Identification Help

[Alex Zachman]

Hi All,

I am fairly new to the forum and woodworking, so apologies if this isn't posted in the correct spot. I recently purchased the attached Stanley Bailey #3 hand plane with a corrugated bottom at a thrift shop and had some questions on it. The plane has 2 patent dates, but also has the "Pat. Apl 19,92" at the top of the iron. From what I understand, these are two signs that it may be a fairly old plane. However, the casting appears to be in too good of condition. Hopefully the picture is clear enough, but the coating on the casting appears to be more grey than some other photos I have seen.

So my question is, is it possible someone re-coated the casting for some reason? Or is this the original coating?

As I mentioned, I am pretty new to this so any help or advice is appreciated!


Thanks,

Alex

[Scott Winners]

Not a collector. I see a #3 with no visible rust. If the pitting on the blade is minimal as in you can sharpen it and put it to work, $100 was a good deal.

It looks to be in really really nice shape. Worst case you can buy a new blade from Lee Valley and have a #3 on par with a new Lie Nielsen or new Veritas. Best case you can sell it to a collector for enough dinero to buy several nice user tools. Nice find.

[steven c newman]

Have a Stanley No. 4c with two patent dates.....Type 10. The #3c I have is a 3 patent date model...type11/12...with a SW iron...

Quite possible someone cleaned the plane up( rehabbed it) and painted it in primer gray to prevent any rust from coming back. Sharpen it up, and put it to work....one of the best Stanley planes made. No need for a fancy, too thick iron. Sharpened and tuned up, it will preform just as well as any of the new planes....VOE.

[Pete Taran]

Alex, take a magnet to the body of your plane. Does it stick? Looks like an A4 to me with an aluminum body.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Alex and welcome to the Creek.

So my question is, is it possible someone re-coated the casting for some reason? Or is this the original coating?

A few of my planes have been repainted. It makes for a nice user to have a fresh, smooth surface compared to a fuzzy chipped one.

There have been a few members here over time who have repainted their planes brick red and British racing green. There have likely been other colors chosen by others that have escaped my memory.

Pete's post made me look at http://www.supertool.com/ to see if and when a #3 was offered in aluminum, it doesn't appear it was. The #4A was first offered in 1925.

Of some interest to me is whether your plane is an early type or a later version. Some of the very early type 9 planes still have an 1888 patent date on the lateral lever. The frog and base is also different when comparing early to later type 9. A picture showing the frog with the lever cap and blade assembly removed showing the base of the frog. The lateral lever might be easier for you to inspect than photograph.

jtk

[Kurtis Johnson]

Alex, take a magnet to the body of your plane. Does it stick? Looks like an A4 to me with an aluminum body.

That's what I thought at first, but the pictures clearly show the No. "3". Patrick's Blood and Gore doesn't show that an A3 exists. It would be a stinker if aluminum.

[Pete Taran]

One off stuff with Stanley is legendary. No harm in checking to see if the sole is magnetic, if not, it would be very interesting. Hopefully the OP will see this and check it out.

Pete

[steven c newman]

Ash Tote 2, more tools 2.JPG
Same size as the OP's...except mine has 3 dates...works just fine..
Ash Tote 2, No. 3c plane.JPG
OP's is either a type 9 or a type 10....that had been rehabbed. Sometimes, Evaporust will leave that Gray residue...maybe they left it in place, rather than wire brush it off. The gray paint may also be just a gray primer coat....that the OP can now cover with a couple coats of Engine Enamel Black Semi-gloss....and put the old plane to work

Have a Millers Falls No.9 that had been repaired, before I got it,,,still works like new..
hand plane class 4.JPG
Left side was cracked down and around to the mouth opening, has been silver soldered at one time.

[Jim Koepke]

It would be a stinker if aluminum.

It might stink as a user... Imagine what some collector would pay for the bragging rights.

jtk

[Alex Zachman]

Alex, take a magnet to the body of your plane. Does it stick? Looks like an A4 to me with an aluminum body.

Hi All,

Thanks for the awesome information! Looks like I have some reading to do on http://www.supertool.com/.

So I took magnet to the body and...it stuck. So I think what I am going with is a type 9, or 10, #3c with a rehabbed body? The sole appears to be in decent condition and the iron just needs a bit of a tune up. I'm excited to put it to work!

Overall, it sounds like a pretty good purchase for $15?

Alex

[Jim Koepke]

what I am going with is a type 9, or 10, #3c

Without the frog adjustment plate and screw, it is a type 9:

#3.jpg

Plans categorized as type 9 have minor variations. The 1888 patent date on the lateral was in effect one year into the time period assigned the type 9. The casting also changed during that time. There isn't any information on this to my knowledge and it isn't mentioned in the type studies. The type 9 casting was changed to improve the chances of the castings not warping. It looks like later the casting was changed again to have the casting help to align the sole and frog during assembly at the factory.

Type 9 frogs and bases.jpg

This image is 9 years old so my memory is working to remember which planes these are. From the left are an early type 9 #4, a #6 and a #5-1/2. The plane on the right has the later type 9 casting configuration. Notice there are changes on the frog around the lateral lever well.

Of course this isn't of much importance if the plane is functioning properly. It is of interest to some of us who are curious about the finer points of our old tools.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Alex,

It looks like the body of your plane has been bead blasted with very fine beads and then spray painted with something like clear spray lacquer. The bead blasting will leave exactly the type of appearance left on the inside of your plane. It does also look like they did not bead blast the outside. I have bead blasted the inside surface of a plane or two, and afterwards they look exactly like that.

However, the lever cap does not look bead blasted.

Stew

[Kurtis Johnson]

Overall, it sounds like a pretty good purchase for $15?

Yes, excellent. Couple things to look for is that the sole is flat and not banana shaped, and that the mouth is undefiled with no fractures. Enjoy!