Official Luthiers Forum!

I picked up an old stanly #7 plane at a flea market for $15.00. It is actually in pretty good shape and will only need a tiny bit of fine tuning to be at its best. It is really quite usable now. It looks like I'm at least the 3rd owner as there are previous names placed on the tool. At minimum it will make a great shooting board. Although my wife did ask why I needed such a long plane when I work mostly on ukuleles.

philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Because it was there!

Reminds me - I want to tune mine up a little and reflatten my workbench top. (See, another reason you need it.)

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Those big planes do wonders when planing soundboards, sides, backs, and stuff like that....

Big, heavy, stable, handy to use...

Good luck

John

I bought a Number 5 at an antique mall for $10 because the handle was broken (screw was loose). Took it home, flattened the sole, sharpened the blade, and gave it a good wipe of oil and it is one of my most used tools!

I keep going back to that mall to try and find another deal like that (and the slew of old Harmony ukes and Stellas that I have brought back to life and sold on FleaBay). No luck for the past 6 months!

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Don't confront me with my failures--I have not forgotten them.

For the same reason her ironing board is much larger than most of what she irons. It makes the task easier.

Congratulations on the find. If the blade isn't the quality you were hoping for, pick up a Hock blade for it. They are a tad spendy, considering what you have invested in it, but well worth it. I picked up an early Stanley on eBay that the seller switched the blade out with a piece of caacaa. Oh what a difference the Hock blade made.

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Aoibeann

NIce find!! What do you use to flatten the sole on these things? Is it flat or corrigated?

I inherited a #6 with a plastic handle that keeps shaking loose, it has a corrigated bottom which is obviously not the best for shooting boards, but it does a good job of it. A number 7 is sweeeeeet!!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

I tape a sheet of 400 grit wet/dry paper to my slab of 1" thick marble I use for fretting (two marble floor tiles Gorilla glued together). After I get pretty close, I switch to 600 grit and then on to 800 grit. You can get a mirror finish if you go up to 1500... 800 works just fine.

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Don't confront me with my failures--I have not forgotten them.

Thanks,

The plane is a smooth sole and I am looking forward to using it. Frankly, it appears to be in better shape than I thougt with just a very small amount of rust on the bottom.

Philip

_________________
aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.