Show us your handplanes

[AntiqueBen]

So, would a type 7 be the first no. 5 1/2 offered since type 7's we're made from 1893-99?

 

[tombell572]

Patrick Leach, in his site "The Superior Works" http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html lists the #5 1/2 as being manufactured from 1898-1958.

Tom B.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Cool link. Very informative. So yes, if the no. 5 1/2 was first made in 1898 & type 7's we're made only up to 1899, then a type 7 of the no. 5 1/2 would have been the first production. Neat nugget of Stanley plane history.

 

[Provincial]

I found this Jointer plane at a garage sale today. It measures about 22" long, with a corrugated bottom. Very plain Jane. I can find no markings other that an obvious stamped initials of a prior owner. I'm thinking it was a low-end contract model to compete with the Stanley Handyman level of quality. I suspect that the original markings were water-slide decals. Some of the design details may tell us the maker.

Fortunately, none of the fasteners are stuck, and the adjusters are free. The rust is mostly surface rust. The blade had a keen edge, and is still quite sharp!

I bought this one because my niece wants to plane off the top of a plank table that has been beat up. This project has been waiting for a plane long enough to keep the surface flat. She has tried with shorter planes, but it isn't working well.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I would suspect if you cleaned the lever on the frog you may find a makers mark. There could also be some cast markings under the caddy (handle). If you clean the lever, make sure to use a light abrasive like steel wool 000 or 0000. If you put that lever to a wire wheel, even for a short time, it could completely take away the markings. I'm no expert, but this looks like my Stanley No. 5 1/2 type 7. The type 7 was pre Bailey, so it is not stamped Bailey on the body. Once you carefully clean the lever on the frog, if it is marked Stanley with 3 patent dates then you have a type 7. Type 7's we're manufactured between 1893-1899. The corrugated bottom came along in 1898.

 

[RTM]

@Provincial , this may help ID who made your plane by the details.

Quickly Identify Your Bailey Style Hand Plane

A Short guide to identifying the most common Vintage Hand Planes found. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should guide you in a general direction to find out who made your vintage hand…

www.timetestedtools.net

 

[Provincial]

Thanks RTM, but I had already looked at that page. I didn't see anything that matched up to my plane. My lateral lever pivots above the boss that contacts the blade (I don't know all the proper names of the parts!) and nothing shown matched.

The shape of the lever looks like Sargent or Ohio, but the other parts of the Sargent don't match. Neither does the Ohio, for that matter.

After giving up, then coming back to that page, I noticed that there was a link to go deeper into Ohio plane variations. Following the link, I discovered that the flat top of the blade was a tell, and also that some (rarely) Ohio planes had steel adjuster nuts. Both of these features match my plane.

I made another attempt to find markings, and was able to spot something near the top of the blade.

I think my plane may be an Ohio Tools.

To enhance the marking for the photo, I cleaned the area with lacquer thinner, then rubbed white lumber crayon (grease pencil) onto the surface, pushing pretty hard, and building up a layer above the surface. I followed this by rolling the area with a smooth, polished round object (a socket) to compact the crayon in the grooves. I then scraped off the excess with a razor blade. This leaves the grooves filled, and a slight film of grease pencil on the surface. To get rid of the excess, I dampened a small area of a rag in thinner and let it almost evaporate. I then took quick, light swipes across the area in various directions, pausing between swipes to let things dry. This slowly removed most of the excess, and I left that, rather than risk removing some that I was trying to retain. It did make the markings stand out.

 

[four.cycle]

They were a big outfit with multiple manufacturing locations:

Ohio / Ohio Tool Co., Columbus, OH / est. 1851, incorporated 1851, acquired 1893 by Auburn Tool Co., Auburn, NY and renamed Ohio Tool Co. of New York / Charlston, WV / auger bits, edge tools, screwdrivers / https://mwtca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Issue-123-June-2006.pdf pp 18-21 /

 

[Provincial]

With the lack of prominent markings on the main castings, I believe this plane was made for another brand, perhaps Sears. Jointer planes were not the biggest sellers, so it would have been someone that offered a full line. I wonder if the marked blade was original equipment, or a replacement. The shape of the rear handle ("tote") may be another Ohio tell.

