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HARLEY HALL
02-04-2013, 3:39 PM
My brother and I found a couple old tool chests that belonged to our grandfather. Unfortunately they had been tucked away in the back of an old shed for forty years. The contents showed the effects of the two “one hundred year” floods we have had here.
I found a pitiful rusted little plane. The cap and iron are marked Stanley and MADE IN USA between the frog and tote. The underside of the frog has C55. No size number anywhere. I have a #4 which measures 9 1/2 X 2 3/8, this plane measures 9 1/4 X 2 1/16. I guess it’s a #3. Hope someone can enlighten me.
This was my first time to restore a plane, but it will not be my last. This forum pretty much gave me a step by step process to follow. Thanks for the help.
I hope the pics attached.
Harley

Bill Houghton
02-04-2013, 4:18 PM
Based on the lateral adjustment lever, that's not a Stanley. However, if it's got a cast iron frog and the adjustments work smoothly, that's not terribly important.

Don't measure the body width; measure the width of the iron. If the iron is 1-3/4" wide, it's a No. 3; if 2", it's a No. 4. Round to the nearest quarter inch if the iron's not spot on one of those dimensions.

Nice job on restoring it. Your grandfather would be proud. And using a tool that's come down in the family really gives an extra boost to using a tool.

HARLEY HALL
02-04-2013, 4:50 PM
Based on the lateral adjustment lever, that's not a Stanley. However, if it's got a cast iron frog and the adjustments work smoothly, that's not terribly important.

Don't measure the body width; measure the width of the iron. If the iron is 1-3/4" wide, it's a No. 3; if 2", it's a No. 4. Round to the nearest quarter inch if the iron's not spot on one of those dimensions.

Nice job on restoring it. Your grandfather would be proud. And using a tool that's come down in the family really gives an extra boost to using a tool.

Thanks Bill. The iron is stamped STANLEY/MADE IN USA on top and 336 on the back, it measures just shy of 1-3/4". The lateral adjustment lever is a cheap looking stamped piece, but the frog is cast iron.

Jon Shank
02-04-2013, 5:15 PM
I can't help with identification, but man it's hard to believe that's the same plane! Very nice job!

Jon

Greg Wease
02-04-2013, 5:19 PM
It's hard to see the exact shape of the lateral lever but it could be one of Stanley's lower-cost models such as Defiance. The "336" on the iron signifies 3rd quarter of 1936.

Really nice clean-up!

Sam Takeuchi
02-04-2013, 5:31 PM
I think that's a Stanley Defiance (economy model) line of plane.

robert dankert
02-04-2013, 7:40 PM
The round front knob and the flats on the sides of the tote look like the ones on the Defiances I've seen. The adjusting levers on these were bent in a very shallow or wide "V". The ones I've seen had plain lever caps - no Stanley logo. Your lever cap also looks like it has the kidney shape hole unlike the ones I've seen. If the plane were put away 40 years ago that would be 1973, so it could easily be newer than the ones I've seen.

Anyway, these are just my observations. I am in no way of claiming any real knowledge.

Mark Dorman
02-04-2013, 8:30 PM
It's really cool that you brought one of your grandfathers tools back to life; and you did a heck of good job too.