View Poll Results: What type finish for hand plane

Voters
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  • paint

    8 57.14%
  • jappaning

    5 35.71%
  • powder coating

    1 7.14%
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Thread: Hand plane finish

  1. #1

    Hand plane finish

    I have a question that I asked on another forum. I am refurbishing some hand planes. If you were buying would you prefer jappaning, paint, or powder coating? Since I have my surface grinder rebuilt, I will grind them after finish is applied.

  2. #2
    I voted for powder coating mainly because it seems to hold up very well. But I'd buy a well-restored plane done in japanning or spray paint (and have). Ones I do myself are simply stripped and painted.
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  3. #3
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    Spray on black engine enamel seems to work fine for me. This gives a smooth feel against the hand in use.

    Some folks prefer different colors than black for their fleet of planes. Maybe something to match the sports car in the driveway.

    Japanning is too much work.

    Powder coating is something my shop isn't set up to do.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  4. #4
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    Bobby, I saw your post on WoodNet, and was disinterested to post there. I am disinterested to post here, as much as others are probably disinterested to read what I write

    I am only partly teasing you, since I recognise that this is something of importance. I recognose that it is a stage that will pass, and you will recover, although the course of illness is expected to run several years. This is a newbie question. We were all newbies at one time.

    There is a simple answer to your question: use whatever YOU want to use. It does not matter. If the plane you wish to make nice needs to be made nice, then it does not matter to its value what you use. The only planes that one should not touch are either those very rare and in new condition, or those that are ultra rare. Clearly your plane does not fit either category.

    Regards from Auckland

    Derek

  5. #5
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    There is a simple answer to your question: use whatever YOU want to use.
    Planes could even be painted in your favorite sports team's colors. That would likely make some of my planes worth more on the open market.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #6
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    Bobby,

    I have planes with all the japaning present and some with many bare spots and I haven't addressed the lack of japaning to date so I can't offer any advise in that regard. But before you grind your planes check them first; if the soles are flat I'd leave well enough alone, you'll only be making the sole (or sides) thinner.

    That being said I did once lap a 5 1/4 on 80 grit and granite. It made a big difference!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Cohen View Post
    Bobby, I saw your post on WoodNet, and was disinterested to post there. I am disinterested to post here, as much as others are probably disinterested to read what I write

    I am only partly teasing you, since I recognise that this is something of importance. I recognose that it is a stage that will pass, and you will recover, although the course of illness is expected to run several years. This is a newbie question. We were all newbies at one time.

    There is a simple answer to your question: use whatever YOU want to use. It does not matter. If the plane you wish to make nice needs to be made nice, then it does not matter to its value what you use. The only planes that one should not touch are either those very rare and in new condition, or those that are ultra rare. Clearly your plane does not fit either category.

    Regards from Auckland

    Derek
    I really don't like it when I agree with Derek too much () but finer words have never been written on this particular subject, and really, most others. For user tools, who cares. You can certainly go through the task of buying and baking asphaltium back on the planes, but only if that is what floats your boat.

    Personally, and this is only offered as one of many options, I have found Rustoleum Hammered Black to be an appealing (to me) replacement paint that looks good, and gives that hammered paint look that is very cool to me. I have several Stanley planes that I repainted with the hammered black paint, after sandblasting the castings, and I think it looks great. It certainly has held up well so far, and it's been about a decade, or perhaps a little longer. A $6 can will paint an entire fleet of planes, too.

    One option of many.......