 

[RTM]

To enhance the marking for the photo, I cleaned the area with lacquer thinner, then rubbed white lumber crayon (grease pencil) onto the surface, pushing pretty hard, and building up a layer above the surface. I followed this by rolling the area with a smooth, polished round object (a socket) to compact the crayon in the grooves. I then scraped off the excess with a razor blade. This leaves the grooves filled, and a slight film of grease pencil on the surface. To get rid of the excess, I dampened a small area of a rag in thinner and let it almost evaporate. I then took quick, light swipes across the area in various directions, pausing between swipes to let things dry. This slowly removed most of the excess, and I left that, rather than risk removing some that I was trying to retain. It did make the markings stand out.

Nice work on that. Great to bring that logo out.

But yeah, you are right, still not certain, its easy to swap an iron out. In my quick glance at the study, your lateral lever didn't match anything, but I was looking quickly on my iPad. I was personally leaning Union or Ohio, based on just a gut feel. But with that vintage, it will probably be a great user regardless of who made it.

 

[RTM]

Here is something different, a matched pair of wooden Tongue and Groove planes. I just picked these up at a hoarder's estate sale, and am quite please with these. Its getting harder and harder to find a matching pair by the same maker, even harder with the same user's mark.

This is a pair of Casey, Clark & Co, Auburn NY T&G planes. This mark was used from 1858 - 64, marked one star for rarity (250-500 examples known) in 1994's Pollak book, and then they were turned into Auburn Tool Company. They are marked on the heel (top to bottom) 20 / No. 70 / INCH / 1570 or 1571 (in pencil) The INCH mark is offset over the skate area, and hard to see without odd lighting. The pencil mark was only noticed after it showed up in my picture. Not sure if it was an inventory mark for a collector, or the factory. I suspect the 20 is the guy who made them, and the No. 70 refers to an INCH T&G pair. The toe is stamped boldly with JADEM, no idea who or what that refers to right now. The planes cut a 1/4" tongue or groove, centered on a 1 INCH board. Interesting that the groove blade is out of a plow plane, suspect a replacement

The plane's wedge's are both kinda ugly and plain, so they might not be original, but they are very old if not original. The back ends of the irons are slightly mushroomed, so they will get cleaned a hair so they will slide in and out of the body without doing more damage. Little bit of a wipe down with mineral spirits, a bit of sharpening, and they will be good to go back to use. Not bad for being over 150 years old.

The 1869 Auburn Tool price list kept the #70 scheme going for a match plane, with the plating being on the left most edge of the cut, barely visible in the groove cutting photo (#3) , you can see a second line of fasteners holding the metal to the wood body.

Auburn Tool Co. : Planes, Plane Irons, Bench and Hand Screws : Auburn Tool Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

15 p., illus., 99.3 cm (image size), trade catalog

archive.org

Here is an article showing a pair of them, with much different wedges (p43 if things break), marked 68 for 1/2" sized boards, which adds to my replacement theory.

American Woodworker

American Woodworker magazine, A New Track Media publication, has been the premier publication for woodworkers all across America for 25 years. We are committed to providing woodworkers like you with the most accurate and up-to-date plans and information -- including new ideas, product and tool...

books.google.com

Now, if I could only easily find 1" lumber to work with, where it needs T&G work. By hand.











More pix here if you want to wander thru the details further.

Casey, Clark & Co, Auburn NY Tongue Plane Toe Markings, JADEM Marking

Welcome to My SmugMug site. I'll always be adding to it, as people around me continue to participate in things of interest. I live in the SF Bay area, and spend lots of time photographing the sports my kids are participating in. These images are my attempts to document what they're doing...

kirkhmb.smugmug.com

I also scored 3 skew rabbets, one formerly a wall hanger, but that's a story for another day.

 

[Joe Huld]

I've been pretty lucky the last few weeks picking up planes but also busy with other things, so yesterday and today, I finally had to make time to get some cleaned up for the Anderson Plywood old tools swap meet on Saturday the 21st.
Here are the ones I got ready, from left to right: a late 19th century 45 complete with cutters etc., a sweetheart #40, a 94 cabinetmakers rabbet, a WWII era English Stanley 4 1/2, a sweetheart 81 scraper, a Japanese plane and in the last picture a Stanley 67 spokeshave.
I have a few more to go and will hopefully get to them early next week.

 

[CRSINMICH]

TWO NEW OLD PLANES​

Both of these came from an antique shop. The first is a Millers Falls No.56 low angle block plane. It is very similar, shall we say, to a Stanley No.60. In fact, this one has a Stanley cutting iron in it.

