Millers Falls planes

[Jim Colombo]

Does any know why the Millers Falls Planes are so much cheaper than Stanleys on eBay?

Jim

[Matt Day]

There isn’t the collectors market like there is for Stanley. I really like their planes though, equivalent to Stanley for all intents and purposes as far as I’m concerned.

[Dave Parkis]

I also think that MF planes are as good as Stanley's, provided we're talking about the older ones. I don't care for the 00 series. I will grab every 9 I can find, but never a 900.

[Bill Houghton]

People know certain names and think they were the best because they know the name. Sargent made some good tools, too - their dado planes are arguably superior to Stanley's, because there's somewhere to grab at the front - yet they're not as known (or as common) as the Stanleys.

Same thing is true with Starrett. Brown & Sharpe, Lufkin, and a number of other companies made layout tools that were every bit as good as Starrett's, yet Starrett tools command a premium price.

Your knowledge can benefit you, given those market conditions.

[steven c newman]

Hmmmm, maybe it is because nobody on the youtube realm is using them? Dreading the moment when Schwarz, Underhill, and Company start showing them in use....and calling them out by name...

BTW: I do have a couple #8s, a couple #9s, a single #11, and a pair of #14s......there is even a #900, for the rougher jobs. However..just try and buy a M-F No. 10 sometime.....ouch!

[Erik Manchester]

I started collecting MF premium bench planes because everybody wanted Stanley planes. I have a full set of type 1’s except for the 11 and 24. I am a sucker for red frogs and cocobolo wood.

They are every bit as good as the Stanley planes as MF was one of the few Stanley contemporaries that was not bought by Stanley.

[glenn bradley]

I have three MF planes bought in lieu of paying the price for a similar condition Stanley. I think the No.9 (Stanley No. 4 sized) was about $35.

392217

I paid about the same for one not quite so nice. I camber the iron on one and leave the other be. I also have Stanley, Veritas and Lie Nielsen products so my comparison is 'real world' so to speak.

[Erik Manchester]

You got a great deal as it looks in new condition with the original box. That is the stuff that makes for collector interest on the auction site.

[Frederick Skelly]

I've got a #9 that I refurbed. It's a very nice plane.

[Mike Brady]

I collected only a couple of their planes, but stopped after those two. My impression from those two is that MF made really robust quality tools. The build quality was at least equal to Stanley and their japanning and plating was much better. Problem is, the ones I had just did not plane wood very well. Every one of my Stanleys, which numbered at least thirty planes, could out perform the Millers Falls. At that time these planes were highly sought after. Since they no longer seem to be, I suspect that others had the same experience as I did, resulting in low demand and low prices, like almost all other non-Stanley planes.

[Jim Koepke]

Some of the Millers Falls and Sargent planes are made to a higher standard than some of the Stanley planes. It is all in the marketing. Stanley did all they could to stay on top of the market.

My reason for having mostly Stanley/Bailey planes in my shop is they are the easiest ones to find. Keeping all the parts from one source helps keep from having to keep a bunch of parts sorted all the time.

My #3 sized Dunlap (made by Millers Falls) isn't quite as versatile or nice as my Stanley/Bailey planes of the same size. It cost me $3 compared to my Stanley/Bailey versions costing me more than 10X that.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Let's see....have a pair of #8s ( one was sold as a Craftsman) two # 9s....and a #900 V-Line. There is also a #11 Junior Jack plane I like....and a pair of #14 Jacks......have never had a Millers Falls plane chatter....all seem solid, and work quite well. They tend to be a hair shorter than the Stanleys. There is ( or was) a couple Millers Falls low angle block planes in the shop. As long as everyone "pooh-poohs" these planes, it keeps the prices down for me....
392227
Running about 50/50...

[Jim Koepke]

As long as everyone "pooh-poohs" these planes, it keeps the prices down for me....

