Okay, it's a Stanley... but what is it?

[Dave Morris]

On a lark, I picked up something that looked like it *might* fit a Stanley "R2D2"-looking router I have that is part of an old Stanly Powerplane. Sure 'nuff, the router fits perfectly. Hey, the price was right... free.

It looks like a small drill press stand, with "STANLEY" cast into the base. There is a 10" x 14" table that can swivel sideways, and move up and down on the main post, with a mount underniegth to hang the router. The mount pivots from vertical to 45°, whether that is for angled cuts with the router or just to make mounting the router easier I donn't know. The table has 5 pairs of matched holes spaced 6" apart around the router opening, and several others spaced at different places, that look like they might be for mounting a fence. So far, so good, some kind of router table, right?

But above the table is another place to mount a router that rides on a nicely dovetailed weighs (ways?), and this moves up and down by means of a handle using a gear that meshes with a replacable toothed portion of the weighs. There is also what appears to be a depth stop on the upper assembly. Now it's an overhead router press???

No identification or serial numbers, other than the cast Stanley on the base, another STANLEY cast into the overhead arm where it meets the post, and "C 1687" cast into the upper arm next to the depth stop.

I put my old router in both the upper and lower places for the pictures to give some perspective. So, what is this thing? Any idea when it was made? (give or take a couple decades) Are there other parts I should keep an eye out for? There is some surface rust and a lot of, er, "patina", but it will clean up nicely and look as good as new. Everything moves smoothly, but can it be anything more than just a cute 32" tall Cast Iron Paperweight?

Hopefully some of the old timers here will recognize this, cuz Google wasn't any help.

[Dave Morris]

Other side with router in the lower spot.

[Dave Morris]

Upper arm with depth stop and cast ID number "C 1687". The handle raises and lowers this by turning a gear that meshes with the teeth shown. The dovetailed portion can be tightened to increase friction so the router doesn't lower down from gravity after the handle has raised it.

Thanks for any info on this thing.

[Matt Day]

Have you tried asking on OWWM?

[Rob Russell]

My guess is that it's a drill press stand designed to take an older Stanley hand drill, mount it in the stand and - voila - drill press.

[Dave Morris]

"Have you tried asking on OWWM?"

Matt, I was under the impression that the OWWM forum was for "stationary" old woodworking tools, and didn't want to cross any lines of etiquette on that site. I did check their manufacturer's list and nothing of this sort was listed for Stanley tools. However, there was a much larger stand-alone overhead router listed that makes my version look like a child's toy.

[John Schreiber]

The question for me would be "How sturdy is it?" If it can keep the router secure in those positions without much vibration, I think it could be a real useful tool.

I especially like the idea of being able to hold the router at an angle underneath a table. Think of the interesting profiles you could create that way without buying interesting new bits.

I can think of some ways an over-arm router could be useful too.

[Doug Shepard]

...
I especially like the idea of being able to hold the router at an angle underneath a table. Think of the interesting profiles you could create that way without buying interesting new bits.
...

Just in case you're not already aware of this
http://www.woodhaven.com/detail.aspx?ID=1252

[Rick Lizek]

It's a router table, overhead router fixture. Typical overhead routers have a guide pin for pattern routing. Before it was Stanley the company was Carter and they made some earier versions of a pin router arm and even a router table that could tilt the router 45 degrees.