Rogers Mitre Planer

**Anorak Bob** · 6th March 2011, 07:25 PM

I had been reading with interest, Derek Cohen's post concerning the No, 51 Shooting Plane and thought that there maybe some interest in the planer that I have. It has been sitting, smeared with grease, in the back of a cupboard for nearly ten years.

It is the size 3 1/2 version of the planer. It features the cast in name of the Langdon Mitre Box Co. not the later Millers Falls Co. as per the example illustrated in Roger Smith's Patented Transitional & Metallic Planes in America 1827-1927. It also bears the patent date of 19 - 9 - 1882. The Simonds blades are nearly worn out. Given the loud shade of green, I 'd say it has been repainted at least once. The knurled knob is not original. It's the handiwork of a South African machinist who should have done a better job. The handle on the plane is also non original. It's cocobolo, the original looks to be a casting from other examples I've seen in photographs.

What amazed me when I first saw it was that none of the castings were broken. There are no welds or brazed repairs. Other than some corrosion on the plane and some damage on the plane nose, which could be a casting flaw, the planer is in exceptional condition.

I should make a new pair of blades and use the thing. I do have a few things that need framing.

BT

**NCArcher** · 6th March 2011, 07:43 PM

That's cool Bob.
I've never seen one of those. I wonder how many similar items are out there.

**planemaker** · 6th March 2011, 08:40 PM

Wow Bob. Wish I had one of those in my tool collection. Well done.

**Anorak Bob** · 6th March 2011, 09:18 PM

When I purchased a my first copy (long gone) of Roger Smith's book about 20 years ago, I bought it directly from Roger in Massachusetts. Within the packaging was a flyer for some tools he had for sale. One of the tools was a Rogers Mitre Planer. He was chasing $1200 for it. Maybe the Yanks would spend that sort of dough, I don't know.

I have seen 2 on the internet. One of those had been broken and welded. They may be more common but I haven't been looking.

BT

**derekcohen** · 6th March 2011, 09:23 PM

Hi Bob

Don't be in a rush to sell! Look around the web and the auctions. That is a rare piece, in excellent condition, and my estimate is between $1500-2000.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Anorak Bob** · 6th March 2011, 09:24 PM

When I purchased a my first copy

I sound like a drongo. Sorry about that, please ignore the "a". I don't know how to edit the text.

**Vann** · 7th March 2011, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

...and my estimate is between $1500-2000.

Bob's gone very quiet Derek. Maybe he's fallen off his chair...

Cheers, Vann.

**Stustoys** · 7th March 2011, 12:22 PM

When I first saw it I thought "there will be wood breaking out all over the place", then I saw the angle of the blades.
Any idea that the adjustable orange(?) tabs are for? I guess they are for setting up both sides of a joint that is less that 45 deg.

Stuart

**Anorak Bob** · 7th March 2011, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Stustoys

When I first saw it I thought "there will be wood breaking out all over the place", then I saw the angle of the blades.
Any idea that the adjustable orange(?) tabs are for? I guess they are for setting up both sides of a joint that is less that 45 deg.

Stuart

Stuart,

Here's the description of those arms (tabs) from Millers Falls' catalogue of 1915 -"Adjustable arms, clamped with thumb screw, shown in illustration, of especial use in enabling one to finish the ends and angles on curved work with exactness. In preparing pieces for circular or oval work, frames, pulleys, emery wheels, circular patterns, etc., it is necessary to plane the ends of various segments at varying angles. In planing these the point of the quadrant near the plane and the adjustable guides form the rest required for accurate work." There you have it.

Here are a few more photos.

Bob.

**Anorak Bob** · 7th March 2011, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Vann

Bob's gone very quiet Derek. Maybe he's fallen off his chair...

Cheers, Vann.

I have toyed with the idea of getting rid of the thing over the years. Better someone use the tool than it sit in a cupboard.The catch is the weight, 53 pounds and that's before enclosing it in a robust crate. It would be more convenient to sell it locally but Perth's a small place and I imagine the number of potential buyers, few if any.

Bob.

**Stustoys** · 7th March 2011, 01:35 PM

Thanks BT
lol maybe if I read it a few times I'll understand what they mean.

The blades looks to be laying way back compared to my(somewhat limited selection) planes. Care to estimate the angle?
The bevel on the blades appear to be on top rather then the bottom, or are they in the wrong side? or am I looking at the "backing plate"(I'm sure that's not the right name, back iron?)?

Stuart

**Anorak Bob** · 7th March 2011, 02:36 PM

Stuart,

How about 15 degrees 30 minutes

They are tapered, bevel up, single plane irons. While they are close to used up, they measure 4.6mm at the bevel and taper to 3mm at the top of the blade.

Bob.

**Stustoys** · 7th March 2011, 05:27 PM

So only roughly then lol
Why lay the blade so far back and then put the bevel on the top? I guess they have their reasons.

Stuart

**RayG** · 7th March 2011, 09:06 PM

Hi Bob,

What a thing to find in the back of the cupboard, you should go rummaging in that area more often, who knows what else might turn up..

Tis indeed a thing of rare and complex beauty, I wish I knew how it was supposed to work?

"shown in illustration, of especial use in enabling one to finish the ends and angles on curved work with exactness. In preparing pieces for circular or oval work, frames, pulleys, emery wheels, circular patterns, etc., it is necessary to plane the ends of various segments at varying angles."

Sounds useful....

now get back into that cupboard and see what else lurks in there!

Regards
Ray

**Anorak Bob** · 8th March 2011, 04:13 PM

amongst some nice odds and ends, a couple of Sweethearts.

The first and pretty hard to miss was a Stanley 346 Mitre Box and it's even harder to miss, not the correct size, 26 x 5 inch Phili Disston saw.

The other Sweetheart was a, forgotten I had it, No. 97 edge plane.

I also uncovered a more recent, 40's No.54 plough plane and a similar vintage, close to perfect, Stanley 45 in it's cardboard box.

Shall I keep looking?

BT

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Care to estimate the angle?

I did have another dig around and found....

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