Stanley Handyman H1204

Continuing into our explorations of "low cost" economy line of planes, this is the Bull in the China shop, the Stanley Handyman !

Sgt Rudy reporting with Aviator Handyman, Sir

What? Did I heard food?

You are on your own Aviator!

Stanley Handyman H1204

The name says it all.  It is not a professional model...

Stanley had three economy lines before, the Four Square 1923-1935 and in the 1930s they also had Defiance and Victor economy planes.
After WW2 there was a big demand for housing with returning servicemen and the rise of the Week End Handyman gave birth to new lines of lower cost tools, alongside the continuing demand for "professional tools".  Stanley answered the call with the Handyman line up.  That Handyman name (and Yankee)  were acquired with the purchase of  North Bros mfg. in 1946.

Sadly with the rise of the new fangled power tools, the demand for Professional planes declined, but the rise of the Handyman special's tools continued unabated to this day... sadly

Stanley was well positioned to fill that increasing demand.  Stanley, the tool box of the world was now their motto and rallying cry !

We saw earlier how a smaller company, Millers Falls,  produced a lower cost version of their regular models by using less costly materials and performing less machining on what was essentially the same castings as their regular planes were.  That made sense for a smaller company.

Big bad boy Stanley, on the other hand decided to simply (?)  re-engineered a cheaper version of the standard Stanley-Bailey.  Namely, they reverted to an older, simpler frog and receiver design and horror, came up with an even cheaper looking and painted all over frog surface.
You would think that re-engineering a product would be a more expensive proposition, but Stanley had the economy of scale on its side.  And how many Bazillions would you like for your stores?  We can deliver! A lot of Sears Craftsman tools were made for them by Sargent and MF, but Stanley made their Handyman for Sears under the Companion label.  Sears own cheaper line alongside Craftsman.
They probably supplied them to Montgomery-Ward and others as well.

Recognize that frog/receiver design?

They reverted back to an older Type 6 1888-1890.

That design was basically unchanged until the new step frog design of Type 9

Of course, the critical frog and mating receiver surfaces are simply painted all over, like the MF, but the frog used washer's head screws (no separate washer to loose) and the black painted hardwood parts are attached using the familiar two parts design.  Except that instead of using a brass cylinder, they used aluminum to lessen the cost..?? Would had been simpler and cheaper to go with a one piece screw like they did in WW 2, but heh, its Stanley, it can overdesign a simplified version if it wanted to... :-)

Lets give the Handyman the usual treatment, this poor thing has been left neglected in my garage for a long time... and it shows.  Mea Culpea :-(

Using the usual suspect, except I used WD40 instead of Jig-A-Loo

Reminder, I'm out of WD 40...

Body and frog currently being scrubbed with Krud Kutter

The blade and cap iron were pretty well rusted near the critical edges,

so they got a soaking in Evaporust. Ditto for lever cap

Normally I would be worry about creating a tell tale line, but I'm not in this case, since I just dip it for 15 mins or so, take it out, scrub with a grey scrubby (coarse) soak back, repeat until I'm satisfied I got all the rust neutralized.  Finished off with a light sanding all over with the Fine rust eraser, then a coat of Autosol.  Ready to go back in storage, until it comes out to play, at which point, I'll sharpen the blade

One side

And the other.

I can clearly see the name stamped, it was pretty well obscured in rust

Either after Evaporust or a scrubbing with Krud Kutter, I rinse them well then "bake" my parts at 200F for about 10 mins. Ensuring they are thoroughly dried before I start sanding, lubricating etc.

What is that box besides the oven? 

Oh, I made a deal with Jean. I clean my messes (better) and can keep using the kitchen oven

until further notice.. Who knew, that I was messy?? :-)

Happy how the lever cap came out of Evaporust, rust eraser, Autosol.

Notice provision in the casting for the missing spring. Just like MF and others.

That keyhole feature does not shows up with Stanley before 1935.

That critical junction of the blade, cap iron and lever cap was looking badly rusted

but they all came out good.

That missing spring is causing wear and galling 

on the softer punched steel cap iron. Definitively not tool steel like on the MF.

That cap iron is stamped H in the back. 

 Making sure it does not end up on their better planes ? :-)

Similarly, the sides and sole of the receiver casting got a similar rust treatment, except, I encountered more serious rust, which required more heavy duty elbow grease...

Don't know what substance caused this rust, but it is a bit thick.

Razor scraper and WD 40 to the rescue

I switched the runway sandpaper from 120 to 80 grit, that is after a few passes.

Whatever caused the rust, left an etch

After 80, 120 grit, fine rust eraser then Autosol, calling it done.

The hollow behind the mouth is irrelevant, the front of the mouth is pretty good save for a few remaining scratches, but mostly lower than the mouth.

With the cheesy frog we have to work with, this is more than enough!!

The sides got similar process.

The wooden part got a rubbing with Feed-And-Wax.  The paint losses are very minimal
The lever cap cleaned up good with Krud Kutter follow by a wipe of Autosol

Ready to be made one again.

Notice the aluminum barrel for the tote, instead of the usual brass. 

A complicate way to lessen the cost...

Paint losses? If you look carefully the missing blue paint at the bottom of the frog, is...

 Found it! its on the receiver bosses :-)

The special washer's head screws to attach the frog.

No separate part to loose (subdue wow)

Of course since the whole head rotate, it is scraping off the paint around the slots .

Some bright idea...

Since there is no central rib to help center the frog...

… and the sloppy fit, it is easy to misalign the frog.

Shown exaggerated, but you get the picture.

Before blaming a crooked bed casting, check if it is square to the mouth.

Notice no wedge splitting's knob inside the receiver ring.

Glamour shots

Cast Y lever, plated steel nut (?)

Other than that, everything else is pretty well the same as the MF, albeit, this one has a better finished  lever cap with a fancy hammered metallic finish.  Trying to imitated a cheaper plating version I suppose? The name Stanley Handyman is clearly cast and highlighted in red paint.

Throughout the years it underwent color variations of the bed (grey, black, darker and lighter blue)
Frog (red, grey, blue, black)

Similarly the lever cap had a few finished variations, ending up plated
By the way, you can still buy a version of this plane, now called 1-12-204 Stanley Handyman
Complete with plastic handles and plastic adjuster nut...How much cheaper can they make it..??
Oh, but the lever cap is now plated...oooohh Blingy!

So how does it compared to the MF?  Really no comparison's, at any price point.  The MF has a real frog, whereas the Handyman has some pale imitation frog and no provision to move aft/fore in a straight line, making it easy to misalign the frog.  Can it make shavings? Yes, of course if you have the patience and know how :-)  It was adequate for its intent market. Not fine woodworking, but shaving off a sticky door and such, a Handyman tool!

But the real proof would be in the pudding...

And that my friends is for another day.  A shoot out between the Economy plane.

Bob, who is reeking of WD 40.  One more then we play :-)