Where to buy restored/refurbished hand tools/planes

[Steven Wayne]

I'm looking to get into hand tool woodworking. I've done a ton of reading and **think** I have an idea of what I want to get started. In looking for a refurbished plane, I see a couple on ebay and that's about it. I have noticed references to people on here that offer refurbished planes in good working order, but I'm not seeing anyone with any for sale.

I'm coming from having a nicely equipped power tool shop for my busines.

Thank you in advance.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Steven,

Are you looking for a fully refurbished plane or would you accept a plane you might have to clean and tune up yourself?

That will make a big difference not only in the price, but the availability.

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

Jim,

Since I'm just getting started, I think I'd like a fully refurbished plane. Based on the reading I've done, I'm thinking a jack plane (low angle?), smoothing plane (No. 4?) and a jointer plane (No. 7?) are what I was thinking I'd get started with, along with other tools I don't have and some I do.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

Since I'm just getting started, I think I'd like a fully refurbished plane. Based on the reading I've done, I'm thinking a jack plane (low angle?), smoothing plane (No. 4?) and a jointer plane (No. 7?) are what I was thinking I'd get started with, along with other tools I don't have and some I do.

A smoother, jack and Jointer is a good set for all around work.

My only question is about your "jack plane (low angle?)." My LA Jack is mostly used for shooting end grain. My #5 Stanley/Bailey's are used much more. In many cases the wood doesn't care which plane is shaving over its surface. With some tricky woods having a chip breaker is an advantage over having to have blades with different bevel angles.

Another thought on this is finding a refurbished LA Jack will not be easy. Good #5 sized planes are ubiquitous.

A low angle block plane could fill the need for a plane to tackle end grain work.

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

Ahh.. gotcha. So, a No. 5. Any pointers on who sells refurbished planes?

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Post an ad in the classifieds.

[steven c newman]

Timetestedtools....DonW has a nice selection, and they are 90% ready to use out of the shipping box...

[mike v flaim]

If you look, you'll find sellers with excellent feedback with quality tools at fair prices. Some of them, will even sell their planes with sharpened blades ; ) If you really want a deal, you can buy Sargent made planes that perform jut as well as Stanley's without the heavy price tag.

Mike mvflaim

[Brian Eaton]

Steven,

In the area of the country I live in I haven't had much luck at antique shops, flea markets, etc. and have had to go to the big online auction site to find planes worth purchasing. You still never know what you will get and I purchased one plane that was supposedly tuned up, "sharpened" and ready to go - when I received it the blade was nowhere near sharp, the chip breaker was set about 1/4" from the edge of the blade, and the blade was bevel up...Paul Sellers has some great content on how to tune-up a hand plane if you end up with a vintage plane.1

[Steven Wayne]

Whelp.. I think I have enough to get started. I really appreciate the replies in here and in PM's. I have a lot of learning to do. In general, this will be a very slow moving exploration for me. I have a wonderful shop full of all sorts of tools and machines - Festools, Sawstop, 5' x 8' CNC router, 150w CO2 laser, bandsaws and on and on. There's something very appealing about slowing down and making something with a minimum of tools. For me this will mostly be gifts and furniture for my home.. I think ;)

Again, thank you!

[Matt Lau]

Whelp.. I think I have enough to get started. I really appreciate the replies in here and in PM's. I have a lot of learning to do. In general, this will be a very slow moving exploration for me. I have a wonderful shop full of all sorts of tools and machines - Festools, Sawstop, 5' x 8' CNC router, 150w CO2 laser, bandsaws and on and on. There's something very appealing about slowing down and making something with a minimum of tools. For me this will mostly be gifts and furniture for my home.. I think ;)

Again, thank you!


Wait until you go down the rabbit hole.
Don;t be surprised if you start making planes

[Steven Wayne]

Down the rabbit hole...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190102/1c9d846389ec96f4984403d2df10856c.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190102/baadf8c592d0b615c6298d74b1764498.jpg

[Mike Manning]

That's a good looking plane. Who made it?

[Steven Wayne]

That's a good looking plane. Who made it?

ebay seller birdman

it it is a very nice restoration. I’ll be buying more from him when I see them.

[Jim Koepke]

The view of the lateral lever makes it look like a Stanley/Bailey type 8 or earlier.

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

The view of the lateral lever makes it look like a Stanley/Bailey type 8 or earlier.

jtk

Seller called it a Type 7 ish.

[Jim Koepke]

Seller called it a Type 7 ish.

The difference between a type 7 and a type 8 is mostly over whether the various parts have an 'S' or a 'B' foundry mark. It is easy to remember which is which. The type 7 has the 'S'. One of my planes from the era has an 'S' on the frog and a 'B' on the base.

