Dating English Stanley bench planes has been discussed in many threads here. The lack of an English Stanley bench plane type study has been expressed many times. A draft, based on previous duscussions, has been presented, for example, in TimeTestedTools.
My experience with planes is limited but, as a researcher, I found this as an interesting and useful research problem. The type study I started about a year ago is not academic research, but I hope that I can obtain some results that are useful for plane collectors and other woodworkers. And, maybe, these results can be a starting point for more elaborate type studies.
Data collection has been challenging, but in addition to my own collection of 28 English Stanley planes I have collected photo sets, mostly from Ebay. The problem with such data is that I have no access to the history of the planes, e.g. the year of production, part replacements etc. It is also possible that I have not found all feature combinations manufactured.
My approach has been to first make a type study of plane bodies, because they don't, obviously, have any replaced parts. I consider plane body as the original part of the plane. I have now more or less finished the type study of plane bodies.
The type study has been limited to sizes 4 and 5. The US type study has been limited to size 4, but I have included also size 5, because bed ribs are a significant type defining feature. There are differences between sizes 4 and 5, but the most significant type defining features are similar.
I have used the following type defining features for plane bodies:
- Shape of the frog receiver
- Alignment of "MADE IN" with "ENGLAND"
- Bed ribs
- Number of contact points in frog receiver
- Types of lower and upper contact points in frog receiver
- G12-00x casting mark
My preliminary type definitions of plane bodies can be defined as:
Type EB1: Like US type 16 planes.
- Frog receiver with a centre rib
- MADE IN ENGLAND not aligned (not applicable in US planes, obviously)
- No bed ribs
- Four contact points in frog receiver
- Two narrow stripes (N2) as lower contact points (BLc) in frog receiver
- Two chamfered (C2) upper contact points in frog receiver (BUc)
- No G12-00x casting
Type EB2: Like type EB1, but
- Y-shaped frog receiver (BYf)
- Two wide (W2, or large) lower contact points in frog receiver
Type EB3c: Like type EB2 but
- MADE IN ENGLAND aligned (BA)
Type EB3r: Like type EB3c, but
- Two rectangular (R2) upper contact points
Type EB4n: Like type EB3c(!), but
- Bed ribs (BRib) in no 5 (and larger) planes
- Two narrow stripes (N2) as lower contact points in frog receiver
Type EB4r: Like type EB4n, but
- Two rectangular (R2) lower contact points
Type EB5c: Like type EB4r, but
- Eight contact points (BF8) in frog receiver
- Four rectangular (R4) lower contact points in frog receiver
- Four chamfered (C4) upper contact points in frog receiver
Type EB5r: Like type EB5c, but
- Four rectangular (R4) upper contact points
Type EB6: Like type EB5r, but
- G12-00x casting (BG12) on the bed
- Radial ribs in knob receiver
(EB stands for English plane body.)
The co-presence chart below displays this information in a graphical format (without subtypes).
The problem with bed ribs is that they cannot be found in plane size 4. For no. 4 planes I have defined "virtual bed ribs" (VBRs). A no. 4 plane body has VBRs if and only if it has features that can be found only in no 5 planes with bed ribs. From the co-presence chart we can see that a no. 4 plane has VBRs, if the MADE IN ENGLAND text is aligned (BA) and the frog receiver does NOT have two wide (W2) lower contact points.
For types EB3, EB4 and RB5 I have defined subtypes with no indication about temporal order. It appears logical that type EB4r (two rectangular lower contact points) was followed by EB5c (four rectangular lower contact points). EB5c (two chamfered upper contact points) was most likely followed by EB5r (four rectangular upper contact points) which was followed by EB6 having similar upper contact points. Some further evidence is, however, needed. For example, the casting marks seem to give some support to these assumptions.
For type EB3r I have found only a few no. 4 planes.
These are my major findings about plane body types. I would appreciate your comments. Critical views are especially welcome.
If you have plane bodies that do not follow this type study, I would appreciate detailed photos of them. I would be very interested in having photos of
- Type EB2 planes of size 5
- Type EB3r planes of size 5
- Type EB4n planes
- Type EB5 planes, especially of size 5
- Planes with war-time features, e.g. plastic/hard rubber adjustment wheel
I would prefer photos of plane bodies stripped of all parts and clearly displaying all the type defining features listed above. It would be an important extra benefit to have detailed photos of the frog (front, back, side, bottom) as well as photos of blade, chip breaker, lever cap (all front and back) and handles. All casting marks in these parts should be readable. Please note that there is a small casting mark (usually "Q") at the bottom of the lever. (It becomes visible when you switch the lever open.) In addition, information about the original purchase date and about possible replacements would be helpful.
Also, I would appreciate information and photos of Stanley UK catalogs and price lists. I only have a few of them.
I have also studied the casting marks on plane bodies. I will use this information in the dating study. I will, however, start the dating study only when I have finished the type studies of other parts.
I am writing a report of the type study, and the report will be finished (as version 1) when I have studied all parts and I am able to draw conclusions. The report will provide detailed description of the data, methods and results of the study.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS THE FIRST DRAFT PRESENT FOR YOUR COMMENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION, STUDIES OF OTHER PLANE PARTS AND YOUR COMMENTS MAY RESULT IN REVISIONS IN THIS DRAFT.