The second plane has New York Tool stamped into the toe and Auburn Tool Co. on the cutting iron. New York Tool, Auburn Tool, Ohio Tool,
Ogontz Tool, and Sandusky Tool eventually all became the same company. New York and Auburn both used prison labor at one time or another.

The shape of it was intriguing. I have another plane like it and never knew what it was. I accidentally found out while browsing a 1930 English catalogue. They called it a Coach Door Smooth plane. There is an entire page for coach-makers tools.

 

[RTM]

ooohhhh, a rabbet smoother, essentially. Nice find.

 

[Joe Huld]

Picked up an early, circa 1869 type 2 Stanley # 6. It has the early solid nut without "Bailey" that was used only in 1869. It does show some signs of use. in fact, the blade is a post 1923 sweetheart that is almost used up, implying that it was in service for 60-80 years

 

[crguy]

Picked up an early, circa 1869 type 2 Stanley # 6. It has the early solid nut without "Bailey" that was used only in 1869. It does show some signs of use. in fact, the blade is a post 1923 sweetheart that is almost used up, implying that it was in service for 60-80 years

Good catch! I like the early stuff.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Is the back handle correct or was it trimmed?

 

[RTM]

Probably broken when dropped, then smoothed off. I have a bunch w that problem.


Here is one of my scores from the past weekend's rain dampened flea market run, a small horned smoother, 1-1/8" wide blade, by 7.5" long. No visible markings on the plane, but the iron is marked with an Arrow vertical through a Crown, with E and G on opposite sides of the Arrow, and a B under the Arrow

Thanks to a European correspondent and his trademark research tool, I'm wondering if I have a late Edward Goedel iron, and maybe plane too.

Markensuche

Searched with Arrow
Searched with Crown

The one logo choice that was close was this one, Edward Goedel, Leipzig. ( Chrome will do a nice job of translating the page to English, much better than I could.) Only downside, it didn't have the B underneath the arrow. But he references that there was a tie to Baldauf later in the company's history, so I'm wondering if this iron is from that period.

Deutsche Werkzeughersteller und -händler: Eduard Goedel, Leipzig

So here is my plane, and the iron's mark. The mouth is reasonably tight, so I'm sure it's not a mis-directed scrub. Looked on all the usual flat surfaces top, front toe ****, nothing but hammer marks. The horn has been reattached with what does not appear to be period correct adhesive.






It'll be a few days before I get to sharpening it, and taking it for a spin. Already reasonably sharp, which is always a nice find.

Thoughts from another site suggest it may be a US made plane, user made, etc. With the contoured horn, I'm not convinced yet.

 

[Joe Huld]

Is the back handle correct or was it trimmed?

"Trimmed" is a kind word, the horn was broken off. These early pre-lateral totes are so rare that there really is no choice except to "graft" on a new piece of rosewood. That type of damage is usually the result of dropping the plane or excessive force applied because of too deep a cut or a dull blade.

 

[CRSINMICH]

FATHERS DAY PRESENT​

Lie Nielsen Small Chisel plane. I may not use this frequently but I'm sure opportunities will present themselves.

 

[RTM]

I have the 97-1/2. Rarely use it, but it saved my bacon once or twice. I’m sure an old timer would tell me to freehand with a chisel. Yeah right.

 

[Jim C.]

That‘s a heck of a nice gift! I received one as a gift from a business associate about 15 - 20 years ago. Initially, I wasn’t sure how much I’d use it, but over the years, it’s seen more use than I would have expected. Now it’s one of about ten planes that I keep close to my workbench because I use it so frequently. With the cut in production of so many different Lie-Nielsen planes, it’s good to see that at least some of the speciality planes are still available. I think you’re going to really like your #97 1/2, and you’ll use it because you have it.

Jim C.

 

[RTM]

Here is a tale of two Stanley SW planes, #100 squirrel tale. One was bought in nearly mint condition 10 years prior, at an antique flea market, for what was then a reasonable price, but seems about right now for its condition. Sharpened it up, and go.