If there is no letter on the base, frog or lever cap and instead there is a dot cast on the surface it is a between type considered to be a type 6a in one addendum to the type studies. Type 6 planes still have the patent information stamped in to the brass depth adjuster and they have right hand threads. The later type 6a has left hand depth adjuster threads and to the best of my knowledge none have the patent information stamped inside.

jtk

[Bill White]

Private message sent to ya about a plane supplier.

[Mark Maleski]

I have a wonderful shop full of all sorts of tools and machines - Festools, Sawstop, 5' x 8' CNC router, 150w CO2 laser, bandsaws and on and on. There's something very appealing about slowing down and making something with a minimum of tools.

Congrats on the jointer acquisition, and good luck finding the jack and smoother.

Though I get your perspective of moving from a fully machine-enabled setup, I can't help but resist the idea that hand tools must represent a "slowing down." A jack plane is slower than a power jointer only if the jointer is wider than the piece being flattened...otherwise a hand plane is the fastest (or failing that, the safest/best) way to get to flat. Even when hand tool approach is slower than machine, it shouldn't be "slow." A handsaw is slower than a bandsaw to be sure, but if it's "slow" then you're using likely the wrong handsaw. There's a trap that many of us have fallen into of navel gazing (or more appropriately, shaving gazing) rather than producing finished goods. I was guilty of that when I first started, until I shook myself out of it and began to focus on efficient production of finished work. (Note that I'm no purist...I use machines when appropriate).

[Steven Wayne]

Mark,
Thank you for the thoughtful, insightful response. When I say slowing down, I'm referring to the part where I slowed down the goings on in my life for a few days and made a nice gift for someone I care about. The hand tool piece is I realized that I needed a plane for a given task and I had never ventured down that road, let alone hand cut any joinery. It all hit me like a ton of lead - I have my dream shop full of awesome machines and tools, but I haven't ventured into any of the woodworking hand tool work. After using my jointer plane last night, I realized how much faster some of my work could be done using the best tool I have for a given task.

Steven

[Jim Koepke]

Steve,

Do you feel like showing off the fleet you have accumulated so far?

The curiosity is overwhelming. :cool:

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

CAbsolutely!


Stanley 9-1/2 block
Stanley 9-1/2 block (was my step dad's)
Stanley 60-1/2 low angle block
Stanley No 4
Fulton 3711 (No 5)
Stanley No 6
Fulton 3708 (No 7 corrugated)
Stanley Bedrock 608 with a No. 8 lever clamp

All are restored and ready to go, save for the 9 1/2 from my step dad and the Fulton 3711 that was damaged in shipping. I have another Stanley Bailey No 4 and a No 5 coming from the same person that did the amazing job on the No 6. I need a bench something fierce. The Festool MFT doesn't cut it, at all.

400319

400320

400321

400322

[Jim Koepke]

A nice looking fleet, thanks for the pics.

The early Bedrocks appeal to me more than the later flat top version. They also have the advantage of not commanding the premium people are willing to pay for the flat top look or the easier adjustment. My planes are almost never adjusted once they are set up.

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

I promised myself I wouldn't let this quickly devolve into collecting. With that said, I've tried to buy nicely setup planes that are good to go so I won't be fighting my lack of knowledge on the plane itself. A known starting point.

Next up is learning how to sharpen all of the things!

[Jim Koepke]

Next up is learning how to sharpen all of the things!

This can turn into a can of worms very quickly.

Start with what you have on hand. If you have nothing on hand, then it is helpful to have someone you know who is set up for sharpening.

If you are in the Pacific Northwest you are welcome to visit and try some of my sharpening stones.

jtk

[Steven Wayne]

Jim,
I'm going to try the Shapton Pro 1000, 5000 and 8000 water stones and an inexpensive guide. I'm sure I'll buy the Lie Nielsen honing guide soon enough. I am in the Pacific Northwest, on the other side of the mountains. I may take you up on your offer if I'm on your side of the state anytime soon. Thank you!

[Steven Wayne]

Two more arrived today.. Stanley No 4 and 5 tuned by the same gentleman that I got the No 6 from. They are wonderful. A few photos since we all like the photos.

400663

400664

Nice chip curl off the Fulton jointer.
400665

Off the new No 4.
400666

I was able to take a small scrap from quite rough to wildly smooth in a few minutes. I'm hooked!

[Jim Koepke]

That curl off of the Fulton makes my arm hurt. That looks to be getting close to 1/16"!

jtk

[Robert Engel]

Looks like you got lucky.

[Steven Wayne]

Looks like you got lucky.

What do you mean?