Tool Talk
Woodworking Forum => Woodworking Forum => Topic started by: Lostmind on June 21, 2012, 06:48:11 PM
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I'm going to post photos of two wood planes. One was my Grandfathers , the other belonged to my Father. I have had them over 40 years, I don't use them and would like to sell them.
I don't think they are special , but would like some feed back.
The one is 18" X 3 ",marked "made in USA"
The other is Marked Bailey no. 5 with Craftsman on the blade retainer.14 X2 1/2"
Hope I can post the photos.
Thanks for any help
Roy
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......One was my Grandfathers , the other belonged to my Father...............................
I don't think they are special , but would like some feed back.
If they were my father's or grand-father's passed down to me they would be special for that reason alone. Do you know on what occasion(s) they may have used them (e.g. their trade, hobby projects)? It sure looks like they were used.
Sorry no help on ID'ing them - I'm just not a plane guy!
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Don't sell them!!
If they were mine no money could buy them.
They aren't terribly valuable anyway.
The #5 was probably your fathers plane. Its from the 1950's. When the blade got short he just replaced it with a Sears blade from the nearest store.
The longer plane is older. Probably the 1940's any maybe Millers Falls. Your grandfathers most likely.
It has the wrong lever cap on it. Its got the lever cap of a much older transitional plane (1/2 wood 1/2 metal). At least that is what it looks like from here.
It would not be a huge job to clean them up and preserve them for your grandchildren.
I sure would.
If you don't feel competent to do the work yourself, many can.
yours Scott
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Thanks for the replys. What I ment by they are not "Special" was I didn't think they were very
valuble.They were both carpenters, both did finish work.Doors , hardwood flooring and trim and cupboards.I have kert them in the condition they were when I recieved them.
I hesitate giving them to my son , he is a die maker , but a wood butcher.They would probably rust away in a shed or get sold for $5.00 at a garage sale.I guess I'll have a talk with him and
see how he feels about them.I have no grand kids.
I always thought the longer one was for doors,and the smaller one for cabinet work.
They got carried around in thier homemade tool boxes from job to job.
I know niether could afford the best tools made , so Craftsman was what they ended up with.
If I find out more about them , I'll write it down , see if my son wants them
Thanks again Roy
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I agree with oily and scottg, keep them in the family and I don't think they have much value, they both are quite common and appear to be mixed parts. But they are part of family history. I would clean them up a bit and put them on a shelf.
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The truth is, I buy "other people's grandfathers" planes at yard sales for 5 dollars all the time.
Some people just don't care.
But if I had these in my hands for about 3-4 hours for a complete makeover, nobody would sell them for $5, guarantee you that.
Look around for a tool guy close to you. They have no reason on earth to look this neglected.
The #5 is a jack plane. Jack of all trades and did trim cabinets as well as lots of other things, I'm sure.
Its mostly a type 19, I think.
The longer plane is a #6, due to its size. These are called fore planes. But since 18" is about as long as you can carry around in a toolbox that one man can carry, they are often thought of as a carpenters jointer. Door fitting and other jobs where longer flat surfaces are necessary.
I believe this to be a Millers Falls made plane, possibly made under contract for Sears.
Where are the rest of their tools?
yours Scott
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Thanks Scott , I will note your Identification.I left them in this condition because they came from the garage that way,aquired " Patina".I know they both took care of their tools
while they used them.
I'll try to post a couple more here. A Yankee Brace and a Craftsman drill ,both from the same period.
The brace has no. 2101 on it , 14" long
The screw driver is 11 1/2 long
I have some hand saws, most without names.
Let me know what you think of these.
My uncle got most of the rest of the carpenter tools.He was a "Rough in carpenter.
I have a couple of thier favorite hammers that I've used for 40 years , along with some of the hand saws.
Thanks Roy
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I have a couple of thier favorite hammers that I've used for 40 years , along with some of the hand saws.
