Bench Plane - Adjuster wheel

[Bluekingfisher]

Gents - I was wondering, is there a significant reason as to why Stanley Bailey planes come with brass and ali iron adjuster wheels? I have a 4 1/2 & a 5 1/2 which appear to be of the same era, both of which have the ali adjuster wheel, while the rest of my growing collection have the brass version.

Many thanks

David

 

[bugbear]

Gents - I was wondering, is there a significant reason as to why Stanley Bailey planes come with brass and ali iron adjuster wheels? I have a 4 1/2 & a 5 1/2 which appear to be of the same era, both of which have the ali adjuster wheel, while the rest of my growing collection have the brass version.

Many thanks

David

In most cases brass costs more money, and is dropped over time when the accountants take over.

Brass is good to machine accurately, and runs on iron/steel threads without binding.

Looks nice too!

BugBear

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Gents - I was wondering, is there a significant reason as to why Stanley Bailey planes come with brass and ali iron adjuster wheels? I have a 4 1/2 & a 5 1/2 which appear to be of the same era, both of which have the ali adjuster wheel, while the rest of my growing collection have the brass version.

Many thanks

David

In most cases brass costs more money, and is dropped over time when the accountants take over.

Brass is good to machine accurately, and runs on iron/steel threads without binding.

Looks nice too!

BugBear

I would agree with you, so I have been trying to find replacement brass wheels.

I figured that perhaps when money was tight or an expresed need for brass, i.e. during times of war when the need for bulle/tshell casings casing took preference over hand plane needs.

Thanks again

david

 

[John15]

Hi David,

You can often see the brass wheels you are after on Ebay.

John

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Hi John, Yes I have seen them on ebay although by the time you buy and pay shipping it would be cheaper to look for a boot fair find.

I'm in no rush, just as and when.

David

 

[Graham Orm]

I read that they were dropped through the war years when brass was needed elsewhere.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I read that they were dropped through the war years when brass was needed elsewhere.

That was my thought, as mentioned in my earlier post.

I will investigate the period of manufacture of the two planes to establish if the time period mates up with your theory.

 

[Vann]

I figured that perhaps when money was tight or an expresed need for brass, i.e. during times of war when the need for bulle/tshell casings casing took preference over hand plane needs.

During WW2, when brass was needed elsewhere, Stanley turned to a hard rubber adjuster wheel (with a central brass threaded insert).

The use of plated steel came in during the very late 1960s or early 1970s - most likely as an economy measure (remember Stanley was run by accountants by then), however they had gone back to brass by the end of the 1970s. Maybe there was consumer resistance?

I bought my first Stanley (a No.4) brand new in 1973. It had a plated steel adjuster wheel, and aluminium nuts for the handles.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Argus]

I distinctly remember buying a new Record No: 4 in Southampton 1973 instead of a Stanley because it had a brass adjuster and the 'feel' of the thing was better..
The Stanley version was steel. As I recall the Record cost a little more, but both were around £4 or thereabouts.
I still have it and it's still in use.

I think that there was a distinct (and probably intentional), reduction in the quality of British-made Stanley products beginning about that time.