Help for Infill plane ID

[ac445ab]

Hi all,
some time ago I found and purchased this plane on ebay.
No maker name or other writes are present, except "Dell Bros Cast Steel" on the cap iron.
It has not a very tight mouth (no pic,sorry). I think is because the iron (I &H Sorby) may be isn't the original, being tapered and not parallel as I have seen for other infill planes.
The weight is very impressive, being 2,2 kg, the double of a wooden smoother. The body seems to be a single piece of steel.
Do you have some opinion about its identification?

Ciao
Giuliano

 

[tobytools]

It's hard to identity a plane with now marking. It defiantly a plane of quality from the infills, the casting is very nice and clean (no blemishes) if I had to put a guess for the maker it would be slater of London. Tho this style (shape) isn't typical of the common slater.
You have a beautiful tool that works job done.
I would however replace the tapered iron for a parallel one, it should be illegal to use tapered iron in an infill

Thanks
TT

 

[richarnold]

I'm not sure you will ever be able to tie this one down to a specific manufacturer, but my gut instinct is that it is a London plane of some sort, and probably of an early date. A lot of the early infills had tapered irons so it may well be original, but even if not it possibly started out with a tapered iron. It would be interesting if someone could put a date on the introduction of the parallel iron. I wonder what the earliest mention of one is in trade catalogues?
Cheers, Richard

 

[jimi43]

I would say also that it is a Slater plane or London maker contemporary with Slater....but it could be another casting company because Slater castings tended to have a dip at the back. They also had a semicircular dip near the mouth but this may have not been practical at the time with the wedge wings.

My Slater is a good example of this design...

Note also that the wall thickness is far greater on yours...could this mean older Slater or not Slater at all.

Another difference is the front bun attachment. Your's appears to be either glued or riveted or screwed from below.

The Slater I have has a cast infill moulding thus:

...held in at the front with a screw at the toe....

A lot of these planes..particularly ones which do not have an identified maker are probably castings bought by a craftsman and infilled by them using an iron which was handy at the time. Clearly, this was a good craftsman if so...with quality materials and finish being used.

But..I will say that the plane itself has been highly cleaned and polished since and for some..this is a step too much.

For me..my feelings are pretty well known now..it's the owner's plane and the owner should decide what to do with it...full stop.

Giuliano...if you bought it like that it was because you wanted a user plane...and you clearly have that. If you bought it rusty and cleaned it up to use it then the same applies...it's still a user.

As for the iron..these planes have such thick irons that they tend to produce fairly thin shavings or very good thick shavings effortlessly...a reason why I simply love solid metal infills.

I would say it was London..late Victorian.

Nice one and thanks for posting.

I am thrilled that infills are more and more support, particularly here...and the price rises on FleaBay certainly reflect that enthusiasm.

Jimi

 

[Mr_P]

When I see a tapered iron in an infill plane I assume its either a budget replacement or they just couldn't find one.

Buck & Hickman catalogue 1963 has parallel irons but 1971/72 has none.

Hoorah for the internet.

 

[ac445ab]

Thank you for info....to know something about our old tools seems to provide more feeling with them.....

....Another difference is the front bun attachment. Your's appears to be either glued or riveted or screwed from below.

I think it is glued, i cannot see rivets or screws.

But..I will say that the plane itself has been highly cleaned and polished since and for some..this is a step too much.
For me..my feelings are pretty well known now..it's the owner's plane and the owner should decide what to do with it...full stop.

Giuliano...if you bought it like that it was because you wanted a user plane...and you clearly have that. If you bought it rusty and cleaned it up to use it then the same applies...it's still a user.

I found it as is, already polished, only I had to honing the blade.

But.....nothing about "Dell Bros" Mark on the cap iron? I have "British Planemaker from 1700" second edition book, but there isn't reference to "Dell" planemaker or iron maker.

Ciao
Giuliano

 

[jimi43]

No...I had a look through BPM III and that doesn't either!

Perhaps you should send the details off to the authors of BPM IV to add to their every-growing list of additions!

I think it has been highly polished and in a way..it has been tastefully done..at least not with 40G on a circular sanding attachment that's for sure!

I like it. Is the infill ebony or dark rosewood do you think?

Jim

 

[ac445ab]

No...I had a look through BPM III and that doesn't either!

Perhaps you should send the details off to the authors of BPM IV to add to their every-growing list of additions!

Good idea, they could give me a copy of a newer edition, perhaps :mrgreen:
Seriously, have you a their email address?

Is the infill ebony or dark rosewood do you think?

Jim

Seems to me dark rosewood.

Giuliano

 

[jimi43]

I don't know who is doing it now but someone will be on here that does and should give you the address.

Cheers

Jimi

 

[ac445ab]

I don't know who is doing it now but someone will be on here that does and should give you the address.

Cheers

Jimi

Grazie Jimi

 

[AndyT]

I don't know who is doing it now but someone will be on here that does and should give you the address.

Cheers

Jimi

The third edition of Bill Goodman's book on British Planemakers was by Jane and Mark Rees. Sadly, Mark, died a few years ago but Jane continues to be actively involved in the world of old tools. She is still working on the fourth edition and has previously said that she is interested in knowing about makers not previously recorded, though please don't take that as a cue to bombard her with queries which will only delay its much anticipated appearance!

Contact details are given on her own website at http://reestools.co.uk.

 

[ac445ab]

I don't know who is doing it now but someone will be on here that does and should give you the address.

Cheers

Jimi

The third edition of Bill Goodman's book on British Planemakers was by Jane and Mark Rees. Sadly, Mark, died a few years ago but Jane continues to be actively involved in the world of old tools. She is still working on the fourth edition and has previously said that she is interested in knowing about makers not previously recorded, though please don't take that as a cue to bombard her with queries which will only delay its much anticipated appearance!

Contact details are given on her own website at http://reestools.co.uk.

Thanks Andy, I'll write her for signaling this discussion, hoping she can find useful these info.

Ciao
Giuliano