I picked up this old Stanley #7 jointer plane from EBAY. It appears to be a type 15 with a lever cap from a later type (16+). The lever cap has the kidney shaped hole. Anyway it was probably manufactured sometime between 1931 and 1941.
Here it is as received.
Not looking so good. So I am going to have to clean it up and see if it still works.
Now, I am by no means an expert at this, but I have come up with some methods that work for me. Some may be good and some may not. Most of these methods I read about here and on other woodworking forums. What really taught me a lot of things that I had no idea about was Chrisopher Schwarz dvd, Super-Tune a Handplane. If you want to know more about re-furbishing and setting up a hand plane, I reccomend you get a copy of this dvd.
First thing I did was take it apart to inspect everything.
Lots of rust, but no pitting I could see, and no broken, missing or incorrect parts, except maybe that lever cap.
So I set about cleaning things up. I soaked all the steel hardware in Krud Kutter rust remover. While those parts were soaking, the iron, cap iron(chip breaker) and lever cap went to the wire wheel mounted on the bench grinder. The wire wheel took off most of the rust and scale. It also removed the loose, flaking nickle plating on the lever cap.
The brass parts got dipped in the Krud Kutter and then brushed off with a small, toothbrush style wire brush. A quick once over with synthetic steel wool (like Scotchbrite) got the brass pieces bright and shiny. I used that same brush and wool on the steel hardware removing almost all of the rust and corrosion.
The base casting and frog got soaked down with WD40. I let that soak in for 15-20 minutes, then brushed any surface I could reach with a nylon bristle (tooth)brush. I then wiped off the WD40 with an oily rag, using a screwdriver to push the rag into hard top reach nooks and crannies. The lateral lever came pretty clean with just steel wool.
The sides of the base casting got wire wheeled at the grinder to remove the rust, then steel wool until it was 'good enough'.
I flattened the sole of the base casting with sandpaper adhered to a nice flat surface, a piece of granite. The sandpaper grits used were 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400. Then a little rub down with 0000 steel wool and WD40. There are a couple of low spots left, but none around the mouth, so 'good enough' was achieved once again.
So here is the results of the cleanings.
Most of the japanning was now gone from the bed. That bothered me a little.
I didn't want it start rusting up again, so I sprayed it down with Permatex Rust Treatment. The Permatex goes on clear and turns black after it dries leaving a ready to be painted surface. I am not going to paint it, it looks fine the way it is. If it starts to flake off, it will be time to remove everything from the bed and cover it with something more permanent.
I let the Permatex dry overnight.
The shiny black parts are the original japanning under the permatex. Looks ready to go to me.
So now, to put it back together.
First up was re-assembling the frog. Screw in the depth adjuster stud, the frog adjuster tab, and the depth adjuster nut.
Screwed the frog adjuster nut into the base casting then install the frog with the frog adjuster tab engaged with the frog adjuster screw.
Add the lever cap screw and attach the frog to the base. I started out with the frog about 1/8" back from the mouth opening. That will be adjusted as needed. I crank down the frog screws as tight as I can get them. I don't want the frog to move unless I am adjusting it. A loose frog is bad.
Attach the tote and knob.
Got the iron nice and sharp and trued up the bottom edge of the cap iron so it lies nice and flat along the entire width of the iron.
I try to get the edge of the cap iron as close as possible to the bottom edge of the cutting iron. I put a slight camber on the cutting iron, so this is about as close as I could get the cap iron.
With the depth adjuster backed off, I loaded the iron assembly and lever cap. I tightened the lever cap screw until it just makes contact with the lever cap with the lever dis-engaged. Flip the lever to tighten the cap and tighten or lossen the screw as needed to adjust the tension. It has to be tight enough to prevent the iron from moving on it's own, but still loose enough to allow the depth adjustment to work.
So the plane is now back together. Time to give it a test. First thing I do is advance the cutting iron towards the mouth of the plane. Got to make sure the iron is not going to hit the front of the mouth. If the iron is too far forward or too far back, the frog needs to be adjusted to get the iron where you want it. This one looked good so no adjustment was needed. I sighted down the sole of the plane to see if the iron was coming out parallel to the sole of the plane. If not I tap the top of the iron with the handle of a screwdriver to pivot the blade until it is parallel. Then I back the iron out of the mouth and slowly start bringing it forward as I slide the plane over a piece of wood. I use very small adjustments (1/4 turn or less)until the blade just touches the wood. When the iron starts cutting the wood you can see if it is cutting more to one side than the other and adjust the angle of the iron with a tap (or I guess you could use the lateral lever). The goal is to get an even thickness full width cut. Advance the iron a bit at a time as you check for an even cut. After fiddling with the iron adjustment, this is what I was getting from a piece of pine.
