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If you remember I got this plane last year sometime. A vendor at the local flea market who I have bought a few planes from, gave this one to me. He is always on the look out now for me for hand planes. It is marked "3" and I think that is probably the most he paid for it, $3
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Anyway I finally have cleaned it up, primed and painted the bed, and just today put a scary sharp edge on the iron, so I can now use the thing.

This plane is very old. It is a "Chaplin" patent design that was made and sold by the Tower & Lyon Hardware company. This design was made from around 1890 to 1910 so it dates to sometime in that 20 year period. It is their model 30, with an adjustable mouth. The design has a totally unique adjuster to move the blade in and out. They are not real common, but you will find one or two of these or the model 20 on Ebay occassionally.

This one is in great shape other than a small chip out of the front edge on one side. It cleaned up nicely, all done on the wire wheel.

Just though you all would be interested in the before and after pictures.

It looks like a nice little plane. How does the blade adjustment work?

I'll put a couple pics of that part. The lever in the back has a gear on it that meshes with on on the back of a plate the iron sits on. The cap iron holds it all together. You pivot the lever, and it moves the plate/Iron assembly forward and back. Very cool and unique.

Nice job cleaning it up. Never had much luck making that twisty blade depth mechanism practical.

What did you paint it with?

Ed

Ed I rather like the depth adjuster. I have the large bench plane, Chaplins that I haven't used yet.
I used Rustolem grey primer and Rusoleum semi-gliss enamel.

Always good to have another option in the stable

Ed

Ed the stable is filling up. How is reduction plan going?

Wish it were going faster. I managed to sell a few high-end tools. I had an ivory 4 fold rule, a Stanley 97, in spectacular condition that was metric on the outside and had a rare option of a 1/4" scale impressed on the outside edge - 96 little hand stamped numbers. Sorry to see it go as I had it for abut 20 years.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 454161611/

Also sold a couple of NIB tools - a Stanley 12-1/4 scraper plane, a few braces, a #10 and a few more. I have a nice furniture project underway and it's great to get back to my users.

Ed

I'm still thinking about one of the #4's. Didn't spend all of my money on our little trip

Ed, can you tell me something about this plane. Do you think that iron and cap are original? Seems odd that the slotted iron would ride on that narrow ramp.
It is old, only paid $2...figured it would look nice on the shelf. I can't make out a name on the iron after cleaning off some rust, but I may have to use a magnifier.

It is 4 1/2" x 1 1/2" size