They are very good quality planes. The castings and machine work is 
generally pretty good, especially on the later planes. They tune up and work 
really well. The cutters sharpen and seem to hold an edge OK. The 
adjustments generally work fine with no obvious shortcomings.

On another note, I do have some early ones that are pretty rough, verging on 
prototypes, I guess as they were getting their act together in making 
planes. I have several that have tell-tale file marks where it appears they 
required a lot of hand fitting at the factory.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Shaw" 
To: "'Pete Bergstrom'" 
Cc: 
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 11:20 PM
Subject: RE: [OldTools] Who Made This Plane? SOLVED!

> Were the Rockford planes any good?
> Jim
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oldtools-bounces@r... [mailto:oldtools-
>> bounces@r...] On Behalf Of Pete Bergstrom
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 10:49 PM
>> Cc: oldtools@r...
>> Subject: Re: [OldTools] Who Made This Plane? SOLVED!
>>
>> 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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>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
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> http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html
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>
> OldTools@r...
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