Nice thin fluffy shavings. Let's try a piece of oak.
Good enough for me. I'm done.
Here is the before and after.
So this one goes back in the drawer to be with his buddies.
Here it is as received.
Now, I am by no means an expert at this, but I have come up with some methods that work for me. Some may be good and some may not. Most of these methods I read about here and on other woodworking forums. What really taught me a lot of things that I had no idea about was Chrisopher Schwarz dvd, Super-Tune a Handplane. If you want to know more about re-furbishing and setting up a hand plane, I reccomend you get a copy of this dvd.
First thing I did was take it apart to inspect everything.
Lots of rust, but no pitting I could see, and no broken, missing or incorrect parts, except maybe that lever cap.
So I set about cleaning things up. I soaked all the steel hardware in Krud Kutter rust remover. While those parts were soaking, the iron, cap iron(chip breaker) and lever cap went to the wire wheel mounted on the bench grinder. The wire wheel took off most of the rust and scale. It also removed the loose, flaking nickle plating on the lever cap.
The brass parts got dipped in the Krud Kutter and then brushed off with a small, toothbrush style wire brush. A quick once over with synthetic steel wool (like Scotchbrite) got the brass pieces bright and shiny. I used that same brush and wool on the steel hardware removing almost all of the rust and corrosion.
The base casting and frog got soaked down with WD40. I let that soak in for 15-20 minutes, then brushed any surface I could reach with a nylon bristle (tooth)brush. I then wiped off the WD40 with an oily rag, using a screwdriver to push the rag into hard top reach nooks and crannies. The lateral lever came pretty clean with just steel wool.
The sides of the base casting got wire wheeled at the grinder to remove the rust, then steel wool until it was 'good enough'.
I flattened the sole of the base casting with sandpaper adhered to a nice flat surface, a piece of granite. The sandpaper grits used were 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400. Then a little rub down with 0000 steel wool and WD40. There are a couple of low spots left, but none around the mouth, so 'good enough' was achieved once again.
So here is the results of the cleanings.
Most of the japanning was now gone from the bed. That bothered me a little.
I didn't want it start rusting up again, so I sprayed it down with Permatex Rust Treatment. The Permatex goes on clear and turns black after it dries leaving a ready to be painted surface. I am not going to paint it, it looks fine the way it is. If it starts to flake off, it will be time to remove everything from the bed and cover it with something more permanent.
I let the Permatex dry overnight.
The shiny black parts are the original japanning under the permatex. Looks ready to go to me.
So now, to put it back together.
First up was re-assembling the frog. Screw in the depth adjuster stud, the frog adjuster tab, and the depth adjuster nut.
Screwed the frog adjuster nut into the base casting then install the frog with the frog adjuster tab engaged with the frog adjuster screw.
Add the lever cap screw and attach the frog to the base. I started out with the frog about 1/8" back from the mouth opening. That will be adjusted as needed. I crank down the frog screws as tight as I can get them. I don't want the frog to move unless I am adjusting it. A loose frog is bad.
Attach the tote and knob.
I try to get the edge of the cap iron as close as possible to the bottom edge of the cutting iron. I put a slight camber on the cutting iron, so this is about as close as I could get the cap iron.
With the depth adjuster backed off, I loaded the iron assembly and lever cap. I tightened the lever cap screw until it just makes contact with the lever cap with the lever dis-engaged. Flip the lever to tighten the cap and tighten or lossen the screw as needed to adjust the tension. It has to be tight enough to prevent the iron from moving on it's own, but still loose enough to allow the depth adjustment to work.
So the plane is now back together. Time to give it a test. First thing I do is advance the cutting iron towards the mouth of the plane. Got to make sure the iron is not going to hit the front of the mouth. If the iron is too far forward or too far back, the frog needs to be adjusted to get the iron where you want it. This one looked good so no adjustment was needed. I sighted down the sole of the plane to see if the iron was coming out parallel to the sole of the plane. If not I tap the top of the iron with the handle of a screwdriver to pivot the blade until it is parallel. Then I back the iron out of the mouth and slowly start bringing it forward as I slide the plane over a piece of wood. I use very small adjustments (1/4 turn or less)until the blade just touches the wood. When the iron starts cutting the wood you can see if it is cutting more to one side than the other and adjust the angle of the iron with a tap (or I guess you could use the lateral lever). The goal is to get an even thickness full width cut. Advance the iron a bit at a time as you check for an even cut. After fiddling with the iron adjustment, this is what I was getting from a piece of pine.
Nice thin fluffy shavings. Let's try a piece of oak.
Good enough for me. I'm done.
Here is the before and after.
So this one goes back in the drawer to be with his buddies.
. I live in Fuquay and we should get together some time to compare notes. 
