Newest acquisition

[DaveO]

Driving out to get some stuff at the BORG today, I pasted a beautiful old barn that I had admired many times. This day there was a sign saying "Antiques and Yard Sale", so I doubled back mainy to see the inside of the barn. I was greeted by a lady, and I asked if she knew if there were and old handtools for sale. She said that she had no idea but to check inside with her brother. So I went into the old barn, which was really cool, lots of old wood, and started looking through the rooms to see what I could find. The last room I came to was exactly what I was looking for. There was a table just filled with old planes, draw knives, bits & braces etc. Most of the metal planes were in poor shape but there was about 10 wooden planes, so I started looking through them and they too were mostly in bad shape. Then I picked up this one. The iron was in great shape and still rather sharp. The body was also in good shape and the sole looked dead flat. So I asked the guy what he wanted for it, he said $25. I told him that I had no cash but could run to Lowes and get my stuff plus some cash, and be right back. He said he would hold it for me. I came back offer him $20 and left with the plane. Got home and cleaned some surface rust of the iron and chip breaker, honed the edge till I could shave arm hairs and waxed the sole. Having never used a jointer plane before and being a handtool newbie, I though it worked very nicely on some Red Oak scrap I had lying around. I am not sure if jointer plane is the correct term, but it is 22" long and has Owasco Tool Co. stamped on the front and iron. Anybody know anything about this plane?

Thanks for looking and any information you can provide. Dave

 

[Monty]

At 22", it's a jointer. And it looks to be a fine one at that! I've never owned a woodie, but I know lots of people who prefer these. I can't comment much on care/maintenance/tuning of these.

I did find out this about the maker:

AUBURN TOOL CO.
A major manufacturer of wooden planes, located in Auburn, NY. As a successor to Casey, Clark & Co. it operated under the Auburn name from 1864 to 1893, when it merged with with the Ohio Tool Co. It owned and used a number of brand names including New York Tool Co., Owasco Tool Co., Genesee Tool Co., Ensenore, Thistle Brand, and Star. During 1864-65 and 1874-77, the company used prison labor at the Auburn Prison. The 1865 NY State census reported that 50 men were employed, producing 35,000 planes worth $35,000, 25,000 dozen plane irons worth $12,000 and 30,000 pairs of ice skates worth $45,000, utilizing steam power. An 1884 report listed the company?s annual plane production at 300,000, nearly half of which were toy planes for children. (See the Bibliography for the reprint of its 1869 price list).

More here.

Looks like you got yourself a real score there!!! :mrgreen:

 

[DaveO]

Insomniac, great minds must think alike. My quick research after I posted this thread yielded the same information. So I can guess that it is at least 100 years old. It is in almost perfect shape, I posted about in over on WN also, I am curious to see what some true handtool affectionados have to say about it and it's value. I'm just stoked that it actually makes some nice shavings. Dave

 

[fsdogwood]

Nice new addition!
It seems that you've also got a HF plane (the blue colored), how do you
think of it?

 

[DaveO]

I think so highly of it that shortly after getting it I got a real Stanely #4. The fit and finish isn't the best, but it works well. I have it with a rank set iron for hogging off wood in things like construction projects. And I keep my other #4 for finer work, which also never touches any pressure treated lumber. It was my first plane, I bought it to try handtools, then I slipped and have been sliding down the slope ever since. Dave

 

[fsdogwood]

Yes, that sure is a use for this kind of brand plane.
I bought 2 HF #3s, where it was on sale, thought the wood knob/handle
would worth the price.

I've even got some thick blade that I'd like to put on the crap plane so
it could really serve as a home made scrub.

 

[DaveO]

I was impressed by the wood tote and knob on the HF plane, although the tote was a little loose. My nice Stanley, has plastic ones, go figure? They both do the job intended, but the Stanley feels better. A little secret, you can get both the Stanley #4, and the low angle block plane at Lowes, for much cheaper than you can get the same plane at many WW'ing stores, names withheld to protect the greedy. Dave