Manufacturing Date of an OHIO Plane?

[Stew Denton]

I have an OHIO 04 that was my grandfathers, and would like to know the approximate manufacturing date if possible.

I think they stopped making OHIO planes about 1922, or at least read that on the web somewhere, if my memory is correct.

When I started working on it the iron and chip breaker were Stanley, didn't fit correctly, and could not be made to work on the plane as was. The tote and associated hardware were also gone. I don't remember about the lever cap, and the one on it fits and works, but seems a little too short, but it may be correct, I can't remember how I got it, and so do not know as to whether it is the correct one or not. It may have been on it when I got it, and thus could be an early Stanley LC. I know a lot more about the early Stanley Bailey plane than I did when I was working on the OHIO, so will have to look at the LC again to see if it fits what I know about the early Stanley LCs.

I found all OME parts to restore the plane, and because it was my grandfathers I went to way too much trouble and expense to restore it. Thus, as far as I was able to correctly identify parts I got the original parts for the plane. (I need to snoop further about the lever cap.) I think I did get all of the parts right (Lever cap an exception?), however, because the parts all came off of old OHIO planes, but the type of the part may or may not match the type number of the plane I have.

The question is, can the date of manufacture of the plane be approximated, given the only parts that I know to be the correct vintage of the plane are the body of the plane, the knob, and the frog? On the other hand I have been able to find out very little about the OHIO planes, so there may be nothing out there to help me out.

I have guessed it was made between about 1900 and 1915 or so, since it does not have the Stanley type of frog adjuster screw assembly, and the frog position has to be adjusted manually by taking off the lever cap, iron/chip breaker assembly, loosening the frog hold down screws, and physically adjusting the frog. I assume almost all of the American plane manufacturers went to the Stanley frog adjustment mechanism just as soon as the patent expired, so thus I date the plane as being made prior to that, but don't know.

Any help on this would be appreciated. Is there enough information out there that I can date the old plane?

Thanks and regards,

Stew