Fulton Planes Made By Millers Falls Co.

Fulton Planes Produced By Millers Falls

Fulton Planes

The Fulton name was a Sears brand for over forty years. Fulton planes first appeared in the fall 1904 Sears catalog as their premium in-house tool. The Sargent Co. would be the main provider of these planes. Around 1931, Millers Falls was awarded the contract to produce Fulton planes for Sears. Millers Falls released three planes: the No. 3, No. 4, and a No. 5 smooth sole. In the fall of 1935, the No. 2 was added to the Fulton lineup. The Millers Falls planes will have the model number stamped on the left cheek. The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) was stamped on the planes to identify who manufactured the tool. Based on examples, Millers Falls did not start stamping the OEM on Fulton planes until 1936/1937. At the start of WWII, Millers Falls reconfigured their planes to use a single bolt to secure the knob and tote. To date, no examples of Fulton planes made by Millers Falls have been found with the single bolt. This would indicate that Millers Falls stopped production of Fulton planes at the start of 1942. The Fulton line was cancelled after the fall/winter 1943/1944 catalog.

A special thanks to Greg Ricketts for his Fulton Bench plane study that was used to cross-reference the Millers Falls to Fulton planes. https://aplanelife.us/

The following two lists show the Millers Falls Fulton planes from 1931 to 1943. On two of the block plane models, no Millers Falls examples have been found.

5252 Block Plane - (ended in fall/winter 1934/1935) (MF 87) (1-5/8 x 7) Example below
5253 Block Plane - (ended in summer 1932) (MF 68) (1-5/8 x 7-3/4) No Millers Falls planes found.
5257 Block Plane - (ended in fall/winter 1934/1935) (MF 75) (1-5/8 x 7) Example below
3700 Block Plane - (spring 1935-summer 1943) (MF 87) (1-5/8 x 7) Example below
3701 Block Plane - (spring 1935-summer 1937) (MF 75) (1-5/8 x 7) Example below
3705 Block Plane - (fall 1943-spring 1944) (MF 87) (1-5/8 x 7) No Millers Falls planes found

5260 Bench Plane - (spring 1931 - fall/winter 1934/1935)(MF 9) Example below
5262 Bench Plane - (spring 1931- fall/winter 1934/1935)(MF 14) Example below
5272 Bench Plane - (spring 1931-fall/winter 1934/1935)(MF 8) Example below
3708 Bench Plane - (fall 1935-summer 1941)(MF 7) Example below
3709 Bench Plane - (spring 1935-summer 1941)(MF 8) Example below
3710 Bench Plane - (spring 1935-summer 1941)(MF 9) Example below
3711 Bench Plane - (spring 1935-summer 1941)(MF 14) Example below

Fulton 5252 Block Plane

The Fulton 5252 was manufactured by Sargent from the fall 1917 until the fall/winter 1934/1935. The Sears catalog only shows the Sargent plane displayed, but sometime between 1929 and the end of the line, Millers falls also produced this plane. The Millers Falls version is a match to the No. 87 and the earliest version of the Mohawk Shelburne No. 700. The features on this plane are a 7” length with a 1-5/8 iron, threaded knob, 7/64” thin mouth, solid iron landing, name and number on the cheek, and a tension wheel lever cap. The Fulton 5252 was renamed the Fulton 3700 in the spring 1935.

This plane is 7" long with a 1-5/8" iron.

You will never find an OEM stamp on the No. 5252.

The No. 5252 has the same features as the early Millers Falls No.. 87.

Fulton 5257 Block Plane

The Fulton 5257 was manufactured by Sargent from the spring 1922 until the fall/winter 1934/1935. The Sears catalog only shows the Sargent plane displayed, but sometime between 1929 and the end of the line, Millers falls also produced this plane. The Millers Falls version is a match to the No. 75. The features on this plane are a 7” length with a 1-5/8 iron, threaded knob, 7/64” thin mouth, solid iron landing, name and number on the cheek, and a cam lever cap. The Fulton 5257 was renamed the Fulton 3701 in the spring 1935

Examples show that Millers Falls produced this plane in the 1931 timeframe with the solid iron landing and a narrow mouth.

The No. 5257 has the same features as the early Millers Falls No. 75.

Cheek stamp and the Fulton trademark on the iron.

The early version has a narrow mouth and a screw on knob.

Fulton 3700 Block Plane

The Fulton 3700 was produced by both Sargent and Millers Falls from the spring 1935 until the summer of 1943. The Millers Falls version of this plane is a match to the No. 87 block plane. The features on this plane are a 7” sole with a 1-5/8” iron, threaded knob, name and number on the cheek and a black tension wheel lever cap. The earliest versions will have a solid iron landing and a narrow mouth. Soon after the release, the plane is found with a recessed iron landing and a wider mouth. When the model ended in 1943, this style plane would no longer be available at a Sears store.

Early versions of the cheek stamp will not have the OEM stamp.

This plane has the same casting numbers as the No. 87.

The body on the left has the solid iron landing and the narrow mouth. On the right, the plane has a recessed iron landing and a wider mouth. The 3700 was released in the spring 1935. It may be that the change to the recessed iron landing and the wider mouth happened sometime around 1937. Also note the irons on either plane do not have the OEM stamp.

Fulton 3701 Block Plane

This Fulton 3701 had a very short 2-1/2 year span from the spring 1935 through the summer 1937. It is a match to the early No.75 Millers Falls block plane. The features on this plane are a 7” sole, threaded knob, 7/64” thin mouth, solid iron landing, name and number on the cheek, 1-5/8 iron with a depth adjusting screw, and a nickel plated cam locking lever cap. In the fall 1937, the Fulton 3701 was renamed as the Dunlap 3701.

All the same features as the Millers Falls No. 75, but this plane has a nickel lever cap.

The nickel cap was kept when Sears switched to the Dunlap brand in 1937.

The OEM was introduced on the Fulton line around 1937. It is not clear if the Fulton 3701 ever had an OEM stamp.

The Fulton 3701 will be found with a solid iron landing and a threaded knob.

Fulton 5260 Bench Plane

spring 1931-fall/winter 1934/1935 (#4 size)

The Fulton 5260 was introduced in the spring 1928 catalog and was manufactured by Sargent Co. Starting in 1931, Millers Falls would also produce the Fulton 5260. Some key features on this plane are a smooth 9” bed under the knob, a high support rib, a yoke pin recess, steel yoke, extra metal around the lever cap screw, fillister locking screws and no frog face relief. The lever cap has a large rivet head securing the cam lever spring. The 5260 was replaced with the 3710 in the spring 1935. It is clear from the features found on this frog what Millers Falls had been using the steel yoke with the yoke pin recess before they were introduced on the type 2 premium planes.

5260 with a steel yoke and a yoke pin recess.

No Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) stamp

Same features on type 1 premium plane: no frog face relief, extra metal around lever cap screw, flat filister locking screws, high support rib, smooth bed under the knob and large cam spring rivet head.

Fulton 5262 Bench Plane

spring 1931-fall/winter 1934/1935 (#5 size)

The Fulton 5262 was introduced in the spring 1928 catalog and was manufactured by Sargent Co. Starting in 1931, Millers Falls would also produce the Fulton 5262. Some key features on this plane are a smooth bed under the knob, a high support rib, a yoke pin recess, steel yoke, extra metal around the lever cap screw, fillister locking screws and no frog face relief. The lever cap has a large rivet head securing the cam lever spring. The 5262 was replaced with the 3711 in the spring 1935.

5262 with a steel yoke and the yoke pin recess.

Fulton 5272 Bench Plane

spring 1931-fall/winter 1934/1935 (#3 size)

The 5272 first appeared in the Sears catalog in spring 1931. Like the 5260 and the 5262, the last appearance in the catalog was the fall/winter 1934/1935. This plane has an 8-1/2” sole and a 1-3/4” iron. Two different configurations are displayed below, one with the cast iron yoke/no yoke pin recess and the other with a steel yoke/with yoke pin recess. The irons on these two planes are also different. The earlier version has the Fulton name with the word “WARRANTED” under the Fulton name. The later version has the Fulton name with “MADE IN USA” under the name. Some other key features on this plane are a smooth bed under the knob, a high support rib, and a raised tote receiver. The frog has extra metal around the lever cap screw, fillister locking screws and no frog face relief. The lever cap has a large rivet head securing the cam lever spring. The 5272 was replaced with the 3709 in the spring 1935.

The easy versions had the Fulton name and the word WARRANTED under the name.

Later versions replaced the WARRANTED with MADE IN USA

Early version on the left with a cast iron yoke and no yoke pin recess. The later version on the right has a steel yoke and a yoke pin recess on either side of the yoke pin.

The 5272 has a raised tote receiver and a smooth bed under the knob like the type 1 No. 8

Fulton 3708 Bench Plane

fall 1935 - fall/winter 1941/1942 (#2 size)

The Fulton 3708 first appeared in the fall 1935 catalog. This plane had a 7-1/2” sole and a 1-5/8” iron. The features on the early frogs would have an open nickel depth adjusting nut, 315 casting number, steel yoke with a yoke pin recess and no frog face relief. The body has a 300 casting number with brass waist nuts for the knob and tote. The cap has a casting number 401. Sears stopped selling the Fulton 3708 line after the fall/winter 1941/1942. No other plane of this size would be sold at Sears when the 3708 ended.

This plane was only produced for six years.

Easy to identify this plane with its classic tote.

The OEM stamp "BB" on both cheek and iron.

Fulton 3709 Bench Plane

spring 1935 - fall/winter 1941/1942 (#3 size)

The Fulton 3709 first appeared in the spring 1935 catalog. The features on the early frogs would have an open nickel depth adjusting nut, 316 casting number, steel yoke with a yoke pin recess, a folded lateral adjustment lever and no frog face relief. On the later frogs, you see the frog face relief and the lateral adjustment lever now has the disk to engage the chip breaker. The body has a 301 casting number, and brass waist nuts for the stained hardwood knob and tote. The initial release of the body does not have the bed knob ribs. Very soon after the initial release, we see the bed knob ribs with the matching groves on the knob. The early version will have a raised tote receiver, but on the later version, the raised tote receiver is eliminated. The cap has a casting number 400. At the start of 1942, Sears switched manufacturers from Millers Falls and Sargent to Pexto.

On the initial release, the body has the raised tote receiver, but does not have the knob ribs. The frog has a folded lateral adjustment lever. This early frog does not have the frog face relief.

The initial release does not have the OEM on either the iron or the body cheek.

Unlike the No. 3710 9" plane, the No. 3709 did not change casting numbers. Dating this plane is a little more difficult, but we can see it has a raised tote receiver and a lower support rib. It also has the OEM stamp on both the cheek and the iron. Based on these features, the manufacturing time for this plane would be around 1937/1938.

The features on the No. 3709 are consistent with the other Fulton 3700 series bench planes.

Both the cheek and iron have the OEM stamp. which was added after the initial release.

Fulton 3710 Bench Plane

spring 1935 - fall/winter 1941/1942 (#4 size)

The Fulton 3710 first appeared in the spring 1935 catalog. The No. 3710 would continue until the end of the Fulton line in the fall/winter 1943/1944. It is not clear, but Millers Falls probably stopped producing the No. 3710 after 1941. The features on the early frogs would have an open nickel depth adjusting nut, 317 casting number, steel yoke with a yoke pin recess and no frog face relief. The body has a 302 casting number with brass waist nuts for the knob and tote. The cap has a casting number 397 which is the same cap used on the Mohawk Shelburne line. The first releases will not have an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) stamp.

Early version with high support rib and no OEM stamp

Stained hardwood knob and tote. Note the factory wave on the cheek.

Early version with no frog face relief, folder lateral lever and a large rivet head on the cam lever spring.

Later version frog face relief, disk lateral lever smaller rivet head on the cam lever spring.

Later version with OEM stamp on both cheek and iron.

Fulton 3711 Bench Plane

spring 1935 - fall/winter 1941/1942 (#5 size)

The 3711 was produced by both Millers Falls and Sargent from the spring 1935 to the fall/winter 1941/42. The fourteen-inch plane has an additional feature to help identify when it was made. Around 1939, a casting gate was added to the toe and heel on all plane bodies over 10 inched. The example below does not have the casting gates which puts it before 1939. This plane has a tall support rib and a folded lateral lever. Based on the tall rib, no casting gates, frog face relief and the OEM stamp, this plane left the factory around the 1936/1937 timeframe. The Dunlap 3739 would replace the 3711.