marples planes vs stanley / record

[lurcher]

well some of you might think i have fallen of the bench but i am going to sell all my stanley and record planes of which i have about 12 .
as i have over the last 2 months collected and totally stripped and repainted 6 marples planes to justify my madness
i got a no 6 marples £20.00 from boot sale got it home and the handles are stunning so i totaly restored it and looking closer at the blade and cap iron i saw that they are a little thicker than the stanley and records also the casting of the body is thicker .
i think that theese planes are great also true british made .
if you come across 1 pick it up and have a look you may be plesentley supprised i am glad i did as i now have
a no 4
a no 4
a no 5
a no 5,1/2
a no 6
just need a no 4,1/2 to make up what i want will add a no 7 and a 3 if i come accros them .
i would like to hear of your views on this make of plane

 

[Vann]

I have two M5s (one incomplete) and an M3 body. The M3 body now has a Stanley UK frog and I'm trying to find other parts from other makers - a real frankenplane. It's for my son-in-law who's in the trade and doesn't care what brand - although he'd probably be most comfortable with a trusted name like Stanley (poor misguided lad :mrgreen: ).

I agree they look well made, with good solid castings, but then so do WS planes. I'll keep the M5, but I can't say that I'm so taken with them that I'd ditch all my Records and Stanleys.

Good luck with your collecting. Don't forget to get a corrugated* version of each as well (hammer)

Cheers, Vann.

* did Marples make corrugated base planes ?

 

[AndyT]

* did Marples make corrugated base planes ?

Yes, across the whole range of bench planes from 3 to 7.

This page shows the bench planes - only 14 to collect:

though the ploughs, rebates and routers bump it up a bit:

 

[tobytools]

well some of you might think i have fallen of the bench but i am going to sell all my stanley and record planes of which i have about 12 .
as i have over the last 2 months collected and totally stripped and repainted 6 marples planes to justify my madness
i got a no 6 marples £20.00 from boot sale got it home and the handles are stunning so i totaly restored it and looking closer at the blade and cap iron i saw that they are a little thicker than the stanley and records also the casting of the body is thicker .
i think that theese planes are great also true british made .
if you come across 1 pick it up and have a look you may be plesentley supprised i am glad i did as i now have
a no 4
a no 4
a no 5
a no 5,1/2
a no 6
just need a no 4,1/2 to make up what i want will add a no 7 and a 3 if i come accros them .
i would like to hear of your views on this make of plane

Excellent,
Will you upgrade the marples irons or use the stanly/record's ones?

Would love to see you restord marples?
I've never used a marples plane.
I have a Sargent plane the same as a no3 and i rather like it,
Good for smaller projects.

TT

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've a No.7 - flatter than a witches tit. Lovely plane . And a No4 and a No5.

 

[jamesicus]

Thanks for posting those pics, Andy. I especially like the cover page photo - reminds of the old craftsmen I worked for long ago.

Although I have owned and used numerous Marples tools (mostly "Shamrock" brand) over the years I have never owned a Marples bench plane. I have mostly owned and used Stanley bench planes along with some Records.

 

[baldpate]

My experience of Marples iron planes is limited to a No5, from the 50's I think. It is indeed a decent plane. But I've also got a Record No 05 from about the same era with which to compare it, and the castings seem pretty similar in quality & weight.

The Marples blade is, as you say, a little thicker than my Record blade (which I believe to be the original - marked "Record, Made in England, Best Crucible Cast, Tungsten Steel"). Despite the extra thickness, though, I find the Record performs rather better - but that might be down to me having a bad-sharpening day .

The Marples are certainly nice planes - well worth what you paid for your No 6.

PS: What paint/colour did you end up using to refinish it ?