Just a little way back in the thread, I mentioned getting a Stanley Bedrock #608 jointer from a former co-worker who said the plane, and a few other tools she had given me, belonged to father. Remember? If you’d like to refresh your memory, turn back to page 41, reply #600. The reason that particular plane came up in the discussion had to do with my intention to not only feature the #608, but to also revisit Bedrock frog construction (which is unique) and “parts chasing.” The #608 depicted below is to date, the most expensive “free” plane I’ve ever received. We’ll definitely get into that story. Also, immediately proceeding this post, I “reserved” the next two posts so that I can discuss the similarities and differences of Bedrock frog design between early models and later models, and the joy of chasing parts. I wanted to keep the topics close together within the thread since they will generally relate to the #608. I’ll probably go off on a few tangents too. Like I’ve said many times before, I really appreciate your comments, etc. So even though I set aside the next two posts, please feel free to join in the conversation at ANY TIME!! You don’t need to wait until I’ve finished all three posts. Join in!
The earliest Bedrock bench planes were offered by Stanley beginning in approximately 1898 and various models stayed in production until about 1943. For a little more detail on this, refer back in the thread to page 11, reply #162. There, we talked about the #604 and a little bit of Bedrock history. Bedrocks were the “Cadillac standard” of bench planes in Stanley’s product line, and were touted as the best bench planes on the market. Whether or not that’s true is really up to the individual craftsperson. I still think that a super sharp cutting iron mounted in a properly tuned non-Bedrock bench plane and set for a light pass will produce the same results that can be achieved with a Bedrock outfitted and set in a similar fashion. With the exception of how the frog mates to the main plane body (which is sort of a gimmick that a lot of people bought into and seem to like), every feature of a Bedrock plane mimics its non-Bedrock cousin. So, the only difference between a standard #4 and a #604 is the frog design. Like I was saying, go back and take a look at the featured #604 on page 11. All that being said, I, like so many others, am totally drawn into the Bedrock hype. If given a choice, I’d go for the Bedrock every time. There’s something about the theory that went into their design that I like. I’m fascinated by the multiple precision machining processes that went into manufacturing them, and as a result, I’ll pay the extra price for a vintage Bedrock whenever I see a good one for sale.
Stanley #608:
The #608, like the standard #8 is the longest cast iron jointer plane (24”) that Stanley made. It was manufactured between 1898 and 1935 and weighed in at about nine pounds. It’s heavy and was basically designed to leave large surfaces dead flat by initially working down the high spots while the sole’s length allowed the tool to ride over the low spots. Pushing the plane in a calculated pattern over the large work piece, the high spots would eventually be reduced down to the level of the low spots resulting in the entire surface being brought into a coplanar dimension across its length and width. When working with really large slabs for instance, a #8 sized jointer is invaluable and does an amazing job of making things flat. Pushing the plane along the uneven edge of a board or plank, knocking down the high spots and riding over the low ones, will also produce a dead flat edge that can be edge joined to another board or plank dressed with a similarly planed dead flat edge. (If one needs a little help making sure the plane is producing an edge that’s 90 degrees to the board’s face, a jointer gauge might help. I use one mounted on a Stanley #7. Remember we talked about those? (Refer back in the thread to page 16, reply #225 and #226.)
The #608 depicted below is a Type 4 Bedrock and was manufactured between 1908 and 1910. The early Bedrock planes had rounded side walls, while later version Bedrocks (post 1910) had squared off side walls, making them distinctive and easily identified. Interestingly, right about the time the sidewalls were changed, Stanley also changed the way Bedrock frogs were joined to the main body of the plane. We’ll discuss that topic in a little more detail during the next post.
While I like my #608 and have it ready to go in my “user” arsenal of planes, it doesn’t see too much action. Like I said before, it’s heavy, and there hasn’t been many projects where I’ve felt like I needed it. For purposes of edge joining, I almost exclusively rely on my #7 equipped with a #386 jointer gauge. Over the years I’ve had opportunities to buy a few nice #7 and #8 sized jointers, but I haven’t. They take up a lot of space. The #608 shown below is the only #8 sized plane in my entire collection, and the #7 mentioned earlier is my only #7 sized bench plane. In terms of rarity, the larger Bedrocks, like the #608, are sort of scare and certainly not as common as their smaller siblings like the #603, #604 and #605. To be honest, at approximately 18” long, I much prefer a #6 sized bench plane (called a “fore plane”) for medium to large surface area flat joining. To me, it just seems to be the right size and weight for those types of jobs. I have a few of those and I’m always looking for more. My all time favorite larger plane to use, however, is a Stanley Bedrock #605 ½ jack plane. I seem to pick up that plane more than any other bench plane. I’ll definitely feature it at some point in the future. Take a look at the last picture. From top to bottom there’s the #608, the #7, a #6 and my favorite, the #605 ½. They're 24", 22", 18" and 15" long respectively. Those are Stanley’s longest cast iron, jointer bench planes.
Stay tuned for more on Bedrock frog design and chasing parts.
Jim C.
