Plane question

This site has more than you’ll ever need to know about Stanley Planes. The missing number one could be extremely old, or more likely not a Stanley plane.

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

-- Corey

I second CoreyM – if it doesn’t have the number embedded on the sole, it’s most likely not a (original) Stanley, but a different brand. does it say Stanley anywhere on it?

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Yes, the piece that holds the blade down has the name Stanley on it…there are no other markings anywhere on the plane….

-- George..." I love the smell of a workshop in the morning!"

IFAIK if it is a stanley Bailey type plane it will have a number on it, usually but not always accompanied with made in the USA and “Bailey”. I do have a No6 that only has stanley indicated on the frog’s lateral adjuster and no other cast markings.

I don’t think you can assume it to be a Stanley just because it has that stamped into the lever cap.

Pictures are worth 1000 words when trying to ID hand planes.

check out http://rexmill.com/ for some more plane type information on the Stanley Bailey line.

-- Doug, woodworking in Alabama

prez, it sounds like the plane itself (body) is not a stanley, but someone put on a stanley brand lever cap on it. no bid deal, only means it’s not made by stanley. the numbers mean (as the link above mentioned) the type/size of the plane. these numbers are also referred to when dealing with other brands hand planes as they became a standard definition for hand plane types (jointer/smoother/block/etc)

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Stanley Planes Type 1 (1867-1869) to type 4 (1874-1884) don’t have a number casted into the bed. If it’s your case, you have a treassure, depending of condition.
The number identify the plane with the use it’s intended for, in this case, Standard Jack Plane.

“This is the most useful of all the bench planes, and it is a very good plane on which to learn technique. It is the first plane used on rough stock to prepare the surface prior to use of the jointer and smoother. Practically every John Q. Handyman had one of these planes, of one make or another, for household uses such as trimming a door or sash” The Superior Works, Patrick Leach.

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

Doubthead thanks for the info – I wasn’t aware of that fact. you learn something new everyday :)

prez- I join the crowd – a pic is worth a 1000 words, and might help us identify what it is that you have there…

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

That’s why all we are here! ;-)

This is an interestig page to know about and date any Stanley Plane:
http://www.hyperkitten.com/tools/stanley_bench_plane/dating/

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

here are a few pics….after looking at them, I’m pretty sure the one on the left is not an original…the one on the right is a #5….

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C8oz1GvabK5G4cyLUUL_7A?authkey=Gv1sRgCOOYmfjc6LvZ4QE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NVFTOw-dKvesEuzSabiEjg?authkey=Gv1sRgCOOYmfjc6LvZ4QE&feat=directlink

Thanks for your interests..

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Bi-kcTljhgvmrCz7hjFlUw?authkey=Gv1sRgCOOYmfjc6LvZ4QE&feat=directlink

-- George..." I love the smell of a workshop in the morning!"

I think the Frog says it’s a Millers Falls or Sargent but let me check

-- "Not skilled enough to wipe jam on toast!"

George,
The black plane, is a nice Stanley No.5, has a nice corrugated sole, very nice tool to keep around.
The blue one is of lower quality, “handyman” type, it’s easy to recognize them, the lateral adjustment lever is sheet metal twisted into two planes without a wheel on the end where it engages the slot in the blade…....the tote (rear handle) shape is also a sign of lessor quality.

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

you guys have been a great help…thanks a lot..and thanks for the links…have already visited….The #5 is a nice plane….too bad I can’t remember where it came from…. you can definitely see the difference in the quality of both.

-- George..." I love the smell of a workshop in the morning!"