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Thread: Inherited Hand Plane

  1. #1

    Inherited Hand Plane

    I'm pretty new to woodworking, and even newer to the beauty of the plane. I was given this plane last night. Apparently it belonged to my great-great-grandfather. Not sure if anyone here can tell me anything about it, whether I should tune it up and use or just keep it on a shelf to look good. It doesn't appear to be a Stanley plane based on the little reading that I have done on the internet. The only apparent markings seem to be a stamped letter "U" in a circle and "Made in the USA" behind the frog. I also took a picture of the mouth, other than the rust this really only seems to be the worst part, looks a little uneven in the corner, but there are no cracks or anything.

    It is 2 1/4 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches long.

    Let me know what you guys think I should do and if you can point me to any resources or any good books on hand planes, etc.

    Thanks.
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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I don't know the manufacturer, but I can tell you, unless you have some sentimental value to it, it's not worth tuning it up.

    From what I can see, everything other than knob/handle and base, everything is made from stamped steel, even the frog. It just won't perform well no matter what you do with it. Also it doesn't look that old, at least not as old as to belong to your great-great-grandfather.

    As far as resources go, I don't know. I haven't read a single woodworking or plane books as to date. Go to a sticky post called "Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs", that's a good starting point.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    It looks usable, but i don't know fi you'd want it to be your first attempt at hand planing. The U in a circle could have been a few different makers, i am not sure. My best advice would be to sharpen the blade as best you can, set it for a very light cut, and give it a shot on some pine or something.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Hello David and welcome to the Creek.

    Your plane looks to be very worthy of cleaning and putting on display.

    For more information and links to information on planes, check out the sticky/thread at the top of the Neanderthal Haven > Neanderthal wisdom/FAQs.

    Planes like yours do actually work, they just often are not able to perform at the same level as the more solid built models.

    It would not hurt to sharpen the blade and see what kind of shavings it can make.

    My comments are based on your plane looking to have stamped components in places were others have cast or machined parts.

    Planes made during the late 19th and early to mid 20th century were marketed on a few levels.

    Cabinet and furniture makers usually demanded the most from their tools.

    Next came the carpenters and framers who just wanted to knock off a little wood or correct a sticking door.

    Then came the handy man who might buy anything they could find. If times were good, they might invest in something to "last a lifetime." If times were tough, they might buy used or something to get them through the job at hand.

    Finally, there was the weekend home repair guy with a honey-do list. They would go to the hardware store and buy a tool for just one job. The modern version of this includes guys like my wife's ex who will buy a tool and then take it back for a refund. Me thinks there is a special spot reserved for them in a particular warm place that shall go unnamed.

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

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Fagan View Post
    I'm pretty new to woodworking, and even newer to the beauty of the plane. I was given this plane last night. Apparently it belonged to my great-great-grandfather. Not sure if anyone here can tell me anything about it, whether I should tune it up and use or just keep it on a shelf to look good. It doesn't appear to be a Stanley plane based on the little reading that I have done on the internet. The only apparent markings seem to be a stamped letter "U" in a circle and "Made in the USA" behind the frog. I also took a picture of the mouth, other than the rust this really only seems to be the worst part, looks a little uneven in the corner, but there are no cracks or anything.

    It is 2 1/4 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches long.

    Let me know what you guys think I should do and if you can point me to any resources or any good books on hand planes, etc.

    Thanks.
    I have two planes exactly like that one (No. 3 and No. 5 equivalents) that were also inherited. I've never tried to do anything with them because I had better Stanley planes and these don't look very promising.

    I will say that someone did at least try to use them. They show evidence of being sharpened and even tuned.

    Jim

  6. #6
    Circle u planer is a company called plomb/penen. They made hand tools for craftsman 1944-48

  7. #7
    Looks usable enough to fettle to me ...
    If its for the shelf, what better plane to delve into the world of plane restoration ...
    I would make sure you have a good surface plate to work on though
    Something that you can check and make sure its dead flat within 1 thou over say 24" (that's a cigarette paper)
    and make sure it wont deflect while your doing this task ...I.e not clamped down on some table.
    You will lose your tolerance !
    Don't even lay your surface plate down on a table that "looks" flat ..without knowing how much the plate will deflect (in use)

    If you take too much off ..there might be unknown voids inside the casting
    Mitch Peacock does a good thorough plane fettling video on youtube .
    Good luck
    Last edited by Tom Trees; 02-07-2017 at 6:39 AM.

