Soaring High Woodworks

08/24/2024

So this is a fun project - restoring/modifying a 24" transitional plane with a new sole, also modifying the front and back with compound angle cuts. It's gonna look cool, but a bit complicated to assemble/glueup. 🙂

08/03/2024

This Stanley Type 8 no 8c hand plane is done. Beautiful example of a tool manufactured between 1900-02. This is now my oldest bench plane, I wonder what this tool has done in its lifetime? How many people have used it to create something for their family or have used it in a vocation to support their family? I wish these tools could talk. 🙂

07/31/2024

Wiorking on the restoration of this Stanley Type 8 (mfg 900-02) no 8c plane today. It's pretty chonky. 🙂

07/19/2024

All done! This is a heavy bench because it is made from hickory cutoffs. But it's good and solid. 👍

07/18/2024

Getting ready for a second coat of finish on this outdoor bench. Contact us if you would like one of these for your porch/patio.

04/06/2024

Finished refurbishing this no 78. A nice example of the Filletster/Rabbeting/Bullnose plane. The blade can go in the middle or up at the front, depending on the job. It was complete when I got it, which is a nice bonus. Usually the depth stop and/or fence is missing on these. This was manufactured sometime between 1938-60, unfortunately can't narrow down any further. But it works really well!

03/27/2024

Finished restoring 3 planes, a type 16 no 5 1/4, a type 13 No 6c, and a type 19 no 7c. I had to redo a toat repair on the no 6, but everything else was pretty straightforward. I decided to try a new finish process on these as well and used a matte clearcoat over the fresh paint. I love the look that it gives, so I applied it to the rest of my planes too. All sharpened and taking beautiful shavings. I'll be flattening the top of my bench with the no 7, didn't realize how many little dents and low spots I had! 🤣

03/15/2024

I finished up my Moxon vise this week. I based it on the quad screw moxon vise from Make Things/Let's Make Things on YouTube but with a few tweaks of my own. A standard moxon vise kit is $40-50 and the screws stick out of the front where they can get in the way. So I bought a couple of 8" C-clamps from Harbor Freight and just cut off the bottom section with the threads. These were mounted in the rear jaw. I also wanted the upper screw threads to be removable so I don't poke myself in the face when I'm not using them! 🤣 So I bought a 12" piece of 5/8" threaded rod and cut it in half, then I mounted nuts under the upper jaw to receive them. These upper jaw thread assemblies can be stored on the back of the vise when not in use. Having two sets of jaws allows more flexibility and can be used to assemble corner joints while keeping them square.

Now all I have to do is learn dovetails.... 🙂

03/12/2024

I've been working on a moxon vise. Got this idea from and added a couple tweaks of my own. The upper screws are removable so they don't poke me on the face. 🙂 It's ready for finish, then I'll put some cork inside the vise jaws. Got storage for the upright screws on the back. Can hold a panel up to 24" wide.

02/09/2024

Finally got this one all done and tested and it works great! It's a Union no 28 transitional plane (pre-Stanley buyout, so this dates between about 1902-20) that my brothers gave me. I extended it from 18" to 22" and attached a new sole (extra wood is Padauk). Cleaned up the heavily rusted/pitted metal with a sandblaster and repainted the frog and metal top. I also made new furniture from mahogany. It looks great and works pretty well considering how badly it was rusted. I have it safely tucked away in it's new home with my other planes. Here's a few before and after pics.

12/28/2023

Soaring High Woodworks is officially on YouTube! In this first video, watch how a 120-year old Stanley no 3 handplane is restored to almost factory-new condition. Like, subscribe, share - all that good stuff and thank you very much for your support!

In this video I will be restoring this (mostly) Type 9 Stanley number 3 smoothing plane, which was manufactured sometime between 1902-07. I like to do a full...

12/22/2023

Working on a Type 7/9/11 Stanley no 3 frankenplsne restoration. Ready for paint on the body (don't have an oven for proper japanning) and lacquer on the furniture.