Monday night Show'n'Tell

**Eldanos of KDM** · 16th September 2009, 09:13 AM

Thanks everyone, I kind of thought it must be something special. They feel very smart to hold, I'll give them a bit of a go today (as I know it'll take a while 'till I get a job where they'll be required).
Ray that's amazing! Do you have these catalogs at home? Because I searched each one of the words in every possible combination to no avail on google; and I have no other points of reference. Thanks for your research

It's gonna be a good day

**Eldanos of KDM** · 16th September 2009, 08:22 PM

Just to continue my Tool gloat, and because I think some would find it interesting; I noticed these marks on the backs of each of the trammels. They look like Hallmarks of some sort, but again, I couldn't find any information anywhere. I figured this must mean they're German Silver (Which I didn't know existed until Ray found that advert) as I don't think aluminium was ever hallmarked. Again, any thoughts?

**Heavansabove** · 16th September 2009, 10:28 PM

Not a hallmark. German silver has no silver in it either! Just a name for an alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel. My trademark reference to c.1900 failed to turn up this symbol, suggesting it is a late mark, or just missed by the reference.

Cheers Peter

**RayG** · 17th September 2009, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Eldanos of KDM

Thanks everyone, I kind of thought it must be something special. They feel very smart to hold, I'll give them a bit of a go today (as I know it'll take a while 'till I get a job where they'll be required).
Ray that's amazing! Do you have these catalogs at home? Because I searched each one of the words in every possible combination to no avail on google; and I have no other points of reference. Thanks for your research

It's gonna be a good day

Hi Dane,

No magic here, I googled it, by combining the Address and the part of the name that was unambigious. You need to enclose phrases within quotes so that google searches on the phrase rather than the individual words. Like "1510 Chestnut St" I don't want to know the price of chestnuts..

That returned only one hit.

fulltextt10.fcla.edu/DLData/WF/WF00000165/file7.pdf

The advert is at the top of the first page, but beware it's a big pdf.

which is the fcla.edu go to http://www.fcla.edu and you'll see that it's the Florida center for library automation.

I guess they have a project going which involves scanning and digitizing historical documents, I think it might be worth keeping an eye on what pops up.

Regards
Ray

**rhancock** · 11th October 2009, 09:26 PM

Couldn't wait for Monday. Chandler markets this morning. I could have bought so much more - a very nice little Marples square, about 3 inches each way, checked for square, had to turn it down at $15 cos I won't use it very often, but would have been lovely to have, and now trying to work out how to go back next weekend and see if it's still there...

Anyway, here's the little stash I did splash on. A little (250mm) ratchet screwdriver, like a little Yankee, but made by Schroder of Germany. Only came with one bit, and I don't have any this size, so I'll have to make some from old screwdrivers. I've put my Yankee 131A next to it for a size comparison, but I find the long handle is great for a bit of grunt, but gets unwieldy, so the little one might get more use. And only $8.

Then there's a couple of matched T&G planes. I've been looking for some of these for a while now, cos one day I might find a use for them. The guy selling them had a box, he said there were 38 originally, but he'd sold a few. They came from a window and door joinery in Manly, Brisbane's bayside, from the home of a 70 year old guy. This pair are 1/2 inch, but there were a couple of others, and now I wish I'd bought more - another reason to go back next weekend. I paid $25 for the pair, he reckons he usually sells these for $20 or more each, but the first price he quoted was $15 each.

Anyway, I can't make out the makers mark very well. I reckon James Mason is the owner, but could be wrong. The other mark looks like Badville (?) Brickworks, York. There's also a 4 stamped on the other end of each, and what looks like a serial number of about 8 digits. The photos are pretty poor.

They've all been very well used, but very well cared for too. Lots of grime on the bodies, but not hammer marks, splits or other abuse.

So, I tried them out on some 12mm tassie oak, which is not very square. Lovely to use, the tongue plane straight off, the groover just needed a little touch up on a diamond stone.

The narrow blade has a groove running along the last couple of inches which sits on a blade on the steel fence. I assume this allows for a bit of adjustment, but I'll have to play with it.

Really wish I'd hunted through the box for a 3/4 pair too...

So, the seller said he'd metho'd and linseed oiled them, but I think they warrant a bit more work. I'd like to get rid of a hundred years worth of palm grease, so maybe some wire wool will help. I certainly won't be doing anything any more extreme to them.

**Deesinister** · 12th October 2009, 12:35 AM

I Could be wrong but I think they maybe Varvil and sons York, rather than James Mason (the actor?)

. they would be late 19th century.

**rhancock** · 12th October 2009, 11:02 PM

Thanks, that could easily be it. I'll know better when I clean them up a bit. I think it could easily be

Varvil and Sons, Ebor Works, York

Ebor is the short form of the Roman name for York, Eboracum. This ebay seller labels this no 8 grooving plane as 1873-1904.

