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Thread: Plane Restoration questions

  1. #1
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    Plane Restoration questions

    I was able to pick up a Stanley Bailey #7 , a 5 1/2C & 45 with two boxes of cutters at garage sales the last few weeks.

    5 1/2 & #7, What is the best method of removing rust on the sole & sides & also from the top ( japanned areas)?

    What is the best method to refurb the #45? Is this a Nickel finish? How do i know if I have everything for the #45?

    I'm looking to restore for good users, not show pieces.

    Thanks
    Last edited by Craig Coney; 10-02-2011 at 8:55 PM.

  2. #2
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    There are so many answers to this question because planes are in varied condition and different folks are aiming for different results. When I first restored planes, I used a product called Evaporust and then an
    abrasive to remove the darkening on the surface of the metal. As I go along I prefer the patina of an old tool so I tend to just use a nylon abrasive pad and some WD40 to remove the rust. The sole is different
    because you want it to slide smoothly and be dead flat. I use spray adhesive to adhere wet/dry sandpaper or a sander belt to a long piece of plate glass. Then, prepare to spend a lot of time removing any rust and flattening the sole. Be very careful to apply uniform pressure straight down.

    This is a very general introduction. I recommend you start with an inexpensive common plane first.

  3. #3
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    At the top of this section check out Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs sticky. There are several threads on rehabbing planes that are quite helpful. Check out section 7.2.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Godlesky View Post
    At the top of this section check out Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs sticky. There are several threads on rehabbing planes that are quite helpful. Check out section 7.2.
    Mark,
    Thanks for the link, I wasn't aware this was available.

  5. #5
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    What is the best method to refurb the #45? Is this a Nickel finish? How do i know if I have everything for the #45?
    Unless you have one of he early types, the finish is nickel. Usually about all one can do is to remove the rust and use it as is. I have seen some that have been replated.

    Here is a source for an instruction manual:

    http://www.tooltrip.com/tooltrip9/st...anes/45man.pdf

    The list changed a bit over the years so yours could be slightly different.

    If you post some pictures from different angles/sides I can likely come up with a pretty good idea of what may or may not be missing.

    Here is a post of mine on the #45 that may help.

    Edit:

    Oops, forgot to add the link:

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-For&p=1176704

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 10-03-2011 at 11:43 AM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #6
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    To flatten the sole on planes, I use a 37" piece of plate glass that I glue cut sanding belt sander belts in various grits to. With the plane completely assembled and iron withdrawn, I then grind the sole. I say completely assembled so that all of the induced stresses, if any, are there when you flatten it and aren't introduced later. To remove the other rust I use fine steel wool and WD40. Some people use electrolysis and chemical systems on their planes and even re-japan them. I've never gone that far.

    To remove the rust on your #45 blades I've used the a generic product called Lime Out from WalMart that removes rust. Can't say that it's the best way though. Be sure to dry them throughly and oil them afterwards. Haven't a clue on what to do for the Nickel finish.
    Last edited by Richard Gillespie; 10-03-2011 at 8:05 AM. Reason: Spelling
    Possumpoint

  7. #7
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    Jim- here are some photos of the 45.
    IMG_0011.jpgIMG_0012.jpgIMG_0013.jpgIMG_0014.jpg

    I don't see any dates on it for identification, it does have the Sweethart logo.

  8. #8
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    Craig,

    From the pictures I can see you have the slitter blade which is the #1 most missing part. You are missing the #2 most often missing part, the screw that locks the fence adjustment. These are difficult to find.

    It looks like your blade set is complete. The smallest blade doesn't have a notch. It can be adjusted by the adjuster advancing the blade, but retraction has to be done by hand.

    It also looks like a previous owner replaced the depth stop lock screw with a thumb screw. This was originally a slotted screw like the ones holding the rods in the plane body. As long as the threads are the same, it should be fine and less trouble than finding a screwdriver before changing the depth stop.

    Also not shown in the photos are the cam stop and the short rods. They are convenient, but not necessary.

    From the logo on the skate my estimation is that it was made between 1922 and 1935. The logo on the box is an earlier logo that would indicate the plane may have been first sold in the earlier part of the 1922-1935 range.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 10-06-2011 at 1:54 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  9. #9
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    Thanks Jim. Is there anyone that sells replacement parts for the 45 other than finding stuff on ebay?

  10. #10
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    I used Evaporust to clean up my 45. It worked great on most of the parts, but you've got to watch your immersion time. I forgot I had a piece soaking and left it in for three or four days; it's now a darker color than the rest of the plane. Oh well, at least it's rust free, right?

    Lol.
    The rest of the parts were soaked overnight, scrubbed with a bit of steel wool or a steel wire brush, rinsed under hot water, and then soaked again for a couple of hours to provide a protective coating. I re-rinsed and then applied CLP (a gun cleaner and finish preserving spray) to most of the plane. All wood-contact surfaces received a paste wax treatment instead of the CLP.
    (Note: the CLP was what I had on hand at the time. I haven't studied the long-term protection capabilities on tools, but it works pretty well on firearms!)

    FWIW, I also tried rust-removal via electrolysis on a #7 a few weeks ago. While messy, it worked really well. The down side to this method is that it can loosen the japanning. That was fine by me since it's a user plane and I don't care about the original finish, japanning, or patina. I wanted that sucker stripped down to bare metal and that's what I got. A little wire brush and scraping action was required to finish it out. If you try this method, be aware that you need to be prepared to deal with the plane immediately upon removal. I was not, and wound up with some flash rust. A four hour dip in evaporust fixed that issue, and it provides a coating of sorts that will keep it from re-rusting until I'm ready for paint.

    A general not about electrolysis: battery chargers may or may not work. Mine is a smart model and registered a short, so I switched to the backup plan with a 6A, 12v power supply (left over from another project).

  11. #11
    Craig-

    Try St. James Bay Tool in Mesa Arizona. I don't have his phone number at hand, but I was down there this summer and picked up one of his plane kits (really cool) and some parts for my 45. He makes new parts for a lot of planes, so they won't be original, but they allow you to work. Regards, Brian

  12. #12
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    Here is a photo of my No 7 that I picked up restored. I don't have any pre-photos, but it was covered in rust on the sole & sides and alot of other crud that I couldn't identify. I couldn't imagine when I bought it that it would clean up so well. The sole is flat and the sides are square.

    I still need to refinish the tote & knob, but it's usable & that can wait for now, I have 2 more planes to clean up & restore.

    no 71.jpg

  13. #13
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    looks good.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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