Plane Dating Flowchart 

                                                                               by Jay Sutherland, updated by Thom Trail

How many patent
dates are cast
 into bed?
  |
  | 0                           Yes                                 Yes
  |---> Is raised ring cast into -> Is bed painted blue? -------------> Type 20 1962-67
  |    bed as receiver for knob?       |
  |              |                     | No
  |              | No                  |                            No
  |              |                  Do toe and heel have a raised,----> Type 15 1931-32
  |       Is plane number             broad, flat rib casting?
  |        (i.e., No. 4)               |
  |       cast into bed?               | Yes
  |        |          |                |                            Yes
  |        | Yes      | No          Is "STANLEY" printed vertically --> Type 19 1948-61
  |        |          |              on lateral adjustment lever?
  |        |          |                |
  |        |          |                | No
  |        |          |                |                            Yes
  |        |          |             Does depth adjustment nut have ---> Type 18 1946-47
  |        |          |              a diagonal knurling on it?
  |        |          |                |
  |        |        Is lever           | No
  |        |        cap back           |
  |        |        recessed?        Does plane have wartime    Yes --> Type 17 1942-45
  |        |        |      |        features (handle and knob   No ---> Type 16 1933-41
  |        |        |      |         stained red or painted
  |    How many     | Yes  | No      black, depth adj. nut
  |   patent dates  |      |       made of steel or hard rubber,
  |    appear on    |      |          heavier bottom castings)
  |     lateral     |      |
  |    adjustment   |      ------>  Is depth adj. nut stamped  No ----> Type 1  1867-69
  |      lever?     |               "BAILEY'S PATENT"...?      Yes ---> Type 2  1869-72
  |        |        |
  |        |        ------------->  Is frog receiver a broad   No ----> Type 3  1872-73
  |        |                         rectangular area with     Yes ---> Type 4  1874-84
  |        |                        arched rear (toward tote)?
  |        |  0
  |        |--------------------->  Does "STANLEY" appear on   No ----> Type 4-5
  |        |                        lateral adj. lever?        Yes ---> Type 8-9
  |        |  1
  |        |----------------------------------------------------------> Type 8  1899-02
  |        |
  |        |  2
  |        |----------------------------------------------------------> Type 5  1885-88
  |        |
  |        |  3
  |        ---------------------->  Is depth adj. nut stamped  Yes ---> Type 6  1888-92
  |                                    "BAILEY'S PATENT"...    No ----> Type 7  1893-99
  | 1
  |------------------------------>  Is raised ring cast into   No ----> Type 13 1925-28
  |                                 bed as receiver for knob?  Yes ---> Type 14 1929-30
  | 2
  |------------------------------>  Is frog rib enlarged and   No ----> Type 9  1902-07
  |                                       arched type?         Yes ---> Type 10 1907-09
  | 3
  ------------------------------->  Is depth adj. nut large    No ----> Type 11 1910-18
                                       (1.25" diameter)?       Yes ---> Type 12 1919-24