Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Grandpa's Plane
Tom MacGregor
>I recently posted a message about coming into posession of my Grandfather's Stanley 4-1/2 Type 13 - that I didn't know existed - 52 years after he passed on. I finished the clean & tune and tried it out on some spruce and some soft maple. It was an amazing feeling to put it back to work for the first time since it left his hands over a half-century ago. Some people wonder why I love using old tools so much. This is what it's all about.
Re: Grandpa's Plane
Joe Piotrowski - Chicago Burb's
>inspiring story. that is a real good job of cleaning up the plane. did you post a before pic?
I have 5 or 6 flea market planes that you could fix up for me :)
Re: Grandpa's Plane
Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)
>Tom
I am incredibly envious. There is no such link in my family. My father, still a spry 92 years of age, used tools as little as possible, preferring to repair everything with rope and string. I learned to lash and tie knots. His father died when he was 18 months old. I would dearly love to have had tools that they used (had they used such). I can only imagine what this might feel like.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Re: Grandpa's Plane
Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.
>Hi Tom,
Now that was a labour of love.
I also see you have kept the original Stanley iron in the plane. I was replacing them in all the planes I purchased with thicker A2 Lee Valley irons. It might be fun to see the difference and turn up one of the old Satnley irons I have and see the differences in performance.
Again, great to see your hands falling into place where your grandfather left his.
Take care,
Jim
Yes!
Bill Houghton, Winter a-cumin' in, Sebastopol, CA
>I have very few of my grandfather's tools - when his house was broken up, I was in the Midwest, my cousin got them all, and later sold most of them at a garage sale (oh, pain!) - but I do have quite a few of my uncle's tools, mostly machinist and mechanic's tools, and it's always a nice feeling to use them. Gives me a sense of connection to the family history in a way that other things can't.
Nice clean up job.
My Foolish Admission
Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level
>Many years ago my wife's grandfather died. I was given several of his tools including some hand planes. At the time I was just starting out in woodworking and thought the world revolved around power tools.
Foolishly I sold all but 3 planes at a garage sale. I can't recall the prices I asked but they went fast so more than likely I practically gave them away. I know one was a jointer, one was probably a 4 1/2, and 2 were something else...larger bench planes. Judging from the ones I kept they were probably 1940's vintage Stanleys.
Some days I wish I had a time machine. :-(
Tom
Grandpa is upstairs . . .
SteveM
>nudging his Buddies with his wingtip saying " They don't make 'em like that anymore !". Well done !
Re: Grandpa's Plane
Dave Anderson Chester, NH
>Tom, it just doesn't get any better than having the chance to use tools with a family connection. I am fortunate enough to have been given 2 chests of tools by my Father and Uncle. Some of them date back over 150 years to when G-G-G-Grandfather James Anderson was a shipwright and carpenter in Cambridge, MA. The vast majority of these tools are still usable and are used by me today. Neener Neener.
Very nice job!
Scott Burr in cold Ben Lomond CA
>You did a wonderfull job cleaning it up and putting it back to use. Gramps would be proud. Oh yea, nice shavings to boot!
You got that right !!
Doug Littlejohn
>Not only is using a tool that has had so much past history a rush, but to use one who's use was by a forefather is the pinnacle.
You are one lucky man.
Sherwood
Re: Very nice job!
Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away
>Tom,
That is most, most excellent!! I am Happy for you.
Todd O.