    BTW, I have also used a surface grinder on plane restorations, and typically, you're only removing a few thousandth's, unless it's really out of whack. A good, heavy flow of coolant is desirable to keep the casting from heating and warping. Short of that, I wouldn't worry too much. Heat is your enemy when grinding. I restore vintage machines frequently (it's my hobby) and have large cast iron surfaces ground on a Mattison grinder quite frequently. As long as you control heat, there usually isn't much to worry about. Flood coolant is your friend vs. a misting sprayer, like Cool Mist, etc.....
    Last edited by Jeff Heath; 04-08-2018 at 11:16 AM.
    Jeff

  8. #8
    Guys, I might have misunderstood the OP's post. But I seemed to have read his words differently than everyone else. He said "If you were buying would you prefer jappaning, paint, or powder coating?" I took that to be saying that he's refurbishing for resale, either now or later. So he was soliciting the opinion of potential buyers ahead of time. Not "hey Im new to this, how do you do it?"

    His next statement "Since I have my surface grinder rebuilt, I will grind them after finish is applied" reinforced that interpretation because if I had a surface grinder I might start reworking old planes to make some extra money. Plus, he posted the same question elsewhere - something I might do if I was trying to reach as wide a base of potential customers as possible.

    Not sure if it matters and sorry for being out in left field, but I wanted to mention it as another interpretation.

    Fred
    Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 04-08-2018 at 1:04 PM.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    Guys, I might have misunderstood the OP's post. But I seemed to have read his words differently than everyone else. He said "If you were buying would you prefer jappaning, paint, or powder coating?" I took that to be saying that he's refurbishing for resale, either now or later. So he was soliciting the opinion of potential buyers ahead of time. Not "hey Im new to this, how do you do it?"

    His next statement "Since I have my surface grinder rebuilt, I will grind them after finish is applied" reinforced that interpretation because if I had a surface grinder I might start reworking old planes to make some extra money. Plus, he posted the same question elsewhere - something I might do if I was trying to reach as wide a base of potential customers as possible.

    Not sure if it matters and sorry for being out in left field, but I wanted to mention it as another interpretation.

    Fred
    You may be the only person to have read the OP correctly Fred.

    If it were me buying, my choice would be to purchase a plane unfinished for the lowest price possible.

    The cost factor of the different coatings would still bias me toward the enamel finish over the others if it ever came to me purchasing someone else's refurbished plane.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  10. #10
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    I generally avoid buying "rehabbed" anything, but especially hand tools. And prefer buying all tools with their original, unmolested finish.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  11. #11
    It probably depends on the target market. Personally, I don't care what the finish on a plane is or if it even has a finish, but I am not the target market, because I am too cheap to buy rehabbed tools, and realistically, I have all the planes that I really need. Not that I don't still pick them up as projects (who can turn down a fixable $5 jack plane at a garage sale? Heck the parts are worth more than that!), but a fully rehabbed plane? Nah, I have a whole cabinet of them. Except for the finish, still don't care about that.

    Actually I kind of like planes looking a little beat up and care worn; it gives them more street cred.

  12. #12
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    Hi Bobby,

    I'm like Andy, not wanting to pay top dollar for a restored tool, and would rather buy on that is cheaper and restore it myself.

    That said if I was going to buy a restored plane, I would prefer real Japanning, but would expect to pay more for it, but realistically if a nice enamel painted one came along at a good price, I would go for it. For a user, it really doesn't matter, but would want the job nicely done if I have to pay a restored job.

    Stew

  13. I like the solid feel of powder coat. All of the iron planes i've refinished have been sprayed with enamel paint. However all of my users now have the remains of their original finish on them. I guess refinished planes don't quite look right to me. However, i'll predict that reground refinished planes will sell well to beginners.

  14. #14
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    You left out, "clean it up and use it and don't worry about the finish," which is my default approach.

  15. #15
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    However, i'll predict that reground refinished planes will sell well to beginners.
    If they are done well, some beginners would love to be able to purchase a plane ready to go out of the box.

    Many here have mentioned the advantages of so doing. My hand plane skills were not as good as they could have been because of not having a standard by which to judge my results.

    Now it is much easier since there are so many sharpening threads about it is easier for folks to figure out how sharpness can at least be crudely quantified. Twenty years ago there wasn't much available online for a noobie to absorb, especially if they didn't know where to look.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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