Block & Specialty Planes: Difference between revisions
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Because the Millers Falls Company entered the hand plane business relatively late in the game, its product line never grew to the size of that of Stanley or Sargent & Company. The initial rollout in 1929 concentrated on those models with the greatest sales potential—block and bench planes. By the time the line was established, the popular acceptance of power tools and of pre-milled, pre-shaped lumber had made the introduction of limited application hand planes a risky affair. | Because the Millers Falls Company entered the hand plane business relatively late in the game, its product line never grew to the size of that of Stanley or Sargent & Company. The initial rollout in 1929 concentrated on those models with the greatest sales potential—block and bench planes. By the time the line was established, the popular acceptance of power tools and of pre-milled, pre-shaped lumber had made the introduction of limited application hand planes a risky affair. | ||
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Adjustable Block and Rabbet Plane | Adjustable Block and Rabbet Plane | ||
Features a screw-operated cap clamp and depth adjustment. The removable right side allows for conversion to rabbet plane. Skew iron is bedded at 20 degrees. | Features a screw-operated cap clamp and depth adjustment. The removable right side allows for conversion to the rabbet plane. Skew iron is bedded at 20 degrees. The body is black-enameled and the cap is nickel plated. | ||
# early production—model number cast into back of bed; cocobolo knob. | # early production—model number cast into the back of bed; cocobolo knob. | ||
# later production—model number no longer cast into bed; tropical hardwood knob. | # later production—model number no longer cast into bed; tropical hardwood knob. | ||
# by | # by 1956—the knob is attached to the body by an externally visible screw. | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 38: | Line 39: | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 60: | Line 61: | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 81: | Line 82: | ||
A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 20 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled. | A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 20 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled. | ||
# early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around front button. | # early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front button. | ||
# later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around button. | # later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the button. | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 104: | Line 105: | ||
Scrub Plane | Scrub Plane | ||
A non-adjustable plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Designed for the rapid removal of stock. Sides are not milled. Heavy duty iron with rounded cutting edge is bedded at 20 degrees. Catalogs indicate body and cap are black-enameled and that handle and knob are mahogany-finished hardwood. Models with red caps and cocobolo handles and totes have been observed. The red-capped models appear to be of later production. | A non-adjustable plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Designed for the rapid removal of stock. Sides are not milled. Heavy-duty iron with rounded cutting edge is bedded at 20 degrees. Catalogs indicate body and cap are black-enameled and that handle and knob are mahogany-finished hardwood. Models with red caps and cocobolo handles and totes have been observed. The red-capped models appear to be of later production. | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
| Line 133: | Line 134: | ||
Adjustable Block Plane | Adjustable Block Plane | ||
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled. | Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled. | ||
# early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around front knob. | # early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob. | ||
# later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around knob. | # later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob. | ||
The Millers Falls Company used the illustration of the No. 17 to depict this plane. The author | The Millers Falls Company used the illustration of the No. 17 to depict this plane. The author has done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 158: | Line 159: | ||
Adjustable Block Plane | Adjustable Block Plane | ||
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever and screw-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled. | Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and screw-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled. | ||
Produced under contract for United States government. | Produced under contract for United States government. | ||
| Line 182: | Line 183: | ||
Adjustable Block Plane | Adjustable Block Plane | ||
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled. | Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled. | ||
# early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around front knob. | # early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob. | ||
# later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around knob. | # later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob. | ||
Illustration from 1938 catalog. | Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 207: | Line 208: | ||
Adjustable Block Plane | Adjustable Block Plane | ||
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. | Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. The body is black-enameled. Nickel-plated cap. | ||
# early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around front knob. | # early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob. | ||
# later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around knob. | # later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob. | ||
The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author has done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog. | The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author has done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
| Line 239: | Line 240: | ||
Non-Adjustable Block Plane | Non-Adjustable Block Plane | ||
A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp favored by model and instrument makers. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 45 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled on earlier production. Beginning ca. 1952, body is gray-enameled, cap is red. Shipped in a box with the V-Line (Value Line) label from 1956 to ca. 1960. | A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp favored by model and instrument makers. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 45 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled on earlier production. Beginning ca. 1952, the body is gray-enameled, the cap is red. Shipped in a box with the V-Line (Value Line) label from 1956 to ca. 1960. | ||
Illustration from 1949 catalog. | Illustration from 1949 catalog. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" | ||
!Model | !Model | ||
!Stanley Equiv. | !Stanley Equiv. | ||
| Line 261: | Line 262: | ||
Adjustable Block Plane | Adjustable Block Plane | ||
Features an adjustable throat, lateral adjustment lever and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. | Features an adjustable throat, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. The body is black-enameled. Fitted with a nickel-plated, knuckle-joint lever cap. Jointed lever caps, prone to unlock with careless use, were referred to as "knuckle busters" by generations of woodworkers. Identical to Nos. 16 and 17 save for model number and knuckle-joint cap. | ||
# early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around front knob. | # early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob. | ||
# later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around knob. | # later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob. | ||
The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author as done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog. | The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author as done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog. | ||
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|by 1961 | |by 1961 | ||
|} | |} | ||
[[Category:Knowledge Base]] | [[Category:Knowledge Base]] | ||
[[Category:Tool Identification]] | [[Category:Tool Identification]] | ||
[[Category:Planes]] | [[Category:Planes]] | ||
Revision as of 21:10, 15 January 2021
Because the Millers Falls Company entered the hand plane business relatively late in the game, its product line never grew to the size of that of Stanley or Sargent & Company. The initial rollout in 1929 concentrated on those models with the greatest sales potential—block and bench planes. By the time the line was established, the popular acceptance of power tools and of pre-milled, pre-shaped lumber had made the introduction of limited application hand planes a risky affair.
