ON SALE

Tuesday 7 March 2017

Money For Nothing: Planes

On today's episode of BBC1's Money For Nothing, Sarah Moore brings me a bucket full of old carpenters' planes. I refused to make something out of them, opting instead to make something with them in exchange for keeping the planes to use myself. It's against all of my own rules to treat any item as a material to 'remake' if that item is in my opinion suitable for use as is.
With some light restoration, a lot of practice and the help of my brother (seen in the picture below) I managed to get the tools working again to make a series of new wooden framed mirrors for Sarah to sell...
a lot of hit-and-miss practice produced an interesting collection of different profiles. I gave them a simulated ebonised finish, painted and waxed...
...and used antique foxed mirrors found in Margate skips.
the backs were finished with scrap plywood chest of drawer bottoms...
...The finished project. 
When the filming had finished, the original owner of the planes (Bruce Pearson) contacted me with the history of the items. I'm really pleased with the outcome and with what happened to the profits made by the sale of the mirrors, hence I'm quoting some interesting information from his email...

"They belonged originally to my sons maternal great grandfather (George Victor Baron) and were then passed on to his son (my wife’s father) George William Baron. They all lived on the Channel island of Alderney and ran the main building company on the island. My son Adam trained as a carpenter/joiner and the planes were duly passed down to him some years back.
Adam emigrated to Oz earlier this year which is how the planes ended up with me. Not knowing one end of a piece of wood from another they were of no practical use to me, hence being at the dump with them and meeting Sarah.
Between originally seeing Sarah at the dump and then being presented with the outcome of your work a few days ago my father-in-law sadly died so will not have known about or seen the outcome of your labours. He would however have most definitely approved (as will Adam) and be pleased that they have found such a good and interesting home. The proceeds will go to the Alderney Division of St Johns Ambulance."

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