No. 75 Depth Of Cut Block Plane
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No. 75 Manufactured: |
1929 to 1965 |
| No. 75B Manufactured: | 1965 to 1968 |
| No. 75-01 Manufactured: | 1968 to 1989+ |
| Sole Length | 7” |
| Iron Width: | 1-5/8” |
| Weight: | 1.3 lbs |
| Bedding Angle: | 20 Degrees |
| Adjustments: | Depth of Cut |
| Lever Cap Type: | Cam Lock |
| Casting Number Body: | 395 |
| Casting Number Cap: | 344 |
| Cross Reference: | Stanley No. 220 |
No. 75
The No. 75 is a 7” x 1-5/8 plane with a fixed mouth, tropical hardwood knob, cam lever cap and a depth adjusting screw to control the iron. The No. 75 was rebranded for other companies with brands that include Fulton, Dunlap, and P&C. This plane had four different configurations as follows:
Type 1 configuration – 1929 - 1935
Millers Falls name and number cast around the finger rest knob.
After the initial release, the name and number are stamped on the cheek.
The iron landing has a full surface with no recess.
The mouth is very narrow - 7/64”.
The depth adjustment screw knob has a diamond pattern knurling.
Threaded knob made from cocobolo rosewood.
Polished sides with no finger grips.
Cam lock lever cap is painted red (1929-1932), later, the lever cap is painted black (1933-1965).
“Since 1868” iron trademark (see irons for more details).
Type 2 configuration starting 1936 to 1945
Millers Falls embossed name and number are removed from the bed.
Iron landing has a recessed area.
1942 - Knob is a stained hardwood.
Type 3 configuration starting 1945 to 1965
Knob is secured to the bed with a 10-24 flat head machine screw.
1949 - Iron trademark was changed to include the words “Solid Tool Steel”.
1949, Knob made of rosewood.
1956, Knob made of tropical Goncalo wood.
Type 4 configuration starting 1965 to 1989+
The frog is redesigned to accept the new depth adjusting screw and iron seat.
The depth adjustment screw knob has a straight pattern knurling.
The iron is redesigned with three oval holes.
No trademark is present on the iron.
1965 to 1968 - The cheek stamp will be No. 75B.
1969 to 1989+ - The cheek stamp will be No. 75-01-B.
Type 1 No. 75 had the name and number cast around the knob. The initial release has a red lever cap and the iron without the company name at the top.
The first release type 1 has an iron with eleven adjustment grooves on the back. The front of the iron will have the Millers Falls Tools octagon, the no touch Since 1868 triangle and the Make In USA stamp.
The No. 75 on the top is a type 1 and the bottom is a type 2. Both planes have a threaded knob. You can see on the type 1 the narrow mouth opening and the solid iron landing. The type 2 has a wider mouth opening and a recessed iron landing. The depth adjusting screws are the same.
Millers Falls No. 75 type 2 with a threaded knob, cheek stamp with the embossed name and number removed.
No 75 type 3 with the external screw securing the knob and a "SOLID TOOL STEEL" iron.
These are the stamps on the type 3 plane with the solid tool steel iron. This configuration was produced from 1949 to 1965. Before the Solid Tool Steel iron trademark was used on the type 3, the trademark was the Since 1868 used from 1945 to 1948.
The No. 75 had four changes to the casting while manufactured at the Millers Falls foundry. Type 1 on the left with the embossed name and number. Next is a Type 2 with the screw on knob and the name and number stamped on the cheek. The embossed name and number have been removed from the bed. Type 3 has an external screw securing the knob. Type 4 on the right has the redesigned frog and iron depth adjusting seat to work with the three hole iron.
The bottom plane is a type 4 with the redesigned frog. The top plane has the frog configuration used from 1929 to 1965.
No. 75B
The number 75 was reconfigured for the new standardized three hole iron in the 1965/1966 period. This change completely reconfigured the frog and the iron depth adjusting seat. This change also changed the number from 75 to 75B. The “B” is only found on the cheek stamp. The catalog still refers to the plane as the No. 75. An easy way of identifying this plane as a “B” version is the straight pattern knurling on the adjustment knob.
Sears sold a version of the No. 75 for many years. Under the Fulton line, you can find it as the No. 5257 and No. 3701. When Sears switched to the Dunlap line, the No. 75 was sold as the Dunlap No. 3701. The fall 1964 catalog shows the No. 3701 renamed as the Sears No. 37031 (No. 75B, No. 75-01-B).
This is an example of a 75B when the parts were cast at the Millers Falls foundry. Some studies show that the 75B was released as early as 1964. It is easy to identify this No. 75 as a "B" version with the straight pattern knurling on the depth adjustment screw knob. The earlier planes prior to the "B" version had a diamond pattern knurling on the depth adjustment screw knob.
This picture shows a No. 75 type 3 on the top. The middle is a No 75B with the new iron adjustment knob. The bottom plane is a 75-01-B. In 1969, the foundry closed at Millers Falls and all casting were produced off-site. Also in 1969 the 75B was renamed 75-01-B. Also, note "MADE IN USA" is on one line with the 75B and on two lines with the 75-01-B outsourced casting.
No.75-01-B
In September 1968, Millers Falls reorganized their catalog to remove duplicate model numbers. Prior to the change, three different tools had the model number 75; a miter box, a block plane and a pocket scribe. The block plane was changed to 75-01, the pocket scribe to 75-02 and the miter box won the battle and kept the original model number. The early No. 75-01-B were made at the Millers Falls foundry and can be identified with “MADE IN USA” on one line and the original upper-case cheek stamp. In 1969 the foundry at Millers Falls was closed and all casing were made off-site by another company. These casting will have “MADE IN USA” on two lines and the cheek stamp will be a mix of upper and lower case letter. Some examples of the No. 75-01-B have been found with the USA on two lines with the old style cheek stamp.
Sears sold the No. 75B for the first time in the fall 1964 catalog as the No. 37031. Most of the No. 37031 found are a match to the No. 75B with MADE IN USA on one line, but a few have been found with MADE IN USA on two lines which would match the No. 75-01-B version. Sears stopped selling the No. 37031 after the summer 1969.
The two different stamps found on the No. 75-01-B. The top is the original style used starting in 1936. The bottom is a new style with a mix of upper and lower case letters. The majority of No. 75-01-B planes will have the bottom style cheek stamp after the foundry was closed in 1969.
The casting numbers on this plane show the lever cap has a 32706 casting number and was cast outside of the Millers Falls foundry. The cheek stamp and the USA on two lines is another indicator where it was not cast.
No.75-01-B (Great Neck Tools)
Sometime in the mid-seventies, Millers Falls dropped their casting designs and chose to add the Millers Falls name to a list of hardware and general retail stores all selling the same plane made by a single tool manufacturer. The only difference between these other companies and the Millers Falls version is the applied sticker to the lever cap and the sticker applied to the side of the box supplied by the tool manufacturer.
The labels are the only clue we have as to the history of these planes. From left to right I will guess when they were sold. 1 - The first has an Ingersoll-Rand/Greenfield label so pre 1978. 2 - has an IR sticker on the cap but no label on the box. It also has a different knob. Hard to tell so I would guess after the move in 1978 to Deerfield. 3 - no location. IR loved their name on things so this one gets a post 1982 when IR parted ways with the new Millers Falls Tools and moved to New Jersey. 4 - is the "waste not want not" cut label on the box with an IR label in the cap that puts it in Deerfield between 1978 and 1982. 5 - Greenfield location so pre 1978.
The different styles on the depth adjuster.