A Bailey Tool Co Restore

[don wilwol]

I just restored a Bailey Tool Co jointer. Its a first of its kind for me. I probably wouldn't have stripped this old guy if it wasn't painted some god awful blue. 263770 More pictures can be seen here.
http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/bailey-tool-co-17-restoration/

[Frederick Skelly]

Hey, thats neat Don. Congratulations! Does she cut a nice as she looks?

[David Weaver]

I have an old spokeshave (concave) that says l. bailey boston on it. That looks like a plane made well after stanley started making planes (based on the lever cap). Do you know what the story is behind the company?

[don wilwol]

Hey, thats neat Don. Congratulations! Does she cut a nice as she looks? I haven't sharpened it yet. Hopefully this week end.

[David Weaver]

Selden Bailey tool company, started in 1872 in Woonsocket, RI.

Defiance planes came with the embossed lever cap like that.

taken over by Stanley in 1880. So a little later than leonard bailey's first planes, but not much.

http://www.hansbrunnertools.gil.com.au/stanley%20by%20numbers/a-z.htm

(that's where I hooked the info from).

[Mel Miller]

I have an old spokeshave (concave) that says l. bailey boston on it. That looks like a plane made well after stanley started making planes (based on the lever cap). Do you know what the story is behind the company?

Leonard Bailey was making planes, etc. in 1855, so your spokeshave could be fairly early.
The Bailey Tool Co. (Selden Bailey) made a range of planes, some with a neat geared adjuster. Collectors are very fond of one of the Bailey Tool Co. block planes that has their name cast into the bottom of the plane as corrugations.

[don wilwol]

I've been hoping to put together some information. There's not a lot of information out there. I'll keep researching.

[David Weaver]

Leonard Bailey was making planes, etc. in 1855, so your spokeshave could be fairly early.
The Bailey Tool Co. (Selden Bailey) made a range of planes, some with a neat geared adjuster. Collectors are very fond of one of the Bailey Tool Co. block planes that has their name cast into the bottom of the plane as corrugations.

Those I have definitely seen in plane value books.

The bailey shave I have is definitely very old. I'll take a picture of it sometime and start another thread. It's maybe not worthy of that much attention, but it's interesting, anyway. Any japanning or whatever that was on it is long gone, but it's a nice quality shave to use, and cheaper than a new premium shave.

[Mel Miller]

I've been hoping to put together some information. There's not a lot of information out there. I'll keep researching.

The best resource for Bailey Tool Co., and other patented planes is Roger Smith's book: Patented Transitional & Metallic Planes in America.