Prewar Stanley 4-1/2 planes

[Gene Davis]

Well, I did not buy the WR yet, but I placed bids on a couple Stanleys, and it seems those buying on eBay are willing to bid up to about $95.

Not me, or not yet, at least. I set my bids at $78.

A quick search turns this up:

One for $150 on Jon Zimmer.

A site called Patented Antiques has no 4-1/2 Stanleys, but some Bedrocks at near $300 to $450. I ain't a collector.

Old Tools has one for $115 and another one for $225.

[Sean Hughto]

For a garden variety block plane? That's nuts.

[Chris Griggs]

Ebay can go nuts sometimes. I'd recommend becoming a contributer here (for $6). Then you'll be able to post a Want To Buy add in the classifieds. I'm sure there are more then a few spare smoothers and blocks laying around in folks shops that they'd be willing to part with for a much fairer price...as a bonus if they were in one of our shops there's a good chance they are already tuned up. $6 gives you access to the classifieds for a year...couldn't hurt to try.

[Dave Parkis]

Are you looking for a 9 1/2 (block plane) or a 4 1/2 (smoother)? A decent 4 1/2 will run you about $75 plus shipping. A 9 1/2 shouldn't cost more than $40 unless its NIB and an early vintage.

[steven c newman]

Gold mine I have! I tell you what...
311773
Erly 9-1/2 "E" model, Knukle capped Columian 9-1/2, AND a Stanley 9-1/4

Should I plan my retirement now? Or, later, since I just retired this week.....

[Mel Miller]

Well, I did not buy the WR yet, but I placed bids on a couple Stanleys, and it seems those buying on eBay are willing to bid up to about $95.

Not me, or not yet, at least. I set my bids at $78.

A quick search turns this up:

One for $150 on Jon Zimmer.

A site called Patented Antiques has no 4-1/2 Stanleys, but some Bedrocks at near $300 to $450. I ain't a collector.

Old Tools has one for $115 and another one for $225.

Where are you looking on Ebay??? I just checked Ebay completed listings for Stanley 9 1/2 block planes and there were over 100 sold in the last 30 days ranging in price from $11. to a high of $80.

[Gene Davis]

My mistake. And not a typo, either. Just not thinking.

I meant a 4-1/2 smoother. I already have a 9-1/2.

[Tom M King]

You can edit the title to a thread by hitting "Edit Post" and then the "Go Advanced" button.

[Sean Hughto]

Why are you pursuing a 4 1/2? What do you perceive as its value over a 4 in your work? If a 4 will do, they are 1/3rd the price of a 4 1/2. And to my mind better to use inmost situations.

[Gene Davis]

Heft. Size.

I have a nice Primus smoother.

[Sean Hughto]

Okay. Enjoy.

[Stew Denton]

Gene,

There are not many #4 1/2s around compared to #4s. The scarcity makes them more valuable to collectors, and since the #4 1/2 seems to be more popular these days for actual users, as well as collectors, that makes them sell for more money than the #4s also, often times quite a bit more. Thus the greater demand for the 4 1/2s makes the prices seem pretty high. (Look at the price of a 604 1/2 Bedrock sometime.)

For what ever reason, the prices of good vintage hand tools has gone nuts on Ebay lately. I look at planes a lot, and the prices now are significantly higher than a year ago, as far as I can tell. (I tracked the Stanley Bedrock and Bailey prices for a while early last year, still have the figures, and they have gone up.) I don't look at saws very often, but do on occasion, always having to remind myself that "I don't need any more handsaws" all the while thinking that a Disston #12 would sure be nice....but "I don't need any more handsaws." I can say that the price of Disstion handsaws has appeared to go nuts on Ebay. I started a post on Ebay prices going nuts a while back if you want to look at the comments.

That said, if you wait around long enough for a bargain, you can sometimes buy at a better price than is typical. Typically, the planes that have been restored sell for a lot more than the ones that are in pretty bad need of being cleaned up. Thus, if you don't mind spending elbow grease instead of money, you can save quite a bit of cash.

Stew

[Robert Engel]

WoodRiver 4 1/2 (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/158001/WoodRiver-4-12-Smoothing-Plane.aspx?refcode=10INGOPB&adpos=1o2&creative=65583246142&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjwx9KpBRCAiZ_tgYKWvhQSJABQjGW-Y8nWgQPNLruODjNVBbf_4_ZYytybu9d0iZewjB3E0RoCvFLw_w cB)

$170

Done.

20 minutes prepping/honing and you're going to work.

Instead of spending $100 (if you're lucky) and:
...scratching your head wondering why something didn't show up in the Ebay pic
...or the blade needs replacing
...or you've got hours of work getting the sole flat
...or the crack in the handle
...you get the picture

Ask yourself whether you wanna be a plane collector or a plane user?
I've given up on Ebay everybody thinks they have a collector item.

[Gene Davis]

Thanks, Robert.

