This is the type of rubbish we have for sale locally

[Hilton Ralphs]

Here in South Africa with a starting bid of $15 and a further $5 for shipping.

Description is
Vintage stanley wood plane item has some rust and some stretch marks on the nop handle of the wood otherwise in fair used condition


281955

281956

281957

[Paul Incognito]

Waddaya need Hilton?
I'll send it over!
Paul

[Anthony Moumar]

We have the same problem here. All of the good stuff fetches high prices and I think people that don't know about planes see rare or exceptionally good planes selling for a fair amount of money so they think theirs is worth more than it is. Just quickly looking at the first page of the planes section on ebay I found this.

281958

Starting bid is $29.99 plus $16.60 for postage.




Stanley wood plane in great condition as shown in the photo's. Model number12-204 made in England. Perfect for any woodworker.





We do get some good stuff for sale but it's usually so expensive I'd rather buy a new equivalent from places like Lee Valley or LN if I can.

[David Peterson]

Well, you can always use it for parts...the screw for the lever cap might be useful for something.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Hilton

I have two planes that started life in South Africa. The first is one I purchased on eBay a few years ago ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/APlanefromMatjiesfontein_html_m157b1b3f.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/APlanefromMatjiesfontein_html_14b8ab09.jpg

The story behind this is here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/APlanefromMatjiesfontein.html

The other was an English-made Stanley #3, which I inherited from my late father-in-law, Bob. The Stanley's available in South Africa came from the UK (as did many other tools - similar to Australia). It was amongst my tools when I migrated to Oz about 27 years ago. It was this very plane that later turned me onto hand tool woodworking. Up until then I was a Normite. This was Bob's plane ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/BobsStanley3_html_m24494092.jpg

There is also a story that goes with it: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/BobsStanley3.html

Very recently I decided to clean it up and do "the works": new LV PM-V11 blade and chipbreaker (hence the review), and a re-modelling that any tart would be proud of. I'm sure Bob approves. It is a sweet plane to use.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Bobs%20Stanley/BobsStanley2_zpsbbc0c785.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Bobs%20Stanley/BobsStanley1_zpsfab0b186.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[george wilson]

We had a friend who moved from Virginia to Oz. Stayed 2 years. We were always sending "care packages" of stuff like Pop Tarts that he couldn't get there.:) The postage cost a lot more than the goods were worth.

[Derek Cohen]

George .. do you deliver?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Weaver]

No worries, the same problem exists here. There was a recent post on the craigslist here (and there is no shortage of old tools) with a glom of stanley bench planes and a few common specialty planes (rabbet, router, T&G) and the seller was firm that his price of half of the mid range from a common tool guide was absolutely where he needed to be. There were probably 2 dozen planes total for $2200, more than I would give for them if they were in clean prime shape.

The trouble was the planes were covered with huge amounts of pitting rust covering them end to end and top to bottom from decades of storage in a wet area, except for a few of the joinery planes, which were also not in prime shape.

I've had the same problem multiple times with folks here who ask if I want to buy planes, only to find out that they have planes that nobody would buy for $10, and they've priced them based on a price guide.

[george wilson]

People also seem to think that barnyard rusty old,crusty files are still worth good money. At a local junkyard,they had a 55 gallon drum FULL of water,and wood rasps. They thought these rasps were worth new prices. No worries anyway,they were the kind of rasps that had enormous teeth 1/8" wide,and nearly as tall.

[Frederick Skelly]

Mostly overpriced junk here too. I envy you folks who can find nice stuff, reasonably.

[Jim Koepke]

Mostly overpriced junk here too. I envy you folks who can find nice stuff, reasonably.

For me a lot of the being able to "find nice stuff, reasonably" is to be constantly looking and looking again. The second part is also talking to people. More than once an antique shop owner has given me a tip on another store to check. One even called ahead to make sure they were open since it was a bit off the way I was going at the time.

I see lots of stuff that seems overpriced. It doesn't hurt to ask if they will take less.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Clearly what happens is that a non-woodworker or non-handtool woodworker inherits some handtools. They figure "old" = $$$, but have no idea of the value. They Google and search eBay, where they find prices. However all tools look the same to the uninitiated, and so they settle on a value that seems reasonable to them (obviously there is a bit of wishful thinking there as well). A knowledgeable buyer comes along and points out that the tools are poor quality and offers a pittance. The seller does not know whether they are being spun a line, and decides to go with their dream prices. The buyer moves on. The tools languish on a shelf until the now departed seller's family has a garage sale.

High prices for very common Stanley planes seems a common occurrence at stalls in Perth. There is no point in attempting to educate the seller of a #5 priced at $150. Keep looking. Alongside it may be a #604 for $5.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

There is no point in attempting to educate the seller of a #5 priced at $150. Keep looking. Alongside it may be a #604 for $5.

After all, everyone knows bigger is better. Besides, the #5 has a name, Jack. When a tool has a name, then it must be special.

Same seller might have a #1 for $5 because it is a "kid's toy" plane.

jtk

[Hilton Ralphs]

Waddaya need Hilton?
I'll send it over!
Paul
Thanks for the offer Paul but I'm pretty sorted at the moment. I just wanted to highlight some of the frustrations of shopping for decent old stuff but it looks like it's the same all over.




There is also a story that goes with it: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Commentary/BobsStanley3.html

Very recently I decided to clean it up and do "the works": new LV PM-V11 blade and chipbreaker (hence the review), and a re-modelling that any tart would be proud of. I'm sure Bob approves. It is a sweet plane to use.

Nice Derek! I recently (yesterday) bought a USA #3 for a measly $9 and it's in good nick without any cracks. Not too valuable as I think it's only a type 15 or 16 but clean nonetheless. I also found a #3 body of unknown make that needs a chipbreaker and iron so I'll probably get the Veritas combo and hope I don't run into the same problems as Mark has recently.

Compulsively I also have a bid ($11) in on an English Stanley #3 so we'll see what happens with that.

282772

For some reason I seem to prefer the combo of a #3 with a #4-1/2 as opposed to the usual #4.

Have a good day for those just waking up.

[Tom Stenzel]

The following gem can be found on the Detroit area Craigslist. Only $25! Don't all call at once.

It's claimed the to be a Stanley 78. Me, I'm not so sure.

-Tom Stenzel

282776

[Dave Anderson NH]

Tom this is indeed a Stanley 78S. The "S" is the rarely seen short version.

[Joe Bailey]

The following gem can be found on the Detroit area Craigslist. Only $25! Don't all call at once.

It's claimed the to be a Stanley 78. Me, I'm not so sure.

-Tom Stenzel

282776

This is the rarely-seen Stanley 62.4 (It is 4/5ths of a 78)

[Jim Matthews]

High prices for very common Stanley planes seems a common occurrence at stalls in Perth. There is no point in attempting to educate the seller of a #5 priced at $150. Keep looking. Alongside it may be a #604 for $5.Derek

Never educate your seller.
Haggle once, or move on.

The Gypsy Picker code.

[Andrew Nielsen]

We had a friend who moved from Virginia to Oz. Stayed 2 years. We were always sending "care packages" of stuff like Pop Tarts that he couldn't get there.:) The postage cost a lot more than the goods were worth.

The postage is so high because they have to go the long way to avoid drop bears

[Michael Mahan]

Never educate your seller.
Haggle once, or move on.

The Gypsy Picker code.
My feelings exactly never ever educate the seller the next buyer Just might be you .