Ornament on shelf reminding you of your Dad. When you get older you will tinker with it. Perhaps making Table tops etc. Hang on to it. You never know when the bug hits…...then your ready
A good problem to have...
So I just got back from a trip to help out my aging parents, and since my Dad doesn't expect to ever do anymore "tinkering", I filled up the back of my small car with miscellaneous tools that he mostly inherited and then "sat on" for many years.
One part of the haul was a very good condition Stanley/Bailey #6
Now this is two kinds of a problem for me. First, together with a small stanley box plane and a recently purchased Lee Valley #4.5…this new to me plane puts me firmly on the slippery slope towards becoming a collector.
Now the other problem is one I could actually use some help with. I'm not really much of a hand-tool kinda guy. I have a usable power jointer and a DW 735 planer…so what would somebody like me use a #6 for?
I routinely find uses for my small and medium hand-planes…but I'm coming up dry when I try to imagine a use for this new one.
...and just to save you the trouble, I'm sure a good many of you will decide to be magnanimous and offer to "solve" this problem for me by finding it a new home. Thanks, really and truly, but I would rather increase my skill level and become worthy to be the owner of this fine tool rather than hand it off to you.
So, are there some common uses for a big plane like this in a primarily non-hand-tool shop?
One part of the haul was a very good condition Stanley/Bailey #6
Now this is two kinds of a problem for me. First, together with a small stanley box plane and a recently purchased Lee Valley #4.5…this new to me plane puts me firmly on the slippery slope towards becoming a collector.
Now the other problem is one I could actually use some help with. I'm not really much of a hand-tool kinda guy. I have a usable power jointer and a DW 735 planer…so what would somebody like me use a #6 for?
I routinely find uses for my small and medium hand-planes…but I'm coming up dry when I try to imagine a use for this new one.
...and just to save you the trouble, I'm sure a good many of you will decide to be magnanimous and offer to "solve" this problem for me by finding it a new home. Thanks, really and truly, but I would rather increase my skill level and become worthy to be the owner of this fine tool rather than hand it off to you.
So, are there some common uses for a big plane like this in a primarily non-hand-tool shop?
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Hey little buddy! Yeah you didn't feel it much but you just got bit by the hand plane bug. Bit real good. Yes that #6 is good for lots of things. You start building a workbench in the old world style it will come in very useful. Trust me you will, in the next year, start thinking about your version of a Roubo/Scandanavian/german/English work bench. That #6 will be just the ticket for a bench project.
My friend, if nothing else you've got a family heirloom from you Dad. Don't ever get rid of that. If you do, one day down the road you'll kick yourself. If your not going to use it much. clean it up really nice and put on display for everyone to see and to honor your Dad.
My friend, if nothing else you've got a family heirloom from you Dad. Don't ever get rid of that. If you do, one day down the road you'll kick yourself. If your not going to use it much. clean it up really nice and put on display for everyone to see and to honor your Dad.
Hi Jeff. Let me be the first. I love the power tools. That being said, there maybe a time you might build a table that won't fit in your planer. Other than the 1st 2, all of my projects are solid wood, including 6 table tops. Glued up how ever many boards were required (usually just under 15/16") and hand planed them to required thickness, as my glue up got better so did the planing. The first 2-3 were kinda scary but the point being the #6 was always in the action. Lesson learned…The blade is never sharp enough. Use it. It's cool.
Use the number 6 to plane up some boards to make a case for it, then clean it, oil it lightly, place it in the case and display it where others can see it. Then get ready to fend off offers for it. A young man once accused me of "tinkering", I ran him out of the shop backwards and down the driveway to the road. Have fun, make some dust.
My first bit if advice is stop using the word "collector" like is some kind of mental disease. But no fear, adding a #6 may spark the fire, but its not going to burn out of control just yet. You'll find the #6 so handy you be looking for a #7 in no time.
I've been a power tool guy all my life, but once you really master the the hand tools, you will find they fit nicely in any shop.
Anything from jointing that one board instead of walking to the jointer, setting the machine, turning it on, and breathing the dust to flattening the table top as already mentioned.
Not all hand tool guys are going to try to convert you. A good hand tool guy knows you've already started that yourself. You will see.
I've been a power tool guy all my life, but once you really master the the hand tools, you will find they fit nicely in any shop.
Anything from jointing that one board instead of walking to the jointer, setting the machine, turning it on, and breathing the dust to flattening the table top as already mentioned.
Not all hand tool guys are going to try to convert you. A good hand tool guy knows you've already started that yourself. You will see.
Hand planes are just wonderful to use.
I love to thinker with them too.
Take them apart, sharpen them, adjust them, there is somemting very special about any hand tool especially hand planes, if only the history.
Try to determine where and when there were made. Just so much history.
Hand tools are a love affair and bug easy to catch.
IN case you are not interested, feel fee to ship them my way.
I love to thinker with them too.
Take them apart, sharpen them, adjust them, there is somemting very special about any hand tool especially hand planes, if only the history.
Try to determine where and when there were made. Just so much history.
Hand tools are a love affair and bug easy to catch.
IN case you are not interested, feel fee to ship them my way.
Mr. Jeff, I'm in agreement with a few others here. Clean it up good, put it in your shop for other folks to see in memory of your Dad. When my Father passed, the greed bug hit his wife & my little brother. I managed to get a #4 plane of his out of the shop before they cleaned it out. I didn't even get my own tools back. That plane is the only piece of my Father I have, other than awesome memories! Not even a picture. Take good care of it, my friend. The memories it will bring back of your Father when you look at it will amaze you!
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
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