Hello again: I've made some progress on the planer, and I have a question for you. On My machine there are small numbers ( 32) stamped in a couple of places. I was curious if they might be the serial number.
Would you look at your machine and see if there are any similar? Here is a link to my planer page, at the bottom there is a picture of the top of the down slide. It is one place where I have seen these numbers.
Also, above it is a picture of the gears I installed on the cross rail lift mechanism. They are not as original, but they were donated, so they will do for now.
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Regards Pete
I'm pretty sure that My machine was built circa 1869-70 because the
>makers plate says "Pratt,Whitney& Co." The company was reorganized in
>1869 as "Pratt and Whitney Co." A minor difference to be sure, but
>significant when trying to date something like this.
>I have a copy of "American Planer, Shaper and Slotter Builders"
>written by Kenneth Cope, who has a made a significant study of old >machine manufactures.
>That book gives some detail on the company. I have also written to Mr.
>Cope who suggested that it is unlikely that the machine was more than
>a couple of years later than 1869.
>Other than the hydraulic drive,and the name cast in the upper frame of
>your machine, they look remarkably alike. the table the same size, and
>the opening under the top frame is also pretty close.
>
>Thanks for the info on the gear setup, it should be enough for me to
>figure the rest out. I priced some gears today. They are $40.00 each,
>so I may try to make some.
> the table on my machine isn't gibbed either. It can be lifted
>straight off. Maybe they expect the weight of the table and the
>workpiece to hold it down.
>
>The info about the planer on a sub is very interesting, although from
>what I have heard space would have been somewhat of a premium, maybe
>it was on a sub tender ship.
>
>As for the age of your planer, based on the info in the book I
>mentioned and my correspondance with Mr. Cope it is unlikely that the
>machine was built after about 1903. Pratt&wthieny was bought out by
>Nile, Pond, Bemont (NPB)around that time and operated as a division.
>NPB was a large company that made planers and shapers, and bought P&W
>to get their other machine tool lines.
>
>As to the P&W name being sold in 1925, that is only partially true.
>The people who designed the original aircraft engine that became the
>P&W r-1340 approched (NPB) looking for investment and facilities to
>build the engines. They were very successful ( both with the
>invsetment and the engines) and in early 1930's bought out the
>aircraft engine company shares from (NPB) in a deal that allowed them
>to continue to use the P&W name, which eventually became a part of
>United Aircraft Corporation( which included United airlines)
>
>Pratt and Whitney division of Niles, Pond, Bemont maker of machine
>tools and precision gages continued production of machines until the
>1970's when it closed the machine tool division. P&W still exists
>today making precision measuring machines and some other VERY
>expensive tools.
>( my friend who has the little planer, also has a P&W lathe that was >made around 1940)
>
>As I work away at my machine I'll keep posting pictures on my
webpage.
>Again Many thanks for the details on the gear setup.
>
>Pete
Hmmm , now my planer has to be between 1881 and 1903. When you get it cleaned up I'd love to see more pictures. I'd like to see close ups of the head to see what they changed to get the 1881 patent. If you need more pictures from me just say the word. I wonder when they stopped making the shapely legs for these old machines. I say this because the legs and casting for my 1906? Lodge & Shipley look idential to very similar to the planer. I was leaning to 1910 and
1906 for the machines and now looks like they are closer to 1900 now. It doesn't much matter , but it would be nice to just say right around
1900 and be done with it when people ask. I also wonder how many of these old machines made it past 2000. I like them , and they are about the only old thing that people won't steal that I've found. There are some repairs on my platten that I have yet to figure out how they did that. Oh, it came with a Century motor with Pat. 1899 & 1903 probably original when it had gears ...
Mine has turned out to be quite useful , will you go over the edge and paint your's a bright color? Mine was black as was 4 other machines that I have. I thought of pin stripping white or yellow to liven up the black , but decided not to. I like the joke running around my head of using it to get my 5 yr. old to eat her dinner , kinda like a mid-evel torture device. "OK , OK , daddy , I'll eat my greens !" BTW , mine dims the lights in the house , someday I need to change it to 220. I think it would be more effiecent with the gears and belt slapping . Oh, to find the parts and contemplate changing it back ! Yeah, right.
Thanks , sounds like you on the right track on getting your date right , too bad its missing those neat parts. They look just like the bottom of a pawn. I like the tender ship idea. The arch(s) looked more like killer whale fins in the work area cause they where black and apart leaning up in the durt. How about names of parts? I have a couple of books that have planers in them , but are vague. When was your book witten ?