Yes its a Plane but who made it?

[okeydokey]

Hi folks
Yet another plane to test the memory and imagination!
I recently invested £7.50 and bought this online, it was described as a very old wood plane worn, with rust in parts, no makers name or clues or marks anywhere. Totally true and here it is its has a folded steel body with all other parts made/machined to close tolerances a bit rusty but hey ho.
The handles must be cast alloy as they don't attract a magnet, its sort of similar in size to a no 3 and feels the same (probably as its similar in size) its just under 10" overall and the cutting iron is 1 5/8" .
The seller said it came from Malvern (uk place) but that's just where he got it from not necessarily a clue to its ancestry.
Has anyone seen similar before, any idea where it came from, who made it, where and why?
cheers

 

[AndyT]

My guess is that it was home made, or more likely made in a school or college workshop.
It's not clear from your photos whether the sides are flat (a shot from directly below would help) but if they are, then the main body could have been cut from some rolled channel.
The iron mounting and adjustment are simple, cold metalwork, within reach of junior students.
I'd say the only challenging parts are the alloy handles, but I think advanced students would have been able to do simple castings in the 50s or 60s - others may have memories of this.

Nice find. I'd have been tempted if I'd seen it!

 

[bugbear]

I recall Milbro made an aluminium plane, but this one is quite different.

EDIT: but I'm sure I've seen that front knob before, on something.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I had visions there for a moment of a catapult launched plane. Put the plane on one end of your wood, let the catapult go, and away your plane goes. :lol:

 

[Beau]

I know nothing about the history of planes but that smacks of a home made job or apprentice project.