If those hammers could talk! I haven't met a true carpenter yet that didn't take great pride in their favorite hammer.
Thank you for sharing the tools, and your stories, here.
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I took your advice and cleaned and repainted them,trying to preserve as much patina as I could.
I will pass them to my son on July 4 th.
Thanks for your help to ID these.
I also found I have some Keene kutter and disston saws.
they look like most of those on ebay for $6-10 .
I'll pass those along also.
Roy
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I also found I have some Keene kutter and disston saws.
they look like most of those on ebay for $6-10 .
Before you dismiss those saws as $6 to $10, take a look at current saw prices.
Stanley Sharktooth -- $35.85
680-15-726 by Stanley $11.31
If you can find the old standard 24 -- 26 inch hand saw, you'll pay more and, in my opinion, get a lesser saw.
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Roy,
Your Yankee 2101 bit brace is IMHO the best bit brace ever made. It has a ball bearing chuck and the smoothest ratchet mechanism produced by anyone. Push the pin that sticks up by the ratchet mechanism all the way down or all the way up to change direction. With the pin sticking out equally at both ends it will lock up and not ratchet.
Yours looks to be in great condition. Hang on to it, they work great with screwdriver bits for heavy work, as well as turning an auger bit
Mike.
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Yankee braces just like yours have been trading in the 100 to $300 range every day.
As soon as one of a couple of yuppie magazine writers touts something, all their little fans run out with their credit cards and buy everything in sight. Its happened time and again. Instant fad.
It lasts a couple of years.
Yankee braces are good tools, I have always liked them.
But pretending they are that much better than the best Millers? Is silly.
And you can still get a truly great Millers, maybe even a beautiful Frey spofford, for peanuts.
yours Scott
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I know you can still buy a Miller Falls 732 in pristine condition (along with a 14" Ridgid, and an old Parker toolbox) for under $10 - I did Thursday.
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Alright, Scott, cough it up.... where the heck are you getting a Frey brace for peanuts??? I need to be hanging out with YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As usual, I agree with fixing those bad boys up a bit.... putting them to use would be a good thing. ... if only persons realized how handy a wood plane could be! I've given both my dad and my brother a semi-decent block plane. You'd be amazed at how often they use them, after a little "coaxing" from me.
I think you know about 10 times as much as I do about planes. But, I'd be curious to know the height of the front knob, if there is anything written/ stamped on the lever adjuster or adjusting screw (I have no idea if those are the right terms).
Alright, Scott, I'm on the next plane to where you buy your tools!!!!! It's slim picken's out here in Nelson.
cheers,
bird.
Yankee braces just like yours have been trading in the 100 to $300 range every day.
As soon as one of a couple of yuppie magazine writers touts something, all their little fans run out with their credit cards and buy everything in sight. Its happened time and again. Instant fad.
It lasts a couple of years.
Yankee braces are good tools, I have always liked them.
But pretending they are that much better than the best Millers? Is silly.
And you can still get a truly great Millers, maybe even a beautiful Frey spofford, for peanuts.
yours Scott
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I passed the two planes and some hand saws on to my son, along with the info I got from you guys.
He was glad to get them. I'm holding on to the Yankee brace and screw driver for a while , I do use them once in a while.
Thanks for all your input.
Roy
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I'm glad you held on to a few of those hand tools...... you wouldn't believe how often hand tools can be "of service" to ya! I guess you have to think about things in a certain way. Anyhow, I'm glad that you are keeping some of your tools within the family.
cheers,
bird.
I passed the two planes and some hand saws on to my son, along with the info I got from you guys.
He was glad to get them. I'm holding on to the Yankee brace and screw driver for a while , I do use them once in a while.
Thanks for all your input.
Roy
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Alright, Scott, cough it up.... where the heck are you getting a Frey brace for peanuts??? I need to be hanging out with YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheers,
bird.
