Old wood bodied planes - parts source?

[Bill Brush]

My wife directed me to a gentleman she saw was selling some old wood bodied planes on FB. He wanted $50 for 3 planes and a wooden level, so I figured I couldn't go too wrong.

The level seems to work, and 2 of the planes are basic rebate (rabbet) planes, one with a nifty depth stop. One is an Ohio Tools, the other is a J & J Gibsons (Albany). Both look serviceable, but the one with the depth stop has an odd cut through the body, and what looks like a broken tote on the top over the depth stop.

The third is most of an Ohio Tools #58 filletster plane. It's 1 7/8" wide, with a full-sized rear handle. It is missing the arms, fence, and nickers. I think I can make new arms and a fence, but I don't know where to find the nickers. Does anyone make parts for these old planes?

Some pictures to show the patients.

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[Zach Dillinger]

Darn shame about that Ohio fillister... that would be a valuable plane if it were complete. Screw arm toted fillisters can bring a decent chunk of change. As for parts sources... they don't exist to my knowledge. You can buy iron blanks and such, but your best bet for stuff is to cannibalize other broken tools or make them yourself.

[Jim Koepke]

The knickers on some of these old planes was often nothing more than a cut nail profiled to make a groove at the edge of the plane.

jtk

[Bill Brush]

So do you think the filletster plane originally looked like this Sandusky example: http://www.thebestthings.com/oldtools/graphics/wp121026a.jpg http://www.thebestthings.com/oldtools/graphics/wp121026.jpg

[Zach Dillinger]

Bill, that's an excellent start at what your plane probably looked like. The two companies would have used different nut profiles and fence moldings, but you can find pictures of that stuff easily. Or you can pick up Rosebrook's book on wooden plow planes, which I recommend anyway.