Picking a "new" 7 after some misfortune...

[Bram de Jong]

hi all,

I has a rather unfortunate event happen today: while planing a piece of old oak a friend of mine ran my 7 multiple times over the pointy bit of a screw. The screw was fine, my 7 now has about 10 scratches in it that as shallow, but I can "hook" a finger-nail in them. I will try to rehabilitate (have float glass, have sand paper) - but being a 7 I think I'm going to end up dragging it over sandpaper for 4 days before I see a visible result - opinions on this?

My friend graciously offered to help me get a "new" 7. I currently have two offers with rather bad pictures. I'm looking for a user, not a collectors item. I currently have these two on offer from a seller I know:

1)
419691419692419693

2)
419695419696

I know the pictures are terrible (I asked for more), but any opinion would help on choosing one of these.

greetings,


Bram


PS: based in Germany/Europe

[David Bassett]

... has about 10 scratches in it that as shallow, ...

That sucks, but...

What direction do they run? Remember Stanley made & sold planes with corrugated soles. It seems like a slight smoothing to remove "snags" might be all you need to keep using it.

[Bram de Jong]

In the "long" direction... I'm mostly worried where the scratches intersect the mouth... Wouldn't that get me into trouble?

[Bram de Jong]

Actually, I have a picture of the wounded 7 (trigger warning!)

419705

[Derek Cohen]

Bram, those scratches will not affect the use. They are more likely to effect your enthusiasm to use the plane ... until you desensitise your disappointment in regard to the scratches. I love the shiny new tool, but I enjoy the wear marks (including mishaps) that develop over time. They are like old friends and remind me of good times.

Mouth size is unimportant when you use the chipbreaker to control tearout. It is also likely to be unimportant with straight grained timbers.

There is no warranty that another old #7 will be flat. If yours is, first try lapping the sole on 100 grit (or close). Don’t be tempted to go higher (180/240) until you get the scratches out. It’t a pain in the watsit, and you may also enlist your friend to help. I’m sure that he would be keen to do so.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Doug Dawson]

Actually, I have a picture of the wounded 7 (trigger warning!)

419705

What difference does it make? We all have scars. Is there anything actionable?

[Bram de Jong]

This is actually a "new" Stanley 7 (i.e. 1990's) with plastic handles, but I must say that after putting a nice edge on it it performs very good and it's straight as can be. So, I'll take you guys up on this and see if I can grind it down a little!

Bram

[Jim Koepke]

You may not want to lap the scratches all the way as it will not only take a lot of time but will reduce the thickness of the sole a bit.

If you do take your friend up on buying a replacement, sell him the old one so he doesn't need to borrow the replacement. Kind of the you broke it, you bought it plan.

To me the second one of the two planes shown above is better for the rosewood tote even though does show a break. It looks like it might be a type 15 with the old style frog. That is a bit of a plus for me.

jtk

[William Fretwell]

If you had scratched it you would have ownership of the scratches and live with it more easily! A light rubbing with 600 grit to remove any burrs on the scratch edges and you are good to go, some wax will help it fly. The plastic handles would bother me far more, so if you want to get rid of the plastic handles the made in England Bailey would be my choice.

[lowell holmes]

I would take my pad sander with 180 paper in it and lightly sand it and then see what to do. Follow up with a coat of Johnson Floor Wax.
Floor wax will keep the plane from rusting.

[Brian Holcombe]

Why are they displayed face down on brick and concrete block?

[andy bessette]

Why are they displayed face down on brick and concrete block?

Really!!!!

[Eric Danstrom]

I think your plane is fine and now has some patina. However your friend needs to buy the beers next time!

[Jerry Olexa]

As Derek said, that should not affect your performance..similiar to a C bottom with "grooves"...I'd cleaN IT UP, HAVE A BEER and start using it again....

[Eric Danstrom]

Now that it's got some patina maybe it's time for home-made tote and knob. Here's my Type 19 that came with black painted hardwood. Now it sports rosewood:
419778

[Stew Denton]

Bram,

I would not try to sand out the scratches as a first step. The cast is rather soft, and I would use a smoothing file as a first step, probably an 8 inch or 6 inch. I would lay the file dead flat on the plane and file over the scratches first. The file will take off the high part of the scratches that are proud of the surface of the sole of the plane extremely rapidly. That step will be very easy and very quick. Drastically less time than your float glass and sand paper. I would say it could be done in a couple of minutes or so. Be sure to use a light touch, as a new sharp file should cut high spots along the edges of the scratches on the old cast iron sole in literally a few swipes. The file will likely leave some scratches of it's own, but they will be very shallow. The next steps, below will take care of remaining burrs, sharp edges of the deep scratches and some of the tiny scratches from the file.

