Help dating a type 5, 7, or 8 Stanley 5 1/2 corrugated plane

[Rafael Herrera]

Hello,

The parent's of a friend of mine are moving and he gave me several old tools they had in their basement. One of them is an Stanley 5 1/2 corrugated jack plane. It has severe pitting on one side and moderate pitting on the sole. The rest seems to be in good shape. Handles are in one piece; blade, chip breaker and lever cap have superficial rust; frog has no rust; the yoke is good; some pitting on the lateral adjustment lever. I narrowed down its type to 5, 7, or 8, there's no patent date on the depth adjustment wheel. I can't make out the number of patent dates on the lateral adjustment lever to make a definitive placement. Are there other distinctive indicators to type that I could use?

It's an interesting plane. It does not have a frog adjustment screw at the base of the plane. It also is very slender compared to planes manufactured at later dates, the sides cheeks are thin, maybe 1/8" or so and it tapers to a very narrow edge. It's missing the tote's toe screw.

It's soaking in the evaporust bucket now. Do any of you have used planes manufactured in this period? How do they perform?

Rafael

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[mike stenson]

My primary #7 is a type 4, not much before this plane I would imagine. It's a fantastic user, even if it's not as pretty as it could be.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Rafael, Your #5-1/2 has the style of types 6 - 8. The B on the back of the lever cap indicates type 8. This plane uses a 2-1/4" blade.

If you have an extra frog screw, they are the same thread as the front tote screw. This is how my first missing tote screw was replaced. With a little care using a file it is now difficult for me to find it among all the other planes. My intent was to replace it with an actual toe screw. When an extra came my way, the imposter couldn't be found.

My #7 wasn't in quite as bad of shape, but close. It is now a fine working plane > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?114373

You may need to become a contributor ($6 a year) to view the images.

You would also need to be a contributor to send me a PM if you need a source for a spare frog screw. They are a 12-20 thread that isn't common in most hardware stores.

If you do plan on restoring planes, you may want to start looking at some of those junker planes. Don't buy just any junker plane. My effort has been spent on mostly Stanley/Bailey style planes. Much of the hardware and handles are interchangeable.

Here are a few good links on the changes on the Stanley/Bailey line of planes:

http://www.rexmill.com/planes101/typing/typing.htm

Johnny Kleso used to post here a lot. Haven't heard from him in a while.

http://primeshop.com/access/woodwork/stanleyplane/pftsynch.htm

This is a favorite for many and a quick summation via a chart.

http://www.supertool.com

This is the first page of Patrick Leach's site. You may want to book mark a couple pages further in. His monthly for sale listing is very educational on vintage tools even if you are not going to purchase anything.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Forgot to mention, one of my #6 planes is a type 4. My first type 6 plane was and still is a #4-1/2. Recently one of my #4 planes, both type 6, came apart at the tote mounting boss. The threads were repaired almost 10 years ago with JB Weld.

The early planes seem to have a lighter casting than the later types.

jtk

[Rafael Herrera]

Jim, thank you for the links.

I made a close examination of the parts and found that the plane is likely a type 8 with parts from previous types.

The frog and plane bed have the mark of the Sessions foundry, making it type 7, however the lever cap has the B foundry mark. This I think would make it a type 8. I can make out one patent date on the adjustment lever, but the orientation and spacing of the text is as if there could have been three lines (type 7) but they could have rusted out.

The plane number "No 5 1/2" is tightly spaced, contradicting the type 7 characteristic, indicating an early type, like type 6.

425421

425423

The bottom of the lever in the lever cap has the S mark, interesting.
425422

I can make out on the iron the STANLEY PAT. AP'L 19,92 stamp, it's very faint. There is pitting on the back of the iron by the edge, though, I think it's shot and I will need to replace it.
425420

It's not a clear cut typing example, perhaps it was put together from different planes. I guess I would call this a type 7/8 plane. I'm ok with that.

I'm not done de-rusting the plane, the next step is to clean up the worst of the pitting, lap the sole and fit a new iron.

Rafael

[steven c newman]

Good luck finding that 2-1/4" wide iron....

Old one still has a LOT of usable metal left...

was a time when Stanley was switching foundries with the S standing for Session's....

Stanley didn't mark any "Model Changes" and used up whatever was in the parts bins on the assembly line...then the "new batch" was added, sometimes while they were still using up the older parts.

[Rafael Herrera]

I thought I could use one of my 2" irons, I have a box of NOS Stanleys, bummer. Would a 2 1/4" iron by Ron Hock work on this plane? Can I get away with just the iron or do I need the cap iron too?

[Rafael Herrera]

The plane is ready. I loaned it the cutting iron of my "newer" #5 1/2 plane (type 11). It performs really well for a 120 year old tool.

[Jim Koepke]

Looks good Rafael.

Your plane was likely made when Stanley was using mixed parts. Type studies came along a century after the planes were made.

Here is a sight that slipped my mind earlier > https://www.antique-used-tools.com/stantms.htm

It has date information on the different Stanley trade marks used on blades.

jtk