Question on Bedrock Lever Cap

[Tony Kennick]

I was rust hunting awhile back and thought I found a Bedrock but it ended up being a Bailey #4 with this Bedrock lever cap. Anybody know which model/type this goes to? The cap is just under 2" wide ~1 31/32" or so. Is this an early one as it says Stanley R&L Co Bedrock vice just Bed Rock? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks. Tony

[Dave Matson]

Check the bed rock type study:
http://www.antique-used-tools.com/brtypes.htm

Looks like it might be from a type 1 604

[Jim Koepke]

Tony,
Welcome to the creek.

The 604 & 605 used the same lever cap. With this mark, it was used on the type 1 through 4, 1898-1908.

I had to buy one of those once to put on a Bedrock that had a regular lever cap. Your profile does not say where you are from. Any chance you found that in Oregon?

jim

[Tony Kennick]

Jim, I found it in an antique store in Omaha. I was looking at the link Dave sent and I am a little confused. Does the body of the Type 1-4 have Bedrock on it or does it say Bailey No 4 (this one says the latter)? My blade matches the one for the Type 1. The pat dates are Mar 25-02 and Aug 19-02. Where do you find casting marks on the body if it has one? The adjusting lever on the frog has a sideways Stanley and "PAT 72488". Unfortunately, one of the sidewalls is cracked all the way through from the top to the mouth. No way to fix that I suppose. Thanks for responding. Tony

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, I found it in an antique store in Omaha. I was looking at the link Dave sent and I am a little confused. Does the body of the Type 1-4 have Bedrock on it or does it say Bailey No 4 (this one says the latter)? My blade matches the one for the Type 1. The pat dates are Mar 25-02 and Aug 19-02. Where do you find casting marks on the body if it has one? The adjusting lever on the frog has a sideways Stanley and "PAT 72488". Unfortunately, one of the sidewalls is cracked all the way through from the top to the mouth. No way to fix that I suppose. Thanks for responding. Tony

The early Bedrocks did not have any marks on the body other than a patent date and model number. The early Bedrocks used the Bailey model numbers which later became the 600 series numbers.

Your base is a Bailey style type 9 base. The confusion is understandable since the early Bedrocks used the same style on the base. The later Bedrocks have flat topped sides.

Some people will grind the side a bit then braze or weld a repair. A replacement plane is likely to be cheaper. All the parts are worth keeping though. Even a broken base can have the sharp edges filed down and be used for holding totes, knobs and screws for cleaning and refinishing.

jim

[Tony Kennick]

Thanks, Jim. That is what I initally thought regarding the base. Good idea about using the base for holding parts during refurbishing. Tony

[Dan Andrews]

Interesting, I have a Stanley/Bailey #5 with the exact same Bed Rock lever cap. Did Stanley have a problem with the Stanley model lever caps in those years? Any chance the facory ran short of Stanley lever caps and used Bed rock caps for a short time?

[Martin Cash]

The early Bedrocks did not have any marks on the body other than a patent date and model number. The early Bedrocks used the Bailey model numbers which later became the 600 series numbers.

Your base is a Bailey style type 9 base. The confusion is understandable since the early Bedrocks used the same style on the base. The later Bedrocks have flat topped sides.

Some people will grind the side a bit then braze or weld a repair. A replacement plane is likely to be cheaper. All the parts are worth keeping though. Even a broken base can have the sharp edges filed down and be used for holding totes, knobs and screws for cleaning and refinishing.

jim

Here is one that has been repaired by brazing.
If you have access to Garrett Hack's book "The Handplane Book" and turn to pages 160 and 163, you will see a Bedrock #604 1/2 that has been repaired in the same position as yours - on the side from the mouth up.
So it can be done.
Good luck with yours
MC

[Jim Koepke]

I bought a #3 for parts off eBay at on time. It was broken at the mouth and someone had put it back together using 8 screws and 2 bars of brass mounted on the sides. They drilled and tapped holes into the cheeks of the plane. I should have taken pictures, but didn't have a digicam at the time.

The picture was bad and fuzzy, but something could be seen at the side. When I asked the seller about it, they said it didn't look broken to them. They also informed me the wood and other parts were in good shape. Mine was the only bid.

Most of the parts have been used, including one of the small brass bars.

jim

[Richard Dooling]

Yeah Jim,

I like the "with a little cleaning this will make a good user" line.

.