# Bailey #6 plane.



## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Just scored this at a garage sale. Paid $5. 










Plus a couple sheets of walnut burl veneer $9.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I am officially jealous. :icon_cry:

Terrific score. The plane appears in good shape. Just needs cleaning and the blade sharpening.

The veneer also looks good.

You got very luck today. :icon_smile:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Thanks Dave. They had another one, but wasn't sure about. It said wards. It was also $5 but didn't get it. Don't know if it was Montgomery wards or not?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Dominick said:


> Thanks Dave. They had another one, but wasn't sure about. It said wards. It was also $5 but didn't get it. Don't know if it was Montgomery wards or not?


If I had seen the Stanley I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat.

I agree the Wards was probably Montgomery Wards. One of many company-specific badges made for the company by the big plane manufacturers like Stanley, Sargent, Millers Falls.

Normally were designed to be sold for lower price than the Stanley-Bailey and so may have lower quality materials, some features missing, etc.

The Wards plane may have made a decent user, but I would also have passed.

I recently restored a Fulton. It is now cutting well, but I visited the flea market several times and each time passed on the plane, until my non-woodworking friend asked for a restored plane for his collection. He was happy with the restoration, and I feel the plane has a fitting new home where it will be valued, but not see a lot of use.


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

Good score! :thumbsup:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Further looking at it, I found this on the back.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Dominick said:


> Further looking at it, I found this on the back.


I think that is the patent date of what folks call the "kidney" shaped hole. Stanley claimed this as preventing the lever cap from slipping upward during use.

I can now see a chip out of the front edge of the lever cap. This happens when a person wants to unscrew the cap iron and does not have a screwdriver handy, so used the edge of the lever cap.

I have a No. 5 where the lever cap is REALLY broken on the front edge, looks awful, due to repeated attempts to use this as a screw driver.

The chip out will not impact performance of the plane.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I've got a Wards Master #4. It's a decent plane. The tote isn't the most comfortable, and appears to be wood that's been coated with plastic for some reason, but everything else works well. If I saw a Wards' plane cheap in a size I didn't have and wanted, I'd probably pick it up. But at this point it would have to be very cheap, since I have just about all the planes I really need.


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