Painting Stanley #7 1/2 router plane after sandblasting rust.

[Don Morris]

I've restored the handles of my father-in-laws Stanley #7 1/2 Router hand plane. I re-ground the face side (used the scary sharp technique with sandpaper on float glass, using rough grit down to emory) till my hands and arms got tired and I said that's enough. Yes, I can see my reflection. The new Lee Valley 1/8" , 1/4" and 1/2" blades fit nicely. I wire brushed the rust on the "UP" side, then sand blasted it with 50 micron aluminum oxide. I would like to paint that surface and have seen several different YouTube presentations using different brand paints. Is there a standard amongst the group or a "preferred" brand and technique?

Thanks for any input. I'm not a regular to restoring handplanes.

Don M

[Bill Houghton]

If you want to protect against rust, any good paint and painting schedule for metal should work. If you want to be kind of traditional, the wartime Stanley router planes were japanned black, so a black moderately-low-gloss (but not flat) paint would do it. If you want to get creative, the sky's the limit.

[Jim Koepke]

If you want to be creative you may want to look into electro plating.

Just the opposite of electrolysis used in rust removal.

Then you could have a nice new looking shiny tool.

I have thought about just using a nickel for a source of metal.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

If you want to be creative you may want to look into electro plating.

Just the opposite of electrolysis used in rust removal.

Then you could have a nice new looking shiny tool.

I have thought about just using a nickel for a source of metal.

jtk

Although U.S. nickels are 75% copper, 25% nickel - not sure if it's an alloy or nickel plating on copper, but I think the former (never having seen copper shining through on a worn nickel). They're a pretty enough color, so if the electroplating works with that alloy, it would be worth trying.

[Jim Koepke]

Although U.S. nickels are 75% copper, 25% nickel - not sure if it's an alloy or nickel plating on copper, but I think the former (never having seen copper shining through on a worn nickel). They're a pretty enough color, so if the electroplating works with that alloy, it would be worth trying.

Nickels are an alloy, larger denominations of current U.S. coinage are a copper - nickel sandwich. One cent coins are 95% copper 1982 and before. 1982 and later are zinc coated with copper. In 1982 not only are there one cent coins of both compositions, they also had a variance in the dies creating large and small date varieties. This edit was started by calling the one cent coin a penny, but the United States never has had a coin denominated as a penny.

I have no experience with this formula.

I did work for a short while in a circuit board plating shop. The boards were first plated with a copper wash and then nickel under the gold fingers.

The surface was first cleaned in an acid bath to clean and condition the metal to be plated.

One of these days a round tuit may come my way to try this on a lever cap or something.

jtk

[David Weaver]

Use a high solids paint, or find japanning and use japanning. The only issue I've had with paint, though some of it can look very good, it is not nearly as durable when something comes in contact with it and it can get chipped.

[lowell holmes]

I was not sure which router plane you were taling about. I Googled it and came up with the auction site.

The prices they are asking are insane.