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Singer sewing machines have that gadget factor to them don't they? You've found a beauty. Is it a US one?

My first restoration project was a 6-drawer 1935 UK Singer cabinet in highly figured...

Sounds like you've read that screw book too! Yes I was surprised to see Robertson drive used here 'relatively' early (all that effort to import them from Canada). I can't reveal the project but it...

Yep; just use paint stripper and an old toothbrush to remove the black Japan. Depending on what chemicals you add (sometimes unintentionally)to the electrolysis bath it can make the Japan go dull; Ok...

Is the finish dark or light? A lot of older oak pieces I've been asked to restore have had black japan wiped into the grain before finishing; either that or it's been fumed with ammonia. See what the...

Looking good there Wixy; keep on building and sanding until the entire surface is uniformly cloudy after sanding without a single shiny unsanded spot- at this point you know you've bought the film up...

I think the screws I was after were ones they didn't have in stock; mind you, I don't think anyone stocks 20g or bigger in brass these days. Biggest I've ever seen for sale 'off the shelf' in brass...

It's the same trying to find square head lag screws downunder!

I recently bought in some from the US from Kayne & Sons: www.blacksmithsdepot.com
They stock square head bolts as well; but these...

I did get a quote once from Yushung Metal; though their minimum order quantity was about 5000!

The really hard to find ones are the big ones; here's a copy of a quote I got from Goulet Specialties...

Let me guess the marine ply is either Gaboon or Eucalypt? Both of these are very coarse grained and take a lot of work to get optically flat. A clear epoxy is what is used in the marine/superyacht...

I think it's about time we had a knowledge dump of all the known suppliers of brass wood screws. By that I mean the REAL ones; not square/robertson drive, Philips/Pozi, brassed, rolled or anything...

Definitely go for the Shaptons; I've got each one of the 'professional' stones save the 15 and 30000 (unless you make katana who out there can justify spending USD$636 on a waterstone ?). If you use...

Kev;

Are you any closer to figuring out what the metal insert in the board is for? I've got an early 240 with it in and always wondered what on earth it's meant to do!

Great post here BTW; I...

Did I really write this three years ago? Looks like somone at Stanley did read it at long last! go SW!

Thanks guys; I'm chasing up a source at the moment. I thought this timber might be another one of those 'impossible to get' ones - seems a bit easier now.

Hard to believe it's been more than 3 years since I posted anything on these forums; but now I really need some help from you guys in Oz. I'm looking for about a cube of new, cabinet grade Australian...

Hi Rich;

I have all the pro series except for the 8k and up. They are well worth the extra $. My current method is to grind on a Norton 220 diamond lapping plate, then go through the grits on the...

There's no point trying to lap out anything more than 0.1mm. Just get the thing milled with a planer head. Only takes a few passes on a milling machine!

Anyhow, thats what I did to my 12-204...

I've bought a couple of odds and ends from GW, no problems at all. Do expect to wait a couple of days for them to sort out your shipping options though. Sometimes it best to just state "ship airmail...

I have several of them, ordered straight form the website. Very very good with good customer service too. In my last lot I ordered one arrived broken in two. I sent them a pic of it and 10 days later...

Yep, the old Stanley lever caps are plain cast iron with a matt/satin finish and is amazingly rust resistant. I guess it just depends how well you store it. I use a type 9 #5 sometimes which has...

If its in a really bad way you can go down to your local hardware store and buy a replacement lever cap, that'll be cheaper than going to an electroplater and having them remove and replate it. Cast...

Six
15 54.00 10/02/03 Fine condition, aged patina
15 51.00 10/02/03 98 Good+, aged patina,
16 227.50 19/02/03 Mint in box
13 76.00 17/03/03 98 Fine, aged patina
16 100.00 09/04/03 Mint in...

At the top end of the market:
Eights:
type USD date %Japan Notes
12 132.50 12/02/03 95 SW, Fine
7 142.50 26/03/03 90 Fine, 1909 iron, 7-24-88 on lateral...

schaf:
A must go:

www.redsandalwood.com

Ammisco:

Shellac is probably best finish for what you're after, especially for an oily (and EXPENSIVE!!) timber like cocobolo. Judging by how well some old handtools have stood up with a shellac...

