Hi all, 

I asked around in the Old Woodworking Machines crowd, of which I am a
happy member, and was told that the old Yahoo! oldtools group had moved
here and no longer affiliated with Yahoo.  I was a lurker only, there, and
some of you may recognize my name from the Wreck (aka rec.woodworking).

Name is Jon Endres, professional civil engineer by trade, age 32, wife, 3
kids, shop cat.  I have a cramped and crowded one-car garage size basement
shop into which are crammed ten stand-alone pieces of woodworking
machinery, three workbenches, and a reasonably decent collection of old
hand tools inherited from my grandfather.  I am trying slowly to put
together a good set of user Stanley planes, Yankee and Millers Falls
screwdrivers, and love old chisels.

The question I have is this:  I have two separate stanley 60-1/2 block
planes.  I bought one on fleaBay and found out (buyer beware!) that it
wasn't complete.  So I bought another one from a private seller that had
the casting stripped out in the blade tightening screw socket, and found
out that the parts don't fit each other!  The adjustable part of the
casting, in front of the mouth, is a different width and thickness, the
blades are different and don't interchange, and some other minor
dimensions just don't match.  What gives?  The incomplete one has "60-1/2"
stamped on the side and has maroon japanning.  The stripped one is black,
has "MADE IN USA" cast into the rear of the sole, does not have 60-1/2
stamped, and is heavier and thicker than the maroon one.  Both came with
Stanley blades and have the same casting number in all the parts.

If anybody's got parts floating around for 60-1/2 block planes, let me
know.

> 
> Name is Jon Endres, professional civil engineer by trade, age 32, wife, 3
> kids, shop cat.

    Welcome to the porch.

>
> The question I have is this:  I have two separate stanley 60-1/2 block
> planes.  I bought one on fleaBay and found out (buyer beware!) that it
> wasn't complete.  So I bought another one from a private seller that had
> the casting stripped out in the blade tightening screw socket, and found
> out that the parts don't fit each other!  The adjustable part of the
> casting, in front of the mouth, is a different width and thickness, the
> blades are different and don't interchange, and some other minor
> dimensions just don't match.  What gives?

    John Walter's Stanley Guide says that the 60 1/2 was 1 1/2" wide
until 1914 and then 1 3/8" wide until it was discontinued in 1982.  The
maroon japaning is indicative of a much newer Stanley product as is the
stamping of model numbers in the side.  The black one is most likely
very old.

Regards,
Steve

Have three 60-1/2's now, one from a list member.  Have determined that the
adjustable part of the sole seems to be unique to each plane, none of the
three interchange.  The maroon one is a newer Stanley.  The funky green one
(thanks Dan) is newer, black and stamped 60-1/2.  The other black one,
marked "Made in USA" is *not* a Stanley, although it had a Stanley blade.  I
suspect either a very new plane which has already died, or a good copy.

Thanks for all the advice from youse guys, happy to be here.  I'm snortin'
around dusty corners in the shop, reading names on tools, and seeing the
light.  Anybody heard of a "Gem Folding Miter Box" by the Alaska Freezer Co,
Inc. of Winchendon, MA?  I have one, with the original label still on it.
Now I need a good backsaw to go with it.

I also need bits for a "Yankee" 31A by North Mfg.

Jon Endres, PE
West Mountain Engineering

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Reynolds [mailto:stephenereynolds@e...]
> Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 6:57 PM
> To: Jon Endres; oldtools
> Subject: Re: [oldtools] Introduction and question
>
>
>
> >
> > Name is Jon Endres, professional civil engineer by trade, age
> 32, wife, 3
> > kids, shop cat.
>
>     Welcome to the porch.
>
> >
> > The question I have is this:  I have two separate stanley 60-1/2 block
> > planes.  I bought one on fleaBay and found out (buyer beware!) that it
> > wasn't complete.  So I bought another one from a private seller that had
> > the casting stripped out in the blade tightening screw socket, and found
> > out that the parts don't fit each other!  The adjustable part of the
> > casting, in front of the mouth, is a different width and thickness, the
> > blades are different and don't interchange, and some other minor
> > dimensions just don't match.  What gives?
>
>     John Walter's Stanley Guide says that the 60 1/2 was 1 1/2" wide
> until 1914 and then 1 3/8" wide until it was discontinued in 1982.  The
> maroon japaning is indicative of a much newer Stanley product as is the
> stamping of model numbers in the side.  The black one is most likely
> very old.
>
> Regards,
> Steve
>
>