What to turn my Bailey 5-1/4 into

[Paul K. Johnson]

I have a Bailey 5-1/4 plane. It was covered in rust with pits that I'll never remove because I'd have to remove too much metal to make them go away.

It's really an "extra" plane if there is such a thing so I'm considering turning it into a scrub plane.

This is a list of my planes to help you help me decide:

Veritas:
Apron Plane (my most used)
5-1/4 Jack (standard, not low angle)
Low-angle block plane
Miniature block plane (yes, I use it)
Miniature edge plane
Bevel-up Jointer
Low angle smoother (the one with the painted sides)
Router plane

Lie Nielson:
Model-builders plane
Violin plane
Small spoke shave
Large shoulder plane
Rabbeting block plane

Other:
Stanley hand plane - disassembled and a rusty mess. Came to me with a Stanley tool chest that included the 5-1/4
Wil-Kro razor plane
Primus smoother
Some Japanese-style jack plane that has emotional issues

Except for the Japanese jack plane and the two rusty Stanley's, I love all my planes. They're mostly relatively new - purchased over the past 2 years. I can sharpen them competently although I'm not great using them but getting better as I now go looking for reasons to plane something and if I can't find one then I plane something anyway.

So what else could I use my Stanley for and what do you suggest? I have cleaned off all the surface rust and the blade is polished and sharp on the business end but corroded and pitted over the rest of the blade. I know I could purchase a new third party blade/chip-breaker that would be better than what's in it but before I sink money into it I want it to be doing something that needs to be done that none of my others will do just as well in their current configuration.

Hopefully that last sentence makes sense.

Thanks,

- Paul

[lowell holmes]

I think you need to build a nice curly maple book case. It might be 36" wide, four shelves with two glass doors. I have one in my hall.
Mine is made of cherry though. It will give you a chance to use the plane.

[Paul K. Johnson]

I'm actually a model-builder trying to learn wood-working. I can always use display cases so maybe once I'm feel my game is up to I'll make that maple case. I really like working with maple and cherry.

[lowell holmes]

Google "wooden candle box". You will find simple fun boxes to make.

or

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wo...eat-box-dinner


One of the beginning classes at Homestead Heritage was making a candle box.

http://www.sustainlife.org/store/onl...ed-candle-box/

I attended that class when Paul Sellers was there. Frank Strazza is and excellent teacher. I have attended some of his classes as well.

[Pat Barry]

Other:
Some Japanese-style jack plane that has emotional issues
Except for the Japanese jack plane ... I love all my planes.

I'm no professional pychologist/psychiatrist, others are, but my amateur psych degree thinks there is a relationship between the emotional issues that your Japanese jack plane has, and your professed lack of love for it. It may be that you need to love that plane a little more and its emotional issues will be gone.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm not great using them but getting better as I now go looking for reasons to plane something and if I can't find one then I plane something anyway.

Been there, still do that… A good friend thinks I should go to meetings with him. "Hello, my name is Jim and I'm a plane user."

It's really an "extra" plane if there is such a thing so I'm considering turning it into a scrub plane.

My appreciation for a scrub plane was rather low until a lousy deal on ebay brought me two beaten to near death #5-1/4 planes. Now one of them sees somewhat regular use as a scrub plane.

The only downside is you may come to like it so much you will want to 'upgrade' to a better example.

Be careful, making shavings with a scrub plane is just as mesmerizing as the gossamer shavings from a freshly sharpened plane.

Plus side is you do not need a great blade for a scrub plane. Also the #5-1/4 & a #3 use the same blade. You may be able to pick up a spare on ebay.

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

I have a Bailey 5-1/4 plane. It was covered in rust with pits that I'll never remove because I'd have to remove too much metal to make them go away.

It's really an "extra" plane if there is such a thing so I'm considering turning it into a scrub plane.

Yep. Put some camber on that narrow blade and you'll have just the thing for hogging off big shavings.

Seriously, the combination of a narrow blade and a long-ish sole (compared to other planes with similar-width irons) is perfect for roughing work.

[Robert Engel]

This !! ^^

[steven c newman]

I have 2 in that size...Millers Falls No. 11......used almost every project.

Plane is not too well cared for.....better send it to me for proper disposal.....

IMG_0894 (640x480).jpg
Works just fine as a jointer for small boards..
jointer.jpg
All it is, is a long bodied #3 plane. can be used as a jointer, or a smooth..when the project is too small for the bigger planes. Works very nice on glue lines, too. Oh, and I hear it also works as a Jack plane...

[John Kananis]

From the collection of plains you mention (the low angle jointer being the largest by far with no fore plane in the mix) a scrub would seem out of place. Do you hand-prep larger rough pieces? If yes, then a scrub is a great idea, if no, maybe rethink it. That being said, all-in-of-itself, a 5 1/4 does make a nice scrub.

[Paul K. Johnson]

From the collection of plains you mention (the low angle jointer being the largest by far with no fore plane in the mix) a scrub would seem out of place. Do you hand-prep larger rough pieces? If yes, then a scrub is a great idea, if no, maybe rethink it. That being said, all-in-of-itself, a 5 1/4 does make a nice scrub.

I'm not clear what you're getting at. Are you saying I need a fore plane? What will it do that my 5-1/4 or jointer won't do?

I forgot about another plane I have - a Wood River #1. I bought it just because it's cute. But it's nicely made and I recommend it to anyone looking for that class of plane.

I also have the three miniature wood plane set from Harbor Freight. I think I paid eight bucks for it figuring if it was the junk I expected it to be then I wasn't out much. And so far they've all been worthless. I got all the blades razor sharp but I can't get any of them to take a nice shaving. I think the blade steel is too soft or something. No big deal. I don't actually have a use for them anyway.

[Patrick Chase]

I'm not clear what you're getting at. Are you saying I need a fore plane? What will it do that my 5-1/4 or jointer won't do?

When it comes to roughing the only thing that a fore will do that those planes won't is wear you out.

Seriously, the choice of roughing planes is very subjective. Some people use fores, others use jacks, still others use scrubs. Both your Veritas 5-1/4W (basically a slightly shortened #5 with an unusually long toe) and the Bailey 5-1/4 we're discussing here are perfectly reasonable roughing planes. I would prefer the Bailey for that, because you typically make narrow-but-deep cuts when roughing so the 2" iron of the 5-1/4W doesn't buy you much.

I think he may have misunderstood what was proposed. You wouldn't be getting a scrub, you'd simply be configuring your Bailey 5-1/4 for roughing. It's perfectly reasonable IMO.

[steven c newman]

Or..just send it to me..I'll make a WORKING plane out of it...it was called a Junior JACK plane for a reason....

[Paul K. Johnson]

I've got it working. But I have a newer better version so instead of having it sitting on a shelf collecting dust I want to do something with it (besides send it to someone else).

[Paul K. Johnson]

You wouldn't be getting a scrub, you'd simply be configuring your Bailey 5-1/4 for roughing. It's perfectly reasonable IMO.

The Bailey is also a 5-1/4. So for roughing do I want a full radius on the blade or a straight section in the middle and rounded toward the edges?