D.Malloch shoulder plane

[Mark Baldwin III]

I ran across a D.Malloch shoulder plane today. I wish I could get my camera to focus on the stamps, but it's just not happening. Anyway it is marked on the toe with: D.MALLOCH, PERTH, and also has: WARRANTED, McPHERSON BROS, 134 TRONGATE, GLASGOW. The heel is marked: INCH 1/4, along with an owner's stamp. The iron also has Malloch's name stamped into it.
Overall, it isn't in horrible shape. It may need more tuning that I'm willing to put into it...depending on it's age and what-not. Finding a Glasgow marked plane in Wisconsin is a bit unusual. But it was three bucks, and will fit well with the other old woodies I have.
Any info on age/history of the makers would be appreciated. It seems that I'm not so good at finding some of this info on my own.

[Chris Vandiver]

Mark,

Although your plane can be used as a shoulder plane, it is designed as a skewed rabbet plane. Tune it up and put it to use, it should work fine.

[george wilson]

From the shape of the wedge,it is a latish 19th.C. plane.(is latish a word?)

[Brian Cameron]

David Malloch was born in Dundee in 1818 and apprenticed to John Stewart of Edingurgh. He took over an existing plane manufacuring company in 1849 and it continued to make planes until it was purchased by Alex Mathieson in1913.He was a prolific maker and his work is fairly common. On Ebay these skewed rebate planes sell for $10 t0 $20...if it is in any kind of shape and does what you want it to...use it..that is what it was made for.

[Mark Baldwin III]

Thanks for the info! My inner history geek gets all giddy about these things.
Chris, I just knew I had the terminology wrong when I typed it, but couldn't get the right words into my head. Thanks for the correction.
I'll see about getting it tuned up in the next day or so. I'm trying to sort out a couple of new saws this evening, I got a Simmonds and another Atkins 53 when I picked up the plane.

[Steve Branam]

From Glasgow to Perth to Milwaukee, that plane's got some miles on it! Ought to be a great little user, heck of a deal for 3 bucks. I have a 3/4" wooden skew rabbet from the 1870's that is one of my favorite tools to work with. I was just using it yesterday to mold the rails on a Queen Anne step stool.

[Mark Baldwin III]

From Glasgow to Perth to Milwaukee, that plane's got some miles on it!

That's exactly what I thought when I picked it up. It's hard enough to get east coast planes here, let alone planes that have had to cross oceans.
I began the tuning process last night. The sole was a fair bit out of flat, not any more! This process also requires truing up the sides. From a collector's stand point, I've committed a sin, from a user's stand point, it had to be done. The iron is pitted right at the end and will require the bevel to be ground back, so that's the next step. Here's to another 100+ years!

[Mark Baldwin III]

Here's the blade after I began the flattening/honing process. I need to grind back the bevel to get past some pitting.

[Mark Baldwin III]

The body of the plane. The side had to be sanded to get a reference surface to work from. The sole and side are now flat and square to each other. The top portion of the wedge is a little rough, but I think I'll leave it alone. There was a hang up inside the mortise, a quick swipe or two with a wedge float took care of that.

[David Keller NC]

If you're interested, this post on the SPFM forum has a link to the present-day site of the D Malloch & Sons shop in Perth, England.

http://www.sapfm.org/forum/index.php?topic=1657.0 (you may have to sign up for the forum to view the page from British Planemakers from 1700; it's free, you don't have to join SAPFM join the forum, though if you're interested in 18th century American furniture I highly recommend it).

[Steve Branam]

If you're interested, this post on the SPFM forum has a link to the present-day site of the D Malloch & Sons shop in Perth, England.

Well, shoot, it's only been across one ocean!

[glenn bradley]

(is latish a word?)

It is when drinking a latte.