Randy O wrote:
> What you have there is a Rockford R3. The Rockford Tool Co. was a sister 
> company to the H.C. Marsh Co. and both companies occupied the same 
> building in Rockford Illinois. Rockford made bench planes in sizes R3 
> through R8 including R4 1/2 and R5 1/2. They did not make an R1, R2 or 
> R5 1/4 size planes that I have been able to identify (yet?). All sizes 
> were available in smooth and corrugated bottoms. No block planes or 
> specialty planes were made and sold by Rockford.
> 
> The planes are characteristically marked with the R and plane size cast 
> into the base at the toe or heel, or in front of the rear tote behind 
> the frog. The only other markings were typically on the cutters which 
> was stamped with Rockford TMP Rockford Ill and the blade width for 
> planes marketed and sold under the Rockford Tool Co name. These planes 
> are often found with cutters simply stamped Lakeside in script text 
> which are also correct for the planes. Apparently Montgomery Ward was a 
> big customer for Rockford because most of the planes you find will have 
> the correct Lakeside cutters. These were never sold with Stanley 
> cutters. Other classic features of these planes are frog adjusting 
> screw, walnut totes & knobs, unmarked lateral levers, small diameter 
> brass blade adjuster with 3 rings, lever caps have the blade width cast 
> into the back. The design of the frog to base is the classic Marsh 
> design which differs from Stanley and all other planes. Front knobs are 
> typically walnut with low knob styles for the earlier planes and high 
> knobs on the later planes.
> 
> All of these planes are fairly scarce and some sizes and models are down 
> right rare. I hope this helps everyone understand the Rockford planes 
> better.

Randy,

Thank you for your post! I thought that my R4 1/2 was from Wards because 
of the Lakeside blade, but I never knew who made it for them.

Pete
(in St. Paul)
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