For checking straightness on a real long piece an easy way is to use a bit of string and a mate or some tape to hold it there. Won't detect warping or twist though.

Dazzler;

I always try to go with USPS rather than FEDEX or UPS. That lot of timber I had sent over was about 33 x 8 x 8" or roughly 10BF sent USPS. I think a lot of the expensive shipping methods...

Hi Steve;

I had a shipment of about 50lbs of wood (one kiln dried small log flitch sawn) sent from the States, no problems at all. Took roughly 60 days by sea, cost roughly $100USD in shipping...

If you can find one, I'd go for a vintage #25 Stanley with genuine brazilian rosewood handles and proper bluing (I've got the 8" model). I was going to get one of the R Sorby ones but after I...

Red pine is none other than Rimu (Dacydium Cuppressinum). We've got more imaginative names over here like white pine (Kahikatea), mahogany pine (Totara), and of course, Kauri pine.

Rob, If you don't have one already you'd now be wanting the 120M dial caliper and a 380 straight edge. I picked up an unused caliper for just US$43 off eBay, retired the electric/plastic Mitutoyo!

Hi Pat;

First time I've seen an English Bailey with that frog style. Looks just like the "type 16" so unless anyone else has some better info, I'd say your 6 is pre- WW2 (assuming they actually...

I always like trying new methods, and SilentC said it better than anyone, SS is just no good at getting things flat unless you start with a concavity first. I also found that using no water or...

Anyone else lucky enough to be able to use Pro-E or Solidworks? I use both programs these virtually everyday in my real job. Once you get to use these, you'll never go back to 2D!

Hi Pat;

Actually I meant something like the picture below. On the left is a late (1938) "type 16" 5 1/2, on right is an early (1948-49) "type 19" 7, both American.

These two types cause the...

Hi Pat;

Yep; I think that's the earliest English 6 I've seen. Look at how fat that casting is!

The handles are without a doubt stained beech (maybe they never used rosewood), brass handle nuts,...

Don't know why it's so shiny, that plane gets used almost everyday and been through countless boards of rimu, kauri, and pine. It is my 'newest' english plane (2002) and used it to compare it with a...

Only English bench planes have them, cast either behind the frog on Nos. 3, 4, 4 1/2, or behind the tote on 5, 6, 7.

If the plane is marked G12-006 it's made after 1983.

Stanley started manufacturing tools in England in 1937, some 80 years after they were established in New Britain Conn USA. They acquired the firm of J.A. Chapman in Sheffield and have been making...

help on what?

We know you've got a plane [UK No. 6], and know that you're interested in it, but what we don't know is what you need help on.

???????

?

Your problem is?.............................

Hi Arron;

I've been very busy lately working only NZ Kauri for restoration work (tramcars). In my opinion it's slightly softer than Rimu so your planes have to be just that little bit sharper for...

IanW;
I saw a documentary on German TV (Deutche Welle) about a fungus that's adapted itself to live on manmade plastics. It's not likely to be a problem if you live in a dry climate. Anyway I did...

Hi all;

Where would we be if Stanley ever decided to stop making planes? The way they are going it seems inevitable because the market of plane users is now more and more informed and critical of...

Shouldn't we describe the cutting angle as 90-(27+20) = 43deg?

I think its got more to do with how the planes are used than anything else. 'Western' style planes are generally used at your side, with a piece of wood clamped to a workbench or something similar....

Hmm, If I get out my magnifying glass, the woodcraft catalogue does show those three characters on the planes - I wouldn't have been sure what they were without your help Wongo.

Japanese do have...

Mr Lee; what rosewood does Mr Ho use in his pao, and for that matter, what is the one used on your planes (dalbergia, pterocarpus or guibourtia)?

Virtually all the dark red chinese furniture made...

My approach to using wooden planes seems to be a bit different here; all I do is put the blade in without worrying about getting it set, but just that it doesn't protrude. Tap the wedge home & tight,...