Most major manufacturers of vintage planes had circular planes in their line up. Circular planes, or planes sometimes called Compass planes, are for planing convex (external) and concave (internal) curves in wood. They’re are both metallic and wood versions.
There are rumors that Millers Falls may have made a circular plane, but I’ve never actually seen one, and I don’t believe they ever made it to a catalog listing. Missing from my collection is the Ohio Tools 0113, 020, and the 020 1/2 (The Ohio planes followed the Stanley design with the 020 1/2 being like the #020 except for the finish)and an Evans Circular Plane. Some other images can be seen below as well from other sources.
- The Stanley #113 was made from 1877-1942 (ref John Walters Book)
- The Stanley #20 was made from 1897-1958 (ref John Walters Book)
- The Sargent #74 was made from 1910-1943 (ref Heckel)
- The Sargent #76 was made from 1910-1943 (ref Heckel)
Here are just a few, From left to right, top row, Union #411, Sargent #76, Stanley type 2 #113
Bottom row, Stanley #20, Sargent #74, Bailey #13.
Sargent #76
Sargent #74
Sargent #1074. The only difference between the Sargent #74 and #1074 is the finish (The Sargent #1074 is from the Greg Heath Collection)
Leonard Bailey Started working on his circular plane around 1871. (#13) (More on this plane here)
Stanley #20
Stanley also made a #20 1/2 which was identical to the #20, except that the plane was japanned instead of nickel plated.
Stanley #113
My Union #411
The following images Are not from my collection. A Union 411 (like the Stanley 113) and the second a Union 414 (like the Stanley 20)
Union #411
A Union #414
Union also made a #413, which was similar to the #414 but with a nickel finish
And finally a Union #311. I’m still looking for information on how this fits with the #411. It seems the #411 doesn’t have the number marked on it, but it’s in their 1905 catalog. This one is from Bill Gerold’s collection.
The Ohio Tool Catalog excerpt.
An Ohio Tools #020 (from the collection of Doug Wood)
Follow the link here is a site for dating the Stanley #113
The Evans Circular planes were made from 1864 to 1871, Stanley Bought him out in 1871 (ref PTAMPIA) (An Example here—>)
This Kunz can still be bought today
Additional Circular Plane
Evans Patent Circular plane
Sargent #76 Circular Plane
Stanley #113 CIRCULAR PLANE
Stanley #13 Circular Plane
Stanley #13 Type 1 - 2 Circular Plane
Stanley #13 Type 1 & 2
Stanley #20 Circular Plane
