Help ID'ing wooden jointer plane

[mark kosse]

I got this from a strange peninsula in Washington State (Point Roberts, look it up). I don't think it's ece, the iron is marked H. Crookes & Co, Sheffield, garenti. The iron appears to me to be older than the plane, but I really don't know. Internet searches have turned up nothing. Really, nothing. The sole appears to be lignum vitae and it's 24" long.
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Thanks for for any help.

[george wilson]

That is a standard looking German modern made plane. Might be an Ulmia or another brand made in that style in Germany. Iron not original.

[Allan Speers]

What George said.

You're correct that it's not an ECE Primus, (not even their less expensive model #101S) but it's most likely Ulmia.

I don't think that's the original blade, though it's likely a very good one.

[Thomas Laursen]

Another option is that it's a Danish plane, as they can often be found with H. Crookes & Co. irons.
Makers like JPBO, Dana and Langeskov made copies or variations of the Ulmia/German style.
The two first would have had their logo stamped into the wood right about where the initials are.
Try and have a closer look, sometimes they can be faint.

[mark kosse]

Thanks Thomas, that was a big help. Out of the ones you mentioned it most closely resembles the JPBO. It's hard to see but it is made out of 3 laminated and scalloped pieces. I see JPBO planes with up to 9 laminations like that. I'm not currently around the plane but will look closer for a name when I am.

As we say in Texas this plane was "rode hard and put up wet". I'm going to refinish it. Should I stay with a varnish finish (this one appears to be water based poly) or change to an oil finish. I prefer oil but I wonder if it should be used on the sole.

anyone looked up point Roberts? It a unique little peninsula the comes out of canada into the puget sound. Any American living there has to go into canada to leave. I read where children above 3rd grade have to take a 40 minute bus ride through Canada and back into WA state to go to school.

[Jim Koepke]

anyone looked up point Roberts?

Yes, that is an odd part of the state. My father used to live across the water in Sequim, WA. The Olympic Peninsula is a beautiful place.

jtk

[Allan Speers]

As we say in Texas this plane was "rode hard and put up wet". I'm going to refinish it. Should I stay with a varnish finish (this one appears to be water based poly) or change to an oil finish. I prefer oil but I wonder if it should be used on the sole.


Wooden planes are rarely varnished. There is MASSIVE amounts of argumentation on the net about which finish is best, and which finishes were used originally, but varnish almost never enters the equation as this can cause the plane to crack over time. Plus, it rarely looks "right."

Many "experts" recommend nothing at all, or just wax. Some believe in soaking the plane in BLO, but that darkens it and would be totally wrong for this plane. Some use Tung oil, others use oxygenated Tung.
It's a more complicated and heated discussion than sharpening. :eek:

Personally, if the plane is very old and thus well seasoned (not gonna' move too much) I like prefer to NOT soak it, and use shellac on the outside, with wax on the botttom. I'd bet good money that this plane's original finish was blonde shellac.
Easy to tell - just wipe a small area with alcohol and see if it melts off.

[mark kosse]

It is jpbo. The insignia is so faint i could only make out the j and the o inside what looks like a bean shape.

[Thomas Laursen]

That sounds like JPBO. Glad I could help. They are good user planes.