Router Plane

[Mr Ed]

Anyone come across a router plane like this before?

Its cast iron and is 85mm X 50mm. The countersunk holes in the base appear to suggest it once had a timber sole on it, which is confirmed by the fact that the cutter does not retract far enough without the thickness of a secondary sole in place.

Originally I thought it was a user-made tool from a piece of a casting originally intended for something else, but the more I've looked at it I think the casting was intended for this purpose - or at least there are some features that are huge coincidences if not.

Can anyone shed any light?

Cheers, Ed.

 

[bugbear]

http://www.wkfinetools.com/collectors/f ... uters1.asp

It looks more like the Sargent No. 73 than anything, but Frank's photo's are a bit small, over exposed and fuzzy :-(

Since I can't see a name on yours, it may be a pattern maker's recast.

http://www.nonesuchtools.com/recast.html

(later)
Nope - not a Sargent 73; I found a good photo:

http://www.mjdtools.com/tools/list_1123/136218.htm

Final addition; Frank Sronce doesn't recognise it, and thinks it's a patternmaker's own, possibly inspired by the Sargent.

BugBear

 

[Mr Ed]

Thanks for those links BB - informative as ever.

I think you're probably right about the recasting, the finish on my router seems to have the characteristics of the recast examples shown; a bit imprecise and rough surface.

Also, given the absence of any makers markings it seems likely.

Cheers, Ed

 

[bugbear]

Thanks for those links BB - informative as ever.

I think you're probably right about the recasting, the finish on my router seems to have the characteristics of the recast examples shown; a bit imprecise and rough surface.

Also, given the absence of any makers markings it seems likely.

Cheers, Ed

I don't think it's a recast - I think it's a one-off.

BugBear

 

[Evergreen]

Interesting!

The stem of the cutter seems very long, even if it had to allow for an additional wooden sole to be screwed onto the casting.

I guess the maker of the router also made the cutter from a length of steel rod and maybe never got round to shortening it?

 

[bugbear]

Interesting!

The stem of the cutter seems very long, even if it had to allow for an additional wooden sole to be screwed onto the casting.

I guess the maker of the router also made the cutter from a length of steel rod and maybe never got round to shortening it?

I saw a reference in a tool catalogue recently to inverting the blade, and using the tool as a depth gauge.

Patternmakers are known to use depth gauges frequently.

Perhaps that's a credible answer in this case.

BugBear