Block plane, for planing blocks?

[neilyweely]

OK, so what is this?

It says on the plane - block plane no1, and is a marples blade (although a pretty thick one!).

I have no idea. Blade is skew, handles very solid.

Any ideas?

Neil

PS It cost me a tenner.

 

[Evergreen]

Jeepers Neil! Where do you find this stuff???

I've never, ever seen one of those before. Looks like a sort of rebate plane but the iron is mounted at such a low angle. Is the depth of the rebate adjusted by those nuts on the side?

 

[Ironballs]

Did you get that at the auction today? Saw something that looked a lot like it, don't think they knew what it was did they!

 

[neilyweely]

Ironballs
Yeah, thats the one. How'd you get on? will you be there tomorrow?

Evergreen
I have never seen one either. The nuts at the side do allow the fence to move up and down, and closer inspection has revealed the motif USMC, and also the fact that the fence is numbered block plane no7, the frog (thing) is Block plane no5, and the iron, which is 4 or 5 mm thick, is labelled MArples.

It is not handmade (homemade I mean), but God only knows what it is for. I got it in the hope that it could be used, but am not so sure. Maybe if I can identify it I can put it on E-bay.

Cheers all

Neil

 

[neilyweely]

I think it will need the bevel grinding at a different angle in order to be useable. But I don't want to do this till I know I am not gonna mess it up.

Philly?? Waka?? Help????

 

[neilyweely]

Reckon I've got you all this time, eh? :lol: :lol:

 

[jasonB]

The iron could be a 1" Marples chisel which is probably not original :wink:

Jason

 

[neilyweely]

From the position of the writing on the blade, and the general shape of it, i would say not. I may be wrong.

I think I have got an early example of a low angle, skew blade, priceless circa 05 - 06 BC block plane. Or not.

Nah, no points for that Jason. :wink:

Neil

 

[head clansman]

Hi neil

nice piece , specially for a tenner. my guess it an early rebate plane judging by the height adjustment bolt on the side, why the blade is angled ? hmm. hc

 

[Philly]

Neil
Been doing some research on your plane - zip. Can't find any pictures of anything like it.

But - what have you got? It is not a block plane (as is obvious from its appearance), but is a rebate plane. The adjustable fence is a depth stop and it is usual for there to be another fence to allow different width rebates to be cut. Are there any holes where another fence could be mounted? The plane is quite narrow and rather long which make me think it was for a specific purpose and the markings USMC could mean it was a military tool?? Marine Corp?

As for sharpening the iron, as the blade is skewed it makes things a little more interesting if you use a jig. Try honing it freehand. When you fit the iron it should just peek out of the side of the plane a little, otherwise the plane won't cut a square rebate.

Hope this helps?
Philly

 

[Calpol]

It resembles this Neilyweely but that's as far as I can go with it, just new I'd seen something familiar...

http://www.secondhandtools.co.uk/ww45en.htm

Called a Jiffy Wallboard plane... :?

 

[jasonB]

They use a razor blade to cut panels so not really the same set up, you can just see the old style blades poking up at an angle under the brass clamping plates

Jason

 

[Evergreen]

Hi Neil

After a night's sleep and a bottle of Fullers 1845, I'll risk a guess that Philly and Calpol are right - your plane is a specialised tool for trimming the edges of sheet material of some kind. That would explain the fixed rebate width and low angle blade.

But why it has "BLOCK PLANE" stamped in the casting, I don't know. Unless the sheet material came in small chunky sizes and were called "blocks" in whatever trade used this plane.

Evergreen

 

[Calpol]

Philly and Calpol are right

I'm going to print that off and frame it...

 

[AndyT]

A few more wild guesses...

looking at the solidity of it and the deep section with no blade showing, could it be designed to run in a jig of some sort (sort of like the Stanley cast iron 'shuteboard' ) but to plane parquet flooring blocks? - if anyone ever had to do such a thing by hand? That could fit with the name...

Probably miles off and I've never seen or read of one quite like it before either.

Ady

 

[neilyweely]

But - what have you got? It is not a block plane (as is obvious from its appearance), but is a rebate plane.

Philly - it is certainly a block plane! It is stamped on the front of the body!!
Many thanks for your input, am sure you are right. I did look up the usmc bit, and came back with military jargon. It is kinda written in a wavy pattern
Andy T - thats the sort of thing I wondered about, but i THINK pHILLY is right (sorry, slipped) in fact the more I look at it the more I think it was used in a jig.
Calpol - nice one, it does resemble it.
Evergreen - Whatever it is it is certainly a plane, for planing wood stuff. And I will certainly never use it, so it was certainly a waste of money!
Never mind, you should see what I got today!!

Cheers everyone, am gonna find out what this thing is if it kills me!

Neil

 

[Calpol]

Try these books maybe:

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/5530 ... oduct.html

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/1218 ... oduct.html

You can get a look inside on Amazon but they're cheaper from Play...

 

[AndyT]

I just had another idea which might help...

Could it be connected with preparing printing blocks?

That could explain why it seems to have a very narrow range of adjustment on its depth stop (it's for one specialist job), is ruggedly built, and is not featured in the woodwork related publications we all know?

Are there any retired printers out there who remember the last days of working with movable metal type in frames?


Andy

 

[Pekka Huhta]

If you'd remove the fence, it would definitely look very much like a core box plane. In fact, I saw a smaller one with a very similar cutter layout just a month ago. It was from an old patternmaker's tool chest frm the 60's. Can't say for sure, but...

I know that Stanley's core box planes were symmetrical, but at least the few I have seen over here have had the iron just like yours.

Pekka

 

[neilyweely]

I think USMC stands for United States Marine Corps.

waddya reckon?

[/img]

neil