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Justin Grow
12-04-2010, 2:48 AM
Hey, a friend has "loaned" me a bedrock 602 (type 6b I think) that is kinda rough. Its got a butchered knob, no tote, and has had the rust crudely wire-brushed off doing some damage to the underlying metal.

There are no cracks anywhere. I'm wondering how hard it will be to find a knob and tote, what this thing may be worth, or if its even worth bringing back to life.....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4lxgB9VHAMY/TPnwnFpDEZI/AAAAAAAAABI/dHZIMCxcrvE/s800/2010-12-03_23-27-21_988.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4lxgB9VHAMY/TPnweOM_LEI/AAAAAAAAABE/4-L6g9YfgmY/s800/2010-12-03_23-28-35_460.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4lxgB9VHAMY/TPnweOM_LEI/AAAAAAAAABE/4-L6g9YfgmY/s800/2010-12-03_23-28-35_460.jpg

Andrew Gibson
12-04-2010, 7:38 AM
I say if it is in usable condition then it is worth bringing back. I have no idea what it would go for, but even with a new tote and knob I would think it would fetch a price well worth the effort.

I would think it would qualify as a very special user grade tool.

mike v flaim
12-04-2010, 9:11 AM
That plane is worth about $500-$750 as long as the frog or lever cap isn't broken anywhere. You can usually find Stanley No 2 parts on eBay. I use to sell them all the time but I don't have a No 2 to sell in parts right now. The tote and knob are identical between the No 602 and No 2.

Terry Beadle
12-04-2010, 9:16 AM
That's a keeper IMO.

A tote can be easily bought or you can get on ( I think ) it's Lee Valley's website for a pattern plan to make one of your own. I recommend Babinga for it's interlocked grain and beauty. A little more difficult to work than say cherry but worth it.

Also, you might contact Jon Zimmer Antique Tools which is located right there in Portland. He may have what you need to put what ever finishing touches you may need on the plane.

A Hock, LN, LV, or Japanwood worker replacement blade is highly recommended and will allow the ol' bedrock to perform like a new Lie Neilson but at a third the price or less in your case.

Enjoy the shavings!

Mike Hollingsworth
12-04-2010, 9:48 AM
The 602 is probably the most valuable BedRock besides the corrugated version.
That's a type 6. It screams BEDROCK right out in front on the lever cap.

Jim Koepke
12-04-2010, 11:37 AM
Justin,

If you really do not want to spend the time to fix that up, I'll be glade to drive down and take it off your hands.

Some of the #2 knobs do not accommodate the ring at the base.

My #2 does not get as much use as my #4, but there are times when it is the right plane to use.

Very gloat worthy.

jtk

Mel Miller
12-04-2010, 11:47 AM
Do you think you would really use the 602? I have always thought they were more of a collector plane rather than one that would get used in the shop.
They definitely have collector value, although I doubt your plane in the current condition would bring $500.
To preserve the collector value, you would need to find some good original wood, which won't be cheap. Jon Zimmers does not sell plane parts, just tools that are ready to use. If you want to just use the plane, a number of sources offer replacement wood.
If the plane is yours to with as you please, you might consider selling it as is, and using the money to buy another plane that would be more suited to your needs.

Mel :)

Jim Koepke
12-04-2010, 12:51 PM
Do you think you would really use the 602? I have always thought they were more of a collector plane rather than one that would get used in the shop.


It seems doubtful that Stanley made planes aimed at the collector market.

My motto, if it works wood, use it if you got it.

Then again, if a prettier, better, shinier tool is wanted, it can become part of the savings account toward getting the more desired tool.

Justin does mention in his original post that the tool is on "loan." He might have to consult with his friend before selling.

jtk

lowell holmes
12-04-2010, 12:58 PM
It sure looks like a keeper to me. :)

mike v flaim
12-04-2010, 1:21 PM
I could be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that No 2's where marketed to junior high shop classes since the kids had smaller hands.

Jim Koepke
12-04-2010, 2:18 PM
I could be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that No 2's where marketed to junior high shop classes since the kids had smaller hands.

I believe that was the #5-1/4 or the Junior Jack.

jtk

Justin Grow
12-04-2010, 2:19 PM
It seems doubtful that Stanley made planes aimed at the collector market.

