Stanley planes

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I see a lot of comments about the different styles of Stanley planes. Does anyone have any tips for what constutes a good deal for the various planes? I know some are more rare than others. There's one on CL locally - actually 2, a #118 and a new in-the-box "#4 Bailey". Supposed to be from the 60's...not sure what 'type'...

[Johnny Kleso]

118 is not such a great plane but the No4 might be a good deal for under $40 if minty and not rusty

I have a website with a type study on it
www.rexmill.com >Planes 101> Type Study

Most say best planes where Type 10 to Type 15-16

I think up to type 19 are a good deal if like new as they are much better than what Stanley sells now..

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

this is great info - thanks! I read that the 188 was not so hot - "junk" is what one site called it.

The #4 was pristine still in the box. They wanted much more than $40 - and I'd like to get one to use, not to put behind glass and under lights to admire... :)

[Mike Cutler]

John

eMail the seller and ask him for some pictures. Specifically of the adjustment knob and yoke, and of the plane from the top,with the lever cap, chip breaker and blade removed so that you can see the shape of the frog.

Those planes look brand new in the box. But for the $$ the seller wants, you can buy a Sweetheart on eBay, and maybe even get a Bedrock that needs some TLC.

I just bought a #3C, and a #5. Type 18 and 19, for $4.00 and $7.00 respectively.

[Steve Sawyer]

The #4 was pristine still in the box. They wanted much more than $40 - and I'd like to get one to use, not to put behind glass and under lights to admire... :)

As a wood worker you're interested in the utility of a plane, not it's collectability. Original in the box is fine, but why pay extra for that? You're better off with something that has seen a bit of use, but will be perfectly serviceable after a little cleaning and tuning. Expect to pay somewhere between $10 and $30 for the most common Stanley Bailey planes - #4 through #6. #7's are a bit rarer, so might go for a bit more depending on condition.

Some planes are highly desirable from a user standpoint though. Something like a #65 block plane or a #93 shoulder plane can be a bit more pricey pricey because they're not super common, and they are popular as user planes.

I've found that local tool collector clubs and associations (the Midwest Tool Collector's Association for instance) are good sources. They hold regular meets where dealers will have a wide variety of planes priced pretty closely to their fair market value. Common "users" will go for extremely modest prices, and collector pieces can be astronomical.

[Richard Niemiec]

If you are patient, there are often quality users posted for sale below in the classifieds (or on other sites like Woodnet that many here frequent) with pretty good pictures and descriptions from folks who are experienced and have given the plane the once over, and describe any "flaws" in the plane, more often the lack thereof, like cracks in the metal and wood. Often they are priced below what you can get on ebay, sometimes a bit more, but you generally get a known quantity. More experienced buyers can spot a "deal" on ebay and get lucky from time to time, but until you really know what you are buying you tend to either get lucky, or burned, on the 'bay. DAMHIKT.

The folks in the classified are generally more descriptive of the planes they sell, identify by type, so you get a certain confidence in buying.

RN