My first plane restoration

[alan2001]

Hi folks,

New member here.

Over the past few months I've been reading with interest everyone's posts about bargain old tools found at car boot sales etc.

I've been looking for a No. 5 plane for quite some time, and last weekend I discovered this lovely old Record No. 5 at a car rally. Thanks to http://www.recordhandplanes.com/dating.html I've managed to date it as 1957 vintage, which surprised me considering its relatively nice condition! 8)

I spent most of yesterday cleaning up the surface rust and fettling the blade, and by that point I just HAD to reassemble it to try and make some shavings:

First time, whisper-thin, beautiful, effortless, delighted! :mrgreen:

So now I'm hooked. No doubt I'll spend many more days on it, getting it "perfect", hah. :roll:

Not sure what to do about the handle though. It would be easy to sand the knob & handle down to the bare beech, but then I'd lose the old Record sticker. Advice, please?

By the way, I got it for £5. :lol:


Thanks for any replies, and thanks for all the advice I've benefitted from during my 6 month lurking period. I like this place a lot.

 

[Tony Spear]

Unless you intend to become a collector and it works as well as it appears to, don't mess with it any further!
5 quid? =D>

 

[Blister]

Re the sticker

have a look at this thread

record-handle-transfers-t48777.html?hilit=Record%20sticker

 

[jimi43]

You made a beautiful purchase there Alan...all the right things shine through with your purchase.

Good vintage...nice iron...sole flat where it needs to be (toe heel mouth in alignment)...great chrome condition (these are usually pitted)....Japanning near 100% and most importantly...bargain price! =D>

This is a G+ plane and needs little fettling to get it looking perfect.....if that's what makes you happy. (it makes me happy but some just use them as they are).

You are a prime example of the right way to go about getting quality tools. Your research has paid off in spades.

Should you wish to move on to premium brands or infills ( :mrgreen: ) later...you will recoup your investment many times over...but by your remarks...I think this may be a keeper?

Bravo my friend!

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Nice one!

Maybe stating the obvious, but although wispy thin shavings are reassuring evidence that everything is set up well and the iron is sharp, a workhorse plane like this will prove its worth when taking off much thicker shavings, so you can get to the desired dimensions quickly. So don't just leave it set fine - use the adjuster! Many people would say that the real genius of the Bailey adjuster is that it is so easy to change the thickness setting - even in mid-stroke.

 

[bugbear]

It looks to me as if a previous owner has already put a "top coat" of varnish on the tote, which is now peeling down to bare wood.

I would strip the tote, die the beech (as Record did) as use a slightly "bodying" oil finish, like Danish oil, or Liberon Finishing Oil.

I don't (personally) like the feel of a true gloss finish (varnish, shellac) on a handle.

Here's my beloved, and much used Record #5.

Oh - five quid for that? you robbed him!

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

What BB says is they way I would go too...I hate varnish on handles.

One thing to try is Tru-Oil after staining...it is a glorious finish and so tactile. If it gets a bit worn you just wipe some more on. Purdey use it on their gunstocks so it must be reasonably ok! :mrgreen:

You can get a small pot on FleaBay....put on with a cotton pad from Boots (makeup removers)...dab the first layer to seal the stain without wiping it out....let dry...rub over with 00 steel wool and then repeat as many times as you wish.

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Good advice from Jimi and BB there.
If you want to keep the Record transfer, it would be easy enough to re-finish just the sides and leave the top of the handle as it is. If your hand is making contact with that bit, there is something very odd about your grip!

 

[alan2001]

Thanks for the comments and advice, folks.

by your remarks...I think this may be a keeper?

Oh it's definitely a keeper! It's already in working condition, but I'm going to lavish a bit more care and attention on it, I think it deserves to look good. I really enjoy this kind of thing!

Oh - five quid for that? you robbed him!

