stanley planes - value?

[dpsnyder]

I have an opportunity to buy a plane but it is part of a group the guy wants to sell all together. Just curious what anyone thought of the price... or what questions I should ask. :dontknow:

Stanley 45 with 1 box of tool bits
Stanley 55 with 4 boxes of tool bits looks like it is in the original box
one other one (not sure what it is)
and 3 older wooden molding planes

wanted at least $250 for the lot. How do you tell how old the planes are? Any thoughts? I too used the plow plane at Roys shop and was impressed. I'd like to gradually buy a selection of useful planes, but don't want to go overboard.

Pics supplied:

Dan

 

[JimmyC]

Dan,

I don't know if that's a good deal or not, but remember that MWTCA is coming to a farm near you in the near future, so have some money ready to purchase. I will. :gar-Bi

 

[michaelgarner]

Depending on the condition and year of the tools it is a reasonable price. Can you get pics so we can see what your looking at?

 

[froglips]

Dan, I have a price guide book but its rather annoyingly complex. I found Stanely 45 ranging from $220 to over $4500.

If you haven't yet, this is the first stop for all things stanely: http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0.htm

The 45 and 55 are similiar Combination Planes. Many felt the 55 was an evil and/or ugly step brother, while others love it.

Without excess digging, I found 45's with cutters on ebay sold for $150 and 55 complete for around $400.

Old wooden molding planes, just hard to say. You'd want the iron and wedge. If its boxed (a small boxwood insert running the length of the sole), that shouldn't be missing or at least not too loose.

There are so many molding planes floating around, its probably not something I'd focus on at that price.

$250 sounds to me, like an awfully good deal, assuming usable condition.

Given the 45 is much more collectable, if its in good shape, I'd be tempted to keep the 55 and sell the 45. You might make a bit of profit on the deal.

But, I'd be a bit warey that the price seems low to me.

You'd want to ask for a count of the number of irons for both the 45 and 55.

Also, make sure the fences are there. The depth stop is important too, but would be the least difficult bit to jerry rig if missing. There are nippers in these planes, but not something I'd worry about.

Condition of the irons, for use is good to check out. Deep pitting and bad rust can render them useless. Surface rust, the kind you can wipe with your finger is ok.

If its local, I'd be more than happy to tag along to look at them.

Finally, if you do get them, it can be worth the time to sort out if any are collector quality or user tools. I tend to view us as both workers and stewards of these old tools.

Jim

I have an opportunity to buy a plane but it is part of a group the guy wants to sell all together. Just curious what anyone thought of the price... or what questions I should ask. :dontknow:

Stanley 45 with 1 box of tool bits
Stanley 55 with 4 boxes of tool bits looks like it is in the original box
one other one (not sure what it is)
and 3 older wooden molding planes

wanted at least $250 for the lot. How do you tell how old the planes are? Any thoughts? I too used the plow plane at Roys shop and was impressed. I'd like to gradually buy a selection of useful planes, but don't want to go overboard.

Dan

 

[froglips]

Nice looking from the pics. The 55 has two fences, which I can see in the pics, thats a good sign.

The "other" plane looks a lot like a #40 scrub plane.

The far right wooden plane might be a moving filister, hard to be sure.

All in all, I'd say $250 is a decent buy.

Good luck!

Jim

 

[sawman]

Dan that looks like a very good deal.
The 45/55 models you need a book to determine when it was produced. The older models have very ornate castings while the newer models do not.
From looking at your photos I do not see the slitters nor the cam rests.
As to the cutters, quite a few of these are interchangeable between both.
That does look like a #40 scrub plane and would run $50 to $100 depending on the condition. If you do not want that please let me know.
The wooden planes need to be looked at. Is the correct iron in it? Does it have checking? Is the correct wedge with it?
I gladly pay $250.00 for it.

Later,
Albert :saw:

 

[michaelgarner]

Friend that is a good deal, if you dont want them let me know and I will buy them. The scrub goes for about a hundred by itself. If you get the lot and dont want some of them let us know we will buy them from you to offset your purchase.

 

[Ozzie-x]

Jim and some of the others did a good job of summing these up. Can't make out some of the features from the pictures. The 45 appears to be a 1905-1910 version with the "B" casting mark, pretty good shape, appears to be missing several of the gadgets including depth stops, the round knob is missing from the fence, I think this vintage was furnished with 20 cutters plus the slitter, will clean up nicely and definitely make a good user or even collector. I see two sets of long rods, I think the 55 may have the 45 short rods installed in it.

The 55 also is missing several gadgets including the always missing tower depth stop. The 55 appears to have the original boxes and labels which adds a lot of value. The 55 also appears to be 1900-1910 vintage, they stopped making wooden boxes for them in 1910. Hard to tell from the pictures if all of the cutters are there, should be 55 cutters (I think), probably missing a few the way things go, but replacement cutters are readily available.

The plane in the background is a bench plane, notice the lever cap, blade adjuster and lateral lever. Judging frmo the shape of the handles and the shape of the side, I would guess that it is either a Union or Birmingham. The wooden planes, I don't have a clue :dontknow: Depending on the maker and the rarity, the value can vary greatly.

This is really a pretty good deal, I would scarf it up. :icon_thum :icon_thum :icon_thum

 

[willarda]

The 3 wooden planes appear to be a moving fillester (back) and two brass screw depth stop dadoes. A good fillester with the nicker in place, etc would be worth around $75 and the dadoes each worth aorund $50 if they have the nicker blades as well. Parts for the Stanley 45 and 55 can be readily found, both at Ed Hobb's farm in July and from Bob Kaune in SF. I would suggest that you leap on this sale. I would like to have those, but I see than I am too far down on the list of interesteds!