Oven for japanning?

[benjam...@gmail.com]

So I have some 1870s Stanley planes that have lost too much of their original japanning to justify keeping it. As such, I have stripped them, and I am going to repaint them with real japanning. The most basic traditional japanning recipe is 5 parts turpentine, 3 parts asphaltum powder, and 2 parts boiled linseed oil. Some recipes from the 19th century that I have seen contain rosin and lead driers, but they are not necessary, and since the particular recipe that the Stanley Rule & Level Co. actually used is lost to time, I will just go with the basic stuff. The problem is, however, japanning has to be baked on, starting at 200 degrees F, and slowly working up to 400 as coats are added. Now, I *could* do this in my oven at home, but the process reeks strongly of tar and asphalt, something I don't want my cooking oven to smell like. Could the kiln be used? If not, does anyone else have any other ideas?

[Jeremy Heim]

How tied are you to that method? I restored an old no. 5 that had sat most of its life in various family members’ crawl spaces. I used rustoleum spray epoxy and it worked well.

Jeremy Heim

Cell: 414.708.7562 Email: jerem...@gmail.com

On Wed, Sep 4, 2024 at 10:40 AM benjam...@gmail.com <benjam...@gmail.com> wrote:

So I have some 1870s Stanley planes that have lost too much of their original japanning to justify keeping it. As such, I have stripped them, and I am going to repaint them with real japanning. The most basic traditional japanning recipe is 5 parts turpentine, 3 parts asphaltum powder, and 2 parts boiled linseed oil. Some recipes from the 19th century that I have seen contain rosin and lead driers, but they are not necessary, and since the particular recipe that the Stanley Rule & Level Co. actually used is lost to time, I will just go with the basic stuff. The problem is, however, japanning has to be baked on, starting at 200 degrees F, and slowly working up to 400 as coats are added. Now, I *could* do this in my oven at home, but the process reeks strongly of tar and asphalt, something I don't want my cooking oven to smell like. Could the kiln be used? If not, does anyone else have any other ideas?

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[benjam...@gmail.com]

I am pretty married to the idea of doing real japanning, as the two planes are being restored with historical accuracy in mind, such as French polished shellac on the tote and knob. I have seen planes refinished in enamels, varnishes, etc. and they never look quite right, at least to me. There are cold cure recipes but the baked on type is the most resilient and durable.

[Tom Gralewicz]

Are they small enough to fit in a toaster oven?

Used at Goodwill, or cheap and new.

Tom Gralewicz

Chronic Maker

milwaukeemakerspace.org

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[Don Rozwick]

Was going to suggest the toaster oven also.

I watched this 

https://youtu.be/SBqgpdBNrt8?si=AVmCWQzqbd7AcKRU

But haven’t tried it yet.

-Don Rozwick

He who slings mud generally loses ground.

   Adlai Stevenson

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[Benjamin Marn]

Interesting idea. One is a No. 3 smoothing plane, which is 8 inches in length. The other is a No. 6 fore plane, which is 18 inches in length. The No. 8 jointer plane is the largest of the cast iron bench planes that Stanley produced, and it is 24 inches long*. I would ideally be looking for one that could accommodate a No. 8, as I plan on adding one to my collection one day. This would be just in case though, as hopefully I can find one that doesn't need to be re-japanned. The widest Stanley planes get is a little over 3 inches, that title again going to the No. 8.

*I do know of a 28 inch long jointer plane made by Stanley in the possession of a tool collector in Australia, though this is thought to be a one off custom ordered by a client willing to pay the extra cost or a personal project made by someone working at Stanley)

On Wed, Sep 4, 2024 at 3:48 PM 'Tom Gralewicz' via Friends of MMS <milwaukee...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

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