Replies

1. 
   roc | Sep 13, 2009 03:43am | #1

   I just use a rock.

   http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=44467.146

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   
   

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   Edited 9/12/2009 8:46 pm by roc

2. 
   mvflaim | Sep 13, 2009 05:40am | #2

   You're doing good....until you pick up a couple of profile molding planes. Then all hell breaks loose. That's where I'm at now. I have bought 30 complex wooden molding planes this past year and have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

   Enjoy the journey

    

   http://www.mvflaim.com

1. 
   oldusty | Sep 13, 2009 08:17am | #3

      Ah , C' mon , show him the picture of your planes , please .

                           regards from Oregon           dusty

1. 
   boilerbay | Sep 13, 2009 04:38pm | #4

   Dusty.I would like to see some also. Based on what I have seen at The best Things and other vintage dealers, there appears to be many wondrous molding planes out there that offer profiles far and above the default simple half sets. It would be nice to see some really over the top profiles and over the top sizes.BB

2. 
   mvflaim | Sep 13, 2009 05:58pm | #5

   ooookay.. here you go. I took some pics and tried to show the endless amount of variety you can find in molding planes. Many of these planes simply cannot be duplicated with router bits. Out of all my molding planes, the incomplete set of hollow and rounds get the most work, along with the moving fillister and the rabbet plane.

   The majority of the planes need a fine tuning in order to cut a whisper thin shaving but then again stock selection is critical as well. You need to make sure you're using straight grain wood or the cutter will tear. If there is one profile plane I use a lot on a project, I grab a piece of flat steel (like and old saw blade) and cut out the planes profile and use it like a scraper to clean up the shape.

   When you look at front of a molding plane you need to hold it at it's spring angle (which is the scribed line on the front held perpendicular to the ground) to see what profile it will cut. Then when you use it, you need to make sure that the spring angle is pointing straight toward the ground. Otherwise you'll ruin the molding which is easy to do.

   Along with molding planes, I own a few specialty planes, like a dovetail plane, veneer scraper, panel molder, circular plane etc.. They don't see much use but it's nice to have when you need it.

   The tool cabinet holds my bench planes. The No 8, 5, 4, 3 see the most use along with my transitional jointer with a fence attachment and the transitional No 27 which I use as a fore to cut thick shavings and dimension my stock. Tool collectors don't want transitional planes so you can buy them cheap, tune them up and flatten their bed with relative ease. I bought my No 27 on eBay for a $1.00 and it works like a champ.

   The final picture shows some of my tool collection. I have a high appreciation for planes and will sometimes buy some that are rare and have a unique design. I don't use them but I do have an inner desire to sharpen their blades and see how they work compared to the standard Bailey designed counterparts.

   Mike

    

   http://www.mvflaim.com

   Edited 9/13/2009 11:05 am ET by mvflaim

   
1. 
   nazard | Sep 13, 2009 07:54pm | #6

   Mike,

   Is that a Sargent auto-set in one of your photos? 

   -Jerry

1. 
   mvflaim | Sep 13, 2009 09:42pm | #7

   Yes, it's a Sargent 710. About the size of a No 4 plane.

    http://www.mvflaim.com

2. 
   nazard | Sep 14, 2009 01:28am | #10

   Mike,

   A while back, I picked up a 710 and 714, both in great shape except for worn down irons.  I have spent a little time with the #4 and it appears that with new cutters and a good tune-up both planes would be excellent users.  My grandfather had an Auto-set and I remember him fussing with his "special" plane - hence my interest.  Is your 710 a user?

   -Jerry

3. 
   mvflaim | Sep 14, 2009 05:23am | #12

   710 is definitely a user. I just need to grow some hair on my chest and sharpen the blade and put it to work instead of being a girly man and let it collect dust on the shelf. It's time I become a man!

    http://www.mvflaim.com

4. 
   nazard | Sep 14, 2009 06:00am | #14

   47972.13 in reply to 47972.11 

   "710 is definitely a user. I just need to grow some hair on my chest and sharpen the blade and put it to work instead of being a girly man and let it collect dust on the shelf. It's time I become a man!"

    

   Mike,

   Take the ashes from several incinerated transitional planes, mix with water to form a thick paste, and smear mixture onto your chest.  Then, while standing and holding a #8 plane at arms length, read the entire "Patrick's Blood and Gore" three times.  You will be cured.

   -Jerry

5. 
   mvflaim | Sep 14, 2009 06:55am | #15

   Thank you Jerry for the kind words of wisdom. Maybe I shall video tape my cleansing and post it on YouTube so that plane collecting newbies can see the light.

    http://www.mvflaim.com

2. 
   boilerbay | Sep 13, 2009 11:10pm | #8

   Mike,Very impressive. It would seem a full time job just taking care of them. I suspect I would get lost in daydreams of individual projects for every profile. Nice collection!BB

1. 
   mvflaim | Sep 14, 2009 12:28am | #9

   I know. There is a very fine line between buying tools to use and simply being a tool collector. I'm not sure when I'll need each plane but it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

    

    http://www.mvflaim.com

3. 
   oldusty | Sep 14, 2009 02:47am | #11

      Mike ,

               Thank you once again for sharing your planes with us .

          A couple a things , you said something like the Bailey's I'm thinking the transition planes were some how not as popular to collectors .I see them sell for 25 - 40 dollars locally .I do have one , no, I have not used it , yet !

        I know many planes have the tool  makers name on one end and do many also have the owners name ? the ones that have been sanded smooth perhaps removed the name ? is that close to the way it works or is there more history to it ?

                 thanks again Your a kind soul

                        regards      dusty

         

1. 
   mvflaim | Sep 14, 2009 05:32am | #13

   As far as I know the makers name was always on the front of transitional planes. I think some carpenters cut the front their planes off so that they would fit in their tool boxes hence the missing stamps.

   Unless you have a really rare transitional plane like a rosewood filled base or a small No 21 or a No 37 Jenny, I don't think they are worth much. I have an old Ohio Tool Co Liberty Bell copy cat that I couldn't sell on eBay for $20.00 so the market for them is really weak. You're better off just using them. They make great fore and jointer planes, unlike Patrick Leach who burns them. They're not that bad!!

    http://www.mvflaim.com