I need a little Plane education please

[Dennis Reardon]

I just spent the last couple of hours cruising ebay researching prices of Stanley Planes. To the rookie observer, (me) it seems odd that the great big pieces of iron, (nos. 7, 8) seem to go for far less moola than the smaller, (9 1/2, 120, etc). So fill me in folks why is that? :confused:

Tonight I will begin the cleanup of my garage sale finds I posted under Goat or Gloat? My thanks to all who replied on that thread which lead me to three or four great web pages about rebuilding, cleaning, planes. Clearly I have a few odds and ends to purchase before I can do any serious work, but I think I will have fun tonight simply tearing down and doing a little basic cleanup. Can't wait to get home!


Dennis

[Ron Brese]

Dennis this is how it starts, a few garage sales planes and then surfing ebay to see what's available. Spending a little time and reading about how to tune them up and then you get one tuned and set quite well and it peels a real nice shaving. Then there's no turning back, you're hooked. You'll start sliding down the slippery slope of plane using and collecting. You'll know when you've reached the bottom of the slope that's when you start making planes.(grin)

All kidding aside, the more you read the better off you will be when it comes to shopping for planes, and then it becomes evident why some planes are more valuable than others.

Ron Brese

[Ryan Cathey]

Aw man...that means I'm at the bottom. Speaking of which I should've started with something that's not coffin shaped lol. Anyways Dennis, I agree with Ron. I've read through Patrick's Blood ang Gore a few times and it really helps and I would suggest that.

[James Mittlefehldt]

I would third that as well, Patrick's blood and gore is excellent and at times entertaining to. Garret Hack's book is also reccomended in my opinion.

Also, bear in mind that Stanley is not the only quality maker pf hand planes, and then there are the woodies and then,..............well you know what it is like, and if you don't you soon will, hehe.

[Bart Leetch]

Their magnetic I tell ya. Or maybe its a sickness like measles where they multiply or are they like rabbits or is that rabbets?

[James Mittlefehldt]

WHOA

I don't feel so bad now Bart, my only regret at the moment is buying a new scrub plane, at least for softwoods, beacause I discovered that an old wooden jointer, with a large mouth does a better job of hogging off the rough stuff than a scrub plane does with less effort, and it leaves a smoother surface after.

I think Christopher Scwartz at Popular Woodworking was right, they must have designed the scrubs for rough carpentry.

[Mike Henderson]

I just spent the last couple of hours cruising ebay researching prices of Stanley Planes. To the rookie observer, (me) it seems odd that the great big pieces of iron, (nos. 7, 8) seem to go for far less moola than the smaller, (9 1/2, 120, etc). So fill me in folks why is that? :confused: Dennis
This is just my personal opinion, for what it's worth. I think the reason the big planes don't go for as much as the smaller ones is that not many people use the big planes today, compared to the past. The big planes are usually used for stock preparation, especially jointing. Stock preparation is quite labor intensive and IMO doesn't bring that much to the finished piece - so most people use power tools to prepare stock, including jointing, and use small planes for the building of the piece after the initial stock preparation.

The small planes, especially block planes, are useful even in a power tool shop so there's more demand for them. And price is a function of supply and demand. But IMO, for block planes, you can't do better than a modern LN or LV block plane.

Mike

[Fred Gross]

I think another reason is shipping (in most cases well over $20) on the big boys, especially with ever increasing postal rates and climbing UPS fuel charges. I've sold alot of hand planes on Ebay and most of the larger ones (6/7/8) were won by local guys who would then arrange a local pick-up.

[Clint Jones]

Dennis,
I believe it is the other way around. I sell lots of planes and I price block planes like 9 1/2's and 18's from $25 to $50. I usually sell jointers like No.7's and No.8's for $75 to $125. The planes I get the most requests for are No.4 1/2's and No.7's . If a block plane doesnt have an adjustable throat (ie. 110's 220's 102's) they are really hard to sell unless they are rare like a 18 1/4 plane. Also condition is a big factor in price. I have sold a No.18 block plane for $20 bucks and on the other end I have also sold one for over $100 in the box.

[Bart Leetch]

Well I changed my plans. I was going to a tool sale tomorrow.
I TOOK OUT MY LEE VALLEY CATALOG:eek: :eek: :eek: :thumb: :D
& ordered lotsa of stuff to sharpen all these old tools betta.
I should be in sharpening heaven in about a week.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Harry Goodwin]

I stay off ebay but have a favorite anteque store in Beufort NC that sell a lot of old tools. Their jointers are nearly always in good condition compared to smaller planes because I don't think they were used as much. Those things are heavy and carpenters probably liked fore and jack planes in the jointer' place place. Harry