The company was never to produce a circular, match, dado, plow, shoulder, or combination plane. Its more successful specialty planes included a double end block plane, a duplex rabbet/filletster, a skew rabbet/block plane, and a pair of routers. Millers Falls also manufactured scraper, scrub, and weatherstrip planes. For the most part, these latter models did not sell well and enjoyed life cycles of perhaps a dozen years. The Millers Falls specialty planes were copies of Stanley products.
The Millers Falls Company produced a complete line of block planes with various combinations of the cap, depth adjustment, blade pitch, and finish. While the minor details of Millers Falls block planes may differ from their Stanley equivalents, there are several differences worthy of note. One is the company's preference for 1 5/8 inch cutter widths in situations where Stanley would have used a 1 3/4 inch blade. Another is that the copy of Stanley's No. 118 low angle boy's plane was manufactured for perhaps a dozen years with a standard 20-degree pitch instead of an angle of 12 degrees.
No. 07
Adjustable Block and Rabbet Plane
Features a screw-operated cap clamp and depth adjustment. The removable right side allows for conversion to the rabbet plane. Skew iron is bedded at 20 degrees. The body is black-enameled and the cap is nickel plated.
- early production—model number cast into the back of bed; cocobolo knob.
- later production—model number no longer cast into bed; tropical hardwood knob.
- by 1956—the knob is attached to the body by an externally visible screw.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 07 | No. 140 | 7 inches | 1 3/4 inches | 1929 | 1970 |
No. 3
Non-Adjustable Block Plane
A small, squirrel-tailed block plane favored by model and instrument makers. Screw-operated cap clamp. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 45 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 | No. 100 | 3 1/2 inches | 1 inch | 1929 | by 1944 |
Nos. 4, 4-01, 4-02
Bull Nose Rabbet Plane
A small plane for working in close quarters and up into corners. Non-adjustable, with screw-operated cap clamp. Iron is bedded at 45 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled. Renumbered 4-01 in 1969. In 1971, it was renumbered 4-02 and production switched to England.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 4 | No. 75 | 4 inches | 1 inch | 1929 | 1974 |
No. 5
Non-Adjustable Block Plane
A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 20 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled.
- early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front button.
- later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the button.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 5 | No. 102 | 5 1/2 inches | 1 3/8 inches | 1929 | 1964 |
Nos. 9 1/2, 10 1/2
Scrub Plane
A non-adjustable plane with a screw-operated cap clamp. Designed for the rapid removal of stock. Sides are not milled. Heavy-duty iron with rounded cutting edge is bedded at 20 degrees. Catalogs indicate body and cap are black-enameled and that handle and knob are mahogany-finished hardwood. Models with red caps and cocobolo handles and totes have been observed. The red-capped models appear to be of later production.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 9 1/2 | No. 40 | 9 1/2 inches | 1 1/8 inches | 1929 | by 1944 |
| No. 10 1/2 | No. 40 1/2 | 10 1/2 inches | 1 1/2 inches | 1929 | by 1944 |
No. 16
Adjustable Block Plane
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled.
- early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob.
- later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob.
The Millers Falls Company used the illustration of the No. 17 to depict this plane. The author has done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 | No. 9 1/2 | 6 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | 1971 |
No. 16-CG
Adjustable Block Plane
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and screw-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black enameled.
Produced under contract for United States government.
Author's photograph.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 | none | 6 inches | 1 5/8 inches | ca. 1966 | ca. 1971 |
No. 17
Adjustable Block Plane
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled.
- early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob.
- later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob.
Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17 | No. 15 | 7 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | 1964 |
Nos. 26, 27
Adjustable Block Plane
Equipped with an adjustable throat, cam-lock cap, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. The body is black-enameled. Nickel-plated cap.
- early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob.
- later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob.
The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author has done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 26 | No. 16 | 6 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | by 1944 |
| No. 27 | No. 17 | 7 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | by 1944 |
No. 33
Non-Adjustable Block Plane
A small plane with a screw-operated cap clamp favored by model and instrument makers. Sides are not milled. Iron is bedded at 45 degrees. Body and cap are black-enameled on earlier production. Beginning ca. 1952, the body is gray-enameled, the cap is red. Shipped in a box with the V-Line (Value Line) label from 1956 to ca. 1960.
Illustration from 1949 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 33 | No. 101 | 3 1/2 inches | 1 inches | 1929 | 1974 |
Nos. 36, 37
Adjustable Block Plane
Features an adjustable throat, lateral adjustment lever, and Bailey-type depth adjustment. Iron is bedded at twenty degrees. The body is black-enameled. Fitted with a nickel-plated, knuckle-joint lever cap. Jointed lever caps, prone to unlock with careless use, were referred to as "knuckle busters" by generations of woodworkers. Identical to Nos. 16 and 17 save for model number and knuckle-joint cap.
- early production—manufacturer's name cast into bed around the front knob.
- later production—manufacturer's name no longer cast into bed around the knob.
The Millers Falls Company used a single illustration to depict both planes. The author as done so as well. Illustration from 1938 catalog.
| Model | Stanley Equiv. | Length | Cutter | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 36 | No. 18 | 6 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | by 1961 |
| No. 37 | No. 19 | 7 inches | 1 5/8 inches | 1929 | by 1961 |
