Identification, please.

[Smudger]

Earlier this evening I got a phone call from No 1 son, apparently he had something for me. It turned out to be a bucket o' tools, from his business partner's father who is moving and clearing out. Turned out to be this lot:

That's a Stanley 4 1/2 - rusty but made shavings once I'd screwed the frog back in, a wooden jack with a terminally broken mouth, a Record spokeshave, another spokeshave, a nice oilstone and two mystery objects (to me).

The first is an infill block plane. It's made of sheet iron, and the sole is dovetailed to the sides. It needs a new wedge and a good clean, but it looks like a user. Any ideas of exactly what it is and age?

The other is a Disston Triumph - a saw set I suppose? Again, it looks in good order apart from some rust. What do I do with it?

I've got another bucket on the way (different source) in return for some oysters and a tin of foie gras...

 

[Harbo]

I am no expert but from my books it looks like a "Thumb Plane" which were about 5" long with a 1.5" cutter - pretty old too!

Rod

 

[Smudger]

Thanks, Rod. I was wondering if it is some species of mitreing plane, given the lip at the front of the sole.

 

[IanW]

The other is a Disston Triumph - a saw set I suppose? Again, it looks in good order apart from some rust. What do I do with it?

Set saws!
Smudger: I haven't ever used a Disston set, but it looks like a good-un, with a nice big 'anvil' plate to resist twisting when you activate the punch - better than the newish Stanley I have. If you don't do your own saws, I'm sure you'll find someone happy to relieve you of the burden of ownership.

Cheers,
Ian

 

[DomValente]

Smudger wrote:

I've got another bucket on the way (different source) in return for some oysters and a tin of foie gras...

I have several buckets which I will happily deliver personally.

Dom

 

[Alf]

While we await persons who actually know anything about infills (unlike me) on the evidence of the oil stone (assuming it's the usual size) I think I'd call that a mitre plane. Nice thing to find in a bucket.

A bit about the Disston saw sets here - as Ian says (welcome to the forum, btw) you, erm, set saws with it. Can't recall offhand if they're supposed to be particularly good 'uns or not, but generally even supposedly less desirable models still work so what the heck.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

a wooden jack with a terminally broken mouth

Takes a lot of damage to stop a wooden jack working; got a photo?

Who's the plane by? (if the stock markings have been hammered out of existence, the blade is "probably" by the maker of the plane)

BugBear

 

[Smudger]

Alf - the supposed mitre plane is 8" long and has a 1 5/8" blade (that's a big oilstone! - looks like it's an Emir in a matching box). The wedge is so badly swollen that I can't shift it, and I haven't raised the courage to chisel it out yet. There is almost no cutter showing, no sign of a maker's name anywhere even after a quick clean.

Bugbear - it's a wreck, and it's already been repaired - I'll put a photo up later (packing to go off to France for a month, so a bit pushed for time!)

 

[bugbear]

Alf - the supposed mitre plane is 8" long and has a 1 5/8" blade (that's a big oilstone! - looks like it's an Emir in a matching box). The wedge is so badly swollen that I can't shift it, and I haven't raised the courage to chisel it out yet. There is almost no cutter showing, no sign of a maker's name anywhere even after a quick clean.

Leave it all to dry out nicely in the workshop (or living room) while you're in France. Patience, mon brave!

BugBear

 

[Smudger]

This is the mouth of the big woody:

Not encouraging.

And the smaller (mitre?) plane will need a new wedge, when, as BB says, the old one dries out/gets mangled out!

 

[bugbear]

This is the mouth of the big woody:

Not encouraging.

All that's happened there is that the mouth widened (though jointing of the sole), and was patched.

Now, further jointing of the sole has not only widened the mouth, it's jointed away the thickness of the first patch, which has broken.

Now, this ain't ever going to be a fine mouthed finishing plane, but then it never was

Either remove and fill the patch hole, and apply a sole lamination (making the body thick again), or simply excavate a hole and supply a yet deeper patch.

If you want to, of course.

BugBear

 

[Alf]

In many respects the fact someone took the time and trouble to patch the mouth (and did a neat job too) is a good sign. Means they found that a plane worth making the effort for - could be the handle position is particularly sweet, or the iron especially good. Also, until someone can give you a better educated opinion on the infill, less is more. Don't mangle nuffink yet!

Cheers, Alf

 

[paulm]

Might be worth putting the infill into a warm oven to expand the metal slightly and ease the wedge out ?

Hopefully if not too hot it wouldn't damage the infill ?

Cheers, Paul.

 

[bugbear]

Might be worth putting the infill into a warm oven to expand the metal slightly and ease the wedge out ?

Hopefully if not too hot it wouldn't damage the infill ?

Cheers, Paul.

Sufficient heat to move the metal enough to make a difference will damage the wood.

Start gentle - a month in a house is a good start. Old/shed tools are often rather damp and expanded.

BugBear

 

[Smudger]

We got the wedge out of the mitre plane by the judicious use of a hide-head hammer. The iron is Union Mfg Coy, New Britain, and clearly not original.

The latest identification is an early 19th century mitre plane, later abused as a block plane. The infill may not be original, and it needs a new wedge. I'll be phoning that nice Mr Iles for a replacement iron tomorrow, and I've been offered a lump of rosewood to make a wedge and infill. Nice. Looking forward to restoring it, a bit. Now I need to make a mitred shooting board...

 

[jmk89]

Back to the saw set - Disston Triumph are probably the leading US saw set and IMHO better (ie easier to use accurately) than either Stanley or Eclipse. If you don't want it.....(bother, I forgot this is the UKWorkshop Forum and the post to Sydney would be 'orrible :lol: )

Cheers

Jeremy