcos. I'll drop her off there and I'll head to Wimberly.

Thanks for the tip if it's the same Wimberly.

Bryan,
it is wimberley tx. i found a link to their market days website. they had a list of vendors that sell tools. here it is.
http://www.shopmarketdays.com/results.cfm?searchfor=TOOLS

Greg Wease

11-02-2010, 2:19 PM

Rick, the plane with raised area at the toe is a Stanley #72 chamfer plane. It was also available with a beading attachnment (#72 1/2) to mount the same cutters as the #66. I have never had the opportunity to try one but they look awesome.

Kent A Bathurst

11-02-2010, 2:33 PM