Amer Tool & Dry / Amer Tool & Pry??

[OilyRascal]

I picked up this small plane today.  I can't make the markings out with confidence, but I believe it says Amer Tool & Dry.  I'm unable to find any information on the name.

Does anybody recognize the plane or name?

[rusty]

Likely American Tool & Foundry

(I don't know which one tho, MA, or WI)

The one in Wi (Stephenville, made also apparently, toys and furniture (~1940's)
The one in Ma (Hyde park) is older, 1890's, but is just listed as making castings...

[OilyRascal]

Thanks Rusty - I'm reading on those two.

Upon a little cleaning, and using the paper and pencil trick - giving it a magic rub, and holding my tongue to the left - I'm nearly certain it is stamped "Amer Tool & Dry Co".  3 Lines of text:

1) "AMER" (75% certain)
2) "TOOL &" (100% certain)
3) "DRY CO" or "DRYCO" (100% it's one or the other - question is in the space existing)

[rusty]

'Fdry' was a common abv for Foundry...

Here's another one http://www.roseantiquetools.com/store/product5175.html

[OilyRascal]

'Fdry' was a common abv for Foundry...

Here's another one http://www.roseantiquetools.com/store/product5175.html

When you speak, you speak with authority don't you.  :) :)  Weird how that "F" just appeared after knowing it was there.

That nails the stamping, on to the company.  Appreciate that help.

[scottg]

American Tool and Foundry.
 A Taiwanese import from the 1980's. Swap meets were full of them then, and plenty are still floating around.
They came this way and also the same thing with a squirrel tail handle in the back.
I have had (maybe still have in a corner somewhere) both kinds.

  The cutting iron is pitiful.
  The lever cap doesn't work (but might be saved and actually used in another project someday).
 The sole of the body is often cast so badly you will grind through it before getting it flat enough to work and you will never get the sides even.
 The throat is big enough to drive a Nash Rambler though.

  Its your call of course.
And Rose tools not withstanding, (people will try to sell anything)
 
I tried to make one work. I'm very stubborn.
 Save yourself some heartache.
 I'd just toss it if it were mine, now. 
     yours,  Scott

[OilyRascal]

sounds like a voice of experience, Scott.  I'm also very stubborn and I'm no stranger to a wood plane...hand or power.  I didn't pick it up to sell it, I actually thought it looked practical for me.

I committed myself, for my son's sake, to doing my best to document (source, price, identity, maker, erra, etc.) every tool I put in my garage to keep........at least to the best of my abilities....POS practically or not.  NOW - I reserve the right to toss it from garage into the scrap pile at any point I deem it worthless.

Interesting to note a Taiwan import.

[rusty]

You know, there are all these books for people who collect things...

Someone should write a book , 'Things you shouldn't bother collecting" LOL

Ahh,well, why am I not entirely surprised a tiawan importer named it 'Amer. something..."

[scottg]

Well in my defense I only bought one of them. heh
 I bought the one  with the squirrel tail handle, nearly when they first came out.
  I was thinking I could get it going.
 I couldn't.
 Then later, my mom bought this one from a yard sale.
  Same dreck.

 But there is plenty of hope. If you wanted a 6" block plane there are plenty of candidates.
 The Stanley 60 1/2 is a great little plane. I would recommend it to anyone.
 
 Then if you wanted one a bit smaller at 5", there is the Stanley 103. Not quite as nice (no adjustable throat) but at least quite serviceable and dirt cheap to buy most times.

 Sargent made a little 5" too. The #206. I like this one quite a bit with its little vertical post adjuster.
 yours Scott 
 

[1930]

Not to purposely go against the grain here but I wouldnt toss it anywhere, its a merry looking plane with it bright colors and apparently has not seen a whole lot of use/abuse.
Not everyone can afford the best of the best when they decide to purchase tools and in my opinion it has a great deal of value if not monetary still.
I would display the little guy proudly no-matter where it came from.
Not to say if I saw it at a swap meet I would buy it, I would not. I only have so much space but since you now have a resposability to take care of it even if that means finding a home for it where it will get some lovin I would take that responsability seriousely.
Jut my opinion and Im well aware what that is worth

[OilyRascal]

I picked the plane up for good reasons; it was in reasonably good shape, I liked it, and I thought it would prove practical for me working with miniature log houses.  Admittedly, I wouldn't have picked it up had I known it was not made in the USA.  But that's a rant/discussion for another day.

