Mystery Plane, All Metal

[Elmer Nahum]

I picked up this plane yesterday at an antique store. It is all metal (cast iron?) and very heavy.

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The blades are located on the side of the plane relative to the handle. There are 2 different types of blades that correspond to the angle of its side. There is a straight blade/cutter that would create a flush 90 degree cut. With its heavy mass, I plan to build a dedicated shooting board for use with the plane. On the opposite side, there is about a 80/10 degree angle of the side with a corresponding angled cutter (to make a sliding dovetail?). Both cutters are held in place by large bolts.

There are no identifying marks on the plane or the blades.
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Questions:
1. Has anyone seen this type of plane before?
2. Do you think it was meant to be used as a shooting plane?
3. If yes to number 2, how would the angled side have been used

[David Weaver]

It looks like a shooter or fixture bound trimming plane to me. No clue on the non-flat side, and if it rode in something, we'd maybe not figure it out without that.

Never seen one like it, but it's very cool. Basic, heavy and to the point.

[george wilson]

Could be for trimming a type galley. As in printing press use.

[Jim Koepke]

I wonder if Patrick Leach has an identification service.

I wonder if he has seen one like this before.

jtk

[george wilson]

Printing equipment is always extra heavy duty like this plane.I can see it being used to trim wooden type "furniture"(blocks of hard wood used to fill out a page of type). Or,even to trim a line of type metal,such as used to make a border.

[Elmer Nahum]

George, I believe you are correct. Thank you very much.

Knowing zero about the old printing processes before today, I read a bit about and it seems that in a process called stereotyping or monotyping, wood or metal blocks of type were set into a frame which was then put into some sort of press to create a master or galley proof. My assumption is that the blocks needed to be all squared up to each other to stay in the frame, and thus the use of the shooting board.

We still do not know the manufacturer of this exact tool (it may have been a one off custom tool)

After researching on the net, I came across these in a journal called "Printing Art" from 1911:
"The Royle Shoot Boards and planes are offered this year in greater variety and greater perfection than ever If you doubt it send to P Lawrence for his latest illustrated lists. Both the shoot boards and the planes are massively constructed workmanlike tools for the makers realise that in cutting metal the heavy tool makes light work. There are two specially designed edging planes one cutting a rebated bevel and the other a flat rebate and the stand which may be used for any of the shoot boards is a model of convenience and simplicity Altogether this is a very complete and very perfect line of tools"

"The Printing Machinery Co also manufactures a combination shoot board that possesses some new features of interest to printers for it will trim edges vertical or with twenty degrees bevel or with undercut of twenty degrees bevel."

And from the magazine, the inland printer,

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If I can get this working as a shoot board plane for woodworking, I will post images. As for the beveled side, I have some vague ideas of a contraption that could be made to create the male/tongue portion of a sliding dovetail, but nothing that is easy or feasible to make yet.

A bit of trivia that I didn't think about much before is that the words stereotyping and cliché were both words derived from the print making process.

[george wilson]

I could just tell by the looks of it that it was likely for printing. All their tools also ALL seem to get that dirty gray color about them. Most likely from getting black ink ground into them by dirty hands.

[Elmer Nahum]

I got the shoot board plane up and running. It works very smoothly compared to conventional planes. Don't know how it would fare against the new Lie-Nielsen or Veritas shooting planes.

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I have some additional info about this unusual printer's shoot board plane here:

http://bringbackthehandtools.blogspot.com/2014/02/unique-shoot-board-planesharpest-tool.html

[Jim Koepke]

Interesting write up.

Does the blade cut all the way to the edge on the beveled side?

Maybe a vertical shoot board.

jtk

[george wilson]

A nice article,but the plane isn't to make things "type high",but is used to square the edges up of things like half tone plates.

[Elmer Nahum]

Thanks George. It seems, despite my research, you know a lot more about this than I do.Did they use a different machine like a thickness planer to make things type high then?

[Elmer Nahum]

Here is why I was confused. From American Printer and Lithographer, Volume 75, 1922


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[george wilson]

I don't know how they made type "type high". To accurately shave something as large as a half tone or printing plate,something else had to be used. Note that another sentence is used after making the print square,to mention that the print is then shaved "type high".The plane in question could not have done large areas. I did get involved with making type matrix making tools as toolmaker in Williamsburg,but I'm not a printer. Sorry,I made no pictures. My grand father was,and made a lot of money at it,which was lost in the depression.

[Jim Koepke]

I don't know how they made type "type high".

I haven't done "letter press" printing in nearly 50 years. I worked in the school print shop in junior high. It was actually more of a large closet than a shop.

Type was cast "type high" wether it was foundry type or came from a a linotype machine.

Not sure if this could also be used in gravure/intaglio printing. Lithography uses a totally different system without blocks or "type."

Before being attached to wooden blocks plates had to have edges trimmed for a few reasons. The edges could damage an ink roller if it was rough. They could start to build up ink and spoil prints if it was a long run. They could be in the way if other plates were being attached to the same block. Sometimes there would be a master plate with small plates being inserted or removed as needed.

If this plane is adaptable to woodworking, then that is what really matters.

jtk

[george wilson]

Yes,type is cast type high. But, blocks may need correcting. If things aren't very accurate,the printing will be messed up. Everything about printing was made so heavy duty. I have a type galley(a metal cabinet for storing assembled pages of type). This thing can literally hold tons. We have it clear full of steel punch and die sets for my wife's jewelry business.

[Elmer Nahum]

George & Jim, thanks for your help.

[Jim Koepke]

George & Jim, thanks for your help.

You are welcome.

jtk