Company History |
| Edward Preston & Sons Ltd., Birmingham, England, began in 1825 slowly growing over several generations to a large company specializing in plane, rule, measuring instruments of all description, woodworking tools and other assorted tools for various crafts and industries, including can openers. They were bought out in 1932. Record Tools took over the plane division. Preston made a full range of all sorts of planes but what they are primarily known for today is the first and best series of cast iron screw adjustable shoulder planes. |
Preston 3/8" Registered
Bull Nose
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Preston manufactured an entire series of wedge adjustable shoulder and bullnose planes. This very popular plane was the smallest of their entire bullnose plane line and was only made with a wedge, not a screw adjuster. Get a closer view of the object (51KB) |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ||
| DIMENSIONS | Width | 3/8" inches |
| Length | 3" | |
| Blade Thickness | 0.070" | |
| MATERIALS | Body | Nickel Plated Iron casting |
| Wedge | Rosewood | |
| GENERAL | Year | C. 1920 |
| Cost in 1909 | 2/6 (2 shillings sixpence) | |
Preston 5/8" Patent Adjustable Shoulder Rabbet Plane - No. 1368 |
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An elegant plane that fits nicely in the hand, it survives in far
more numbers than did the rare Norris 1/2" shoulder plane. One very nice feature
about this narrow, small plane is that it can be easily used with one hand. This is not an
inconsequential feature when trimming an already assembled piece in crammed quarters. Get a closer view of the object (40KB) |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ||
| DIMENSIONS | Width | 5/8" inches |
| Length | 5" | |
| Blade Thickness | 0.075" | |
| MATERIALS | Body | Nickel Plated Iron casting |
| GENERAL | Year | C. 1920 |
| Cost in 1909 | 6/6 shillings | |
Preston 5/8" Patent Adjustable Bull Nose Rabbet Plane - No. 1355A |
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A most useful tool. Preston and Stanley both made a variety of
adjustable bullnose planes but this one was the narrowest model that had an adjuster. Much
like Preston's 5/8" shoulder plane, this plane is well proportioned and fits well in
the hand. Get a closer view of the object (25KB) View details of the object (48KB) |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ||
| DIMENSIONS | Width | 5/8" inches |
| Length | 4" | |
| Blade Thickness | 0.080" | |
| MATERIALS | Body | Nickel Plated Iron casting |
| GENERAL | Year | C. 1925 |
| Cost in 1909 | 4/6 shillings | |
Preston 1" Patent Adjustable Shoulder Rabbet Plane - 1368B |
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Preston made their 1368 series planes in a wide variety of sizes:
5/8", 3/4", 1", 1-1/4", and 1-1/2". This is a typical range of
shoulder planes sizes. The most common size is 1-1/4". A curious feature that
distinguishes these tools from later copies is that the front of the casting is hollow,
and carefully covered by a metal plate. Get a closer view of the object (33KB) |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ||
| DIMENSIONS | Width | 1 1/4" inches |
| Length | 8 1/4" | |
| Blade Thickness | 0.085" | |
| MATERIALS | Body | Nickel Plated Iron casting |
| GENERAL | Year | C. 1920 |
| Cost in 1909 | 14 shillings | |
Preston 1-1/2" Patent Adjustable Shoulder Rabbet Plane - 1368D |
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The widest of the shoulder plane sizes, its weight and size make it
a lot easier to use than first looks would suggest. It is easy to hold and the weight
helps it bear solidly down on the wood. This particular example has most of its nickel
plating intact and has the older style adjuster knob knurling. Get a closer view of the object (35KB) |
| SPECIFICATIONS | ||
| DIMENSIONS | Width | 1 1/2" inches |
| Length | 8 1/4" | |
| Blade Thickness | 0.075" | |
| MATERIALS | Body | Nickel Plated Iron casting |
| GENERAL | Year | C. 1910 |
| Cost in 1909 | 15/- shillings | |
Copyright 1999 01 Inc., NYC
