Need help on identifying BEDROCK 605 frog issue??

[Jerry Olexa]

Yesterday, I acquired a BedRock 605 with the rounded sides in decent condition..Tonight as I started dissassembling for cleaning, I noticed an unusual (to me) frog feature...

In the past, all the Bedrocks I had encountered used the 2 bolts at the rear of the frog that fastened the frog solidly to the sole....This one has the conventional vertical bolts in the middle/top/inside of the frog (like Bailey's)...at first I was concerned that this was not an authentic BedRock...But then, it seems to me in my fading memory, Stanley did not incorpate this unique two bolts in rear of frog approach for tightening in its initial BEDROCK models.... Please tell me this is so...wouldn't be first time I've been fooled!!

The body is clearly marked 605...The lever cap says BEDROCK and there is one patent date.
Let me know your thoughts ...And I'll continue (maybe)with the restoring...Thanks in advance.

[Stew Denton]

Jerry,

The two bolt into pins mounting of the frog to bed on the Bed Rock planes started when the Bed Rock planes went from the round side type to the flat side type. Prior to that, I think from about 1898 until perhaps 1910, the Bed Rock planes had the same mounting set up as the Bailey planes. They had two bolts through the top of the frog into the bed.

There is nothing wrong with your plane. That is the way that they were all made before the change to the new system which was made about 1910 or so I think.

Stew

[Pete Taran]

Jerry, your plane is legit. When Stanley added the frog adjustment screw, they realized that the user still had to take the lever cap and iron out to adjust the frog. To remedy this, they replaced the bolts like on your bedrock with the pin and screw affair on the later bedrocks. This of course didn’t require you to do anything but loosen the two frog screws from the rear to adjust the frog forward or back.

[Jerry Olexa]

Stew, thank you...You have calmed me down...
Tonight, I did find a note in Hack's Plane book mentioning the frog design difference in the early BEDROCKs versus the later rear bolts on the frogs.

Thank you, Stew....I felt there would be accurate knowledge here on SMC to either confirm or deny...You were the credible source..
Thanks again,
Well, back to the shop....

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks also to Pete..Your note came in while I was writing the above reply....Thank you

[Andrew Nemeth]

Jerry,

Congratulations on your find!

Your recollection is correct. The early “round-top” Bed Rock planes have essentially the same frog attachment method as the Bailey line of planes, that is, two bolts are secured vertically through slots in the frog. Somewhere around 1911, Stanley introduced the redesigned Bed Rock planes which included the ability to loosen the frog from the back side of plane. By loosening two horizontally oriented bolts, one on each side of the throat adjustment bolt, the frog is locked down to the main casting. This innovation in the method of attaching the frog was introduced at the same time that the Bed Rock planes were given their iconic “flat-top” design. It should be noted, it is the increased mating surface area between the frog and the main casting, present in all Bed Rock planes no matter their vintage and frog attachment method, that was/is the primary advantage of the Bed Rock series of planes.
If your interested in more details about Bed Rock planes, take a look at the following links:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/virgini...ck-planes/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/virgini...ck-planes/amp/

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan15.htm

[Jim Koepke]

Your plane may have a replacement lever cap if it only has Bedrock on it.

Here is a type study on Bedrock planes:

http://www.antique-used-tools.com/brtypes.htm

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Andrew and Jim...thank you both for the links...amazing the detail that is available.
I realize now I bought that plane quickly..I really do prefer the horizontal rear mount bolts but "repent at leisure". Maybe a canditate for later resell.
Thannks to all..Back to the shop....

[Jerry Olexa]

Jim, the lever cap says "STANLEY BEDROCK"....Thanks

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, the lever cap says "STANLEY BEDROCK"....Thanks

That would be correct for a type 4 according to Bob Kuane's web page. (linked above)

For those who are not familiar with his site, he also sells tools and parts.

jtk