Stanley 5-1/2 Type 5-8 frog question

[Tyler Bancroft]

I picked up a 5-1/2 in need of some rehab – the lateral adjustment lever and part of the upper frog are missing, so I plan to track down a replacement frog. I know it's somewhere between Types 5 and 8, but can't narrow it down further because the lever isn't there. Does anyone know whether the frogs within that type range are interchangeable?

[Stew Denton]

Tyler,

I believe the original Stanley 5-1/2 had a 2-1/4" iron. Later on, I think in the late 1930s, they switched to a 2-3/8" iron. Thus, the early 5-1/2s won't interchange with anything else, however, the late ones take the same size iron, lever cap, chip breaker, and frog as the 4-1/2, the 6, and the 7. This is if memory serves me correctly.

If I recall correctly for the common sizes of Stanley planes, the 3 and 5-1/4 each take a 1-3/4" frog; the 4 and 5 take a 2" frog; the early 5-1/2 takes a 2-1/4" frog; the late 5-1/2, the 4-1/2, the 6, and the 7 take a 2-3/8" frog; and the 8 takes a 2-5/8" frog.

Regards,

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

To the best of my knowledge the frogs are interchangeable between type 5 through 8. The frog seat did change during that time.

You should be able to find images here > https://web.archive.org/web/20191222134355/http://www.rexmill.com/planes101/typing/typing.htm

jtk