Time for a gloat

[Andrew Gibson]

I was browsing the bay late last week and stumbled across a Fulton #6c
not having a #6 and seeing as it is not a Stanly and wont be getting the attention form the collectors, I decided to bid. My bid won, no one else was interested. In the pics I could see that the horn on the tote was broken but that can be remedied. $20 shipped was not bad I thought.

So the #6 arrived today. I pulled it out and started the inspection. there is a hang hole drilled in the heal of the casting, that is my biggest complaint. I repaired the tote. That was easy. I gave it a few passes on some 80 grit on the joiner bed and darn if the sole is almost perfect!
the frog seats very well, though the iron bed could use a bit of lapping, but I will worry about that at a later date.

The best part is the iron... a full 3/32" thick. Not only that but is has very little pitting and what there was lapped out in about 10-15 minutes work while I also squared up the edge. Whoever owned this plane definitely used it quite a bit but also took very good care of it.

Anyway for the pics. Shavings will have to wait till tomorrow as I still have to polish and hone the iron.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks great.

Does it say Fulton anywhere other than the blade?

I am wondering if that might be a Sargent body. Or did Sargent make Fultons?

jtk

[Robert Culver]

nice looking plane Looka like she will work out just fine. Good find.

[Andrew Gibson]

Looks great.

Does it say Fulton anywhere other than the blade?

I am wondering if that might be a Sargent body. Or did Sargent make Fultons?

jtk

Jim, I could not find any markings on the casting at all, not even a no-6
The casting is nice and seems a bit heavier then my other non Stanley planes. The lateral adjuster is folded on both sides making an upside down U. I have a Sargent plane or 2 I know I have a Sargent transitional and the Lateral adjuster is bent differently.

But that Fulton Iron sure looks promicing, can't wait to get an edge on it and see how it performs.

[Jonathan McCullough]

I'm not surprised in the least that it's a nice plane. I found a No. 3-sized plane with a Fulton-branded iron at the flea market recently. The casting was as sturdy as they come, very solid and heavy. A nice plane. I've been wondering why Fultons have a bad rep. Did the QC become degraded over time?

Does anybody know what Fulton was? Was it a NY based tool manufacturer that was bought out by Sears?

[george wilson]

Drilling a hole,especially in school shops was an easy way to hang a bunch of planes.

[Andrew Gibson]

Drilling a hole,especially in school shops was an easy way to hang a bunch of planes.

I know the drilling of hang holes is a fairly comon practice, but non of my other planes have holes. I guess I could drill holes in all my other planes, but somehow I don't think that will happen.

[Andrae Covington]

I'm not surprised in the least that it's a nice plane. I found a No. 3-sized plane with a Fulton-branded iron at the flea market recently. The casting was as sturdy as they come, very solid and heavy. A nice plane. I've been wondering why Fultons have a bad rep. Did the QC become degraded over time?

Does anybody know what Fulton was? Was it a NY based tool manufacturer that was bought out by Sears?

Fulton was a brand name for Sears, like Craftsman, Champion, etc. I read somewhere that "back then" they had three brand lines of planes: Fulton, Dunlap, and Craftsman, with Fulton being the bottom-rung brand. So that's probably why the reputation. Just because the iron is branded Fulton doesn't necessarily mean the plane was too, though.

Sears had contracts at different times with different plane manufacturers, including Stanley, Sargent, Millers Falls, and maybe Union.

Brasscityrecords has a good resource page showing the different lateral adjustment levers (http://www.brasscityrecords.com/toolworks/graphics/plane%20id.html) of those four brands. Might help identify who made it.

EDIT: Oh I see you described it.


...The lateral adjuster is folded on both sides making an upside down U...

So most likely a Sargent.

[Andrew Gibson]

Thanks for all the information!
I have a couple of Union planes, a 5 and 7 (identified by the lateral adjuster) on both castings the sides are thinner then my Stanley counterparts (3 and 4)
The sides and sole of the #6 are at least as thick as the Stanley's, maybe a bit thicker.
This Fulton also has a bead at the base of the front knob. not sure if that would help date it,