My motto, if it works wood, use it if you got it.

Then again, if a prettier, better, shinier tool is wanted, it can become part of the savings account toward getting the more desired tool.

Justin does mention in his original post that the tool is on "loan." He might have to consult with his friend before selling.

jtk

Inded, I do not own this plane yet. I'm trying though. Either I'll have it and want to fix-er-up, or I'll be trying to get the parts for it for my friend.

Mel Miller
12-04-2010, 2:39 PM
Jim: Obviously, Stanley didn't make planes with the collector market in mind, but I can think of a number of them that are just basically collector tools today with little potential use in a shop.

Mike: You are correct about 602s in school shops. Many have been found in old school shop cleanouts, and others have been found marked with school info, or with B of E handles on them. 5 1/4s and S18s were also widely used in school shops.

Mel :)

Justin Grow
12-22-2010, 3:51 AM
Well, its mine. Got it for a fair price I think. Now I'm working on lapping the rust and pitting from the sides and sole. Then I'll re-paint and tune up. A knob and tote are on their way. It will definately be getting a new blade and chip breaker.

I thought about having a local machine shop machine grind the sole and sides, but they wanted $150 to do it. My arms are getting tired sanding, but I've got control of how far I go.

Any suggestions on which blade and iron I should go with?

Sam Takeuchi
12-22-2010, 4:29 AM
You have a very limited option here. Replacement blades offered by Veritas (of Lee Valley) and Lie-Nielsen come in 1-5/8" size, but Hock normally don't list blade for #2 sized planes even though he may be able to make one for you if you ask him. That's about it.

They both offer cap irons to go with if you wish to replace the original one. If anything, Veritas offers O1 and A2 blade while Lie-Nielsen only offers A2 at this point.

Jason Chestnut
12-22-2010, 7:37 AM
Well, its mine. Got it for a fair price I think. Now I'm working on lapping the rust and pitting from the sides and sole. Then I'll re-paint and tune up. A knob and tote are on their way. It will definately be getting a new blade and chip breaker.

I thought about having a local machine shop machine grind the sole and sides, but they wanted $150 to do it. My arms are getting tired sanding, but I've got control of how far I go.

Any suggestions on which blade and iron I should go with?

That's a great looking 602, but to my eye the knob is a larger replacement anyway. It could be a trick of the camera angle, but it definitely looks too big for the plane. It's good you ordered a replacement. As far as replacement irons, they are all good and all a big upgrade from the original. I'd probably decide between O1 and A2 and just order the least expensive of the aftermarket brands (likely LV). Be careful, though. You might end up having to modify the mouth to take the thicker iron. That might affect the resale value negatively.

Peter Gavin
12-22-2010, 7:57 AM
Then I'll re-paint and tune up. A knob and tote are on their way.
I would think twice about repainting. Pretty much everything else you do is reversible and won't hurt the resale value (except maybe widening the throat for a thicker blade) but repainting isn't. To the extent it destroys the resale value youmight want to reconsider what is only a cosmetic improvement anyway.

Peter

Justin Grow
12-22-2010, 11:13 AM
That's a great looking 602, but to my eye the knob is a larger replacement anyway. It could be a trick of the camera angle, but it definitely looks too big for the plane. It's good you ordered a replacement. As far as replacement irons, they are all good and all a big upgrade from the original. I'd probably decide between O1 and A2 and just order the least expensive of the aftermarket brands (likely LV). Be careful, though. You might end up having to modify the mouth to take the thicker iron. That might affect the resale value negatively.

The knob has definately been messed with..... maybe replaced, but definatley someone took a rasp to it and crudely made it narrower....


I would think twice about repainting. Pretty much everything else you do is reversible and won't hurt the resale value (except maybe widening the throat for a thicker blade) but repainting isn't. To the extent it destroys the resale value youmight want to reconsider what is only a cosmetic improvement anyway.

Peter

Peter, the prior owner took a wire brush to the plane and knocked off every last bit of the original japanning, and I dont plan on re-selling. I'll consider keeping it unpainted though.

