Picked up an old No.4 Baily from a flea market today... Resto advice appreciated!

[bob blakeborough]

Hey everyone,

Found this old Baily No.4 at a local flea market/antique mall today, and it seemed pretty decent for $25.00 so I grabbed it. I only grabbed a few quick cell phone pics but everything seems good. It has a corrugated bottom, the mouth is in great shape, the wood is nice, and after taking it apart, it looks like it hasn't been apart in 50 years as there is still old shavings still in all the nooks and crannies. All the screws etc were locked up a bit but it took very little to free everything, except for one which bent slightly trying to remove it, but did succeed and I am hoping I can get away with using it or finding a replacement...

Anyways, this is my first attempt at restoring an old plane and was hoping I could squeak a little advice on how best to proceed from all you folks who have experience in doing this... Let me know what you all think!

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3180/no42.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1169/no41.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7383/no4z.jpg

[Mitch Barker]

Go back to the main page for Neanderthal haven, and click (or touch) the Neanderthal wisdom/FAQ link. Scroll down and you'll see a section on rehabbing old planes. Good place start.

[Joel Goodman]

Most of the screws are still available from Stanley or perhaps some one here has an extra -- which screw is bent?

[john davey]

Looks like you found a nice type 11 or 12 there. Nice find. Tune it up and make some shavings :).

[Trevor Walsh]

Instead of fussing with the badly screwed up iron that came with my 4 I bought a Veritas replacement, it's in the mail... I did replace the blade in my #7 with a LV and it's amazing. I'm a big fan of the new manufacture, thick replacement blades being made.

[bob blakeborough]

Most of the screws are still available from Stanley or perhaps some one here has an extra -- which screw is bent?

It is the screw that you see in the third picture right underneath the brass depth adjuster. Not even sure what it is for? lol

The blade it came with is sure thin compared to my Veritas planes for sure. I will definitely be looking at a replacement!

[Joe Bailey]

It is the screw that you see in the third picture right underneath the brass depth adjuster. Not even sure what it is for? lol

That is the frog-adjusting screw. Once the two screws holding the frog to the casting are loosened, this screw can be turned to effectively close or open the mouth. This is one area in which the Bedrocks are an improvement -- the frog can be adjusted without loosening the two screws under the lever cap, chipbreaker, blade assembly. If this were a bedrock, you would see two more screws outboard of the one yours has.

[bob blakeborough]

That is the frog-adjusting screw. Once the two screws holding the frog to the casting are loosened, this screw can be turned to effectively close or open the mouth. This is one area in which the Bedrocks are an improvement -- the frog can be adjusted without loosening the two screws under the lever cap, chipbreaker, blade assembly. If this were a bedrock, you would see two more screws outboard of the one yours has.

Awesome! Thanks for that info... Looks like I am going to have to try and find a replacement.

[Joe Bailey]

It is, I believe, included in a kit of replacement hardware, which Stanley still sells:

http://yhst-14955502022428.stores.yahoo.net/spkit3baplsc.html

[Jim Koepke]

Nice looking plane for $25.

Should make a good user.

jtk

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Get "the Handplane Book" from Amazon. It's cheap and will give you LOTS of info. Buy a DVD and get the order over 25 bucks, they'll ship free.