I hope this preliminary information is useful. Looking forward to your comments.
My experience with planes is limited but, as a researcher, I found this as an interesting and useful research problem. The type study I started about a year ago is not academic research, but I hope that I can obtain some results that are useful for plane collectors and other woodworkers. And, maybe, these results can be a starting point for more elaborate type studies.
Data collection has been challenging, but in addition to my own collection of 28 English Stanley planes I have collected photo sets, mostly from Ebay. The problem with such data is that I have no access to the history of the planes, e.g. the year of production, part replacements etc. It is also possible that I have not found all feature combinations manufactured.
My approach has been to first make a type study of plane bodies, because they don't, obviously, have any replaced parts. I consider plane body as the original part of the plane. I have now more or less finished the type study of plane bodies.
The type study has been limited to sizes 4 and 5. The US type study has been limited to size 4, but I have included also size 5, because bed ribs are a significant type defining feature. There are differences between sizes 4 and 5, but the most significant type defining features are similar.
I have used the following type defining features for plane bodies:
- Shape of the frog receiver
- Alignment of "MADE IN" with "ENGLAND"
- Bed ribs
- Number of contact points in frog receiver
- Types of lower and upper contact points in frog receiver
- G12-00x casting mark
My preliminary type definitions of plane bodies can be defined as:
Type EB1: Like US type 16 planes.
- Frog receiver with a centre rib
- MADE IN ENGLAND not aligned (not applicable in US planes, obviously)
- No bed ribs
- Four contact points in frog receiver
- Two narrow stripes (N2) as lower contact points (BLc) in frog receiver
- Two chamfered (C2) upper contact points in frog receiver (BUc)
- No G12-00x casting
Type EB2: Like type EB1, but
- Y-shaped frog receiver (BYf)
- Two wide (W2, or large) lower contact points in frog receiver
Type EB3c: Like type EB2 but
- MADE IN ENGLAND aligned (BA)
Type EB3r: Like type EB3c, but
- Two rectangular (R2) upper contact points
Type EB4n: Like type EB3c(!), but
- Bed ribs (BRib) in no 5 (and larger) planes
- Two narrow stripes (N2) as lower contact points in frog receiver
Type EB4r: Like type EB4n, but
- Two rectangular (R2) lower contact points
Type EB5c: Like type EB4r, but
- Eight contact points (BF8) in frog receiver
- Four rectangular (R4) lower contact points in frog receiver
- Four chamfered (C4) upper contact points in frog receiver
Type EB5r: Like type EB5c, but
- Four rectangular (R4) upper contact points
Type EB6: Like type EB5r, but
- G12-00x casting (BG12) on the bed
- Radial ribs in knob receiver
(EB stands for English plane body.)
The co-presence chart below displays this information in a graphical format (without subtypes).
The problem with bed ribs is that they cannot be found in plane size 4. For no. 4 planes I have defined "virtual bed ribs" (VBRs). A no. 4 plane body has VBRs if and only if it has features that can be found only in no 5 planes with bed ribs. From the co-presence chart we can see that a no. 4 plane has VBRs, if the MADE IN ENGLAND text is aligned (BA) and the frog receiver does NOT have two wide (W2) lower contact points.
For types EB3, EB4 and RB5 I have defined subtypes with no indication about temporal order. It appears logical that type EB4r (two rectangular lower contact points) was followed by EB5c (four rectangular lower contact points). EB5c (two chamfered upper contact points) was most likely followed by EB5r (four rectangular upper contact points) which was followed by EB6 having similar upper contact points. Some further evidence is, however, needed. For example, the casting marks seem to give some support to these assumptions.
For type EB3r I have found only a few no. 4 planes.
These are my major findings about plane body types. I would appreciate your comments. Critical views are especially welcome.
If you have plane bodies that do not follow this type study, I would appreciate detailed photos of them. I would be very interested in having photos of
- Type EB2 planes of size 5
- Type EB3r planes of size 5
- Type EB4n planes
- Type EB5 planes, especially of size 5
- Planes with war-time features, e.g. plastic/hard rubber adjustment wheel
I would prefer photos of plane bodies stripped of all parts and clearly displaying all the type defining features listed above. It would be an important extra benefit to have detailed photos of the frog (front, back, side, bottom) as well as photos of blade, chip breaker, lever cap (all front and back) and handles. All casting marks in these parts should be readable. Please note that there is a small casting mark (usually "Q") at the bottom of the lever. (It becomes visible when you switch the lever open.) In addition, information about the original purchase date and about possible replacements would be helpful.
Also, I would appreciate information and photos of Stanley UK catalogs and price lists. I only have a few of them.
I have also studied the casting marks on plane bodies. I will use this information in the dating study. I will, however, start the dating study only when I have finished the type studies of other parts.
I am writing a report of the type study, and the report will be finished (as version 1) when I have studied all parts and I am able to draw conclusions. The report will provide detailed description of the data, methods and results of the study.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS THE FIRST DRAFT PRESENT FOR YOUR COMMENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION, STUDIES OF OTHER PLANE PARTS AND YOUR COMMENTS MAY RESULT IN REVISIONS IN THIS DRAFT.
I hope this preliminary information is useful. Looking forward to your comments.
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