Thread: English made Stanley-Bailey Planes

I used to work for Osborn Steels at their Rutland Road works and the Stanley factory was just up the hill from me.

The HOME of Stanley Tools

I have a few Stanley and Record planes, both firms were on my doorstep growing up.

Here are some pic's of a Number 5 (it needs some love) it has beech stained (Rosewood) handles and brass screws, not sure of it's date because I bought it secondhand, but I wondered if English planes can in part be dated by the design of the removable frog receiver which is cast into the main body of the plane, we know from the USA studies that the Ogee type frog was introduced in the production of Type 16 (1933-1941) but would have been used on the later types as well, I have seen Ogee and another later design in Type 19. So for the early Sheffield made planes we have a couple of years of manufacture before WWII started, so they would be Type 16, I think mine could be a Type 18 (1946-1947) because Type 19 started imprinting STANLEY vertically on the lateral adjustment lever


Number 5 pic 1.jpg Number 5 pic 2.jpg

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I don't have rights to access the photos

Yes, frog receiver has gone through many designs in English Stanley Baileys. They are very important information in type studies. All frogs in English (Stanley Bailey) planes have the ogee shape, but there are other differences in design, such as the lateral lever, the depth adjustment wheel and lever, the shape of recesses on the frog bed. Numerous other minor changes can also be found, e.g. in screw holes and at both ends of the lateral lever pin.

The first English planes were most likely similar to US Type 16 (1933-1941). After that some similar changes can be seen in US and UK planes, but not necessarily at the same time and the UK planes did not necessarily follow the US designs. For example, it is likely that the new frog design of US type 19 (1948-1961) was adapted first in the UK during the WW2.

I have posted some preliminary type study results in English Stanley bench plane type study | UK Workshop. I have practically finished the classification of plane bodies. Currently I'm working with frogs. I would love to have your comments.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

What type is this UK #3? It belonged to my FIL. It originally had hardwood handles, but otherwise is per Type 2 (ignore that I filed the tops to personalise it) ...





Regards from Perth

Derek

The plane has brass adjustment wheel and a three-piece lateral lever with vertical text. The Y-lever has (I guess) traces of black paint. The blade and chip breaker are not original. I cannot see the texts in the body nor the frog receiver. They would give important information. Based on available information I would guess a date of late 1940's.

Originally Posted by Camelot

I used to work for Osborn Steels at their Rutland Road works and the Stanley factory was just up the hill from me.

The HOME of Stanley Tools

I have a few Stanley and Record planes, both firms were on my doorstep growing up.

Here are some pic's of a Number 5 (it needs some love) it has beech stained (Rosewood) handles and brass screws, not sure of it's date because I bought it secondhand, but I wondered if English planes can in part be dated by the design of the removable frog receiver which is cast into the main body of the plane, we know from the USA studies that the Ogee type frog was introduced in the production of Type 16 (1933-1941) but would have been used on the later types as well, I have seen Ogee and another later design in Type 19. So for the early Sheffield made planes we have a couple of years of manufacture before WWII started, so they would be Type 16, I think mine could be a Type 18 (1946-1947) because Type 19 started imprinting STANLEY vertically on the lateral adjustment lever


Number 5 pic 1.jpg Number 5 pic 2.jpg

Now I can see the photos.
The plane body has Y-shaped frog receiver, MADE IN ENGLAND text aligned and no bed ribs. This appears to be body type EB3 in my classification (English Stanley bench plane type study | UK Workshop). I assume it had been manufactured since WW2 until they added bed ribs. The year 1972 had been suggested for that. Horizontal text in the lateral adjustment lever suggests a date closer to the beginning than the end of that period. However, my dating study is not finished yet.

I guess the depth adjustment wheel is brass and the Y-lever is black? Could you post a picture of them?

Originally Posted by Pat

Here are some pics .
The Frog Attachment 437267
The sole Attachment 437268
The rear Attachment 437266
The base Attachment 437265
The front knob and manufacture markings Attachment 437264
The stripped plane Attachment 437263

Any more pics required?

The frog receiver with a centre rib suggests that this is a pre-war plane.

This typing of UK Stanley planes was recently posted n the UK forum (but created by a US collector) ...

Stanley English Type Study Draft | TimeTestedTools

Regards from Perth (holidaying in NZ)

Derek

Pic you requested

Number 5 pic 3.jpg

The guy I bought it from was in his late 70's and he told me it was his Dad's plane from when he was an apprentice, so well before 1972.

Originally Posted by Camelot

Pic you requested

Number 5 pic 3.jpg

The guy I bought it from was in his late 70's and he told me it was his Dad's plane from when he was an apprentice, so well before 1972.

Thanks for the photo!
Depth adjustment wheel of brass and black Y-lever as I assumed. The reddish brass of the adjustment wheel is also compatible with the dating I presented earlier. Before 1972, but most likely not before the war. As for now, I couldn't add much to what you knew already.

If you could post also a photo of possible foundry marks in the handle receiver (under the rear handle / tote), I could use that information in my type study. It could also give clues to plane dating. Qualcast foundry marks would indicate a date after WW2. Thanks!

Originally Posted by derekcohen

This typing of UK Stanley planes was recently posted n the UK forum (but created by a US collector) ...

Stanley English Type Study Draft | TimeTestedTools

Regards from Perth (holidaying in NZ)

Derek

Well, in fact that type study is based on the draft presented by Zitan earlier in this thread (English made Stanley-Bailey Planes - Page 2 (woodworkforums.com)).