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Thread: St James Tools

  1. #16
    Thanks for the honest feedback everyone! Even with the couple of negatives, he will stay on my list as a source for a scrub plane. After dealing with old custom bikes the last few years, I've had similar hot/cold with the vendors I send my money too. Will also consider buying or building a woodie too. I have the cambered Hock iron on my wish list at Veritas expressly for this purpose. I'm not in dire need of the scrub yet, but I will be wanting it soon, and wanted to start my window shopping. Thanks again!
    If it ain't broke, fix it til it is!

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Spring City, TN
    Posts
    1,537
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Baldwin III View Post
    Thanks for the honest feedback everyone! Even with the couple of negatives, he will stay on my list as a source for a scrub plane. After dealing with old custom bikes the last few years, I've had similar hot/cold with the vendors I send my money too. Will also consider buying or building a woodie too. I have the cambered Hock iron on my wish list at Veritas expressly for this purpose. I'm not in dire need of the scrub yet, but I will be wanting it soon, and wanted to start my window shopping. Thanks again!
    I've talked with him a couple of times. He's just an individual machinist. If he's got it off it goes, if not you have to wait till he makes them.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    1,429
    Mark,
    I looked for a long time for a #40 for a price I was willing to pay. Finally found it, but I find the scrub I turn to when I need one is a wooden ECE that was given to me by a friend. Similar horned versions are usually just afew bucks on ebay, or you can find them in box lots at auction.

    Mark

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    MLR, 78600 France
    Posts
    59
    Hi creekers,

    I Have to comment/moderate my previous posts.

    I finally got in touch with St James Tool Bay Co. Teh fact is that if you use the mail that is the contact for the web site, you don't have much chances too reach him.
    You rather call !

    That's what I did and than all wen smooth. He's very nice to get on the phone, very instructed on planes and tool history. As the conversation went by (as my phone bill - I called from France) he even tought me tricks to get my irons tempered, etc.
    I was a pleasure talking with him (even I speaking is harder than writing, for non native english speakers). Very nice guy.

    So mail is not the way to go. Phone is the way to got.

    I'll get the parts I've ordered soon, and I'm very pleased the way it goes. He did put the pars on ebay for me, as it is easier to buy them from a country abroad.

    Sorry for the previous comments.
    I'll let you know when I get the parts. But as other said, it's very nice to do business with him, but get on the phone.

    Just to let you, as I want to be honest, and also to let people of this forum know about how things are.

    Best Regards.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    198
    So how much does a good+ Stanley #40 sell for and is anybody seriously looking for one?
    If I had six hours to chop down a tree I'd hire someone else to do it and put my time to better use.

  6. #21
    I've got some small router plane castings from him on ebay, the are great, I haven't finished either (read: I've started work on them). I did have trouble emailing about some replacement part, but I don't remember what it was.
    Trevor Walsh
    TWDesignShop

  7. #22
    Calling or visiting Bob is definitely in order. I stopped by his shop in Mesa this summer while I was in Phoenix. Very cool, lots (LOTS) of replacement parts for Stanleys, and he does it all in his little shop that sits in the shadow of high rise buildings in Mesa. I bought a 60 degree smoothing plane kit (working on bit by bit), an old ship lap plane, some parts for my 45, and a few other esoteric parts (screws, etc.) you're simply not going to find elsewhere. Reasonable prices, too, in my opinion. The man just doesn't seem to like email, and that's okay by me. He's a wealth of information and it was great to sit and chat for about 45 minutes. As far as my previous orders, all were shipped quickly.

  8. #23
    I just received a panel plane kit I ordered off of the 'bay. Took a little longer (2 wks) than expected to get here, but not a big deal. I've also heard that he's much more of a phone conversationalist, and not great with email. He has a lot of cool stuff on his site -- which means I'm going to have to give him a call soon

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    Posts
    296
    I'll throw in my two cents and experience.

    I've ordered some oddball parts from Bob. Like everyone has said, you need to talk to him on the phone and have at least 30 minutes to spend. It will likely be worth your while, anyway. He had to make the parts for me; they were not stock. It took him about 6 weeks to make them and get them to me, which I felt was simply excellent for one man in a shop for fairly unique one-off parts. The parts worked perfect out of the package and I would not hesitate to order from him again. Also, given Stanley and other old tool parts are usually not standard, I find his prices excellent.

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