# Mystery plane?



## riven_oak (Jan 10, 2013)

Can anyone help identify this strange plane?

It came out of a tool chest that's been in the family, originally from a carpenter working in Connecticut around 1825 - 1850. Most of the other tools in the chest can be dated to around that time period, but this one has no identifying marks on it anywhere that I could find. In fact, I don't even know what kind of plane it is. Anyone know what this plane is used for (or who made it)? The two fences have me really confused. First because there's two of them, and second, because there seems to be some sort of channel in both-- note the curved wood and square channel in each fence. Any pointers are much appreciated!


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

No idea but it's cool as all get out!


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## riven_oak (Jan 10, 2013)

Quick update... On another forum somebody discovered that it's a "Fales Patent Variable Bench Plane". Basically an early combination plane. I'm still not sure if the 2nd fence was useful for some task, or just a spare.

From "The Manufacturer and Builder" journal, October 1885:
http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=manu;cc=manu;rgn=full%20text;idno=manu0017-10;didno=manu0017-10;view=image;seq=0240;node=manu0017-10%3A38

"It is, as will readily be perceived, a combination tool, and is described as constituting a carpenter's plow, front and back fillister, matching planes of all sizes, sash planes of various kinds, dadoes, hollows and rounds, side and center beads, nosing planes, quarter rounds, ogee casing molds, snipe's bill, side rabbet, V plane etc."


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## railaw (Nov 15, 2011)

riven_oak said:


> Quick update... On another forum somebody discovered that it's a "Fales Patent Variable Bench Plane". Basically an early combination plane. I'm still not sure if the 2nd fence was useful for some task, or just a spare.
> 
> From "The Manufacturer and Builder" journal, October 1885:
> http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=manu;cc=manu;rgn=full%20text;idno=manu0017-10;didno=manu0017-10;view=image;seq=0240;node=manu0017-10%3A38
> ...


Very cool. Especially based on location!


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## timetestedtools (Aug 23, 2012)

exceptionally cool find for sure. It looks like it would be easy enough to retro fit blades for.


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