Plane Refurbs

Jim DeLaney

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Austintown, Ohio
A few weeks ago, Jim Burr asked if anybody wanted to try resurrecting a couple nearly dead planes he had, and I volunteered.

Here’s what they looked like when he sent them: (Picture inserts aren't working right for me. Please click on the thumbnails at the bottom of the page.)
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…and here’s what they looked like after several hours in a citric acid bath:

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Surprisingly, the japanning/paint on both planes was pretty good. The metal pitting on both of them was actually minor, and in places where it didn’t affect function.

Soles were fairly flat, once cleaned, and a few minutes on the granite slab, with sheet abrasives, pretty well flattened them.

A good flattening on the backs, and sharpening on the fronts, of the blades, and both planes were quite functional.


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There was also a #54 spokeshave in the box, so I refurbed it, too. It was a really nice little shave (I was tempted to keep it! :rolleyes: ).

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I was pretty happy with the finished refurbs, and apparently Jim was, too.
 

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Did you ever have so much fun after rehabbing a plane and sharpening it up that you just kept making shavings for the pure fun of it? :rofl: :D

Great job and Great gesture on your part Mr. Delaney! :clap::clap:
 
Did you ever have so much fun after rehabbing a plane and sharpening it up that you just kept making shavings for the pure fun of it? :rofl: :D

Actually, yeah! It happens quite often after I've resurrected an old barn or flea market find. I like seeing just how thin I can get a shaving. If I can get maple down into the tenths, I'm really happy!
 
Very nice rehabs Jim. Can you describe your citric acid bath - concentration, source etc. please?

I know what you mean about just wanting to make shavings after such a re-do job.
 
Very nice rehabs Jim. Can you describe your citric acid bath - concentration, source etc. please?...

The citric acid I use is the same stuff that's used for canning fruits and vegetables.

About a quarter cup of acid powder in a gallon of hot water makes a good starting solution. Add acid or water (whichever) until you get it working to your liking. I generally put the pieces in the bath, and check them every half hour or so. Three or four hours is usually enough to de-rust all but the worst pieces.

The solution doesn't seem to affect paint or japanning - unless ther's rust under it.

At the supermarket, 4 ounces of the acid was about $4.00, but at the Amish 'bulk foods' market, a half pound was only $2.20. YMMV...

The solution can be re-used. I don't know how long it'll work. Mine usually gets way too dirty before it quits working, so I end up throwing it out.
 
What a great job Jim:thumb: Thanks for the citric acid tip I too will try that unless of course i cannot get the citric acid here for some reason.

As to planing after tune up well its pure joy. However i have now begun to take it more seriously. See i found for me as a rookie i could have all the fun on a scrap piece, at that stage you have no objective say other than getting a thin shaving.

Then when i have picked up the plane to do some work on a project piece mmmmm I find that i dont have the control and adjusting down pat to do what i would like. Hence my swap box is in for lid no 3.:eek::eek::eek:

So for me now its gonna be setting an objective on the scrap piece to do more than simply get nice shavings. :D I took this point from Toni practicing at hand cut dovetails. Lets face it one has to develop technique like anything else and in planes get to know your baby in your hands.:rofl:

But what a treat, I am not sure there is a greater delight in woodworking that compares to refurbing an old plane and experiencing it swish through wood.

Man the number of times i wish i could have had my school Industrial arts teacher present i just cannot say.:rofl:
 
Great job, and great gesture, Jim :clap: I've used the citric acid bath before on some old tool, but I don't recall which one. I do remember that it worked well, though.

Wow! I've never seen anything clean up quite that well! :thumb:...

Apparently you've never seen Brent in a suit and tie. :p George Clooney's got nothing on ol' Bubba. ;)
 
The citric acid is a great tip! I love to restore old planes, it's a great hobby when I find the time. I have always just used almost boiling hot water and lots of elbow grease. (have never gotten around to setting up an electrolosis tank in my back yard, and don't want to turn my basement into a hydrogen bomb) The acid seems like a much safer alternative!

Great job on the resto! Have you ever used an edge sander to true up and flatten the iron? After truing up the body you can get quite a polish going down to about 320 then finishing with 0000 steel wool and butchers wax.
 
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