Purpose?

[Paultheroamer]

I have scoured the www for information on this plane, recently unpacked from my late father’s tool collection after 30 years in newspaper, and come up with a blank. It is a UK made and on the casting Bailey‘G12-004’ but with wings…has it been privately modified or was it an official model? Is its purpose to rebate or does it have a different function?
Thanks for any enlightenment.
Paul

 

[AJB Temple]

Looks like it could be set in a track template and used to plane thin strips. Never seen one before.

 

[Mike G]

Andy T is your man for the definitive answer, but to me that looks like a home-made modification. Somewhere amongst your father's kit would be some sort of jig/ trackway in which that was designed to run, I reckon. An end-on view would be enlightening.

 

[Paultheroamer]

Here you go..just noticed pat pending on the side of one of the lower skids.

 

[Dr.Al]

It definitely has the look of a thickness planer modification. That looks rather nice: I might be tempted to emulate that sometime

 

[Pete Maddex]

Bridge city do a similar thing if you have just won the lottery

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I thought I recognised this as a jig for accurately thicknessing small parts. I thought it would be the sort of thing that Robert Wearing might have shown in a Woodworker article. But I can't find it in The Resourceful Woodworker or The Essential Woodworker, so no joy there.
That said, I don't think it's a patentable idea, so the PAT PENDING here could just have been the maker's sense of humour.

What I can remember - but not find any evidence of - is that there was a special Stanley model of plane, possibly with this sort of thickness-controlling rails, made in the last gasp of special production hand tools. I think they were for planing some component needed by the hundred in a textile mill.

 

[Paultheroamer]

Thanks for dredging through your knowledge base. Still a semi mystery then. This would most probably been bought from Taylor Bros in Liverpool before the 1990s…..they ceased trading around 10 years ago. I have Woodworker magazines from the 50s and maybe 60s..not blown the dust off those yet… I’ll check there. If I find any more clues I’ll revert. Paul

 

[Mike G]

Right, so it's pretty clearly a thicknessing jig, but it doesn't need a special track. It would operate directly on the bench-top. The shaped front ends of the outriggers would guide the workpiece under the body of the plane, so the only thing needed on the bench would be a low enough stop. It would be interesting to see how far down those outriggers could sit at their lowest adjustment, as that would give the maximum thickness of material it would be possible to work with.

 

[toolsntat]

I'm trying to remember where I've seen one before.
Hmmm, might of been at a steam Rally and Bill Carter may have seen it as well
I do know I didn't buy it and subsequent discussions revealed it wasn't a homemade folly.
Cheers, Andy