Stanley / Bailey #4 smoothing planes

[Allpurpose]

There's a LOT of these old planes still out there, some horribly neglected, but many still in excellent condition and it's the one woodworking tool many collectors seem to covet for some reason or another. I sold off quite a few awhile back and wish I hadn't, but still have my old corrugated bottom #4 made around 1943 or thereabouts..
While it has some rust and corrosion here and there it'll still take off hair thin shavings from hard maple and such with ease and with just the slightest adjustment get a near perfect flat surface on wood..I also have a #6 patented in 1910 I wouldn't trade or sell for anything less than $500..
I also have a few of the newer planes by Stanley made in some 3rd world country that are good for throwing through glass windows, but not much more..
Anyway, if you are into woodworking at any level and want a decent wood plane that won't break the budget look for the old Stanley planes made before the 1970s.. Nearly everything made after that is junk..

 

[DadsTools]

There's a LOT of these old planes still out there, some horribly neglected, but many still in excellent condition and it's the one woodworking tool many collectors seem to covet for some reason or another. I sold off quite a few awhile back and wish I hadn't, but still have my old corrugated bottom #4 made around 1943 or thereabouts..
While it has some rust and corrosion here and there it'll still take off hair thin shavings from hard maple and such with ease and with just the slightest adjustment get a near perfect flat surface on wood..I also have a #6 patented in 1910 I wouldn't trade or sell for anything less than $500..
I also have a few of the newer planes by Stanley made in some 3rd world country that are good for throwing through glass windows, but not much more..
Anyway, if you are into woodworking at any level and want a decent wood plane that won't break the budget look for the old Stanley planes made before the 1970s.. Nearly everything made after that is junk..

There's something so right about them. And you're right--you don't have to totally restore them, just clean them up and true them and they work just fine!

I dug deep into many forums and websites devoted to these. There are some who say that they started going downhill after the war. and the true dividing line between 'good vs scrap metal' is when they switched to a blue bed instead of the old black japanning.

I understand that the modern Lie-Neilson copies (spelling?) are also that good, but you're looking at hundreds of dollars. Find one of these old Stanley Baileys and clean it up, and for a minimum investment you can't get any better.

 

[crguy]

. I also have a #6 patented in 1910 I wouldn't trade or sell for anything less than $500..
.

Highest value I ever saw for a #6.

 

[exmaxima1]

Highest value I ever saw for a #6.

+1
The Bailey No. 6 is somewhat of a ******* size---too long for a jack, and too short for a true jointer. Demand is not that high and rarely do they command more than $100 in used condition. I think I still have one, and I'd be thrilled to get 1/2 that amount for it....

 

[Joe Huld]

FWIW I have bought and sold lots (hundreds) of Stanley planes over the past 30 years and never got much over $100 for a number 6 even in as new condition. I have a really clean A6 (much, much less common than the cast iron #6) for sale now on ebay that I only expect to get $125 for. The only bench planes that consistently sell for $500 or more are the #1 and the 602C.
The common 4 and 5 size Bailey planes in fine condition usually can be had for well under $50 and only the numbers 4 1/2 and 8 approach $100. A 605 later style Bedrock will set you back $100 or so with the other common size Bedrocks going for a little more. You will have to pay $200 or so for a 607 or 608 but only the 605 1/4 and the aforementioned 602 and 602C will approach $500. The only exceptions will be the very early pre 1880 planes.

I think the OP was simply stating that his #6 is an excellent working tool and a bargain compared anything made post WWII. He is certainly right about that. If you are into hand wood working these planes really are a great value.

 

[jimreed2160]

Users like me prefer to stay with those planes made before 1940. An exception can be made for the wartime planes with plastic adjuster knobs and plain hardwood handles. Some of the bed castings were finished less or cast thicker. Anyway, those thick soled planes can make great users because of the added weight.

Seems like the fit and finish of bench planes did deteriorate after the war. But the specialty planes and some of the block planes were OK.

If you really want to talk woodworking, please visit General Discussion and my Woodworking 101 thread. Lots of us woodworkers hang out there.

 

[Joe Huld]

Users like me prefer to stay with those planes made before 1940. An exception can be made for the wartime planes with plastic adjuster knobs and plain hardwood handles. Some of the bed castings were finished less or cast thicker. Anyway, those thick soled planes can make great users because of the added weight.

Seems like the fit and finish of bench planes did deteriorate after the war. But the specialty planes and some of the block planes were OK.

If you really want to talk woodworking, please visit General Discussion and my Woodworking 101 thread. Lots of us woodworkers hang out there.

Right on both counts: Prewar planes from 1910 to 1941 are definitely better fit and finish; but the war vintage planes but the WWII variants are heavier primarily due to less extensive finishing operations. I am not sure if the slight difference in weight is really noticeable but some years ago when I was flattening and squaring planes with a surface grinder I considered the extra thickness of the wartime castings a big plus. Even though I typically took off only 10 to 20 thousandths per side I found them much easier to keep flat and square.

 

[hsvtoolfool]

I think the OP was simply saying he loved his #6 so much that he wouldn't
sell it for anything except a ludicrously high value. He was praising how well
it works, not claiming a value over $500. That was my take anyway.

For me, I just look for unvarnished rosewood in decent condition. If I see a
pretty rosewood tote and knob, then it's a good 'un. They're more pretty in
my opinion, but it also dates the plane at a glance (usually) to my preferred
period before WWII.

 

[RodneyW]

I think the availability of relatively cheap power tools after WWII did more to end the production of quality hand tools like planes and good hand saws than anything else. There was less need for quality hand tools when more operations were being done with machines.

 

[jimreed2160]

I think the availability of relatively cheap power tools after WWII did more to end the production of quality hand tools like planes and good hand saws than anything else. There was less need for quality hand tools when more operations were being done with machines.

Good point. When I started ww as a kid in the 1950s, everything was PLYWOOD. And plywood is worked with machines.