You nudged me over the line. I am a user, and it's time to get to work. The big heavy Woodriver is the one for me. My grandson can eBay it away to someone someday.

[Chris Hachet]

Gold mine I have! I tell you what...
311773
Erly 9-1/2 "E" model, Knukle capped Columian 9-1/2, AND a Stanley 9-1/4

Should I plan my retirement now? Or, later, since I just retired this week.....

Congrats on retirement...

[Chris Hachet]

WoodRiver 4 1/2 (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/158001/WoodRiver-4-12-Smoothing-Plane.aspx?refcode=10INGOPB&adpos=1o2&creative=65583246142&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjwx9KpBRCAiZ_tgYKWvhQSJABQjGW-Y8nWgQPNLruODjNVBbf_4_ZYytybu9d0iZewjB3E0RoCvFLw_w cB)

$170

Done.

20 minutes prepping/honing and you're going to work.

Instead of spending $100 (if you're lucky) and:
...scratching your head wondering why something didn't show up in the Ebay pic
...or the blade needs replacing
...or you've got hours of work getting the sole flat
...or the crack in the handle
...you get the picture

Ask yourself whether you wanna be a plane collector or a plane user?
I've given up on Ebay everybody thinks they have a collector item.

This is the route I would take....

[Chris Hachet]

Thanks, Robert.

You nudged me over the line. I am a user, and it's time to get to work. The big heavy Woodriver is the one for me. My grandson can eBay it away to someone someday.

Congrats! I think you will be very happy with this....

[Tom M King]

There are some nice looking Records on ebay in the UK right now. Shipping is 32 bucks, but might be worth a try. That's the 4-1/2 I've been using for 30 years or so, that I bought new. It works just fine.

[ken hatch]

WoodRiver 4 1/2 (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/158001/WoodRiver-4-12-Smoothing-Plane.aspx?refcode=10INGOPB&adpos=1o2&creative=65583246142&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjwx9KpBRCAiZ_tgYKWvhQSJABQjGW-Y8nWgQPNLruODjNVBbf_4_ZYytybu9d0iZewjB3E0RoCvFLw_w cB)

$170

Done.

20 minutes prepping/honing and you're going to work.

Instead of spending $100 (if you're lucky) and:
...scratching your head wondering why something didn't show up in the Ebay pic
...or the blade needs replacing
...or you've got hours of work getting the sole flat
...or the crack in the handle
...you get the picture

Ask yourself whether you wanna be a plane collector or a plane user?
I've given up on Ebay everybody thinks they have a collector item.


Thanks, Robert.

You nudged me over the line. I am a user, and it's time to get to work. The big heavy Woodriver is the one for me. My grandson can eBay it away to someone someday.

Good move Gene,

I've been down the eBay road, still have the T-Shirt although it's a little stained and has glue spots all over it.

I've sung Robert's song for some time....occasionally catch grief because of it but if you just want the tool to work wood a new good quality, WR, LV, LN or whatever, makes more sense than used. And yes I know all about your, whoever you is, full collection of planes that cost less than $100 USDs total and work as well as any LN.

BTW, I have a pretty full collection of rust. I'm glad I have 'em and they are all in good working order but when it is time to put iron to wood I reach for one of the LN, LV, or WR better than 90% of the time.

ken

[Jim Sevey]

I gotta greee with Robert. Woodriver are excellent planes. The 4 1/2 is one of my favorites and the blades (irons) and cap irons are I think superior to the Stanley's. For a user as opposed to a collector Woodriver is a winner.

[Jim Koepke]

I like luck...

My #4-1/2 was $30 in an Astoria, Oregon antique mall. It was in need of a little TLC, but it didn't have any missing parts. The blade didn't need replacing, but since it is a common size it has received a new blade. There wasn't a crack in the handle, nor did it take hours of work getting the sole flat. Though it did require some sole scratching.

Simple luck, ebay was a constant being outbid but that didn't bother me as if it weren't for luck most likely a few minutes of each day would be spent looking for one on ebay until my low bid went unchallenged.

Most of the completed listings on ebay went for less than $100. They do seem expensive.

It is a nice plane to have, but not so unique to inspire me to spend more than about twice what I did.

jtk

[Bob Woodburn]

As best I can tell from just looking it up, the Dow went from the $6K range in 2007 to somewhere near the $18K range nowadays.

There are many ways to interpret this. One is that, at least for classy industrial equities, the value of a dollar dropped to a third of what it was around 8 years ago. Why it took this long for the antique hand tool market to begin to fall in line with the greater trend, I couldn't say.

But if it stays this way, the dusty contents of shops, closets, basements and garages will soon be emptied onto Ebay and elsewhere, as they were in the 90s and early 2000s.

[Jim Koepke]

But if it stays this way, the dusty contents of shops, closets, basements and garages will soon be emptied onto Ebay and elsewhere, as they were in the 90s and early 2000s.

More supply can have a downward effect on prices albeit a possibly temporary anomaly.

jtk