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09-27-2011 02:30 AM
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After I was bitten by the old plane bug some months back, I quickly built a small collection of the common and less expensive sizes (#3, 4, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 7, and various block planes). What bugged me was that darned No. 2 size. There were none to be found at local garage sales or flea markets, and every one I ran across on eBay was quickly bid up to the $200 range unless it was a total dog with cracked metal or missing parts.
After months of watching the new listings with buy-it-now prices, hoping someone who didn’t know what they were doing would put a No. 2 for sale cheap, I still had no success.
Then one day I saw this ugly duckling up for auction:
The bidding was around $100 with a few hours left to go. I’m not really what I would call a collector, and generally don’t care to pay collectible prices for anything. But, like I said, my lack of a No. 2 was eating at me like a swarm of termites on a rotting wood pile. So I bit the bullet, put in a max bid of $120 at the last second, and won it for $118 plus change.
I had a hunch that it was mechanically sound other than the tote, and I was right. The tote was BADLY damaged, with missing material, and it took a combination of glue, epoxy, and a stain pen to get it back in decent shape. There are a few scratches on the sole, and minor pitting here and there, but all in all it cleaned up even better than I had anticipated.
Hopefully now I can stay off eBay for a while. But I’m not counting on it. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
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37 replies so far
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#1 posted 09-27-2011 02:33 AM
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What about the 2.5? Got one of those??? lol
-- Gary, DeKalb Texas only 4 miles from the mill
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#2 posted 09-27-2011 02:35 AM
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How’d I miss that???
Very nice restore.
I paid $28 for mine. Ill trade ya.
-- http://timetestedtools.net - Collecting is an investment in the past, and the future.
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#3 posted 09-27-2011 02:37 AM
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Nice restore Charlie. I disassembled the one I posted last night and have started cleaning it. I posted another picture of it with the back handle off and the blade assembly removed. I am trying to figure who manufactured it. It is a #8 Made in USA looks very much like a Stanley but doesn’t say Stanley has an U in a circle and what looks like an “m” or 11 in the casting.
-- mrg
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#4 posted 09-27-2011 02:40 AM
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Damn Charlie, you do look good when you clean up.
Most good tools seem to last for generations.
-- W. Kirk Crawford - Tularosa, New Mexico
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#5 posted 09-27-2011 02:46 AM
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it still looks like an ugly ducking – just send it over to me, I’ll even pay half the shipping ;)
you did good… sometimes you just have to go beyond your comfort zone to achieve mental stability. you did a great job on the restoration on this now as you did on the rest.
are you getting to use them all? or just a few ?
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
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#6 posted 09-27-2011 02:47 AM
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Great job, Charlie. How about a blog about how you clean and beautify these ugly dogs for those of us who really don’t have a clue. I have a Stanley #5 that I have done some work on (appears to be a pre-1900 model) but it surely doesn’t look like yours do after you’ve performed your magic.
Jim
-- A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including his/her life".
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#7 posted 09-27-2011 02:55 AM
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Great restore, Charlie. I’m in the same boat as you, but you’re a couple of planes ahead of me. Don W just recently helped me add to my line of users – thanks, Don!
There’s almost nothing better than cleaning up an old plane, getting the iron nice and sharp and making that first pass. Best sound in the world.
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#8 posted 09-27-2011 03:03 AM
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Sharon, I make a few shavings now and then. I’m trying to learn to use them more.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
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#9 posted 09-27-2011 03:07 AM
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Very nice restore!
-- My dad and I built a 65 chev pick up.I killed trannys in that thing for some reason-Hog
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#10 posted 09-27-2011 03:12 AM
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Wonderful. Perfect example of why people restore planes. :)
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
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#11 posted 09-27-2011 03:20 AM
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Nice job Charlie. I was just given an old wooden plane. I’ll have to post a picture of it to see if I can find out what I have.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
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#12 posted 09-27-2011 03:22 AM
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Wow, beautiful job Charlie….. what a difference a little “TLC” will do… Nice collection you must have now, when you get a chance, a pic of the whole set would be wonderful!!!
Now you need to build a special cabinet for them…......
-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/
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#13 posted 09-27-2011 03:25 AM
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Congrats. How does it work?
-- -Sam - FL- "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns somthing he can in no other way" -Mark Twain
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#14 posted 09-27-2011 03:45 AM
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Sam, believe this or not… I honed the blade to a mirror finish last night, but have not made a pass with it yet. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
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#15 posted 09-27-2011 03:53 AM
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How could you not? That would be like a bowl of M&Ms.
-- -Sam - FL- "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns somthing he can in no other way" -Mark Twain
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