Need help with planes

[coolford]

I just bought 900 pounds of planes and parts (the weight is actual) and they are mostly apart.  They came from the estate of a friend who died about three years ago.  About half of them are Stanley, and I feel I can get them back together.  However, the rest I am less familiar with and wonder if there is a source of information concerning the orphans.  Nothing rare, the Stanley's are mostly No's 3, 4, 5 and 6 plus the small block planes.  I figure there are about 300 planes all together.  I have packed them for a 1000 mile trip, so no pictures.

[mikeswrenches]

Nice haul! That’ll keep you out of trouble for awhile. The link to Pat Leach’s website will give you all the Stanley info you will ever need.  Good luck.

http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan0a.html

Mike

[Bill Houghton]

There were only a few major manufacturers of metal bench planes in the U.S.: I'm aware of Stanley, Millers-Falls, Sargent, and Union.  Union was purchased in the early 20th century by Stanley, and eventually folded into the Stanley line.  Then there are bunches of planes made by these companies but labeled for hardware stores and other companies (e.g., Winchester, which decided making guns wasn't enough at some point).  Many of the planes Stanley made for other people after they acquired Union use the Union lateral adjuster lever design.

This site will help you somewhat with identifying the frogs associated with different companies: https://web.archive.org/web/20150527141731/http://www.brasscityrecords.com/toolworks/graphics/plane%20id.html.

Stanley went through various designs of frogs.  The Rexmill type study has good illustrations of the various frog designs (look at "type study," top right): http://rexmill.com/.

For Sargent planes: http://www.sargent-planes.com/

For Millers-Falls planes: http://oldtoolheaven.com/bench/bench.htm.

Good luck.  You've taken on a biiiiiig task.

[coolford]

Mike and Bill----I really appreciate the links you have supplied, they are going to help me a lot.  Couldn't have asked for more. I turned the lot down about six months ago when I saw how extensive it was, but changed my mind when the daughter called me and asked me to buy them.  They had been sitting in her garage for nearly three years.  At least the orphans have cast frogs except for about six.  I had not thought that the major companies might have made them for hardware stores etc.  Should have, as that is common with socket sets which are my major collection.

[wvtools]

I have been selling plane parts on Ebay for a long times, so if you get stuck on any, you can post pictures here or email me at john@wvtools.com.  I may be able to help identify some.  I have seen a lot of plane parts.   I have bought thousands of planes over the years, and break up the broken or incomplete ones for parts.

[lptools]

Hello, Don't forget Craftsman/Dunlap planes that were sold by Sears, not sure who actually made them. Ohio Tool Co. comes to mind, as well as Metallic Plane Co. of Auburn , NY, and Meriden Malleable Iron Co. of Connecticut , to . Good luck with your treasure trove of history!!!!  Regards, Lou

[lptools]

Hello, Add to the list, Keen-Kutter, Siegley, and Shelton. To me, at least, the companies that I have mentioned, have similar design features, and possibly connections, to the Stanley planes. Regards, Lou

[Bill Houghton]

Hello, Don't forget Craftsman/Dunlap planes that were sold by Sears, not sure who actually made them.

It depended on who won the contract for a particular period of time.  I've seen Craftsman planes apparently made by all the major plane makers.

[coolford]

Yes, in the 900 pounds there are Keen Kutters, Craftsman, Dunlap, Shelton, Goodell and Dex ?? plus the unknowns.

[Bill Houghton]

I never realized that Goodell made planes - would those have been Millers Falls planes wearing the Goodell-Pratt badge, after the purchase of G-P by M-F?

[stanley62]

Coolford,

 Did you ever get to where you could snap a picture of the load of plane/parts you got?  I am trying to figure out what plane starts with Dex and I am stumped.  Stanley made Defiance...  Maybe????  There is also Diamond Edge.

Hopefully you got some that are a little more rare like Ohio Tools, Winchester, Victor or Belknap.

 Jim

[coolford]

Sorry, they are still packed as haven't made the move yet.  I will answer your question when I do move.

[Phydeaux]

This site is good if you have acquired any Vaughan & Bushnell examples.

http://www.vaughanandbushnellplanes.com/