I got this plane this morning.

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Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

I got this plane this morning.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

To the average eye, this plane looks like an old Stanley #5 jack plane. But it is better than that.
It is a plane made by Rockford Tool Co. between 1915 and 1924.
The Rockford Tool Co. was a sister company to the H.C. Marsh Co. and both companies occupied the same
building in Rockford Illinois. Rockford made bench planes in sizes R3 through R8 including R4 1/2 and R5 1/2. They apparently did not make an R1, R2 or R5 1/4 size planes. All sizes were available in smooth and corrugated bottoms. No block planes or specialty planes were made and sold by Rockford.

This is a #5, smooth bottom. Appears to be all original, made for Montgomery Wards as it has the "Lakeside" script stamp on the iron which is quite typical and is original. They used walnut instead of the typical rosewood for the knob and tote. These are also original.

So this plane is not necessarily valuable, but they are somewhat scarce. It has the customary hole drilled in the base so that a previous owner could hang it up.

I may just leave it as is, but it could certainly be used. Pretty good shape for a 90 to 100 year old tool.
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Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: I got this plane this morning.

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Very nice find Kevin. How many planes do you have now?
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: I got this plane this morning.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Diane, probably too many. They are not all keepers, but there are probably around 35 with bench, block, and the wooden ones I've made.
Some of the more common ones, like Stanley #5's I find more, and I clean them up and have sold 3 or 4, but I really like the more uncommon ones and plan to keep those, and hopefully use them too.
ColestineGuitar
Posts: 135
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:30 pm

Re: I got this plane this morning.

Post by ColestineGuitar »

I'm a bit jealous. When I've scoured the flea markets for old planes I just find current model stanlys that have been left out in the rain and are suspected of being valuable antiques. Maybe that's a west coast thing, I dunno.
Slowest builder on the forum. These things take time. Apparently.
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3712
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: I got this plane this morning.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I'm west coast, central valley. Where are you?
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