I bought a Ford 555 backhoe that had been "rode hard and put up wet" a few years ago.  It was hardly near the best of the best, even if it had been in the best of condition.  I was told from the onset to "throw it, bad investment" because of major engine problems.  I heard it all "It's nothing more than scrap", "Ford can't make a backhoe", "you can't fix a heavy equipment engine without heavy equipment", "overhauling a ford backhoe isn't like a truck motor", "you may have thousands in just lines to replace after engine", "you don't even have a shop big enough", blah blah. 

I worked on that backhoe for 2 years in the weather and dirt, by myself, when everybody around me thought it was a bad idea.  I now have a backhoe that I can rely for use around the house and farm.  Its not "THE BEST", but I love it just the same...............and I've had EACH and EVERY ONE of those folks call me on some occasion since to borrow my perfectly functioning heavy metal scrap.

Point is - I'm not very quick to give up on or throw anything.  Its a problem for me, ask my wife.  Come look at the projects in line; Farmall restore in process, Sawmill motor rebuild (and what man needs a 20' sawmill cutting 36" diam. logs at home?), Gravely, 87 Big Red restore, and a ole dodge truck waiting in line.

[Billman49]

Similar were available in the UK in the 1920's to 1950's - made (or sold) by Hobbies they were part of range of tools to accompany their treadle fretwork sawing machines. Similar were also included in the better class of childrens toy tool sets... The one shown in the image is a different model, but typical of the type sold in these kits...

[Branson]

I find myself in 1930's camp.  I have a few nasty little tools come my way over the years, and, call me sentimental, I can't bring myself to toss any of them. There's almost always *some* use to be got from them, just like some people.  It won't do the job that a 60 1/2 will do, but I'll bet it will serve to remove the arris from the edge of a board. 

Then, too, I like the variety of any number of tools.  Maybe I wouldn't go buy one, but I would keep it just as another example.

[scottg]

  Ordinarily I would agree.
Nearly everything I own was once "given up on" by someone else before I got it. 
 But this particular item is one not worth messing with. Its an "artists conception" of a tool at all. Its job is to be brightly painted and sit on a shelf. Never meant to work.
 
 A restorable 60 1/2 is available for ~ $10 anywhere, if you look hard.  I use 2 of them constantly and didn't give 10 for both of mine put together.
I have paid as little as 1 or 2 dollars for #102's and 3's.

 I am all about silk purses from sows ears. But there is no reason not to start with at least a partially decent ear.

 
 Yours may not be impossible to get working, but mine were.
 If you insist, here its what you are up against. 

  The sole needs to be flat. If you are lucky there will be enough metal to grind/file/scrape and lap it flat. (mine were too warped)   

  The blade bedding needs to be flat. It would be nice if it was coplaner to the sole, but it does at least need to be flat.   It is rough cast now.  A milling machine would be best but barring that, files and scrapers, until it is.

   The blade itself is too thin and made from inferior steel stock. You can cut up any used circular saw blade and have better.  I would look for an old blade that is ~ .080 in thickness (about a 12" blade). Used saw blades are everywhere.
 
 The lever cap has no locking provisions. After you bring the end into full contact with the blade so shavings don't constantly jam it (its rough cast now) it would be nice to provide a way to make it work.  I would drill and tap for a screw to give pressure at the end where it counts. The part that contacts the blade and holds it down.

 If all this works out, you will now have a working plane, but with a throat you can drive a Buick through. It will be 1/4" wide or more.  This should be acceptable for straight perfect white pine and balsa. Just don't expect even the tamest mahogany to work very well.     
   
  I was going to offer you a better candidate to start with, but a quick tour of my basement showed I had given all my spares away, again. I often give a new guy something to cut his teeth on.
  I only turned up a Stanley #9 1/2 body. It would need a lever cap and blade, but at least it has potential as a tool. Its got an adjustable throat and has all its blade control devises. It was once ground true, and only surface rust to clean off.
  Of course, even in a dismal winter, there is one just like it at any swap meet for 5 or so dollars and postage costs more than that.
  Still, yours for postage if you want it.
 yours Scott 

[Bus]

Were these even made to be used by adults? I have found these planes in cheap kids carpenter tool kits. Somewhere in the attic I have a collection of the boy's tool boxes stored away.