Old Bailey. Replace handle?

[Stan Calow]

I have a Bailey #5 (three patent dates) that's in pretty good shape except for the broken handle. I want to actually use it. What do people do - set the original broken handle aside for the eventual re-sale value, or just put on a new handle and move on? I know its not worth that much, but something someone else may want when I'm done. Im not a collector so don't know whats common practice. Thanks.

[Adam Herd]

I personally would just make new handles and start using it.

[steven c newman]

You can make new ones...you can BUY replacements that match the OEM ones......or, use a bit of Walnut scrap, and replace the part that is broken off. IF the handle has a "clean break", the break can be cleaned up, and the parts can be epoxied together....add a little pencil shavings in the epoxy, for a colour match. Use the bolt ( with a layer of tape) to help align the joint, and even act as a clamp. The tape? To keep the epoxy from sticking to the bolt.

[lowell holmes]

I repaired a broken tote by cutting a section out of the handle that included the break. I made the new section out
of maple, so the plane had a racing stripe.

[Stew Denton]

Stan,

You just happen to own perhaps the most desirable type of all the Stanley Bailey planes. The type 11 is the only one of the different Bailey type numbers that has three patent dates between the frog and the tote. You can always identify them that way.

One other option is to look for ratty or broken type 11 (that's what you have) Stanley Bailey and buy it just for the handle. I have bought two that way. One for the tote, and the other for several parts. I think I paid less than $15 total for the two of them. You can buy OE totes for the plane on that auction site, but they are often fairly high dollar, in my view, for the part.

I have also glued up a broken tote or two, as Steven mentioned above, with good success, if the break was clean and the two parts fit together well. You can find the glue line if you look very carefully, that is if you know to look for it, but in normal handling you won't see it.

Getting a tote that will fit your plane is critical. Totes from Stanley Bailey planes may or may not fit your plane, you need to find the right type number Stanley Bailey. I believe some of the totes from later type numbers will also fit the type 11s, and if the price is low enough, I would take a chance that the tote might fit my plane. The best way, is to become good at identifying the Stanley Bailey type number planes, the "Rexmill" site is a great site for that.

To get a good glue job, you have to clean off the oil that is in the rosewood to get it to stick well. Thus you need to clean it with acetone or another degreaser. There are many types of oil that acetone does not dissolve well, but it work on the oil in rosewood.

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

My guess is about half my planes have totes that have been glued.

If the break is rough and hard to get back together, the tote can be cut carefully to remove the bad area. Then a replacement piece can to fill the gap. One of my totes was that way and ended up just a bit taller. It is a touch odd, but all my fingers can fit around it.

As Stew mentioned, use some acetone or other degreaser to remove the surface oils just before gluing.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

If you can't find a tote, then make one. I've done it and never looked back. The plane would have been lost if I hadn't.
If you ever find a proper tote, replace the made one with it. In the mean time, you have plane to use.
Plane totes and saw handles are fun to make.

[Randal Blair]

Lee Valley has the pdf plans for these plane handles. I've restored many using these.
stanley_5_screenshot.png

[Stan Calow]

Thanks guys. Never thought of making a tote, or knew it was called a tote. I am looking forward to getting it running as I don't have a good #5.

[lowell holmes]

IIRC, I downloaded and used the Lee Valley plans.