Premium Bench Plane Type Study

One of the problems encountered in a study of the company’s bench planes is that catalog illustrations could be as much as twenty years out of date. Texts describing the tools were often astonishingly inaccurate and descriptive errors could remain uncorrected for a decade or more. I’ve also come to the conclusion that the company never threw a spare part away, a parsimony which muddies classification considerably. This type study is based on the premium bench planes manufactured by Millers Falls. As such, it will not be particularly helpful for the study the firm’s economy and mid-quality planes.

Type 1. (1929 - ca. 1936)

Rosewood/cocobolo tote and knob.
Tote and knob attached to steel posts by means of cylindrical brass nuts.
Red painted frog.
The words “Millers Falls” cast into bed, encircling the front knob.
Number identifying the size of the plane cast into bed.
“Made in U.S.A.” cast into bed behind frog.
Front knob is positioned within a raised ring cast into bed.

Hinged, nickel-plated three-point lever cap.
Lever cap has text “PAT APLD. FOR” cast into reverse side.
Red paint in semi-circular recess containing words “Millers Falls” on face of lever cap.

Fork-type depth adjuster is cast and painted red.
Recessed brass depth adjustment nut.
Tab-and-screw mouth adjustment at base of frog.

Nickel-plated chip breaker.
Trademark on cutter stamp consists of a large, truncated triangle perched atop a small triangle. Both triangles are inverted.
Large truncated triangle contains text “Miller Falls Tools”
Small triangle contains text “Since 1868.”
“Made in U.S.A.” stamped under trademark.
Width of cutter, in inches, stamped under “Made in U.S.A.” stamp.

Type 2. (first production: ca. 1936 - 1941)

As Type 1, except:

The words “Millers Falls,” encircling the front knob, no longer cast into bed.
Number identifying the size of the plane no longer cast into bed, but is stamped on the outside of the left cheek, as is manufacturer’s name.
Front knob bedding unique to Millers Falls is adopted. A series of raised ridges radiate from post tapped to accept knob attachment screw and extend out to a raised ring which encircles the base of the knob. Invisible when the knob is in place, the ridges eliminate the inadvertent rotation of the knob during use. Unfortunately, the raised ridges act as tiny wedges if the knob attachment screw is over tightened, causing splits in the knob.

Patent date stamped on front of lever cap.
Fork adjustment is now pressed steel and less likely to crack if subjected to undue pressure.

Variations: treatment of inverted triangle on cutter stamp.

Small inverted triangle on cutter may contain the text “Since 1868.”
Small inverted triangle on cutter may contain only the date “1868.”

Type 3. (1942 - 1948)

As Type 2, except:

Cocobolo tote and knob replaced by stained hardwood.
Leading edge of tote exhibits an ever-so-slight ogee curve.
Semi-circular recess containing words “Millers Falls” on front face of lever cap contains no paint.
Now with recessed steel depth adjustment nut.
Inverted triangle on cutter contains only the date “1868.”

Variations: knob and handle attachment

Tote and knob held in place with a blued steel bolt.
Tote and knob may be attached to steel posts by means of cylindrical steel nuts rather than cylindrical brass nuts.

Variations: lever cap

Some examples with red paint in semi-circular recess containing inscription “Millers Falls.”
“PAT APLD. FOR” no longer cast into reverse side of some lever caps.

Note: The changes in wood and fittings and found on the type 3 were likely the result of war time shortages.

Type 2. (second production: 1949-1952)

Note: The Millers Falls Company announced the post-war return of “solid rosewood” (i.e. cocobolo) knobs and handles to its bench planes on page 161 of the May 5th, 1949, issue of Hardware Age. Since the change marks the return to an earlier design, a new type designation has not been created for these planes.

The post-war era also marked the return of recessed brass depth adjustment nuts.
Tote and knob again attached to steel posts by means of cylindrical brass nuts.
Red paint returns to the semi-circular recess containing words “Millers Falls” on face of lever cap.
During the transition, older steel components were used on some planes.
Phrase "Solid Tool Steel" appears above trademark on cutter.

Variations: treatment of trademark triangle on cutter stamp.

Small inverted triangle on cutter may contain only the date “1868”
Small Inverted triangle on cutter may contain no date.

Variations: substitution for brass components.

Recessed steel depth adjustment nut may be substituted for brass nut.
Tote and front knob may be attached to steel posts by means of cylindrical steel nuts rather than brass nuts.

Type 4. (1953 - 1965)

As Type 3, except:

Tote and knob are manufactured of goncalo, rather than cocobolo and coated with a thick red-orange varnish stain.
Horn is noticeably shorter, and slight belly is no longer seen on leading edge of tote.
Knob and tote again attached to steel posts by means of cylindrical brass nuts.
Frog now painted black.
Brass depth adjustment nut no longer recessed.

Variation: Earliest examples fitted with recessed brass depth-adjustment nuts.

Note: The earliest known illustration of a type four plane appears on the cover of a 1953 Christmas promotion titled: Gifts Men Want. The company's Catalog 49: Hand Tool Section, Revised to April, 1955 is the first catalog to illustrate the type. Although decades-old illustrations represent the bench planes in the main part of the catalog, artwork for the new No. 1100 plane display unit depicts the re-design. Descriptions for the bench planes are identical to those used in 1949 except the word “goncalo” replaces the word “rosewood.”

Although red frogs continue to be mentioned in catalog descriptions through 1967, a type 5 plane with other than a black frog has yet to be reported. (The company was often slow to update catalog texts.)

Type 5. (1966 - 1978)

As Type 4, except:

One-piece lever cap replaces the renowned three-point lever cap.
Patent number no longer appears on lever cap.
Semi-circular recess containing words “Millers Falls” on front face of lever cap no longer painted red.
Model numbers stamped into left cheek now end with the letter "B."
Knob and tote are attached with Phillips-head screws.
“Made in U.S.A.” no longer cast into bed behind frog on smooth planes.

Frog adjustment screws are now Phillips-type.
Depth adjustment nut is not recessed and is plated steel rather than brass.
Tab-and-screw mouth adjustment at base of frog eliminated.
No markings of any type appear on cutter.

Variations:

Some early examples with slotted screws.
Some early examples with non-recessed brass adjustment nuts.
Some early examples with cutters marked with Millers Falls logo where triangle contains no date.
Some early examples with “Made in U.S.A.” cast into bed behind frog.
Some later examples with springless lever cap.