There seems to be two ends on prices for the Frey-Spofford braces. Some sellers are certain that they're special and rare antiques. That's the high end. Others seem to think "It's another old fashioned brace." That's how I got one for free, and a couple more for $10.
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There seems to be two ends on prices for the Frey-Spofford braces. Some sellers are certain that they're special and rare antiques. That's the high end. Others seem to think "It's another old fashioned brace." That's how I got one for free, and a couple more for $10.
Exactly right, but then all old tools fall into the category.
Some sellers whether private (yard sales) or public, antique mauls etc are greedy desperate for cash and can't see anything else.
Others just want to move the merchandise!
Keep the inventory moving and make a little off each sale and you will make out.
I was in a shop a few months ago, they will go out of business before they sell anything at all.
Of course he was complaining about how bad business was.
Next time I am trough there he will be out of business I guarantee.
As I was leaving I remarked, "I'd be a multi millionaire if I could get 1/4 of these prices. I can't even haggle from here."
Its always like that. I only get "down the valley" about once in 4 or 5 years. Nearly every shop has changed hands by then.
But then I know other dealers who have been open in the same location for 30 years.
They will work as long as they care to work.
yours Scott
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Hi Scottie,
Yeah, it seems to be a weird "sellers" market for old tools. It seems like you run across someone with a booth where they are charging top dollar for shit. Or, you have a serious tool "person" that knows everything about tools. Of course, if you're lucky, you run across someone that doesn't know anything about tools, doesn't care about tools, and THAT'S where you get a good deal!.... or so I've been told.
I hope all is well with you.
cheers,
bird.
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A good lesson I got from a rare book dealer, a very successful one. He asked me what I thought about a way overpriced book we found. "What do you think" he asked me. I don't remember my answer, but his response was something terribly overpriced was a good sign. He said that it meant the dealer didn't know what he was about, and there would be something else ridiculously under priced, so look harder. Before we left, he bought a little book for $.80 which he sold in a week's time for $110.
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So , than is my Yankee 2101 worth $300.00 or $5.00?
I think it's the market at the time you want to part with something.
The PBS Roadshow has been running a series on the prices since 1998.
Most are flat or down. High quality seems to always go up.
I normally price below the market and sell nearly every thing I post.
A good quality ,hard to come by piece usualy has two or more buyers.
I find out in a couple of weeks if it's to high for the current market.
There is a difference in a good price ,and "stealing" something.
Fairness counts for something. No seller can know everything about everything.
That's why I ask for help.
Just my 2 cents.
Keep giving opinions ,please
Roy
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So , than is my Yankee 2101 worth $300.00 or $5.00?
Your Yankee brace, as it sits right now, with average online presentation,
will sell for $ 92.66 on ebay, in a 7 day auction ending sunday evening.
I will be willing to bet I am within $30 either way, at the close.
If you took the time and trouble to clean it entirely, polish it up bright, and then take really really good pictures of it?
At least 6 bright clear professional looking pictures, you would get between $200 and 300 depending on how mint it really is underneath what I see from here.
Art sells. Nothing else.
Well a snappy fun description doesn't hurt at all, but its really the art. People need to see.
I came by the secondary market honest. I grew up at yard sales, second hand shops, salvage stores, etc etc. Never stopped. I have tried to give that to my grandchildren.
One time Nikole was visiting. She was maybe 6. 7:30am sat morning,
"Want to go to yard sales?"
"Whats that Grandpa?"
Off we go. Second stop, about $700 retail of fine condition toys in boxes we scored, and 3 grocery bags stuffed with clothes just her size, that she picked out.
They are only clothes in a store.
After that they are just laundry, and laundry sells for dirt!
She didn't know it much at the time, but it came to maybe 6 dollars.
What she did know was, she could have --all-- she found and wanted. Anything!
Heading back home she pulls my shirt sleeve. "Grandpa, have been thinking about it and I changed my mind. Think we could go back for...... "
and of course we did.
yours Scott
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Great story re: Nikole.