Bailey #5

Re: Bailey #5 *LINK*

Jack Guzman from Maine


>Hi Joe,

The #5 is a jack plane.I think it's called that because it's the jack-of-all-planes.It can be used as a smoother or as a small jointer or as a roughing-in plane for flattening boards.Every tool kit should have one(I have quite a few but that's another issue).As for value,find your plane in this type study/plane dating flow chart.An older plane in good shape is usually worth more than some newer ones.---Jack


http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/dating/

Re: Bailey #5

david.marcus.brown


>You could use a no5 as a smoother but it's a bit too long. I use my no5 to remove wood quickly and true up boards. I've got a decent camber on the blade -- a Hock BTW. There are those that use a no5 as a panel plane (a big smoother) but I'd rather use a 5-1/2 as a smoother than a no5 -- it's just too narrow. On smaller scale work, I like using a no3 as a smoother. For other work I've got an old 4-1/2.

It's taken me a few years of experience to acquire my opinions. Keep asking questions, work the wood and learn from experience. There are no wrong choices as long as there are lessons learned.

Re: Bailey #5

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA


>Time was, the No. 5 was the plane that appeared on the lists of "tools you should buy first." It's neither too long nor too short is the idea. This also means that it's neither long enough to do serious jointing nor short enough to do fine smoothing; but it gets by.

A couple of years ago, when I was shaping the handrails for my porch from salvaged redwood, I had a LOT of material removal to do. At first, I was using the No. 8 (24" long, and heavy with it) so I'd get a good straight surface, but rapidly realized that I'm not as young as I was, and found the No. 5 a good tool after the scrub plane had hogged off most of the waste for creating a generally straight surface for the No. 8 to refine into a very straight surface. That's the kind of thing it does best, and you won't regret having one.

The price is a bit high for someone to pay who seriously haunts garage sales (say, me; and a few others on this forum), but if you don't enjoy cruising around on Saturday morning looking for garage sale signs, and the tool is in good shape, that's not a bad price.

Re: Bailey #5 *LINK*

Todd Hughes


>Don't think you "got ripped off" since it was you that decided to pay the $42 but I do think you very much over paid for the plane.

Stanleys No. 5 planes are VERY common tools of course and as such are very easy to find at reasonable prices....They made a bunch and a bunch are still out there!

....In my experance buying many, many of them even in the old tool hell I live in in the wild they are easy to find for under $15....I've bought many for under $10. I would consider with a common to find plane like this having a cracked tote to be major damage and most times precludes me from thinking about buying it unless very cheap [under $10] and is otherwise in excellent condition.With a common plane like this I don't think it really makes much sense to buy one with any problims since nice ones can be picked up easy....never mind overpaying for a damaged example.

.....If you do a search on the Ebay under compleated auctions you will see of course many many Stanley no. 5s that sold.Seems like most go for under $20 or so. I have provided a link to an auction of a what looks like a very nice example that sold for only $10. When you think that these sellers are probably making some $ on what they are selling you will start to understand how cheap these planes can be bought.Some no. 5s will go higher, I recently sold on the ebay an extreamly nice older one that went for $50 which was probably at the top end of ones sold that were not mint in box or older prelaterial planes.

I believe all this points out the wisdom of know what to pay for somthing Befor you buy it and not waiting till Afterwards to find out what is a good price.......Todd


$10 Ebay Plane

Oh well. Live and learn. Thanks all.

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

So maybe...

Joe in a Cleveland suburb


>I would be better off setting my #4 up as a smoother?

I've already printed out a page from the Lee Valley site showing the BU smoother and gave it to my wife. I told her "here, now you don't have to ask me what I want for Christmas"! :) My b-day is in Febuary. Maybe I should print something off the LN site... nah, that'd be pushing it. :)

Thanks,

Joe

Re: So maybe...

david.marcus.brown


>Well, that's what I would do. I tried setting up a LV low angle jack as a smoother and it'll work just fine but you work a lot harder because of that extra length.

Oh well. Live and learn.

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.


>you nailed Joe, no need to beat yourself up over it. I bet there isn't a one of us that hasen't overpaid for a tool at one time or another. This I think would be a most common thing back in the our "beginnings" when 1) we didn't know any better, and 2) the excitement of finally finding a desired tool stops all good judgement. Been there sone that myself. Once bought a #5 "Bedrock for $20 IIRC because it had a Bedrock lever cap. got home and discovered it was a common Bailey. :~( As you said Live and Learn. I've learned to laugh at myself too, which is a good thing as I can provide myself with hours and hours of entertainment.

Tune 'er up make some shavings and you'll soon get over the "sting" of paying a few more dollars for it than you should have.

Todd O.