I just picked up a Bailey #5 hand plane (1910 is the last patent date) from the goodwill in town for 6 bucks (a steal), it is in pretty decent shape, just some surficial rust and chipped enamel, no cracks in the . I bought it as a restoration project, primarilly but I wanted to get some oppinions on whether that was a good thing to do to one of these. I know they are fairly common planes because they are a solid quality tool. It has a razor sharp edge still and I plan to put it to use, restored or not. Is it common to re-enamel/paint these or does that ruin its value? …and even then, I’m not sure whether that would bother me as I will probably never sell it anyways (I’m 25 and plan to be at this for a long time…). Anyways, any advice or “wait wait, repainting will ruin it!” type comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Replies
Vintage #5 Stanleys are pretty common, there are always hundreds for sale on Ebay. You got a great deal for $6. Prices vary depending on the "type" and condition but the majority sell for under $100, often much less. You would be safe to do as you please to it, it will be good experience. Do some research about Stanleys so you know when, or if, you find something special or rare. A Stanley Handyman isn't worth much, a pristine #1 in the original box could fetch $2000 or more, the real early ones with ornate casting can be valuable but most standard Stanleys are good to put to work.
Fix it up
clean it and use it. It will be a nice plane for you. If you want, you can read my blog of cleaning up an old Stanley No7. The process is the same.
http://mvflaim.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/restoring-a-stanley-no-7-jointer-plane/
You could repaint the plane as well but I've found once the rust is off, the planes look really nice and no painting is even necessary.
Fix it up
clean it and use it. It will be a nice plane for you. If you want, you can read my blog of cleaning up an old Stanley No7. The process is the same.
http://mvflaim.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/restoring-a-stanley-no-7-jointer-plane/
You could repaint the plane as well but I've found once the rust is off, the planes look really nice and no painting is even necessary.
collector or user?
Are you a collector or a user? I am a user and want a tool that is tuned and sharp and does the job. Any resale value won't accrue to me (or my heirs) for hopefully long time and matters little to me now. Collector value normally comes from condition and rarity. It sounds like yours is neither rare, nor in pristine condition. I say use it an enjoy. Decisions on repairs or improvements should be based on making the tool work better. You can check Ebay for market value on a similar tool. Chances are it is worth $50 or more now and will not decline in value, assuming any changes you make cause it to work better.
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