English Stanley bench plane type study

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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.
 

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Does the Q relate to Qualcast who I thought made some plane bodies - not sure if this link is helpful - look forward to the dating information when available thank you for this work

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/stanley-planes-made-in-wolverhampton.109749/
Q has been used in Stanley no. 4 planes before and during Qualcast production. In no. 5 planes QC seems to indicate Qualcast. CF most likely stands for Crane Foundry. In early planes C may indicate Chapman.

Attached is a summary of casting marks on the plane bodies in my data set. Casting marks can be found in frog receiver and/or handle ( rear handle, tote) receiver. You can find certain logic in the table, and some differences between no. 4 and no. 5 plane bodies.
Note: Number ranges (e.g. 3-4Q) indicate all numbers in the range (e.g. 3Q, 4Q).

My data set is limited and much information is missing. I would appreciate getting more data, i.e. photos of plane bodies stripped of all parts and casting marks clearly visible. That would enable filling in many gaps in the table. For example, my data does not include no. 5 planes of types EB2 and EB5r.
 

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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 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
- G12-00x casting mark
- Types of lower and upper contact points in frog receiver

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
- No bed ribs
- Four contact points in frog receiver
- No G12-00x casting
- Two narrow stripes (N2) as lower contact points (BLc) in frog receiver
- Two chamfered (C2) upper contact points in frog receiver (BUc)

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 EB4n, 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

(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 that clearly display 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.

I hope this preliminary information is useful. Looking forward to your comments.
Hi Have just read your study on Stanley Planes, cant say I fully understood it however it spurred me int reaching our to everyone for some advise about my Stanley Bailey plane No5 (made in england QC1) Photos attached. My problem is I made a mess of cleaning it up and left it in a Vinegar solution to long, it now has a dull very slightly abrasive feel to the bottom and sides i.e. the cast metal part. I have all the other parts to the plane. Help how do I get it back to the nice smooth clear finish before I messed it up.
I have got some photos but unsure how to get them to you
 
Thanks for your reply.

You can clean and, if needed, flatten the sole with an abrasive paper fixed on a flat surface. (You can find plenty of videos about hand plane restoration in Youtube.) You can do the same for the plane sides or try steel wool with oil first. - There are more experienced members than me in this forum to answer your question, but the question might reach them better in another

I would be interested in seeing photos of your plane.
 
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