  8. #8
    SAM_1665.JPG
    Here's some granite plates I salvaged from the rubble pile in a tile place ...I think this was from a stove base .
    Now I'm guessing that these will be dead flat, when I remove the concrete underneath them ...It could have distorted the tolerance by setting .
    Not as long as I'd like, but you get the point ...
    I have other dead flat plates for sole lapping which are at least the width of sandpaper rolls, and sit on a dead flat plate anyways .(my planing bench for now)

    I clamp a block with abrasive underneath on the bench ONLY ,stretch it up and over the lapping plate and tug the abrasive paper and clamp another block down
    on the plate only . this means that my surface plate has to overhang on the dead flat bench, just enough to get a clamp under .

    You won't need to do this with your short plane though . Its just good for a long one and you don't need to rip your paper ,just feed it along .
    BTW I brush or vacuum the paper off after every few strokes ...keep abrasive spotless .
    and keep the paper tight ..so you don't dub the edges ..tug the paper re-tighten the clamp.
    Tom
    Last edited by Tom Trees; 02-07-2017 at 7:02 AM.

  9. #9
    If you think it was really a family member's tool, then heck yes, clean it up and either put it on display or try to tune/use it.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  10. #10
    Hi, David. Like you, I am new to planes and hand tools. I found a great place to start was by taking a 6-hour sharpening class at a local woodworking school. One of the tools I brought for practice was a wooden hand plane that belonged to my grandfather. The instructor was thrilled to see it and made it a point to work with me to make sure I was able to sharpen it and make long, fine shavings before the class ended. The class not only taught me a method for sharpening, it also taught me about plane components and proper set up. Over the last few years I've taken 5 or 6 classes. This may be the best $80 I've spent in my woodworking education. It certainly gave me a good basis for moving forward with hand tools and a heirloom that I will occasionally use and will at other times be happily displayed in my shop. Enjoy it!

  11. #11
    Yes John, that is sound advice, but that depends on the OP's financial situation .
    Either way you need a lapping plate or you buy planes guaranteed to be flat and diamond sharpening plates of some description .
    How did your instructor help you, get your plane flat ?
    He could have done it, since its a woody on a wooden surface and sandpaper easily, but he probably used a well set up plane to do so ...
    So in essence theirs a flat plate somewhere in the scenario ...

    I think a visit to somewhere is in order, to source some dead flat material, be it a glass merchant to source some
    FLOAT GLASS thick sthuff, float glass has a green tinge .... that is un-toughened (toughing makes it distort) not talking bout plate glass either !
    Marble merchant that has granite either, I don't know about how flat marble is though ...?
    A dead flat surface will prove to be invaluable, whatever you get regardless what stable material it is .

  12. #12
    The OP posted this in 2010!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    9,467
    John, when this thread began, in 2010, a Stanley Handyman plane was considered a poor second cousin to a Stanley Bailey, and these were second rate to infills and BU planes. I inherited a Stanley #3 from my father-in-law. It lay on a shelf while I used power tools until a little over 20 plus years ago, when I re-discovered it while building our house. It kindled a love for hand tools. Then I began reading forums, when I learned it was not a great plane. This spurred me to find better planes. Years went by, until about 2012, when we began discussing the way a chipbreaker could transform these "lowly" planes into dragon slayers. My #3 took on a second life. Today it will perform along with the best premium planes. All that changed was the set up.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Last edited by Derek Cohen; 02-07-2017 at 9:01 AM.

  14. #14
    Haha
    I should read the dates on these threads anymore...
    This seems to be happening a lot these days .
    And to think I was going to take another piccy of me setup before me dinner !
    probably why i never noticed the date ...

    Typed single handed with a greasy beard !

  15. #15
    Hey, Tom.
    I agree, reading the OP post date would be helpful! I flattened the back of the iron starting with sandpaper on float glass going from 120 - 1000 then moved to the bevel, finally finishing the secondary bevel at 8000 on granite. Like you mentioned, the instructor discussed flattening the sole using sandpaper on granite. I opted to buy a 9x12 piece of machinists granite from Woodcraft rather than float glass, figuring there is less of chance I break the granite! I think it was about $46 shipped. Taking the class not only taught me about sharpening but allowed me to see and try a number of chisels and planes that were brought in by the other students. Definitely a good time!
    Last edited by john snowdon; 02-07-2017 at 8:40 PM.

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