Looking for a home for vintage hand mortiser and wooden moulding planes

[blackwhite65]

First post here. My dad wants to thin down his collection of tools. Familiar story, he has collected umpteen of everything over the years and only needs to keep a couple of each type of tool. I am helping him to try to rehome the surplus items rather than scrap them.

First up are a couple of things:

1, Vintage hand operated Mortising machine. Make is WBL - No. 2. Date is 1896. He got it from a wagon manufacturer in Somerset c.50 years ago where it was seized solid. He dismantled it and got it working again. It was used at various woodworking tool exhibitions in the early 1980s. Comes with c. 9 chisels. I believe an identical machine is at the Highland Folk Museum in Scotland.

2, c.95 wooden moulding planes of all different shapes.

Pictures below. Would welcome any advise or suggestions on the best way to pass these on.

 

[TheTiddles]

Believe it or not, that mortiser is valueless other than weighing it in. But if you scraped the top half the legs are worth about £100 if you get the right buyer. Just as shame they’ve been painted.

The planes could be worth something if you pair them up and see if they still work

 

[blackwhite65]

For the morticing machine - we are ideally looking to pass it on to someone who wants to make use of it. I saw a post from Jan 2020 on here where it looks like this was achieved.

Scrapping it is our last resort.

 

[paulrbarnard]

First post here. My dad wants to thin down his collection of tools. Familiar story, he has collected umpteen of everything over the years and only needs to keep a couple of each type of tool. I am helping him to try to rehome the surplus items rather than scrap them.

First up are a couple of things:

1, Vintage hand operated Mortising machine. Make is WBL - No. 2. Date is 1896. He got it from a wagon manufacturer in Somerset c.50 years ago where it was seized solid. He dismantled it and got it working again. It was used at various woodworking tool exhibitions in the early 1980s. Comes with c. 9 chisels. I believe an identical machine is at the Highland Folk Museum in Scotland.

2, c.95 wooden moulding planes of all different shapes.

Pictures below. Would welcome any advise or suggestions on the best way to pass these on.

View attachment 113842View attachment 113843View attachment 113844View attachment 113845View attachment 113846View attachment 113847View attachment 113848

The Somerset folk museum in Glastonbury might be interested. They had a load of my Grandfathers tools.

 

[blackwhite65]

The Somerset folk museum in Glastonbury might be interested. They had a load of my Grandfathers tools.

thanks - I will give them a shout

 

[Cabinetman]

Believe it or not I have exactly the same morticing machine but mine was converted to electric which I suppose yours could be. It’s in use maybe once every couple of months and still works fine.

 

[Misterdog]

Steam powered surely.

 

[Inspector]

I live in the wrong country or I would jump on that mortising machine in a heartbeat.

Pete

 

[Gardener]

https://www.tooltique.co.uk/
Could try here to sell moulding planes …

 

[ovenpaa]

I live in the wrong country or I would jump on that mortising machine in a heartbeat.

Pete

What a lovely bit of kit, I would certainly give it house room as well as I am always happy to use 'hand tools' even industrial versions such as this one.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

That is lovely to see, thank you for sharing.

I too think a museum or historical setting would love to have that.

Those moulding planes are of value to the right person. Take time to identify and list them in detail and they will sell.

 

[blackwhite65]

Thanks for your thoughts and comments here. I am exploring homes for the mortising machine. I am going to explore selling the moulding planes, as there could be a decent value for them, given the number of them.

 

[toolsntat]

I would love to know if any of the planes have KENDALL YORK on them please.
Or any of the information from my signature below please.
Cheers Andy

 

[Davey44]

If your efforts to find a home for your father's wonderful mortising machine, I would love to have it for our local Men's Shed (Acocks Green Men's Shed), where I'm Secretary. We try very hard to instill the value of using hand tools, rather than immediately revert to the use of power. I'd need to know where you are if it came to that!

Oh BTW, I have several wooden planes including a couple of moulding versions.

 

[Adam W.]

The City and Guilds of London Art School would be able to make use of the moulders if you wish to donate them to a worthy educational cause and I would gladly cover the postage.

 

[blackwhite65]

I would love to know if any of the planes have KENDALL YORK on them please.
Or any of the information from my signature below please.
Cheers Andy

We will have a look at this. My dad is cataloguing them so will update you once he has done that. Might be a few days before we get that done!

 

[blackwhite65]

The City and Guilds of London Art School would be able to make use of the moulders if you wish to donate them to a worthy educational cause and I would gladly cover the postage.

Thanks for the offer. I will have a chat with my dad and see what his thoughts are.

 

[blackwhite65]

If your efforts to find a home for your father's wonderful mortising machine, I would love to have it for our local Men's Shed (Acocks Green Men's Shed), where I'm Secretary. We try very hard to instill the value of using hand tools, rather than immediately revert to the use of power. I'd need to know where you are if it came to that!

Oh BTW, I have several wooden planes including a couple of moulding versions.

Thanks - I am waiting to hear if the somerset rural life museum will take the mortiser. If not I will be in touch directly.

 

[blackwhite65]

Hi, having done an inventory now, I will be collecting the mortiser and a whole bunch of tools (steel and wooden planes of various types, plus a number of panel and tenon saws) and bringing them back to near Bristol at the end of October.

If anyone is still interested in taking on the Mortiser, please let me know?

I will be sorting out the rest of the tools for sale or donation and providing a more detailed inventory and photos.