Over the holidays, I got some old planes from my uncle that used to belong to my grandfather. He passed away long before I ever really got “the bug” for woodworking. I’m actually just now discovering the joys of working with hand tools, so I don’t know much about what I have. I’ve been trying to do some research to see what I have, and one of them puzzles me.
I’ve been trying to identify what I have using “The Stanley Bench Plane Dating Page” http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/dating/
I think I have a Bailey type 6. It meets all the criteria except one. According to that page, the brass adjusting nut should have a left-hand thread. This one is still right-hand threaded. BUT, the lateral adjusting lever is a 2-piece deal with the disc.
There were 5 planes altogether in the box, and I plan to tune up and use at least the #4 and #7C Baileys. Two were clearly junk, and may have been flea market finds that my uncle gave my grandfather as gifts. This #6 puzzles me. I’d like to put it to use, too, but I don’t want to do that if it has some real collector value to it. I’m not looking to sell it by any means. I’m just trying to decide if its something I should put to work, or if it should be restored and put on display instead.
Any guidance would be much appreciated.
Replies
Scott,
Don't know the value of that plane. That said, I believe that all planes, especially old ones, are meant to be used. I say this because when they're tuned up, they are a joy to use. Much a Stradivarius violin. Just my opinion.
Kell - doesn't know how to play violin but can play a little guitar.
Stanley used up their inventory of parts before switching to the new model. That's why it's possible to find one detail may not match the rest of that "type". It wasn't like making cars where they stopped the whole assembly line and switched over to the new model.
I also can't really help with the value. If you are concerned it's valuable, #6's aren't too bad on E-bay if you look around.
Scott
When I read your thread, it brought back memories. My grandfather was a finish carpenter, and died when I was 2. My uncle gave his trunk style toolbox full of old planes, many of which he made himself, to my cousin, who stored them in his basement for about 20 years. About 20 years ago, without my knowing, he threw them all out when he found them rusted.
Anyway, I've been collecting planes for quite a while, and hopefully this will help. Many of the different types had crossover parts from one type to the other for the reason previously explained. I have several with the wrong lever cap, etc... Secondly, in general, but not ALWAYS, what makes a plane valuable is it's scarce availability. Bedrocks (numbered 601, 602, 603, and so on.....up to 608) were and are the most valuable bench planes, mainly because of their superior ability to plane wood. Any #6 made by Bailey is just not going to be a valuable find for you. Tune it up, get the rust off, and put it to use. The thoughts and memories of your grandfather are what will be valuable. Otherwise, it's just another #6, and there are thousands of them out there, and the Bailey's aren't even that good at planing wood, compared to a bedrock. I know, I've got a complete lineup of each.
JC
Thanks for the help, all.
I know that L-N planes are supposedly based on Stanley Bedrocks. Which is better, a new L-N, or a tuned up Bedrock? I just got my first L-N (a low angle block plane) as a Christmas gift. Haven't had a chance to really put it to use yet, but it sure is purty!
L-N have some clear advantages.Heavier, closer tolerances, thicker better blades and chip breakers.That said a well tuned Bedrock with an aftermarket blade can do wonders. I have a 604, 605 and 606 and for my type of work they are un beatable.Getting to squirlier woods, curly maple and the like the L-N may out perform the best Bedrock.My .02Cor.
Scott
Bedrocks are really good user planes, but a LN is outstanding. The fit and finish that you get from a LN right out of the box is amazing. And they have features that are better than the bedrocks. Adjustable mouth on the low angle, and a more responsive adjuster, to name a few. The soles are flat, and the cutters are a much higher quality. The cryo blades that LN use are far superior to the flimsy thin blade you get with an old Stanley or Bailey. That being said, the bedrocks, after being tuned, work excellently. The whole concept behind the bedrock is to have a much more solid base, or 'bedrock', for the frog to seat against, thus eliminating chatter and vibration. The frog was designed to be adjustable without removing it from the plane body, which allows the user to achieve an extremely tight mouth. A tight mouth is critical to a smoothing plane to eliminate tearout.
I still use my 604 and 603 on my bench. All my other bedrocks are tuned and ready to go, they are just in their display case now in my shop. They've been replaced by the LN counterpart. The only LN's that I don't have, bench plane wise, are the #6, 7 and 8. I use planes for final smoothing, not for lumber dimensioning, because of the time it takes. I have the LN 3, 4, and 4 1/2, as well as the 603 and 604 ready to go so I can smooth a large table top without having to stop to sharpen the blades. I use the york frog in the 4 1/2 along with my low angle jack to handle wilder grain.
JC
There is no such thing as a Stanley Bedrock 601,they never made them. The only thing close is the 601 made by the guy who wrote "Blood and Gore" Patrick something,can't remember his last name. These little beauties cost around 500 bucks or more.
Lenny
That would probably explain why I don't have won. I collected a set from 603 up to 608, including the 605 1/4 and 605 1/2. The reason why I never tried to buy a 602 was because every time I saw one for sale, the price was always rediculous. I originally collected them for the purpose of using them in my shop, not to let them rust (or as the collectors so fondly call it) patina on a shelf. I guess I always assumed that there was a 601 out there somewhere at a rediculous price that I could never fit my hand in. My apologies, I stand corrected.
Jeff
I agree 100% on 602's,the only reason I have one is because I happened to be in the right place at the right time and the person who had it was giving Stanley"s away to good homes and absolutely no idea what she was doing,and even my guilty conscience making me tell her she was better off selling them on the open market to get what they were worth,could not change her mind. I try not to tell many people that some devorced driven hateful ex-wife was responsible for my good fortune, its looks much better when think your a real wisbang at collecting.
Lenny
I never get that lucky.
Patrick Leach is his name.Website for old Stanleys: Patrick's Blood & Gore:http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.htmlMain site: http://www.supertool.com/E-mail Pat if you want his monthly list of tools for sale, it's a button on the main page.Leon Jester
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled