Revised 26-Jun-2008
TRINDERS' FINE TOOLS
MATHIESON PLANES - A GUIDE
As the basis for our guide to Mathieson Planes
we have used an original Mathieson Catalogue (click
for illustration of cover). It is the 8th. edition, an impressive hard bound
volume, with some 160 double pages. There is no date explicitly indicated,
however reference is made on the title page to a Gold Medal, received in the
1886 Edinburgh Exhibition. Mathieson also received a Gold Medal in the
Melbourne Exhibition of 1880, and Prize Medal at the London Exhibitions of 1851
and 1862. Alexr. Mathieson & Sons Ltd were established in 1792.
In order that the text can be read, and also
in order to minimise download times, we have provided separate illustrations
for each plane type, or group of types. Mathieson's note that 'the engravings,
though generally representative, are not to be held as binding as to details'.
Dovetailing of Metal Planes
It is fortunate that Mathieson considered it
useful to illustrate how their wrought steel planes were dovetailed together (click for illustration of the construction of a rabate
plane). On an all-steel dovetailed plane it is often difficult to detect the
dovetails - indeed some Spiers' Planes are stamped 'DOVETAILED' to ensure that
the effort (and extra cost) involved did not go unnoticed.
Types of Mathieson Planes
- Wrought Steel Planes
- Smoothing
- Panel*
- Jointing*
- Mitre
- Rabate
- Shoulder
- Thumb
- Chariot
- Bull-Nose
*In the context of British infill planes, a
Panel plane is used for fine smoothing and trueing; Salaman in his Dictionary of Woodworking Tools specifies the following
sizes for Smoothing, Panel and Jointing Planes of the infill types:-
- Smoothing - 7
1/2" - 8 1/2" long, with 2 - 2 1/4" iron
- Panel - 13
1/2" - 17 1/2" long with 2 1/2" iron
- Jointing - 20
1/2" - 27 1/2" long with 2 1/2" iron
THE CATALOGUE ILLUSTRATIONS
Smoothers
Smoothing Planes - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed,
Fitted with Rosewood, Gun-Metal Lever
- No. 842 Improved,
without Handle
- No. 843 Improved, with
Handle
- No. 844 Parallel Sides,
with Handle
Click for
illustration of Nos. 842, 843, 844. These Smoothers were available with 1
3/4", 2", 2 1/8" and 2 1/4" irons; Nos. 843 and 844 had the
option of a closed handle. Click for original prices.
Panel Planes
- No. 845 - Wrought Steel,
Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, Gun-Metal Lever (click
for catalogue illustration). This Panel Plane was available in the
following lengths - 11 1/2", 12 1/2", 13 1/2", 14
1/2", 15 1/2" and 16 1/2"; the standard iron was 2
1/2"; optionally 2 5/8" and 2 3/4" irons were available.
The 11 1/2" to 13 1/2" lengths inclusive had flush ends, as the
Panel Plane illustration; on the 14 1/2" to the 16 1/2" panel
planes the sole projected at heel and toe, as the Jointing Plane
illustration. Click for original prices.
Jointing Planes
- No. 846 - Wrought Steel,
Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, Gun-Metal Lever (click
for catalogue illustration). This Jointing Plane was available in the
following lengths - 20 1/2", 22 1/2", 24 1/2", and 26
1/2"; the standard iron was 2 1/2"; optionally 2 5/8" and 2
3/4" irons were available. Click for original
prices.
Mitre Planes
- No. 847 - Improved Mitre
Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, Gun-Metal Lever (click for catalogue illustration).
- No. 848 - Plain Mitre
Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, Gun-Metal Lever (click for catalogue illustration).
Both the Improved and the Plain Mitre Plane
were available in the following sizes - 8 1/2" x 2" or under, 10
1/2" x 2 1/4", 10 1/2" x 2 3/8", 10 1/2" x 2 1/2"
(widths refer to iron width). Optionally any Mitre Plane was available with a
skew mouth. Click for original prices.
Rabate Planes
- No. 849 - One Iron,
Square (i.e. not skew) Rabate Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed,
Fitted with Rosewood, with Wedge.
- No. 850 - One Iron, Skew
Rabate Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, with
Wedge.
Click for catalogue
illustration.
- No. 851 - Two Irons,
Square (i.e. not skew) Rabate Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed,
Fitted with Rosewood, with Wedge.
- No. 852 - Two Irons,
Skew Rabate Plane - Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, with
Wedge.
Click for catalogue
illustration.
Rabate Planes were available in the following
sizes - 6" x 3/8", 6" x 1/2", 7" x 5/8", 8"
x 3/4", 9" x 3/4", 9" x 7/8", 9" x 1",
9" x 1 1/8", 9" x 1 1/4", 9" x 1 1/2", 9" x
1 3/4". Click for original prices.
Shoulder, Thumb, Chariot and Bull-Nose
Planes
- No. 853 - Shoulder
Planes, Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, with Wedge.
8" long, were available in following widths - 1", 1 1/8", 1
1/4", 1 1/2". Click for catalogue
illustration.
- No. 854 - Thumb Planes,
Wrought Steel, Dovetailed, Fitted with Rosewood, with Gun-Metal Lever. 5"
long, were available in following widths - 1", 1 1/8", 1
1/4". (Not illustrated).
- No. 855 - Bull-Nose
Planes, Malleable, Cast Iron, with Rosewood Wedge were available in
following widths - 1", 1 1/8", 1 1/4".
- No. 856 - Bull-Nose
Planes, Gun-Metal, with Ebony Wedge were available in following widths -
1", 1 1/8", 1 1/4". Click for
catalogue illustration.
- No. 857 - Chariot
Planes, Malleable, Cast Iron, with (Rosewood) Wedge were only available in
1 1/8" width.
- No. 858 - Chariot
Planes, Gun-Metal, with (Ebony) Wedge were only available in 1 1/8"
width. Click for catalogue illustration.
Click for original
prices.
Levers and Screws, with Rivets for Wrought Steel, etc. Planes
- No. 859 - Gun-Metal,
Best as in Mathieson Planes
- No. 860 - Brass, Second
Quality
Available in 2", 2 1/8", 2
1/4", 2 3/8", 2 1/2", 2 5/8", 2 3/4". Click for catalogue illustration, and
for original prices
