My first plane restoration

[Nail Gun]

If I may ask, what did he do? I don't know anything about him, just that he knows planes.

He's very arrogant and blasphemous of Stanley considering his "passion." There are a number of potential copyright and patent lawsuits Stanley has decided not to pursue because they want to take the high road.

If you want good, unbiased information there is an Austrailian website that has provided me with more info than the other two combined. I lost the link but if you can find it, it is great!

 

[gonepecan]

I had no idea he made planes. Not that I'd ever buy one. I've been super happy with all of my old Stanley tools. But I have noticed he's very critical and mean regarding certain planes Stanley made over the years. He hates the No. 444, but I'd LOVE to have one.

I wouldn't mind trying out a LV or LN, but I'm certainly not paying the price for one!

 

[Nail Gun]

Get one of the new Stanley SW No4's. I'll teach you how to have that at the same level very quickly.

 

[aard3]

Ok, was I the only one thinking this was about an actual airplane??? Opened this thread and was like wtf? lol

looks nice though... good job.

 

[Nail Gun]

Ok, was I the only one thinking this was about an actual airplane??? Opened this thread and was like wtf? lol

looks nice though... good job.

These were the first planes

 

[gonepecan]

Nail Gun, I'm now working on a #4, and I'd like to try lapping the sole.

What grit do you usually start and end with?

 

[gonepecan]

Mixed my first batch of japan last weekend. Finally gave it a whirl on an old butter knife I forged.

It doesn't take much at all to have the surface coated. The tinyest of japan on the brush will suffice. I did one coat, and I left it outside in the sun for a day. It was more of a brown than a black, was incredibly sticky, and it would easily scratch using your fingernail.

Baked it in the oven today for 30 minutes at 250, then 30 minutes at 350, and then 45 minutes at 425. After cooling, it is solid black and has a high gloss. It is extremely solid. A fingernail didn't scratch it, so I got curious. 8 hits with a claw hammer using both the head and claw and not a mark on it. Scratching it with a screwdriver tip only made a mark when I pushed really hard. And this is only one coat. You're supposed to do 4 coats on a plane.

I wish I had an old truck stripped to the bare metal. It would soon be a black truck.

 

[Nail Gun]

Nail Gun, I'm now working on a #4, and I'd like to try lapping the sole.

What grit do you usually start and end with?

Sorry, didn't realize you had posted again. I've started with 60 grit before. You'll be hard pressed to remove too much metal. You can start with a couple passes on 220 just to determine how much grinding you're going to have to do. If the 220 removes material from 70%+- of the sole keep going with the 220. If it's 50% go to 120, and so on.

 

[gonepecan]

It's no problem. I started with 100, but realized 60 was better to start with on the planes I was working on. I worked my way up to 220. I lapped a #4 and a #5. A #6 that I just acquired is next.

 

[Nail Gun]

I usually progress to finer paper too. If you can put a nice polish on it it will glide much more smoothly.

 

[oldsman350]

Those are nice planes. Found some of these when my grandfather passed. He was a seabee from WW2 and he had a whole trunk full along with a big kabar knife.

 

[gonepecan]

I do have to agree with Leach on one thing. I don't understand the #6. I guess if you were jointing fairly small pieces of lumber it would make sense as a jointer. But it's so much wider and heavier than a #5, yet it's only 4 inches longer. I'd much rather have a #8 for jointing and a #5 for my general purpose.

It's still shaping up to be a nice user though.

 

[Nail Gun]

The #6 is one of those odd sizes that many folks don't quite understand. If you have one however, go for it! My bench plane "users" are a #3, #4, #5, #5 1/2, and #7. I would love to add a #2 and #8 to the group. I simplty haven't found a #8 I'm willing to pay for and I don't think I'll ever find a #2 I'd be willing to pay for.

 

[gonepecan]

Yeah, the #8's, even ones in terrible shape, go for insanely high prices on the Bay. I picked up my #7 for $35 in the Quarter, which I thought was pretty good since I never see them sell on eBay for less than $60-70.

 

[charliepapa]

I wish I had an old truck stripped to the bare metal. It would soon be a black truck.

very cool, but where you going to find an oven that big?

 

[gonepecan]

LOL. Very true.

You don't have to put it into an oven. Some people let their japan cure for 2 weeks to a month.

I figure, if you do it in the summer, the Louisiana heat would have it dry and cured in no time.

 

[Pontchartrain]

I used a product called Evaporust. Let it soak completely under the surface overnight. It removes the rust, but leaves paint and japan. Electrolysis works too, but it will remove the japan.

Something corrosive sat on my cast iron table saw for several weeks. The table top is rusted and pitted in that area. I've used naval jelly to remove the rust but it returns. Do you have any suggestions for removing and filling/sealing that area? I may try Evaporust. Should I fill it with Bondo?

 

[gonepecan]

The Evaporust got rid of the rust I dealt with, but you need to protect the metal with something, as surface rust returned quickly. I just used WD-40.

I've never tried to fill in pits, so I won't be much of help with that. Perhaps someone else on the board could give you some suggestions.