Newbie Neanderthal making shavings

[Jeff Skory]

Hi all,

I am quite new to the Neanderthal world. Been lurking for a while. Always had a desire to play with all those hand tools but have not really started until now.

So I have started out with hand planes. I own a Record #4 that I bought quite a number of years ago but never really got the hang of and it has been sitting on the shelf. However, lately I have started reading - bought Hack's book (I'm about half way through it) and I won an e-bay auction that included 3 handplanes.

The handplanes consisted of a wooden plane made in Germany, a Stanley 220, and a Stanley Bailey No. 4. I didn't realize what shape these were really in from the pictures. Quite a bit of rust and a lot of japanning missing.

So I spent quite a number of hours restoring the planes. Man, that's a lot of work!!

Anyway, I finally got the no. 4 working pretty good. Still need to work on getting super thin shavings but I'm pretty happy for now. As you can see in the pictures I had fun making a pile of shavings.

And I have to say that I find the Bailey has a much nicer feel to it than the Record.

As time goes on here I would like to build myself a workbench with a vise or two and start working my way into other hand tools (saws, chisels, etc.). Thanks for all the advice you guys have given, even if I didn't ask the questions personally.

Jeff

[David Gendron]

Good for you! Look like you did a good job at geting those planes back to work! they look realy clean. keep us up to date on your banch and other project!
David

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like you are starting on your way.

Just three words for you, sharpen, sharpen and sharpen.

It is amazing how as you learn to sharpen blades the planes improve substantially.

jim

[Jerome Hanby]

Did you japan the planes or paint them. I've bought a few planes off the bay and if yours looked mine when you started, incredible job!

[Jeff Skory]

Did you japan the planes or paint them. I've bought a few planes off the bay and if yours looked mine when you started, incredible job!

I read quite a few posts on here before starting. I started out using vinegar to get rid of the rust, not too bad of a job but if you leave it in too long it starts to discolor the metal. After rinsing them they would gain surface rust as you looked at them despite drying them off immediately. I then bought some VapoRust which did a much better job.

The jappanning I took off with Klean-Strip Stripper. Nasty stuff. I did it outside and hosed things down after letting them sit for a short while. Nitrile gloves start to disintegrate immediately upon contact.

And finally I hit all the metal with a fine wire brush I bought for my grinder. And them immediately covered all areas that would not be painted with some paste wax.

I then taped up the areas that would not get painted and hit them with a few applications of Rustoleum. I was not looking to make them look completely authentic, I was after creating some usable planes.

[Jerome Hanby]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not really looking for authenticity either, but I thought the japanning process looked kind of cool, so I ordered some Asphaultium and picked up a toaster oven off of Freecycle. Also put together the stuff to remover rust with electrolysis, again because it looked fun, not because it was the easiest most direct method .

[Jeff Skory]

Thanks for the reply. I'm not really looking for authenticity either, but I thought the japanning process looked kind of cool, so I ordered some Asphaultium and picked up a toaster oven off of Freecycle. Also put together the stuff to remover rust with electrolysis, again because it looked fun, not because it was the easiest most direct method .

Hadn't thought about looking for a toaster oven. Good idea. I had only read that it would get you in a lot of hot water with your wife if you used the kitchen oven.

[Jeff Skory]

Just three words for you, sharpen, sharpen and sharpen.

It is amazing how as you learn to sharpen blades the planes improve substantially.

jim

Jim, I'm starting to realize this. I have a ways to go in developing these skills.

[Ken Alcott]

Is that your table saw doubling as your workbench? Do you just lay a piece of hardboard over it? Just wondering because I have serious space limitations.

[Jeff Skory]

Is that your table saw doubling as your workbench? Do you just lay a piece of hardboard over it? Just wondering because I have serious space limitations.

Yep. I also am a bit cramped. My workroom is about 12x13. Not that I'm complaining (much ).

Yeah, I just clamped a long board across the end of it to have a backstop so I could try out my planes. Not bad but I'm looking forward to better clamping options once I build a real workbench. That will have to creep its way into the next room, but I figure since it won't really but producing much dust (like power equipment) that I should be ok. Just need to figure out where to move the other stuff in order to make room for a bench.

[David Gendron]

Get rid of it who needs a table saw anyway!