Woodworking

WOODWORKING Preston Planes. Maybe a mistake to concentrate solely on planes, this fabulous tool making business were also significant manufacturers of other tools. Also of significance is they were a Birmingham firm far away from that great centre of tool making – Sheffield, a factor which possibly allowed them to be so innovative. From 1825 until 1932 Preston Planes produced a wonderful range of metal (Iron, Steel, Malleable Iron, Gun Metal) and Wooden planes. Smoothers, Jack, Badger, Trying, Chamfer, Roughing, Plough, Fillister, Sash Fillister, Rabbet, (Rebate) Snipe, Match, Drawer Bottom, Hollow and Rounds, Beads - along with a wonderful range of Moulding (Molding) Planes were all amongst the range of planes they offered. My own taste has always been towards the range of Bull Nose and Rabbet (Rebate) planes that they made, most of these designs copied, copied and copied again by manufacturers who to me, never ever achieved the original quality that made the Preston range so successful. If you are a collector as opposed to a user, when buying always check sizes, both length and width along with finish as these factors are often overlooked. Maybe starting out as a collector? it would be difficult to not have these superb Preston planes in your collection.