The addiction is taking hold

[Anonymous]

I've never used a hand plane in my life up until today, and what a pleasure it has been compared to fighting with a power plane that does the exact opposite of what I wanted to achieve :roll: I needed a small plane and went for a Crown bull nose, this was well within my budget but no doubt I'll progress to other makes/sizes as the addiction gets ahold of me!

 

[DaveL]

Joe,

Welcome to the forum, now stand and say after me,

I do not have a tool problem, I can stop using them any time I like!

Don't worry, Alf will be along soon just to make sure you don't make in back off the slope :shock: :wink: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

lol@DaveL

I can't get over how nice it was to use a hand plane, does this make me sound like a very sad person ? Because if it does, I don't care!

 

[Alf]

Think I forgot to say before so: Hello, Joe, welcome to the forum.

Now if you'd like to just step back a little? A little more... Sorry? What? You feel like there's rather an empty space behind you? No, no. It's just a little drop... Fine, lovely. Just hold on to these planes a moment while I apply the grease to your- er, I mean while I facilitate your journey... Okay? Ready? Right folks, on three - PUSH!!! :wink:

Sad person? Pish tush. Seen the light more like.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome and the 'push' towards getting well and truely addicted :lol: This hand tool virus is taking hold, I'm starting to think about another tool I've never used and that's a Spokeshave, got to be easier than my present method of using a stanley knife, which is limited to bevelled edges at the moment :roll: I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight, beautiful curves and precision bodies and they won't be of the human variety

 

[Midnight]

Alf...... one of these days you're gonna get cought doin that...

Ahem...

 

[Bean]

Welcome Joe to both the forum and the wonderful world of Hand Tools, it is an addiction which can be easily fed, I fed mine today with another No4 Plane, and a very nice cabinet screwdriver.

Bean

 

[Mdotflorida]

Hi Joe

Been there done that, had the severed tendon got the scar !!!!!

Be careful

 

[Anonymous]

I wasn't, got the cut finger tonight, Spokeshave for me from now on I think :roll:
Any suggestions for a Spokeshave that a beginner should start with, assume I know nothing about them which is an understatement ?

Thanx all for the welcome :wink:

 

[trevtheturner]

Hi Joe,

Welcome. As many different types of spokeshave as you can possibly get hold of and then multiply those by all the different makes will probably be the strong recommendation from this forum. :twisted:

Then just wait until you ask how to sharpen them............... :roll: :lol: :lol:

I'll leave the advice to the experts in this field but, seriously, you will get lots of good advice. :wink:

Cheers, Trev.

 

[Alf]

As many different types of spokeshave as you can possibly get hold of and then multiply those by all the different makes will probably be the strong recommendation from this forum. :twisted:

While Trev is obviously bang on the money there, perhaps we shouldn't risk scaring you off The Slope completely... How far will your budget stretch? Then we'll know just how many we can suggest. :twisted: :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Gary H]

Well, fellas i've just had a similar experience with my Bailey no.5 hand plane (the only plane I own at the moment ).

Just been finishing off a decking area for TPTB - The Powers That Be! and due to the small ( for small read - couldn't swing a mouse let alone a cat! No offence cat lovers :wink workshop and the lovely British weather, I couldn't take a power lead outside. So most of it has been done by hand, ie. mortice and tenons, half laps, and planing. So I made a poor attempt at de-rusting the no.5 (any tips Alf???) and was amazed at the results on the rough pine that i got from work (pallet wood mainly).
So from now on it's the hand plane for me, all the way as the sense of satisfaction is enormous!!

Ready to join the slippery slope? I'll get my sledge...

Gary

 

[Alf]

Ooo, nice job.

So I made a poor attempt at de-rusting the no.5 (any tips Alf???)

