Given a rusty plane

[Blake M Williams]

My dad gave me a couple of rusty planes. both need a lot of work, but the better of the two is a bailey no 5c and I enjoyed cleaning up my new miter box so much that I pulled it out. I've had it for at least a year saying I'll get to it someday.

I started with a little hand brush, some mineral spirits, WD40 and lastly some sandpaper for a couple stubborn spots. With the bottom grooves I decided to use a wire wheel on my drill. I wasn't sure about using a heavy duty wire wheel and thought a softer one on a hand drill would be safer. I guess I was being a little overly cautious but I'd rather start small. I also decided not to soak anything. I once forgot about a rusty blade in a container with vinegar. A while later and I was kicking myself. It was ruined. So far it has cleaned up really well. I need to make a tote, not only is this one broken but it is chipped and looks pretty bad even after glued back up. I glued it back so I had a good reference point for my new one. I have some scraps of ash, mahogany, and red oak and I might have to glue some pieces together. Maybe it'll look good, maybe not but it should be a fun little project. Worse case this glued up tote will be good practice.

[lowell holmes]

Put wet or dry sandpaper on a sheet of glass. Put water on the sandpaper and sand the rust off. Hit the plane with Johnson floor wax. The plane will look good.
You can paint the inside surfaces with black automotive paint. I did that to my 604 Bedrock plane. If the tote is broken, make a new one out of cypress or mahogany.

[Blake M Williams]

I have some glass from when I flattened my no 4. I have some black engine enamel I was thinking of using. As you can see in the picture the original stuff flaked right off.

[Jim Koepke]

Blake, There are a few posts in the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs about plane restoration. Here is one on making a tote:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?71658

Here are more on tote repair:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?255610

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?149872

This one has a post with links to Johnny Kleso's Rexmill site with lots of information on Stanley/Bailey planes.

Here is a link to the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805

Finally, here is a clamp styled after one on Johnny Kleso's site:

423888

Here is a .pdf for a #5 tote:

423889

This should keep you busy for a while.

jtk

[Blake M Williams]

I imagine so. Thank you! I just printed the tote template.

[Jim Koepke]

I imagine so. Thank you! I just printed the tote template.

Hope it helps.

Lee Valley used to have these on their site. Not sure if they are still there since their recent redesign.

These files were downloaded a few years ago.

jtk

[Tom Bussey]

You can glue the handle back together then drill it out for a dowel clue it the dowel and then redrill the hole through the dowel or use a tube from a pen making kit and glue it in.

[Jim Koepke]

You can glue the handle back together then drill it out for a dowel clue it the dowel and then redrill the hole through the dowel or use a tube from a pen making kit and glue it in.

One of the repair posts uses a piece of brass tubing similar to what Tom suggests.

Many ways to repair without having to replace.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I had a broken handle on a 607 Bedrock plane. I just glued it back together. I had another plane that had wood missing and cut a section of the handle out, glued a piece of wood into the split, shaped the wood and "voila" it was fixed.

[Jim Koepke]

I had a broken handle on a 607 Bedrock plane. I just glued it back together. I had another plane that had wood missing and cut a section of the handle out, glued a piece of wood into the split, shaped the wood and "voila" it was fixed.

My best guess is up to a quarter of my Stanley/Bailey planes have repaired totes. Most of them done by me.

jtk

[Blake M Williams]

I think all but one of mine has a completely intact tote. Chips, glued cracks, missing horn. This particular plane I'm cleaning up started as a project. A let's see how nice I can clean it up project. I'm pretty bad about jumping on new projects, this one is turning into me maybe making a handful of totes...

[Jerry Olexa]

Repairing/gluing together a tote is a relatively easy job...Then later when glue cures, sand, blend, oil, wax (your choice) and you're back in business...