Bing, you’re really helping on this quest. If Simmons wasn’t using a planer in '51 or '52 and they were in common use
a few years later we’re narrowing things down (I’m assuming that Simmons would have been on it, he was on the edge
of everything). Any chance you could contact Quigg or Kivlin? It would be GREAT to hear what they have to say…
Jim, what do you think Tinker would have to say about this? The question about whether Tinker got his planer technique
from Simmons (on another thread) was what got me thinking about the subject of who first used the electric planer, and
that was the genesis of this thread.
Bing,
What a genius idea.
Have you run that by Duke yet?
Hi Bill,
Nice to hear from you. No Haven’t mentioned it to Duke yet. But, Liz would be the perfect lady to pull it off.
Bing
Its fabulous to see an original Industry great such as Bing here! Welcome…
I have pondered the Planer question from a different angle…that of the attitudes to its use when it first replaced the adze and hand-plane…
I mean:-
In relation to the advent of the shaping machine…there’s a great amount of resistance to the new in our industry, and it took a long time for the very same guys who decried the shaping machine to come around to say “Its just a big planer, in the right hands a great tool.”
Maybe planing with a Skil would have been seen the same way, like, new-fangled?
Then again, maybe the craft was not seen as so “Soulful” in the '60’s, before acid, dope and the independent backyard shapers?
I’ve seen old photos of some of the early big production houses, sometimes a row of shaping stalls with “Ghost” shapers toiling away. The Skil 100 would perhaps have been a huge contributing factor in big production.
As with the Father of Compsand Thread…Its just a historic point of interest for me.
Josh
Not trying to hijack this thread, but the origins of the use of the Skil 100 also got me to thinking about when was sidelighting first used?
<div class="bb-quote">Quote:<blockquote class="bb-quote-body">
Not trying to hijack this thread, but the origins of the use of the Skil 100 also got me to thinking about when was sidelighting first used?
When i used to shape for Eaton he always said it was Bing. Now that we got him here maybe he will set the record straight.
Quote:Not trying to hijack this thread, but the origins of the use of the Skil 100 also got me to thinking about when was sidelighting first used?
When i used to shape for Eaton he always said it was Bing. Now that we got him here maybe he will set the record straight.
This ain’t hijackin’ because I was curious about sidelighting also.
Really great question that I’ve often wondered about, been reading through the legendary surfers site, there are some great yarns and a lot of history on Veltzy, Simmons, but I’ve not picked up any direct references who first used a planner first.
Quote:Bing,
What a genius idea.
Have you run that by Duke yet?
Hi Bill,
Nice to hear from you. No Haven’t mentioned it to Duke yet. But, Liz would be the perfect lady to pull it off.
Bing
Hi Bing,
I told Duke about your idea the other day. He laughed and said it was a great idea. I’m sure Liz has yours planned by now.
Bill
Bill, glad you bumped this back up. I’d really like to get some more opinions and stories about the
origins of planer use. The problem seems to be that the circle of people who might know is very small.
But IMHO it’s an important question - I guess I’m a little biased being a lifelong planer jockey, but…
In 1959 a Skil 100, in San Diego, was $ 125 dollars. When I could finally buy one, in 1964, the price had ‘‘jumped’’ to
$ 150 dollars. Like you, I still have that planer.
Bill, glad you bumped this back up. I’d really like to get some more opinions and stories about the
origins of planer use. The problem seems to be that the circle of people who might know is very small.
But IMHO it’s an important question - I guess I’m a little biased being a lifelong planer jockey, but…
Guess I need to learn how to reply with a quote.
Balsa, I also talked to Duke a few days ago. He laughed at my idea. Oh well.
Mike, I have emailed Joe Quigg, with the question, but haven’t received an answer. I’ll report in when I hear from him.
Bing
Sorry to be blatantly off topic, but I just wanted to thank you for this, Bing:
Such a great book! Thanks again.
I just now saw this discussion. Yes, Dale Velzy did use a Skil 100 planer on Balsa boards. Here is a link to Dale’s equipment that I still have, including a picture of Dale’s planer. He had 2 Skill 100s in the 60s when I worked with him, both slightly modified to make them easier to change cut depth. He told me that they worked well on Balsa, and I shaped a Balsa for fun with him about 1970 or so. The one pictured he gave me in 1969 and was used by me at Wave Trek for about 10 years. I wouldn’t mind using it again but I don’t know where I can find new blades as the old ones are very dull.
http://hbsnakesurf.com/Velzy/VelzyDisplay.html
Snake
I just now saw this discussion. Yes, Dale Velzy did use a Skil 100 planer on Balsa boards. Here is a link to Dale’s equipment that I still have, including a picture of Dale’s planer. He had 2 Skill 100s in the 60s when I worked with him, both slightly modified to make them easier to change cut depth. He told me that they worked well on Balsa, and I shaped a Balsa for fun with him about 1970 or so. The one pictured he gave me in 1969 and was used by me at Wave Trek for about 10 years. I wouldn’t mind using it again but I don’t know where I can find new blades as the old ones are very dull.
http://hbsnakesurf.com/Velzy/VelzyDisplay.html
Snake
Hey Snake, while looking on e-bay for a Skil I came across these blades for sale for $90. Apparently they still have them. Someone else may know where to find them cheaper, but here’s the link:
I have a copy of a BW photograph (Leroy Grannis, I think) with a young Velzy and another guy working out on a big balsa blank. They are actually using hand planes in the photo, but, among all the shavings is what appears to be a Skil planer. Could be another brand, but definitely an electric planer… The photo looks to be from the 50’s.
You don’t need new blades, have them sharpened. Plenty of sharpening services around. Contact a saw sharpener.
In fact, The Old Man’s Skil 100, which I inherited, well, it came with a cute little T-shaped metal gizmo that had two small carriage bolts attached such that you could sharpen 'em yourself on a stone or a wet wheel.
The former is what I did for over a year before he’d let me use it.
Ah, the joys of an apprentice system.
doc…
Thanks for the note but the blades have been sharpened several times over the years by both Dale and myself. I remember him telling me about sharpening it with a stone of some sort but I never saw it. I haven’t used that planer in awhile since the blades were so worn down. When did he give you the planer? You must have gotten the other one he had.