Jim Koepke
12-22-2010, 11:46 AM
I wouldn't worry a lot about the loss of collector value due to painting. If you do a decent job in a gloss black enamel, it will not detract much from the plane. A plane missing all of its paint is not going to sell for more than a plane that has been repainted competently. How ever, if you paint it brick red, many collectors will cringe.

Stanley blades are often available on ebay. If you are considering collector value 20 or 30 years from now, keep the original blade and chip breaker. A plane of this size is not used for heavy work. It is unlikely to gain anything with an aftermarket blade set.

jtk

David Woodruff
12-22-2010, 5:00 PM
Well, its mine. Got it for a fair price I think. Now I'm working on lapping the rust and pitting from the sides and sole. Then I'll re-paint and tune up. A knob and tote are on their way. It will definately be getting a new blade and chip breaker.

I thought about having a local machine shop machine grind the sole and sides, but they wanted $150 to do it. My arms are getting tired sanding, but I've got control of how far I go.

Any suggestions on which blade and iron I should go with? Justin, What is the "tote" you refer to..........thanks p.s. a lg. diamond hone should work well in dressing the sole really flat, they are available for about $40.00, cheaper than the $150.00 machine shop dressing.

Justin Grow
12-22-2010, 5:09 PM
Justin, What is the "tote" you refer to..........thanks p.s. a lg. diamond hone should work well in dressing the sole really flat, they are available for about $40.00, cheaper than the $150.00 machine shop dressing.

I'm not sure if you are being smarmy or serious.... I'm refering to the "handle"..... As for the base, yes. I'm using sandpaper for now to dress the sole and sides. Once I work thru most of the pitting I'll switch to something finer.

James Taglienti
12-24-2010, 10:43 PM
$150!? My local shop charges me $20. Though they did trash a 604 on me once. Be careful lapping or surface grinding the soles of bedrocks, there is very little room before you start grinding into the frog ramp. (the 604)

You should be able to lap that thing pretty quickly. Delta makes a small benchtop belt sander that a #2 would fit fully in the platen area, I think they're $99. I'd leave the sides alone if it were mine, there's a pretty long list of planes that would work better for shooting.

In that condition as it stands i'd say it would bring high 200's. Surely a good plane to use.

An original tote would be a bargain at $50. You could make one from the plans on the lee valley site.

I have a 2 that I use in the shop quite a bit. It's about the same size as one of stanley's larger block planes.

Or you could sell it and but a LN #2 and have some money left over. They probably have sides ground to the thousandth.

It looks like a heck of a good user.

Justin Grow
12-25-2010, 12:06 AM
James, the shop I was going to have do it was going to use a precision grinder. It would have been as precise and square as possible. I could use a large belt sander, but I want more control than that, so I'll do it by hand. :)

Jim Sebring
12-25-2010, 12:52 AM
Get ahold of Bob Kaune for Stanley plane parts. He's located in Port Angeles. Try bktools@olympus.net. He's the guy who developed the Stanley plane types list so knows a fair amount about the line.

James Taglienti
12-25-2010, 1:25 PM
If you have an ace hardware around you, they have an Ace brand black spray paint I think it's called Ace premium enamel, it's got a lot of solids, dries fast, and sands readily, I use 000 steel wool on it, it's easy to get a very thick coat on there that looks just like japanning. I did a 112 with it a few years ago and now the paint has a few chips on it, you can't tell it from japanning. I don't know who makes it for them, so I just buy the ace brand.

Justin Grow
12-25-2010, 1:34 PM
I was thinking of having it powder coated. Thoughts?

Jim Koepke
12-25-2010, 3:11 PM
I was thinking of having it powder coated. Thoughts?

What exactly is the powder coating process?

How much does it cost?

How does it feel to bare skin?

One of the things that is appreciated about the gloss enamel used on my planes that have been refinished is the way it feels on the hands. It just feels so much better than the planes that have a crackled or missing finish.

jtk

Jeff L Miller
12-25-2010, 5:16 PM
Justin, this is my first post here after watching for some time. I may be able to help you with your 602; I have a few parts and can help get you going on refinishing that nice plane.

I live in Portland and if you email me or send me a private message, we can hook up and see what you need.

Jeff

Chris Vandiver
12-25-2010, 5:47 PM
For refinishing your 602, I'd check this out; http://www.rexmill.com/