Union Smoother

Re: Union Smoother

woodburnbob

>I agree with you, Tom. Unions are as attractive and functional as Baileys, if not more so. I have a 4 and a 5, and admire the handles and the balance every time I notice them or use them. Perhaps 8 or 10 years ago, when I first became acquainted with oldtools, an oldtimer in a shop out in the sticks told me that a decade or so earlier around here Union planes were avidly collected and brought prices much higher than Baileys. I wonder how many people nowdays have a chance to compare.

That's neat. A real first class job.

vlparisian - cold and wet Houston

>

Fat blade

jim reed @ tallahassee

>That fat 7/32" blade just HAS to be a great performer. I dare it to chatter.

Good job...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>Clean but not to clean if you know what I mean. Looks like it will be a joy to use. Congrats!

Re: Good job...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Tom,

You really did a nice job on that "restoring" that plane. Sure would of liked to seen a "before" pic. Is that a #3 size? Corrigated sole?

I have a rusty crusty Union 78? that I like better than the Stanley version. It's heavier, and more comfortable in the hand. I need to make a blade for, and Ernie supplied the iron and a cap for it. Thanks Buddy! :~)

Todd O.

#4 Size

Tom MacGregor

>

Hey Todder....

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>I know what my strengths are and blade makin' ain't one of them. I can sharpen them just fine but your new buddy Jim Reed would get the call on that blade job if it was me! He does FINE work.JR

Hey Joe....

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>He does FINE work.

Joe, I can confirm that to be a True statement with first hand experiance. :~)

I had no idea how complex #46 blades are until he showed me. I think he has more patience than I do to make those.

I'm gonna take a stab at expanding my horizons and attempt making this blade, and no, I don't expect to suceed the first time, tho, of coarse, I certainly will be attempting to. Seems to me that it is merelay a flat blade, with a bit of a odd shape to it. How hard can it be?

T.O.

Re: Hey Joe....

Mike G. in SC

>I just acquired a Union no. 2 size which needs some work and I also have a no. 5 to go along with the two Stanley no.5's I have.

Mike G. in SC

Hey Mike...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>How 'bout some pics?

What kind of work does the #2 need?

Are the 5's ready to go?

T.O.

Re: Hey Mike...

Mike G. in SC

>The no 5's are in good shape and used quite frequently.:) I just used the type 13 to plane down a slab of Wormy Chestnut. The Union no. 2 needs the sole relapped and the iron has some pitting on the bevel plus almost all the paint is gone. I may have paid a tad too much for it, but it's the first plane of this size I've seen in the flesh and I just had to have it.

Mike G. in SC

Re: Hey Mike...

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>but it's the first plane of this size I've seen in the flesh and I just had to have it.

Yup, we've al been there, and fully understand that statement. ;~)

10 years or so ago, I paid $200 for my Stanley #2. Why? "It was the first plane of this size I had seen in the flesh and I just had to have it".

Still kinda' sorta' kick myself for that, but than again, I've never found another #2 in the wild.

Pics? Pics?

T.O.

Re: $200 #2s

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>$200 is the average going rate for #2 planes; at least it was a year or two ago, so you didn't do bad on your purchase. I bought my #2 when the antique dealer was having a 10% off sale, so I got it for $165, and it is not really in good shape. Later I ended up finding a minty sweetheart iron for it but had to pay $20 just for the iron. Tools are a long term investment; very risky on the short term. The nice thing about buying an old tool is if you know how much to pay, it is not going to lose half it's value as soon as you bring it home. Even the new Lie Nielsens pretty much sell used for about the same as new.

Re: pics...pics

Mike G. in SC

>For some reason I have a hard time getting pics on here. it's probably my puter illeratacy coming through. I'll try.

Mike G. in SC

How did I do ?

Todd Hughes

>Here is a Union no. 2 c [corrugated] that picked up a few years ago. Has about 98% of it's original jappaning, just a bit of loss on the sides of the frog and doesn't look like it saw much use. Had to pay $20 but at that high of a price had the seller thow in a very nice Stanley 750 chisel too.

I sort of collect no. 2 size planes on a limited scale, have about half dozen I guess with most getting picked up on the cheap. Did have to pay $125 for a corrugated Sargent I have which i thought was plenty.

....I have sold more then a few on the ebay over the years and they often will not go for what you think they should. This is one of those planes unless in mint condition the only way to sell them is by parting them out. In my experance a Very Good condition no. 2 plane could sell for double the price parted out then if sold together....Todd

Parting out planes

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Todd, which parts tend not to sell parted out? Do you toss those parts?

Thanks,

Pam

Re: Parting out planes

Todd Hughes

>With somthing like a no. 2 I would sell all of the parts. I have even had good luck selling things like damaged totes or bodys from a no. 2 though of course you ain't going to get all that much for damaged parts but I guess people are still looking for them if they are better then what they have.

With common planes like 3,4, or 5s I normaly don't fool selling the bodys or the frogs because not worth it I don't think most times. I have put a bunch together to sell as a group and did OK...well at least got rid of them. Have done well with groups of Stanley screws, adjusting wheels etc. that I picked at auctions too.

...Same with saw nuts they sell well too....a couple years ago I bought 2 big coffie cans full of saw nuts but dang if I can remember where I put them !......Todd

Thanks.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: How did I do ?

Mike G. in SC

>I reckon you did better than I and for less money too. I took a pic or two of mine. Whenever my wife gets them loaded up, I'll post them.

Mike G. in SC

Re: How did I do ?

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>SUCKIN' Good if you ask me. ;~)

T.O.

Another Pic

tom b.

>Here's one a picked up at a garage sale last year. Somewhere out there is a block plan with a No. 2 lever cap :-)

Looking forward to seeing your pic's Mike.

Re: Another Pic

Mike G. in SC

>here it is with a Stanley no 4 and 5 behind it. I believe the stanleys are from the mid thirties.

Mike G. in SC