The second was bought last month at an estate sale, in rusty condition, paint all over the sole, dull. Found in 3 pieces in a tool box, had to assemble to buy. Got it in a lot for about $2 amortized over the batch. Tossed the pieces in evaporust, cleaned with a scotchbrite after, then hit it with the 3m 220 grit wheel. The sole has a bit of a bow to it. Flattened on a piece of powered sandpaper to get it generally flat, you can see the shiny spot in the middle of the sole. I have not put a feeler gauge under it, but its more than a few thousands. This is a hobby plane, so I'm not going to sweat it much further. I may take some Simichrome to the touch surfaces to make it a little nicer in the hand.

Total labor time was less than 10 minutes, plus soaking time in the Evaporust.

Both cut about the same, but one is much prettier than the other. Only before pic is in the GS thread link, sitting in the center of the riser.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

The one on the right is a piece of junk. You should sell it to me for $4 … that's 100% profit.

 

[RTM]

But I have labor in there. Call it $5 plus postage?

PM me if serious.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

PM sent

 

[CRSINMICH]

eddie: That #100 squirrel tail would be ideal for learning re-japanning, that is, if you're not concerned about maintaining what's left of the original patina. It's an easy process. PM me for details if you'd like to try.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Why don’t you post it here, or start a thread. Others might benefit too. Well, those who don’t think they already know everything …

 

[RTM]

Start a Thread, Start a Thread......... on Japanning. I've seen many discussions, but many years ago, so a modern view would be good.

 

[bmwrd0]

Count me in on a Japanning thread.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Full disclosure … RTM and I have reached an agreement on the squirrel tail plane, I am going to adopt it. I will document cleaning it up, flattening the sole, and … assuming crsinmich comes through … the japanning process.

 

[CRSINMICH]

JAPANNING: I really have only japanned a few things. If you look back at posts number 936 and 939 in this thread you'll see a couple things I did and an overview of how it was done. I don't mind giving the general instructions again.

Surface prep is critical. Make sure all rust, dust, and grease are gone. I don't recommend sand blasting but that's up to you. The last thing to do before applying japanning liquid is wipe the tool down with acetone and don't leave fingerprints. Next, pre-warm the part in an oven. I used a thrift store toaster oven. Next, paint on an even coat of japanning liquid - be careful with drips. It will look terrible. Don't worry. Follow the heating instructions for whichever japanning you use. In general, the part will be slowly raised to a high temperature and held there for a long time. When the first heat is done the part will look like you ruined it. Stay calm and put on a second coat. Follow the same heating routine. A third coat may be required. Have fun.

IMPORTANT: Check the temperature of whatever oven you use. The temperature controls on the toaster oven I used was not at all accurate.

 

[RTM]

AND DON'T USE THE GOOD OVEN IN THE HOUSE, unless you live alone. Otherwise other residents of the same building may hate you, or try to inflict injury upon your person.

 

[dchawk81]

 

[CRSINMICH]

MINI COFFIN SMOOTHER
(That's a creepy sounding name)​

It's not like I needed another smoother but this small plane also had a small price. Who could resist a wood bodied block plane?

 

[RTM]

They are cute little buggers, aren’t they. Mini Coffin Smoother, called a Toy in Chapin's catalog. Note the use of chisel for the blade.
I’ve got a mini compass one somewhere, but not finding the pic right off.

 

[trainer]

I recently inherited this #4 craftsman "Bailey" from my Father in-law. It's in the greenish colour that craftsman used rather than the black or blue that Stanley produced. The base is marked "made in USA" and the iron is stamped "made in Canada" I'm 99% certain that this is original because my Mother in law was a longtime Sears Canada employee and the plane shows very little wear.
He also had a Sears-branded block plane with the same configuration (USA base and Canadian made Iron).



also

 

[RTM]

Never seen one that color, Canadian special maybe?

Wonder who made it. Doesn’t appear to be Sargent by the iron. Does it have the Millers Falls ovals on the back of the frog?

See the right plane here

 

[trainer]

Never seen one that color, Canadian special maybe?

Wonder who made it. Doesn’t appear to be Sargent by the iron. Does it have the Millers Falls ovals on the back of the frog?

I'm certain that this was made by stanley because it has "BAILEY" cast into the base.
The hardware is steel and there's no frog adjustment screw.
It has no model no., which seems strange for craftsman branded tools.
I haven't been able to find a photo of a similar plane or even the lever cap and decal anywhere online.

 

[RTM]

I'm certain that this was made by stanley because it has "BAILEY" cast into the base.

well, now that you say so, it’s kinda obvious. Wasn’t looking there before.