R-5 plane

[Branson]

This is pretty surely a Stanley made plane (check the lateral adjustment lever), but it doesn't say Stanley.   Tote and knob appear to be just "hardwood."  In this it resembles my 4 1/2, which also has an R mark though differently placed.  The lateral adjuster isn't clear enough to see, but my 4 1/2 does have Stanley stamped into the lateral.

What give here?  A Stanley "R" series? 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wood-Plane-Antique-Carpenters-Old-Carpentry-Farm-Tool-R5-/181712201914?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4ee428ba

[gibsontool]

That's interesting, My planes are all boxed up so I can't look right now but I don't think my 4 1/2 s have an R on them ,it sure does look like a Stanley made plane.

[donald_wa]

I have one just like it but with the blade. The blade is marked Rockford Tool. Don't know if its original or not but it would go with the R5 marking. Everything else about the plane shouts Stanley.

[mikeswrenches]

The R5 I have has a Lakeside iron in it, and as Donald points out it has many features of a Stanley made plane. 

On any of the planes that I have seen that Stanley made for someone else, they changed the lateral adjuster.  Usually the tip was twisted rather than having the 'rudder' type end that is typical.  Yet this one has the 'rudder'.  This one also has the screw that allows you to move the frog forward and backward.  The frog hold down screws have domed heads rather than the flat heads seen on Stanley's. The tote appears to be Rosewood, and is as comfortable as a Stanley in your hand.

The biggest change is in the frog mounting area.  It is different from any of the Stanley types I've seen.  The area on the bed where the frog sits is heavier and there are 4 vertically machined areas(2 on each side) 1 at the bottom where the toe of the frog rests and 1 at the side where the bottom of the frog rests on the bed.

These 4 spots mate with corresponding machined areas on the frog.  This keeps the frog centered so that it has to move follow rward and rearward  with no sideways movement. 

What this whole thing looks like is a way to achieve some of the good benefits of a Bedrock without all the extra machining that is necessary on those planes.

I tried to get pictures that show what I am attempting to describe.  In my opinion this is a well made plane that should do a good job.  They are not real common from what I've been told.

Mike

These mate with machined areas on the frog to keep

[Bill Houghton]

Probably part of the maintenance kit for Star Wars ships - think of R2D2.

That is an intriguing find.

[lptools]

From Ron Barlow's The Antique Tool Collectors Guide to Value;

 ROCKFORD TMP No. R5 metal Jack Plane, 14 in. long Rockford, Ill,   $70

[Branson]

Duh!  Just looked at my 4 1/2.  Not marked R 4 1/2, but M 4 1/2.  It's still a mystery plane with Stanley on the lateral and a Stanley V logo on the blade.  But not with rosewood handle and tote.

But back to the R 5 -- did Stanley make these for Rockford?  I've never seen the tiller style lateral on anything but Stanley planes.

[mikeswrenches]

Branson,
I think, always dangerous, that the M was for Marsh.  You don't see many of them either.

I need to do a little research on the Stanley/Rockford connection, if any.

Mike

[lptools]

I believe the M5 is a Marples.

[mikeswrenches]

Interestingly, the H C Marsh Co. Was located in Rockford, Illinois.  Don't know if there was a connection to the Rockford Co.

If it were a Marples, it would have an unusual looking lever cap, and also it would have Marples cast in it.  Also, the  adjuster looks to be at an angle to the bed rather than parallel like the Stanley's.

There are several images of the Marples if you Google it.

Mike

[Branson]

H.C. Marsh did make planes:

http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/hand-planes/4227-nice-collection-pic-mwtca-peach-meet.html

And I found a Stanley-Marsh smoothing plane:

http://www.ashevillehardware.com/used-tools/

Found Marsh planes:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/-snapshot-/7218978508/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/-snapshot-/7219288974/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/-snapshot-/7219383718/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/-snapshot-/7219384202/in/photostream/

On Rockford planes, I found this:

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/68593

So, Rockford (may have made have been a subsidiary of Marsh; Marsh made planes from 1915-24 in Rockford Illinois. (ref ptmpia vol2).
Both Rockford and Marsh planes used the tiller style lateral lever, exactly like Stanley. 

Looks like the R 5 is a Rocford plane. 

I'd guess that my 4 !/2 is a transitional from early on since it has the M 4 1/2  designation cast into the body, but the lateral lever has the Stanley mark.  Most of the parts (all except the clamp screws, which are LH in the Stanleys and RH in the Marsh) are perfectly interchangeable, as I have tried the fit with my Marsh 100 miter machine and a much later Stanley -- perfect fit.

What I find curious is that Stanley features, like the lever cap and lateral adjustment lever, appear to be identical prior to Stanley's acquisition of Marsh.

Any more ideas here?  Jim C?  Anybody?

[gibsontool]

It may be possible that Marsh was buying parts from Stanley prior to the buyout.