When Record went into plane production in the early 1930s they copied Stanley planes of the period, right down to the threads. And in my opinion they aren’t as time consuming to rehab as metal planes; although I do occasionally run into puzzling problems that I need to solve with them. But usually adjusting the shape of the wedge and inlaying a tighter mouth is the most common improvement that people make on these hand planes. As you measure the depth-adjustment nut, note if it is 1-1/4inch in diameter. That means it has three dates cast into the bed, and the plane is Type 12, dating between 1919 and 1924. If not, that means it is a Type 11 and dates 1910 and 1918.

I own the WoodRiver No. 4-1/2 smoothing plane, and it works exceptionally well once it’s sharpened. Don’t expect any tool maker to deliver a handplane that is perfectly sharpened and honed to an acceptable level. Not even Lie-Nielsen.And, of course, if you’ve got a larger budget, then I really like Scottish infill smoothing planes (i.e. “British” infill smoothing planes), which I talked about earlier. Not only are these planes attractive (pictured below), but they’re heavy and precision made, with tight mouths and solid bodies, which makes for excellent smoothing. The mouths on these planes are easily adjusted so you can open and close it for different planing purposes: a tight mouth for smoothing and a wide mouth for scrubbing. I also find that this type of handplane works great with a shooting board. Stanley Type 9 Handplanes date from 1902-1907. No patent date on the lateral lever. “B” casting marks are eliminated. The number designation is now cast just behind the knob. A smaller bearing surface is cast into the bed. The frog has a slot at its bottom to fit over the ribbed cast in the bed. This product carries a product lifetime manufacturers warranty covering both faulty materials and faulty workmanship for the expected life of the product as defined by the manufacturer, it does not cover general wear and tear or damage, batteries, blades, bulbs and other consumables. In the unlikely event of a fault the item returned is subject to fair wear & tear and must not have been used beyond the scope of it's design.

With regard to longer planes, these planes have a place in the workshop of any enthusiast. In fact, this week I have been prototyping a new bar stool design which will be made from hardwood for a book I am working on. The No 6 plane was the plane I used mostly because I needed elements to be trued as perfectly as possible. I use my components from the prototypes I make as reference pieces to develop the pieces for actual production whether this is for single production or batch production by machine methods.

Background

Overall Stanley Plane Sizes (measured off my set. Slight differences may occur according to type, the sizes changed from time to time) If you prefer a heavier smoothing plane to give more power to your planing, then a number 4-1/2 size smoothing plane is ideal (pictured below). The 4-1/2 is more rare, and thus more expensive than a number 4. And a number 3 is usually less expensive than a number 4. I have large hands and prefer a number 4 or 4-1/2, but I also own a few number 3’s and I can certainly use them without discomfort. They just give a little narrower shaving.

Is there any other physical difference that makes a No.4 more useful for smoothing, other than it's smaller size and weight making it easier to handle? The lateral adjustment lever is now two-piece construction. It has a circular disk replacing the straight portion where it engages the slot in the iron. The brass adjusting nut has a left-hand thread. “7-24-88” is also stamped into the lever. The rod diameter is 7/32 with a 20 tpi thread. A 1/4” rod diameter is usually associated with 20 tpi (1/4-20) and a 7/32 rod.Again, a smoothing plane is a shorter handplane that’s tuned up go give the best finish possible on a board; a finish that is usually superior to what sandpaper will give you. The short hand plane length allows you to work the plane into smaller areas with reversing grain. For woodworkers that don’t have a large tool budget, I have a couple recommendations. Stanley used 12-20 threads for the tote and knob rods. The screw at the front of the tote and the frog screws are also of this Stanley Type 12 Handplanes date 1919-1924. The knob is taller than the previous style. The taller knob is called a “high knob.” The brass depth adjustment nut is measured at 1.25″ in diameter, which is larger than the previous one. There are logo changes. Stanley Type 11 Handplanes date from 1910-1918. The APR-19-10 patent date appears with the other patent dates cast behind the frog. There is a new trademark adopted, where “STANLEY” “NEW BRITAIN” “CONN.” “U.S.A.” forms a v-shaped logo.

Look for the depth-adjustment nut, and you should be able to tell if it has a diagonal knurling pattern on the outside or not. If it has, the plane is Type 18 and dates between 1946 and 1947. But you can also buy a second iron and sharpen it at around 35 degrees, and it’ll give you an effective planing angle of around 45 degrees, which is the same as a traditional bench plane. This is great for general purpose handplaning. And if you planned on handplaning figured wood, you could buy a third iron and sharpen it at around 50 degrees, which would give you an effective high angle of around 62 degrees. Like many a passionate woodworker, I have for years been inflicted with a sentimental love for the Stanley Bailey hand planes. As a result, I own a few and these good old Leonard Bailey designs are the seed of many hand plane designs today. So many manufacturers have based their own designs on the Bailey hand plane. Sadly some manufacturers have plagiarized the Leonard Bailey patents and with varying degrees of success. Stanley Type 8 Handplanes date from 1899-1902. The “7-24-88” is the only patent date found on the lateral adjustment lever, and “STANLEY” is still there. The “S” casting marks are eliminated and replaced with “B.”If you do buy a 9" plane, it's seriously worth considering a low-angle plane (lower bedding angle, higher angle on the blade). Among other things, that gives you a wider range available if you need to grind blades to other angles when handling special cases. These do tend to be a bit more expensive, though, largely because this design is mostly offered by the higher-end manufacturers. I have also found I never really touch the frog on my smoother planes, I always set it as open as i can get it, as close as I have the chip breaker set, it won’t work otherwise and clogs up the mouth. With the 5 and 7 it’s another matter. I wouldn’t recommend buying the more modern Record No. 7 jointer planes. I’ve got one of them, and the quality just isn’t as great as vintage Record No. 7 jointer planes. The iron doesn’t sharpen well, the edges of the plane body are sharp, and the parts are pretty cheaply made. I have been a strong advocate for the #4 plane because it is the most versatile plane of all of the bench plane category and, AND, I really want new or beginner woodworkers to understand the true value and importance of this specific plane. It was and still is an incredible plane and it alone counters the false impression being passed out universally now that you need heavyweight planes. It’s not in any way true. I think the rabbet plane would work better for smaller work, and possibly with wood that is not as hard (my bench is out of ash).