A few years back Patrick Leach wrote something about a #6 being a useless size. The prices were low for the lowly #6 for quite a while. Then folks realized they still make shavings that can be controlled like any other plane. Now the price of the #6 is comparable to other planes.

jtk

[Andrew Seemann]

I almost hate to reveal this, but I realistically have all the block planes that I need. Sargent and Millers Falls block planes in Craftsman regalia can be outstanding values. They get the double whammy of not being real Stanleys (though some of Craftsman's planes are) and getting pooh-poohed with the Craftsman name, which doesn't change the fact that they are outstanding planes from top notch manufacturers.

[Tate Harmann]

They are great planes too - I've got the No. 3424 jointer transitional and it's a deadly beast at 24'' long with with a 2 3/8'' iron :)

[Stewie Simpson]

The MF-07 skew mouth block plane (with removable side wall plate).

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/mf%2007%20block%20plane/_DSC0389_zpsvqk8k2x2.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/mf%2007%20block%20plane/_DSC0389_zpsvqk8k2x2.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/mf%2007%20block%20plane/_DSC0390_zpsuamsj81t.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/mf%2007%20block%20plane/_DSC0390_zpsuamsj81t.jpg.html)

[Jim Koepke]

They are great planes too - I've got the No. 3424 jointer transitional and it's a deadly beast at 24'' long with with a 2 3/8'' iron :)

Curios, most #8 size planes have a 2-5/8" blade. Could this be a typo?

jtk

[Stewie Simpson]

Curios, most #8 size planes have a 2-5/8" blade. Could this be a typo?

jtk

https://www.sargent-planes.com/files/Sargent-Plane-Catalog-Illustrations/Sargent-Number-3424-Wood-Bottom-Jointer-Plane.jpg
No. 3424, Jointer, 24 Inches, 2⅜ Inch Cutter,

https://www.sargent-planes.com/sargent-3424-wood-bottom-jointer-plane/

[Jim Koepke]

Oops, my mistake, transitional planes didn't register in my mind.

jtk

[steven c newman]

The Stanley #33 and #34 had the 2-5/8" wide irons....BTW.

Millers Falls did make a #8 sized jointer..the No. 24, with the 2-5/8'' iron.....

[Jim Koepke]

Millers Falls was on my mind. It was early for me. Still a few hours before my one and only cup of coffee for the day.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Seems this M-F #14 is able to keep up...
392479392480
With a WR #62.....

[Mike Cutler]

As previously stated, the Stanley/Baileys have more collector appeal.
That being said, I have a #18 MF that is a very nice user plane. It's a little "rough around the edges", but it's a good worker.
This plane is interesting because when I first bought it, a previous owner had cut a half-moon section out of the right side of the plane, at the handle. The blade was convexed, intentionally, but not quite like you would find on a scrub. The blade was also bedded to the frog with rifle bedding. Damn if this combination doesn't work really well for gently leveling a surface. That half-moon section that was removed allows your hand to get a different position, lower on the tote, it's a more comfortable position overall. I wish I could have met the person that modified it.
I have two Stanley 6's, and an LN#6, so I can compare the feel.

[Tom Bussey]

I believe the Miller falls planes to be superior to the Stanley-Bailey type because of the two piece lever cap. If you look at the frog design they are identical to the eye. Although I reground a lot of planes in my day I was always going to see if the frogs interchanged but never got around to it but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

From experience regrinding a few hundred planes I did find the Miller Falls to be a little flatter right out of the gate. Bedrock planes were the flattest.

If the cost between a Bailey and a MF was the same I would chose the Miller Falls. But I believe the best buy on the market is the Keen Kutter K series plane, it is Bedrock round side in disguise.

In other words, in my opinion, you can't go wrong with an older Miller Falls plane. Newer ones suffered the same fate as Stanley in quality. There is also the hardware verity of both not worth the trouble of picking up unless you want an extra sharp blade.

Tom

[glenn bradley]

I believe the Miller falls planes to be superior to the Stanley-Bailey type because of the two piece lever cap.

The two piece cap is cool but, disappeared around the mid 60's. The good news is that there are a lot of WWII era MF tools out there for a good price. You have to keep an eye out. One of my 1950's planes came with a newer one piece cap. I like being able to use a screw driver to move the frog forward and backward in a more controlled way. I'm one of those folks who benefits from not having to trust fine adjustments to my pinkies.