Planes on CL...worth buying?

[Ed in Tampa]

My opinion if you are collector buy them. But even then the price may be a little high for their condition.
If you are tool user or intend to try to restore them for use pass on them. As someone else said half metal half wood planes like this have some real issues.

[terrydowning]

My opinion if you are collector buy them. But even then the price may be a little high for their condition.
If you are tool user or intend to try to restore them for use pass on them. As someone else said half metal half wood planes like this have some real issues.

For example?...

[Ed in Tampa]

For example?...

Many times where the metal is mounted onto the wooden part of the plane it will have become loose, rotted or otherwise nearly impossible to repair.

Also many times less than a craftsman has tried to replace a damaged wooden part and on first glance appears to have pulled it off only later you learn things weren't as tight as they appeared and blade chatters like drunk parrot.

Hey I'm not the expert on planes and I'm only repeating what others have said or have taught me in the past.

I do know the price of wood working hand tools have escalated by "collectors" that will pay almost any price because it is labeled antique.

It is like a sign I saw on the Tonight Show this week. "Antiques made daily"

[holsgo]

The hardest part of making these work is making sure the bottom is really flat. The rest is fixable. But if you are new to planes, a transitional is very frustrating, especially over 9 inches for the average guy. Make sure the bottom is flat. More often than not, the wood is warped and you will need to use the beltsander to get it right. A perfect straightedge helps.
Get this wrong, and the rest of the experience is tough.

[frank81]

I picked the planes up last night. They have been in use and taken decent care of, the guy runs a small family sawmill and has been doing well enough to bring in new equipment, so now I've got a contact for materials and used industrial equipment.

All the parts are there, the wood is solid but could use a little truing up on the Bailey. There is sawdust and dirt on them, but I had a hard time finding rust. Pretty happy with the purchase. I'll post pics Monday.

[terrydowning]

Personally, to true up a wood plane I would use sand paper adhered to known flat surface and lap it flat.

Pay attention to the mouth opening as well, excessive lapping of the sole on wood planes expands the mouth opening so you may need to repair or replace the wood to tune it properly.

Good luck with those transitionals!

[JPG]

Great that you got them!

If my ignorance is showing, please point it out, but I think that if the metal parts are viable, the wood sole can be replaced if needed.

Granted that greatly diminishes the 'collectability' of it, but would greatly enhance the usability of it. I have already stated my opinion between those two 'goals'.

[terrydowning]

Those type of "Transitional" planes are not especially collectible IMO. They can be made into decent users though. If both you and the seller are happy then you got a good deal.

[Ed in Tampa]

Those type of "Transitional" planes are not especially collectible IMO. They can be made into decent users though. If both you and the seller are happy then you got a good deal.

I would say not especially collectible to an expert. To the average American Picker wantabe you can sell them if you want.

[WmZiggy]

Thirty dollars is too high for the condition these planes are in judging by the pictures. The Sargent is a 3411 Bench or Smoothing plane. The VBM stands for "Very Best Metal". The 3411 was made from 1891 - 1941. Sargent was a major competitor of Stanley. In fine condition they bring $30. The one pictured is not in fine condition - it needs major restoration.

Like wise for the Stanley - thirty dollars is too much. Since it has a blade 2-5/8" wide this should have been a Jointer plane when it was born (c 1869-1943) having a length of 24 to 30 inches depending on it's model: #32,#33,#34 Stanley Jack planes which are 15 inches long only came with blade 2 to 2-1/4 inches wide. They are models #26,#27, #27 1/2. What you probably have here is a Jointer that was cut down to 15 inches in length some time in its history. This lessens any value to a collector. The toe of the plane should be stamped with Stanley and a number. If you do not see this, it was probably cut down.

All that said, the real testof any plane is if they work (as opposed to being a doorstop as noted above). Look at the bottom where the plane blade comes through the wood. If the mouth opening is more than 3/16", it will do little good work. Bottoms should also be crack free. Wood is a material that moves. Is the bottom flat and square, all key to a good working example. Every time the bottom on wood bottomed planes is jointed it widens the mouth.

As a rule of thumb, the tighter the mouth the better. For example, look at some high end planes (usually metal). They will have a mouth opening that is very fine; often hard to see. The plane is designed to compress the wood just before it slices it up and into the body of the plane and away. If there is a large gap compression is lost and fine cutting impossible. A finely made plane will take a shaving you can see through, not that shavings this fine are always needed in the work we do. Hence, a number of different kinds of planes - Smooth, Jack, Jointer, Scrub. A smooth or bench plane is designed to take fine shavings. A Jack should be able to take both fine and course. A Jointer is designed for leveling a surface and like the Jack be able to take both. Scrub planes are designed to take very course shavings and cut a surface down quickly.

I hope this helps.