Well... If the tool's just plain dirty then I've taken to giving them a thorough wash and brush up in hot soapy water before I start on the de-rusting (check with TPTB first, or wait 'til they're out... :wink: ). Dry as well as you can afterwards and then 5-10 mins in a warmish oven does the rest, otherwise you could just add to your rust problems. :shock: For what I call "crusty" rust use a scraper/Stanley knife blade to scrape off the worst. Then I like to use maroon webrax (or other synthetic wire wool substitute of your choice, or even the real deal if you prefer) and white spirit on the japanned areas if they're very rusty, but the grey if the japanning is largely intact. If it's totally perfect and lovely, don't touch it! Sides, sole and any other areas of bare metal which are reasonably smooth get 320 wet 'n' dry well lubricated with (guess what) white spirit. Rough bare metal areas get the maroon webrax and white spirit treatment too. For awkward corners etc use whatever combination of toothbrushes, cotton buds, bits of stick with a rag around the end or mystic chanting works for you. If necessary soak it, scrub at a bit, soak some more etc. Brass router collet cleaning brushes are great for cleaning out threaded holes btw. :!: Wear gloves and dispose of soaked rags etc carefully to avoid fire hazard. :!: Then a coat of paste wax over the lot, buffed out (I use Liberon Black Bison with good results, but others probably work just as well) and oil on all the threaded areas. This seems to give a good "used but not abused look"; for a more "ouch, it's so bright it hurts my eyes 8) " then you might find Rarebear's methods more to your liking. Personally I have to resist the urge to want to hang him up by his thumbs for doing all that to innocent old Stanleys, but different strokes and all that. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

'Bout 10 tools into the big tool chest clean-up, so very familiar with all of the above at the moment...

 

[Gary H]

Thanks for the comment :wink:
Cheers for the tips Alf. :wink: I'll give them a go and see what I can get.
Then I'll go and buy some more crusty old tools and before long I wont be able to see me feet fer rust!! :lol:

Ta muchly
Gary

 

[Chris Knight]

Gary,

I'm not sure if Alf is decrying electrolysis along with all Rarebear's methods but I have found it to be a very good way of derusting cruddy stuff. It sure beats a lot of abrading with Webrax etc. After the initial clean up with electrolysis, then I find I can tackle whatever is left with hand methods that are more delicate and less messy than the overall clean-up would otherwise be.

 

[Alf]

I'm not sure if Alf is decrying electrolysis along with all Rarebear's methods

Sorry, should have made that clear. I wasn't particularly, but I'm not a big fan, no. I'm not grabbed by the grey look you get (definitely a personal taste issue) and prefer the "lovingly hand worked" effect instead. :wink: A bonus is you get to know the tool very well :roll: and can spot any necessary repairs etc that might be required before it might be too late. I also worry about just how delicate electrolysis really is with some of the plating and japanning on more damaged tools and so forth. If I was cleaning up UK Stanleys I wouldn't give it a thought mind you. Still, I suppose the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so judge for yourself. Just as a flavour, a "before" shot:

And after, plus and minus this 'n' that:

Well I'm chuffed anyway. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Neil]

Oooh... they look very nice - I think I'm with you on preferring this finish to RareBear's shiny look. I particularly like the plane at the back, Alf - what is it?

Also what is that little widget next to the brace?

NeilCFD

 

[Alf]

Ahh, bless you, Neil.

The one at the back is a Stanley #10 bench rebate plane. Unfortunately it had the finest of cracks in one cheek (to which they're horribly prone ) but the repair using stuff called "JB Weld" seems to be working okay <crosses everything, grasps hold of a plank, looks round for a four-leaf clover etc>

The widget is a #94 butt gauge, and one day I may even understand how it works...

Cheers, Alf

 

[Chris Knight]

Alf,

Your beautiful tools certainly bear witness to the merits of your method - and yes, you do get a rather grey look with electrolysis.

I'm very impressed by the totes - how did you preserve/get the patinated look?

BTW are you going to hit 1000 this evening?

 

[Neil]

Thanks Alf. Shame about the crack - still looks better than the example on Blood & Gore though

NeilCFD