Once you have the high raised edges of the scratches gone then I would use your float glass and sandpaper. I would use moderately fine sandpaper first, probably 220, followed by 320. You should not have to us the sand paper very long, maybe a few minutes at the very most with each grit, the idea being to use the file to quickly remove the edges along the scratches that the tip of the screw made.

I certainly would not to work the sole down until the scratches were gone, there is no need and no advantage to such. All you really need to do is get the sole to the point that the edge of the scratches are back down level with the rest of the sole. I might then rub it down with some of the red/brown Scotch Brite pad to remove the sharp edges and any burrs that remain. You just need to get it to the point that it won't catch any wood fibers or scratch the wood you are planing. The Scotch Brite pad is to round over the sharp edges of the scratches once you have removed the edges that protrude above the surface of the metal with the file and fine sandpaper. Thus getting the scratches flat with the surface again.

You had that plane working very well before the scratches happened. It will take very little to take care of the scratches and to get it back to the point that it again works very well.

That said, if you decide to buy one of the other planes, like Jim, I would by the second plane in a heartbeat. It is an older stanley, and they were better, and much more carefully, made than the newer Stanley planes like the first one shown. That said, check the older Stanley out well before you buy it. Make sure it has a flat sole, etc.

Regards,

Stew

[Bram de Jong]

That's a great question. This seller doesn't really know much about hand tools. He just travels to the UK often and brings back tools.

Yesterday he was selling a roll of augur bits, but 80-90% of them had completely (!!) removed spurs. I don't think he knew that made them useless.

[Bram de Jong]

Thank you for all the replies. I softly removed the burs on the scratches and yesterday I re-ground the iron to remove the nicks. Today I will sharpen the iron again and give it a spin!

And as suggested my friend pays for beers. To be totally fair, when he started planing the board I stood next to him, so I too should have used my brain and told him to check the depth of the screws on the back. So... Lessons were learned the hard way, no friendships were lost ;)

Bram

[William Fretwell]

People do that to use them in an electric drill. Shame as they do make electric drill bits!

[Bram de Jong]

Oh no! What a violation!!

[Jim Koepke]

People do that to use them in an electric drill. Shame as they do make electric drill bits!

An auger bit in an electric drill will often result in the work piece spinning around and whacking the user.

jtk

[Richard Verwoest]

Hmmmm.....you may find that the plane tends to pull to the left, due to less friction. So you may want to run over that screw a few times on the right side also. Kidding of course....

Richard

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

A cut off auger bit in an an electric drill can definitely cause a work piece spin around....pretty sure I've been there done that. With a heavy duty drill I have also have had them catch, and if the lumber is large enough or clamped down, had the drill try to do a number on my wrists while hanging on to the drill. You can't stop it or let go of it quickly enough before the drill twists in your hands....sometimes to your regret.

Regards,

Stew

[Dave Zellers]

Jim,

A cut off auger bit in an an electric drill can definitely cause a work piece spin around....pretty sure I've been there done that. With a heavy duty drill I have also have had them catch, and if the lumber is large enough or clamped down, had the drill try to do a number on my wrists while hanging on to the drill. You can't stop it or let go of it quickly enough before the drill twists in your hands....sometimes to your regret.

Regards,

Stew

SO TRUE! But the ends aren't being cut off for bench top woodworking. It's happening on the construction side: Post and beam and decks. Drilling long holes for 1" dowels or 1/2" bolts. And you are so right Stew, if the bit catches, the powerful 1/2" drill you're using will just keep turning and take your wrist and arm with it. When it happened to me, the drill was locked on and only stopped when the cord unplugged itself after winding around my arm and the drill about 5 times. Had a sore wrist for days.

Ahh, memories. :p

[Stew Denton]

Dave, my experience too, doing carpentry, not woodworking. That is also when I have had the experiences Jim talked about, pieces catching and spinning around, so I have had exactly the same experiences he has had....with the same unfortunate results to often also.

Stew

[steven c newman]

Hmmm, that explains these...
419893
Didn't even check for the spurs......


back on topic....Happen to have a Stanley No. 7c, Type 9..and...an Ohio Tool Co. No. 0-7. the 0-7 had deep pits in the sole....sanded the sole smooth. Pits now hold any wax I apply to the sole, as the sole warms up, some of that wax will ooze out....Warning, warning...if you wax the sole on these big jointers, you better hold on tight, as they will fly along FAST.