Haha, I know! And the funny thing was, as we were walking past the next stall, the guy there stopped me to ask about the plane. He was also amazed at the price and offered me £30 for it. :mrgreen: No chance! And the wife heard every word, so I didn't even need to justify the purchase of 'yet another tool'. :wink:

The varnish has to go though, it's flaking away quite badly on the handle especially, but I'll attempt to work around the label and keep it. More photos later, for anyone that's interested. Now, I'm away back out to the workshop to continue buffing the brass wheel with the aid of an electric drill in a vice. 8) *counts fingers*

 

[Scouse]

Oh it's definitely a keeper! It's already in working condition, but I'm going to lavish a bit more care and attention on it, I think it deserves to look good. I really enjoy this kind of thing!
The varnish has to go though, it's flaking away quite badly on the handle especially, but I'll attempt to work around the label and keep it. More photos later, for anyone that's interested. Now, I'm away back out to the workshop to continue buffing the brass wheel with the aid of an electric drill in a vice. 8) *counts fingers*

Lovely plane, and it's nice to see another poor soul at the top of the slippery slope! The more the merrier, and it is really satisfying to see an old wreck back in working condition.

I've had a similar transfer experience with both a Record and a Stanley.

On the Record, I tried to remove the varnish and keep the label intact, but the finish was so thick that the label was very proud of the surface, and sadly had to be sacrificed; I think it would have fallen off by itself anyway.

With the Stanley I'm working on at the moment, I'm simply going to remove the entire handle and keep it in a safe place, and make a new handle to use. A bit long winded, but far more fun than trying to remove old lacquer and leave a small bit intact!

El.

 

[Fat ferret]

It looks to me as if a previous owner has already put a "top coat" of varnish on the tote, which is now peeling down to bare wood.

I would strip the tote, die the beech (as Record did) as use a slightly "bodying" oil finish, like Danish oil, or Liberon Finishing Oil.

I don't (personally) like the feel of a true gloss finish (varnish, shellac) on a handle.

BugBear

Did record leave the wood bare then? Mine is thickly varnished on my no 5 but my no 4 is bare wood.

Excellent purchase, records are great .

 

[bugbear]

It looks to me as if a previous owner has already put a "top coat" of varnish on the tote, which is now peeling down to bare wood.

I would strip the tote, die the beech (as Record did) as use a slightly "bodying" oil finish, like Danish oil, or Liberon Finishing Oil.

I don't (personally) like the feel of a true gloss finish (varnish, shellac) on a handle.

BugBear

Did record leave the wood bare then?

Sorry - I wasn't clear; to the best of my recollection, Record dyed the wood, then put a varnish of some kind on.

I like to do the "dye" part, but not the varnish part.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

On those dyed beech handles..I think they dipped them in polysomethingorother....horrible!

The older rosewood ones tended to be just oiled from what I can see...but if it is varnish it's very thin varnish.

I would make a new one...just for the fun of it...cocobolo or something equally exotic.

Jim

 

[Racers]

Hi, Jim

My record 4 1/2 stayset has rosewood handles that where varnished, they where doing the normal cracking up trick, so I scraped tham back and waxed them.

It cost me £10, knocked them down from £12



Pete

 

[Dangermouse]

if you need a couple of decals see here

new-record-waterslide-decals-t49861.html

 

[alan2001]

With the Stanley I'm working on at the moment, I'm simply going to remove the entire handle and keep it in a safe place, and make a new handle to use. A bit long winded, but far more fun than trying to remove old lacquer and leave a small bit intact!

Ummm... I think that's a step too far, for me. :mrgreen:

I've still to deal with the knob & handle, but I'm pretty much finished it to my satisfaction.

Here's the label in question, before I make a mess of it. :wink:

 

[gounthar]

Nice job! How did you remove the pin of the adjustment thumbwheel?

 

[jimi43]

Wow! Alan! That is in much nicer nick than I first thought! That's bordering on pristine...you really got a great deal there mate!

Re the handle...it all comes down to useability. As I have said...I don't like the varnished handles...label or no label and would take the varnish off a new one if they made them that good.

Collectors would love this plane as it is with the label and you could get a few bob for that if photographed correctly and stuck up on FleaBay.

Since you are keeping it...I suggest you get another handle from Fleabay (two a penny) and put that one aside for the day you might want to sell it and do what you will with the new handle. Rosewood pairs are quite cheap too...I'd take both off and replace them to what rocks your boat.

That plane is definitely worth the effort. And a fantastic job on cleaning it up.

Well done mate! =D>

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Just to tease you...imagine what a nice pair of cocobolo handles would look like on her!

:mrgreen:

Jim

 

[Racers]

Hi, Alan

Very nice work. Are you sure that knob is stained beech? I have a Record No5 that must be about the same age that has a rosewood knob. Yours looks very dark to me.

Pete