Woodworking
Restoring old tools is so rewarding and interesting.
Somewhere along the line I picked up an old General Jack Plane (Type 2, I think). Having not used a hand plane much I was not sure how best to get this to be a functional tool again.
At the workshop, we learned about each part of the plane and how best to care for them. This hand plane is called a Jack Plane, one of the workhorses of woodworking shops everywhere. With some research, I have found out that this plane is from the 1960s and is General (Type II, maybe). There are no cracks or major scratches on the soul or the side. The wooden handle was broken in three
places and the front handle was missing.
With elbow grease, sandpaper and steel wool and some sheer hard work, every part became shiny and looking new again. The wooden handle on the back had been epoxied together and a new rod installed, replacing the old bent one. The front knob is from an old Stanley plane. With installing the new rod, this old plane gained a second life and is in great working order. My plans are to refinish the handles so they both look the same.