Introduction and plane ID question

[Kemil Pepin]

Hello to all! My name is Kemil and I have been hanging around here a few months now, reading and enjoying the informative and humorous threads. I make my living as a woodworker, this meaning anything from carpentry to fine furniture. I rely on both hand tools and power tools, can't see working with only one type exclusively :).

I would like some help to identify a jointer plane that I purchased some time ago. The unique feature is the frog/lateral adjuster. I have seen this in a picture online before but just can't remember where. The lateral lever engages a flat bar, which rests in shallow horizontal groove in the frog. The ends of the bar are turned up and catch the outside edges of the iron/cap iron. Unfortunately this frog was broken and brazed at the groove in the frog and the lateral adjuster modified to work like a Stanley (type 5, with the bent up end).

Can anyone point me to some online information on this plane maker? Thanks in advance!

Kemil

[Jim Koepke]

Until I read your description, the twist at the end of the lever had me thinking Union Mfg. Co.

jim

[Jeremy Dorn]

Your pictures make it look like either an old Ohio plane, or possibly one of the Keen Kutters that Ohio used to make and relabel for them.

I've got a friend with quite a few Keen Kutters that have frogs that look just like that, with the tiny upturned piece to engage the blade, instead of a disc shape like most of the other manufacturers.

JD

[Kemil Pepin]

Jim, the shape of the later lever is very similar to Union, the point is just a little sharper maybe?. The metal is quite a bit thicker also, a heavier gauge than most manufacturers used.

Jeremy, it does look very similar to Ohio. It has the same 1/4" one piece screws for the knob and tote. The shape of the beaded knob (looks to be original) is different than most Ohios that I have seen. Another odd feature is that the brass depth knob has only two knurled rings with a space between them, not the usual three.

[James Taglienti]

I want to say it's a later Standard Rule / Upson Nut plane. That lateral groove in the frog is the giveaway. These guys manufactured a couple lateral variants- one had a friction plate that slid in that groove when you manipulated the lateral lever. This pivoted the blade. The other variant is the same casting but the groove is vestigial, and the lateral has a pin or disc on it, to move the cutter in a more "traditional" fashion.

I visited a friend a couple months ago and he pulled out three planes by Standard Rule / Upson Nut, and schooled me on the differences and details.
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/StandardRulePlane_6.jpg

OH
and welcome Kemil

[Kemil Pepin]

James, that looks like the right one! Thank you. I got this plane quite a while ago, but never got around to fixing it up to usable condition. It is fitted with a Stanley iron and cap iron, the lever cap may or may not be Stanley. Now I have another plane manufacturer to research :confused::).

Kemil

[James Taglienti]

The older type standard rule planes are very attractive, maybe the most attractive manufactured American bench plane. Upson Nut contracted their planes just like a lot of firms did with stanley. The planes started looking more and more like bailey planes and then there were a bunch of buyouts and I think Stanley ended up aquiring both of them. Im not sure what the end result was. But the early Standard Rules are gorgeous.