# Stanley No. 78 Rabbet Plane Information



## pdbailey40 (Jul 17, 2016)

I have 2 Stanley 78 planes, one complete and one body only. I am trying to obtain parts for the second to make it complete as well. I bought a cap on eBay, but am not certain that it is actually a Stanley 78 cap. The cap on my complete plane is 1-1/2 inches wide, same as the cutter. The cap I received is 1-5/16 inches wide. Length is the same. Pictures show the differences better than I could describe them. I have reviewed 'Blood and Gore', but have not identified any possible alternative. Wondering if any Stanley 78 owners out there have a cap that matches the description of the one that I obtained. Thanks.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Maybe from a #181 originally?


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## pdbailey40 (Jul 17, 2016)

The 181/191 were the closest that I could identify, and do seem like a possibility. The appearance of the 181/191 cap certainly seems to be very similar to what I have. However, even though only 1/16th of an inch, this cap is slightly wider than the 1-1/4 inch width listed for the 181/191, and a cap any wider than the cutter seems unlikely.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Might check about it being made by Sargent?


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

Or perhaps Canadian?


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## pdbailey40 (Jul 17, 2016)

> Might check about it being made by Sargent?


Yes, could possibly be from a Sargent 79. Hadn't considered other makes.


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

I have a Canadian Stanley #78 and an American one; don't think there is any difference in the cap b/t the two but will measure tomorrow. 


> Or perhaps Canadian?
> 
> - Andre


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

> I have a Canadian Stanley #78 and an American one; don t think there is any difference in the cap b/t the two but will measure tomorrow. English one's cap just shy of 1 1/2"
> 
> Or perhaps Canadian?
> 
> ...


I have a Canadian and one made in England! Have no idea of there age but the Canadian one is built a little heavier.


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## Holt (Mar 15, 2011)

Not to be callous, but since Stanley made a million billion No 78's is it worth the effort? If it is, since Stanley still makes them, can you order the parts you need from Stanley? I can't recall what it was at the moment, but I ordered some little part from them (probably a screw) a few years back. I googled "stanley plane parts" and it was the first link that popped up. Also you could look up and contact the nhplaneparts guy on ebay and ask him about the parts you need. He came up with a crank for a Miller Falls 2A for me a couple of weeks back.


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## pdbailey40 (Jul 17, 2016)

> Not to be callous, but since Stanley made a million billion No 78 s is it worth the effort? If it is…
> - Holt


No, probably not worth the effort, but the bare body is rather pointless, and parts are out there. Why not make it complete. Stanley lists parts for the 78, but all of them are identified as out of stock at the current time. Perhaps a temporary situation, I don't know. Regardless, they do not list the lever cap. The cap that I bought actually came from nhplaneparts. I sent an email query to him in regard to my concern. His reply is as follows:

"That lever cap is 100% Stanley. The main way to tell is by the buttress that supports the main section of the lever cap. I have sold well over 500 No. 78 lever caps and have NEVER seen one that measures 1 1/2". If you have one is most likely is a repop. The guy that made the repops that lived in CT made them 1 1/2" wide for about the first 6 months or the ANANT ones are 1 1/2" (38mm) wide because the iron is 40mm. Lever caps are never made the width of the iron."

My complete 78 came in the original box, and the lever cap is 1-1/2 inches wide, so I am somewhat skeptical of his claim to never have seen one. Most complete 78's seem to have a lever cap that is flared on both sides as is my original, and appear to be the full width of the cutter. I'm no expert however. Mostly wondering what others experience is with their 78's. Is this just a version of a part that has evolved over a very long production run?


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## OleGrump (Jun 16, 2017)

Don't know if they still have them, but Highland Hardware used to carry modern made reproduction parts for several Stanley planes. You might check with them. Seems like several of us have "one and a half" 78s….....
I also have a rabbet/fillister made by Anant (of India) which is pretty much a knock-off of the 78. It's possible Anant parts would fit the 78 as well.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Now I gotta look at the lever cap on my #78…


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Just went down and checked mine.









Made by Stanley, sold by Wards..









Iron is stamped "Wards Master.." as in Wards Master Quality brand…









dead-on 1-1/2" wide cap iron….









One has to make sure the iron barely sticks out….sometimes I leave them both flush. 
There is a "13" stamped under the cap iron…


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## CWolf (Jul 8, 2008)

My lever cap is also 1-1/2" wide, stamped with C256 on the back. Mine is a well-used, but well-cared for #78 from an estate sale. It came complete with the depth stop, fence, and a sweetheart-marked iron. It looks all of one age to me and I see absolutely no reason to think any part of it has been replaced.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

My lever cap is also 1 1/2" wide, and it is NOT a repro (it's an all original, never messed with SW example that came from der Leachmeister, FWIW). nhplaneparts hasn't measured lever caps.


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## Tim457 (Jan 11, 2013)

Makes me curious to go measure the two I have. The casting certainly looks the same as a Stanley, but it also clearly looks to be made for something other than a 78. Keep us updated if you figure it out.


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## CWolf (Jul 8, 2008)

If you search eBay for "stanley 78 lever cap" you will find both widths for sale. There is even one sold by nhplaneparts that is clearly the wider one.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lever-Cap-and-Tension-Screw-Stanley-No-78-Original-Part-J667-/182972137177?hash=item2a99fd3ed9%3Ag%3AvXQAAOSwIVhZ58oY&nma=true&si=DjD34%252BR0EaK2fOfUAufXD%252Fxn97k%253D&origcvip=true&rt=nc&trksid=p2047675.l2557

You could also search eBay for just "stanley 78" to see if you can find any complete planes that have the narrower cap iron. You might, for example, find that it was used only on the earliest production of the 78.


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## pdbailey40 (Jul 17, 2016)

Update. I returned the lever cap to nhplaneparts for a full refund with no problem, so a positive outcome there. Unfortunately, no resolution of the possible variations of the Stanley 78 lever cap. I have looked at these planes extensively recently while looking for parts, and the vast majority seem to have the wide lever cap. So, as CWolf mused, it may be an early production variation of the part. In any case, thanks to all those who chimed in with information.


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