This one blew my mind. So there I was, down in Half Moon Bay on a day trip to the 4 hour meetup of the PAST Tool Collectors association.

I had wandered around. Most things were out of my price range.

I was dead set on achieving one thing while there — amongst a short list of things to achieve — and that was to walk away with at least one decent plane for $50 or less. That was the cap. $50.

I walked up to the guy with the most planes and explained what it was for, and that I wanted to see anything he had for $50 or less. He looked me dead in the eye and said “I don’t have anything like that.”

With a disappointed look on my face I simply uttered “oh.” 

I turned to walk away without another word, and I could not take but one step before someone tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear “hey, I might have just the thing.”

I felt like I was about to meet a guy with watches in a trench coat in an alley out back. Luckily, it was nothing so sinister.

I was taken over to another table where the gentleman picks up a plane that I instantly recognize as an early compass plane in pristine condition. My immediate thought before he says a single word is “no way!”

This … for $50. No gimmick, actually labeled, at an event where cash is king and no taxes are paid (but if Uncle Sam is reading this, they are included in the price).

I have not yet had a chance to do a full examination including breakdown and potential trial cut