**johnnyG** · 28th October 2009, 08:38 AM

Picked up a few interesting pieces at a local swap meet on Sunday. These include -

Steward Handy worker Vice/Anvil
12' and 15' Dowidat Shifting spanners - $10 pair
Old adjustable sulky spanner - $5
Old Caltex Oil Tin - $5

And a few other bits and pieces. Pretty happy with the Handyworker. Looks like quite an interesting Vice.

**IanW** · 2nd November 2009, 09:29 PM

A couple of oldies acquired this weekend, by a roundabout route. These were FILs, but actally belonged to his father, so original owenership goes back a very long way. The immediate family evinced no interest, & someone had to give them a home.

The 78 (a USA model) is complete - had to search for the fence, but I was encouraged by finding the rod, so suspected thae rest was there somewhere. Eventally, I found it amongst a heap of bits & bobs. After a clean & a (lot) of attention to the cutter, it works well - marginally better than my English 78 which has no depth stop or fence. A bit more fettling & I'll have a very decent user.

The 130 is in pretty rough shape - after a quick cleanup it takes shavings, but not sure it is going to amount to a precision tool (were they ever?!). Patrick Leach says the bullnose end was sometimes deliberately removed to convert it to a chisel plane (a "roll your own 97", as he puts it), but the projecting ends on this one suggest to me that it was broken accidentally, & roughly cleaned up - the stubs project beyond the blade edge, so it's not really useable as a chisel plane in its current state.

Although they have lain idle for many a year, both tools were well oiled, and kept west of the ranges, so no rust on any of the critical surfaces. The only whinge is that the blades have been honed on a slightly dished stone, & the backs of the blades are quite rounded - lots & lots of strokes on the diamond stone coming up, to get them perfectly flat again.......

So I hope the original owner approves that they've found a new life....

Cheers,

**Eldanos of KDM** · 2nd November 2009, 10:26 PM

I love to see that Ian. And I love finds like that because they're more special than the usual market or ebay find. The fact that they belonged to family or someone close makes you work just that little bit harder to get them up to using scratch. Good find mate, enjoy.

By the way you reckon the back of a 130 does in fact make a good chisel plane? I imagine the angle might be a bit high, but it's a good idea....

P.S I'm sure the FIL will be delighted they've gone to someone who can use them. Oldies are like that

Dane

**Harrison** · 2nd November 2009, 10:54 PM

well i went to the Dandenong trash and tresure market at the luna drive in (south gipsland HWY if any one whants to know) and i picked up this smothing plane no 4 stanly for $20. my jaw just droped when i saw it. had a little rust but i cleaned it up. there was a bit of dirt in the plate frog and the cap. (

**Wongdai** · 3rd November 2009, 01:10 AM

I think you did pretty well picking that up for $20. It will serve you well as a first plane, no doubt about that.

I can't really give any advice on cleaning it up, except to say that it looks in pretty good condition already. Make sure the sole is flat and the blade is sharp and awayyyyyy you go!

**IanW** · 3rd November 2009, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Eldanos of KDM

.....
By the way you reckon the back of a 130 does in fact make a good chisel plane? I imagine the angle might be a bit high, but it's a good idea....

Dane - I guess it could, and should work well enough, depending on what you tried to do with it. In fact, I would recommend a higher angle, if you wanted to use it as a plane & not just for cleaning glue out of corners. With nothing at all pressing down on the fibres ahead of the cutting edge, it is all too easy to tear out chips instead of making shavings. I have a home-made BD chisel plane (I originally made it as a rebate, but for various reasons it got a nose job & became a chisel plane instead). This one has a bed angle of a bit less than 45 deg. It's a cow of a thing to set, but will make shavings if I persist long enough & get the blade just right. However, since the 130 is a BU tool, it's a simple matter to grind a steep bevel on the blade, so it may be made to do a reasonable job, perhaps. When I get time, I will have a fiddle with it & report back....

Cheers,

**orraloon** · 3rd November 2009, 01:39 PM

IanW,
I picked up a 130 about 6 weeks back and have to say it works great. Being a bit heftier than a regular block plane is an abvantage (JPEG Image, 480x360 pixels)
It is well worth a bit of tlc.
Regards

**IanW** · 3rd November 2009, 04:20 PM

Hi Orraloon - your 130 looks to be in much better condition than my poor amputee.

Horses for courses - I'm sure that's why so many sizes of every type of plane exist - we can each have our perfect cuppa. I find the 130 is too big & clumsy for comfortable one-hand use, for me. My little LV apron plane, which is about 1/2 the size, excels in that role. And for 'real' work, I have a shelf or two of far more sophisticated planes to reach for. It's fortunate that we have so much choice - that way we can all find the ones that suit us best!

However, all is not lost - if this one works well as a chisel plane, it will get a guernsey & sit in the front row of the tool cabinet too. Its mate, the 78 is already there, & I use that quite a lot, so the old chap will be with me in the shed often enough....

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