Old planes

[Micky]

Hi,

During a recent clear out of my parents house I took possession of some old carpentary tools which belonged to my Grandfather (he was a carpenter at the village carpenters - examples of his work still in the village (lytch gates/pews) business is long gone of course). Originally I thought of car booting them - there are several planes of various sizes one of which looks like a long box and some things that look a bit like wooden toffee apples my Dad said they were "gauges" but I thought I'd keep these because they are just nice objects. I suddenly thought that maybe one of you on here might like the planes and actually use them making lovely wooden things properly rather than let them go for 20p at a car boot. I don't want anything for them....any interest?

Thanks
Micky

 

[Ian Bond]

I expect some old planes end up as ornaments, perhaps a few are kept in use by keen amateurs.

Moulding planes for example, would be very useful for matching old architectural mouldings, which would otherwise cost you loads of £££ to get a firm to do it on their hi-tech machines.

http://www.oldtools.co.uk/tools/sorby/sorby.php

It's lovely to keep some items for yourself, such as those (mortice) gauges? or were they gouges with ball shaped handles perhaps?

My grandfather didn't leave many material possessions behind from a lifetimes work, but I've got his retirement watch which he treasured, and an imperial micrometer that he used day in day out for his daily work. I think that I'm more fond of the micrometer.

 

[biffvernon]

I have several tools that I inherited from my grandfather. My favourite is a small chisel with 'Addis & Son Sheffield 10 Prize medals' stamped into the steel. Possibly an ebony handle. I use it most days.

 

[Me!]

Micky,

If any of them are moulding planes (ones that have any sort of shaped bottom surface rather than just flat), something like this -

http://www.antiquetools.com/chelor/images/mold_sm.gif

then yes, I would certainly be happy to give them a good home where they would actually be used. Please PM me if you are interested.
Thank you.

 

[Micky]

Thanks for replies and really helpful links from Mr Bond and Me! I can now identify some of them as Dado planes/moulding planes I think there are also some carving gouges too but some of them look to have been walloped and the handles have seen better days....yes I am going to keep the, as I can now confidently call them, mortice gauges (as opposed to wooden toffee apples!) although they are not inlaid with brass they are still nice things (well I think so) and like you say it's lovely to have something from your grand parents. Sorry Me! you were beaten to them but should things change certainly you can have first refusal.

I am chuffed to think they'll be used again.

Micky

 

[FamilyWiggs]

There are some great old woodoworking tools for sale on eBay.

I have bought a few moulding planes (bit of a lottery as you don't know what the blades are like, as well as some very nice wood/brass spirit levels, rulers, etc.

And the usual price is less than a fiver.

Even if not used, the look/smell lovely.