Thread: My Rust issue

Matt I am in sympathy with your rust. When I saw the initial photos, by the colour of the rust I felt sure you could nearly just rub the rust off and apply oil to the whole plane. Now...oh dear!!! I was quite shocked. What could have been in the water in the tub? As a remedy would it be prudent to chase up one of the fellas on the Metalwork Forum and get them to surface grind at least the bottom of the plane. I think that the surface grinder would be a lot faster than rubbing on an oil stone. I wouldn't use a linisher because I am sure you would lose the accuracy of the plane.

After about 10 years of drought we got some welcome rain (this was about 2 years ago). We have been here on our rural block for 40 years. One after noon we got 75mm in about half an hour. The water ran off the block opposite filled to over flowing the table drain and went into the side neighbours paddock. The water found the lowest part of the paddock and filled a lagoon which had nowhere to go except.....yep my shed. I could not get over it. I ended up getting 50mm through the shed and it went into our house yard and dissipated. Thankfully nothing of major consequence was damaged. The water was BLACK and had every thing from the paddocks in it. I had to pressure clean the whole floor because even when it was dry a broom could not sweep it up.

Why am I rabbiting on you ask....well I got just a small taste of what those people in Lismore and other places had to deal with but 100 times more than my flood story. So as I stated at the top of the page I do sympathise with you. Its also hard to move on with this kind of event with confidence

If they’re all as bad as that… they’re not too far gone yet. Yeah; it’s pitted quite badly but in the overall scheme of things it’ll still be flat overall. If I was really worried I’d just fill the pits with JB Weld before flattening again. And engine enamel isn’t a bad substitute for japanning. At the end of the day you’ve suffered a significant drop in their value; but that only comes into play when you decide to sell them! The single patent date indicates it’s a type 13, 14 or 15 from the SW era so definitely one of the best user planes. My type 11 number 5 is my favourite go-to plane; the sole has some bad pitting at the toe but as far as I’m concerned it’s only a cosmetic issue.

Hi Matt,

Some time ago I made up my own (cheap) lapping stations to clean and fettle planes.

From the salvage shop I got three panes of louver glass, mounted them on some 30mm thick MDF boards

then using spray on contact glue I stuck 3 grades of silicone carbide paper 80G, 120G 240G

Hold the lapping base in your bench vice and go through the grades, easy peasy..

Graham.

Stop panicking, corrugated planes have much deeper "pitting"

A little progress yesterday on the planes the No 7
Tho suffering the same fate as the No 4 is not as heavily pitted on the soul.

So it received a new Bday suit

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

… they’re not too far gone yet. Yeah; it’s pitted quite badly but in the overall scheme of things it’ll still be flat overall. If I was really worried I’d just fill the pits with JB Weld before flattening again. ...

Would you really do this, Chief?

It seems to me that the plane is still fully usable in spite of the pitting. It runs on the top rather than the bottom of the pitting. Fill the pits with JB Weld or similar, and it will look like a bodgy repair, detract from its aesthetics and value, and have no functional benefit. I would not like that.

And engine enamel isn’t a bad substitute for japanning. ...

And I use Killrust as a better substitute for engine enamel.

Like the others are saying as long as its flat overall it does not affect how the plane works. Taking it down to pristine will likely leave the sole a bit thin. Thats my #7 and it works fine. Was like that when I bought it.
Used to niggle me a bit that it looked a bit rough but after a while I dont even think about it.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Would you really do this, Chief? Only if I was really, really worried that the pitting wasn’t adequately bridged in use.

It seems to me that the plane is still fully usable in spite of the pitting. Agreed; I’ve seen worse and nearly all my vintage planes have pitting to some degree. It runs on the top rather than the bottom of the pitting. Fill the pits with JB Weld or similar, and it will look like a bodgy repair, detract from its aesthetics and value, and have no functional benefit. Think that would me of. As stated; only if I believed the sole was significantly affected. And in any case it would be a user, not for public showing or onselling so only I would need to be concerned about the aesthetics. But yeah I think I would wince every time I saw it.

And I use Killrust as a better substitute for engine enamel.

Never tried Killrust so can’t comment but I have used engine enamels and they do cure pretty damned hard and glossy; better than generic paints anyway. Back in the UK I would have used a product called Hammerite; the gloss black was unbeatable. It also contained phospheric acid to neutralise any remaining corrosion and had very tight limits on recoat times; 2nd coats had to applied in under 2 hours or after 2 months otherwise the whole surface turned into a matt crinkle finish reminiscent of vintage electrical test equipment. DAMHIK!

If at least half of the japanning was still there I would have recommended Feronite; this is a brown, watery marine rust converter that has the side effect of turning a deep black when brushed onto iron. It doesn’t replace missing japanning but it does blend in bare iron patches better than than dabs of paint.

Really good response, Chief Tiff. It is stuff like that that reminds me of the depth of experience on this Forum.

Originally Posted by ChiefTiff

But yeah I think I would wince every time I saw it.

Wish I had said that - you nailed it!


I use Killrust on both metal and wood - it is the toughest paint that I have used short of a two-pot. Worth a try.

I have Killrust on the diesel in my boat. It has held up well for 15 years, but now needs re-doing.

Will try an get some Bench time on the weekend, an have a better look at the No 4,

But do appreciate all comments so far, if even some of you seem to be coming from different view’s.

Cheers Matt.

No work on the Number 4.

But got the metal work cleaned up on the No 7,
But wondering if I should soak the Timber work in some Vinegar, too see if that would lift some of the grime off.


Cheers Matt.

The metalwork on that number 7 is looking pretty nice Matt, the front knob is looking a bit sad though.
I would try and put it between centres on the lathe and run it at about 100rpm, and use a hand held scraper ( no tool rest ) and take the crud off carefully, then give it a wipe with some linseed oil.
Or if you want to make some new Woodwork for it, I have still got that Cooktown Ironwood that I promised you a while back

Originally Posted by Ironwood

The metalwork on that number 7 is looking pretty nice Matt, the front knob is looking a bit sad though.
I would try and put it between centres on the lathe and run it at about 100rpm, and use a hand held scraper ( no tool rest ) and take the crud off carefully, then give it a wipe with some linseed oil.
Or if you want to make some new Woodwork for it, I have still got that Cooktown Ironwood that I promised you a while back

I think some Cooktown Ironwood sounds marvellous,
thanks Brad, I take it please.

Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I think some Cooktown Ironwood sounds marvellous,
thanks Brad, I take it please.

Cheers Matt.

A great solution!

Matt, when you are turning the new knob may I suggest that you consider making it slightly larger in diameter and slightly flatter than the Stanley original. I think that the Stanley ones are too dainty for my sausage fingers. We are only talking about 3-4 mm.