Dunlap jack plane.

[Brian Cameron]

I picked up a mint ..unused ca 1950 14" Dunlap Jack plane in box for $4.95...I know that these were sold by Sears Roebuck in the 50's..the intro sheet inclosed states that the the blades were made of "carefully tampered carbon chrome alloy steel" and is dated 3/50.
The plane has obviousley never been used,,,but does any one know of the top of your head who made them...and is this worth while throwing in a new replacement blade, checking for flat etc and using?
Brian

[Prashun Patel]

I have a Dunlap smoother that was in fair condition when I got it. It ain't the best of the lot, but it is not junk either. Mine is in the league of a decent bailey user. If it were me, I would try using as is before resorting to a replacement blade.

[george wilson]

Dunlap was a second quality line under Craftsman back then.

[Joshua Byrd]

Dunlaps were made by a few different companies, although I don't know of any dating system out there for them that would indicate who made yours. As with any plane, check the usual suspects that, for me, always quickly narrow it down: Lateral adjuster shape and depth adjustment knob. FWIW, I have a Millers Falls-made Dunlap at home that is almost identical to their No 8.

[Jim Koepke]

Is there a stock number on the box?

The first three digits of Sears stock numbers indicate the manufacturer.

jtk

[Brian Cameron]

Jim: The number on the box is 3739

[Jim Koepke]

The number on the box is 3739

The number I am referring to would be in the format of 123.12345

Here is one site with more information:

http://vintagemachinery.org/Craftsman/manufacturers.aspx?sort=2

Sorry I was in a hurry earlier. I had to get to a dentist appointment.

Search on > Sears Craftsman product source code < to find more lists.

It may be that the only way to find the maker of your plane is to post some images of the lateral adjuster and the area around the front knob. These can sometimes tell who made the plane. If you have a thread gauge, then other clues to the OEM may be discernible. I think Stanley was the only one to use the 12-20 thread pitch for their frog screws and knob and tote hardware.

The real test no matter who made the plane is how well you can get it to work.

If a plane will work well with its original blade, then it is worth keeping and will work well with a replacement blade.

If it doesn't work well with its original blade, a new blade is not going to fix ill fitting parts or poor construction.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

I had a Dunlap jack for a while that I never got around to cleaning up for use - moved it along as excess at some point (I'm trying to follow a basic rule of no more than two examples of a particular plane, unless I can come up with an excuse to exceed that number, and I couldn't think of a good excuse with the Dunlap [inserting smiley face here]). My recollection is that it had the finely detailed knurling of a Millers Falls plane, which led me to think M-F probably made it.

My impression was that it would have made a pretty decent tool. It lacked the screw that advances/retracts the frog once the frog screws are loosened - but I so rarely use this screw that I could have lived without it; and it had birch or other light-wood handles, but, once you wrap your hand around the tote and knob, you can't see 'em anyhow, and the tote was a proper full-oval shape (instead of that gawdawful flat-sided shape of later planes).

Did the literature really say the iron is of "carefully tampered carbon chrome alloy steel," or is that a typo on your part? I'd be skeptical of the quality of an iron that's been tampered with, however carefully (insert second smiley face).

[Brian Cameron]

Jim..thanks for the thread...however that is all the # that I have...and Bill...not nice to pick ona club fingered peck and search typist :)

[Bill Houghton]

Jim..thanks for the thread...however that is all the # that I have...and Bill...not nice to pick ona club fingered peck and search typist :)

Sorry...I wuz just teasing.

The second line tools from the department stores were often highly variable, depending on which maker had won the bid for that cycle and how low the bid had been to win, with resulting effects on build quality. I hope yours turns out to be one of the good ones. The "off" makes are often gems in disguise. I have a Wards Master smoother, for instance, that can hold its head up quite proudly with any of the better vintage Stanleys.

[Jared McMahon]

I'll add another data point to the thread. The first plane I ever got was a Dunlap jack plane, designated 5DBB or some-such, that I picked up a few years back. I use it for coarse work and it does a perfectly solid job of it. The only real quibble is the backlash on the wheel to set blade depth, it's something ridiculous like 5 turns (the good Mr. Koepke can vouch for that). Other than that, it's happy and I'm happy.

[Jeff L Miller]

This will help you identify your plane source, a gentleman over at OWWM led me there. I thought Dunlap planes were manufactured by Millers Falls for some reason though I could be wrong. The link identifies planes by their lateral adjusters and frogs, let us know what you come up with.

http://www.brasscityrecords.com/toolworks/graphics/plane id.html

Jeff

[Jim Koepke]

The link identifies planes by their lateral adjusters and frogs, let us know what you come up with.

One problem with identifying by the lateral adjuster is some of the Stanley made planes used an adjuster similar to the Sargent adjuster. Some used a lateral adjuster that looks like a Union lever. Union was bought by Stanley in about 1920.

The ridge around the knob will be just a raised area if it is Miller Falls. The frog is also a good indicator sometimes.

That is why I suggested some photographs.

Can't tell what it is if we can't see it.

jtk