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Thread: Best Stanley Plane Age Type

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Edmond, Oklahoma
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    1,749
    Hi Josh,

    I am not that picky with the old Stanley planes, and like a range of types. I would be happy with any from the type 10 to type 15. Do I have preferences, yes, like Jim and some of the others, the big adjuster, but that is not a deal breaker, also, another +1 on liking the keyhole slot on the lever cap. Again that is not critical, as any reading of the builds seen on this forum will make clear.

    I have to say though, I also like the bedrock planes, but my reason is partly because I am not as skilled as some of the guys at fettling the planes. I do a fair amount of it, but IMHO (and only an opinion), the bedrocks need less fettling. All of my Stanley Bailey planes are type 10 to type 15s, except one that belonged to my dad, which if memory serves is a type 19. That plane is family connection, and you can't compete with family collection, at least I can't.

    If I suddenly woke up and had to pick only one type of Bailey to use, (I wouldn't give up my dads or grandfathers planes), it would be a type 11 with an add on big adjuster wheel.

    Stew

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom - Devon
    Posts
    503
    From a user perspective I'm very happy with most Stanley planes as long as they have the non rounded top of the cutting iron, wooden handles (stained beech is just as good as rosewood), and a nicely finished casting. The "ogee" frogs are also fine. Larger adjusting wheel preferred. Therefore I guess I'm the 1950's to 1960's bracket.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566
    I think it depends on your hand size and your style of woodworking. That a particular type works good for someone with different sized hands than you is meaningless. Which style works good for you? Go buy more of those.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Lafayette, CA
    Posts
    832
    Graham,

    Very pragmatic, and hard to argue with, if we’re all honest here — we of diverse opinions. Still, I must say I love the fact that my Bailey is coming up on 90 next year, and my Bed Rock is 98 this year. I actually derive pleasure from this fact whenever I use these finely tuned tools.

    So I guess the OP was posing a question we each answer in our own way. Best to all.

    Bob

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
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    27,347
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    Still, I must say I love the fact that my Bailey is coming up on 90 next year
    A few of mine are in that age range. Though my #6 type 4 is coming up on 136 years. My type 9s are at least 103.

    We should look so good at that age.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Lafayette, CA
    Posts
    832
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    A few of mine are in that age range. Though my #6 type 4 is coming up on 136 years. My type 9s are at least 103.

    We should look so good at that age.

    jtk
    They’re that old and then they still whisk off a one thou shaving. Yes, it’s a treat.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    South Dakota
    Posts
    1,627
    The sharp ones.
    The Plane Anarchist

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Longview WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Jones 5443 View Post
    They’re that old and then they still whisk off a one thou shaving. Yes, it’s a treat.
    On a good day, even better than one thou:

    Fine Shaving 0.0002x?.jpg

    This is likely my best shaving ever from a type 6 #4. My type 13 #3 can also pull a pretty fine shaving. It is still a young pup in plane years.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  9. #24
    A street vendor I met today in Mexico. The plane is a Stanley #5 Hecho en Mexico.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Greeley, CO
    Posts
    192
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    ...This was also when the ogee frog came to be used on Stanley/Bailey planes. Many feel this was the first big step in cheapening the line of planes. There was less contact area between the blade and frog. This lowered the manufacturing cost. It didn't improve the usability. Some feel it lowered the quality of the planes.

    jtk
    Stanley's patent claims it reduces friction and makes adjustments easier. The frog base changes from the lump to the t-shape to the y-shape are claimed to reduce warping as the casting cools. You're saying it's bs, they just masked the cheapening with false patent claims?

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Longview WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Danstrom View Post
    Stanley's patent claims it reduces friction and makes adjustments easier. The frog base changes from the lump to the t-shape to the y-shape are claimed to reduce warping as the casting cools. You're saying it's bs, they just masked the cheapening with false patent claims?
    The friction/ease of adjustment can be controlled by tightening or loosening the lever cap screw.

    The change to the base to increase the casting processes yield has nothing to do with the face of the frog. Could there be an increase to the speed of frogs racing through the production process by reducing the amount of area that needed machining?

    It may have cut the cost of production. In my opinion it did not increase the quality of the plane.

    Remember, this was during the time of a world wide depression.

    In my personal experience the Stanley/Bailey planes giving me the most problems have all been of the type with ogee frogs. Some of them are great planes. For my own use my tendency is to find the lowest priced bucket of rust and rehabilitate it. My preference is for type 11 or earlier.

    BTW, my worst Stanley/Bailey plane for lateral adjustment is a type 17 #5. It is now set up as a scrub plane and lateral adjustment isn't critical.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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